I'm going to dream about the Melrose breakfast sandwich months from now as well as their dirty chai…read morelatte. Don't judge me. This is a place that will spoil other establishments for you. We originally came here because we saw they have gluten-free bagels. And we need someplace to eat safely because of celiac. They made their OG breakfast bagel with a gluten-free one and it was a complete hit with my teen. So much so that we had to come back the next day as well. No complaints from me on doing that.

Stopped by Hound and Mare for breakfast on a busy Monday morning. A little bit of a wait but not…read moretoo bad. Had the Melrose sandwich and a Chocolate Donut - both were pretty good. The Lavender Latte (had it iced) was also very good.

recently hosted a dinner party at Allechant in Ithaca, NY, for my daughter's bridal shower weekend…read more At the website it asks that parties over 8 please call, that it may be necessary to rent out the entire restaurant.  Allechant is a small owner/chef run French Restaurant.  They are only open for dinner Thursday-Sunday evenings and for brunch on Saturday and Sunday.  I did call and email. Patience is key, because owner/chef, Matt, is busy Thursday-Sunday at the restaurant and I'm sure the other days, he is planning, shopping, returning emails and calls.  We did connect and he was just wonderful to work with. I did book the entire restaurant as our party was planned for 10-15 people. He offered several selections for entrees, appetizers and desserts for me to choose for our menu.  Since I wanted to have a steak offering, he asked that make entrée selections in advance for shopping purposes.  We worked out a wonderful menu.  He even accommodated a wine tasting of two different flights of wines that would be offered all evening. The evening started with glasses of champagne and socializing in the first room of the restaurant with has the bar area with a few seats and several small dinner tables. Matt had the second room set up with a large rectangular arrangement of the tables, so that our entire party could be at one table.  This room adjoined the kitchen, so you could see Matt at work.  After initially greeting all of us, Matt went to work and his delightful assistant served as hostess, sommelier and waitress all evening.  She was positively amazing!  We were pleasantly surprised to find out Matt had prepared our personal menus and placed them in the Allechant menu books. They not only made wonderful souvenirs, but it was nice to have a record of the wines we tasted. After we were seated, we were offered the first of the wines in the white flight.  What was very nice about the wine tasting, is that each taste/glass was brought out sequentially and each guest was asked if they wanted to try that wine.  The appetizers started coming, and one by one the other white wines were offered for tasting. Both the gyoza and lamb meatballs were cooked perfectly, sauces were delicious. Entrees were coming when the offerings of the red wine flight started.  I had the red curry salmon which was cooked to perfection, the sauce was generous and amazing and portion so large, there were leftovers.  My mother had the coq au vin blanc, and said it was absolutely the best she had ever had.  And those having the steak and the gnocchi raved as well. (entire menu in pictures with review).  The food was incredible, portions generous and service was excellent.  Then came dessert; once again, very generous servings, perfectly prepared.  It was an amazing evening.  I can see why Matt asks patrons to book the entire restaurant when the party is larger.  Since he is the chef, he wants to be able to prepare, serve and time every course and every entrée so that no one is waiting, everything is service at the right temperature and is cooked to perfection.  If you are looking to host a special, elegant evening in Ithaca, then Allechant is the intimate, friendly, 5-star restaurant for you.

Great spot for dinner in Ithaca! I love the house-made desserts!…read more I tried the mussels for appetizer which were very good. Not too heavy or salty. For mains I tried the vodka gnocchi and the cod stew. Both were excellent! I think if I were to return I would get the cod stew though- it is much more unique. Only complaint about the gnocchi is I wish there was more cheese on top. Desserts were divine! I love how they display them all on the table by the fireplace! We tried the pumpkin cake and the poppyseed coconut almond cake. I truly don't think I could pick a favorite. I wish the whipped cream was also homemade though. I came for dinner on a weekend night (with reservations). Service was solid. Overall, I would return! I will definitely be coming back to try their brunch!

A cute spot in downtown Ithaca for coffee! My fav coffee spot in Ithaca!…read more We tried the rose matcha w oat milk & chocolate orange latte w almond milk. I preferred the chocolate orange latte- neither the chocolate nor the orange flavors overpowered the other. Delicious! I also liked the rose matcha- more of a subtle rose flavor. One complaint is that I wish they had skim milk. They also have charging ports and wifi which is nice if you want to work here. Lots of natural light but not much seating.

They have a pretty creative menu! I had their rose cappuccino with raspberry foam, it was really…read moregood!! Their espresso shots were pulled well and the flavoring is really good.

Nestled between two popular Collegetown spots, Le Cafe is a charming new Korean cafe with a cozy…read morevibe. The first noticeable thing when you enter is undoubtably the welcoming ambiance, accentuated by the flowers and fairy lights. This place feels like it belongs in Commons rather than Collegetown. Ctown doesn't really have a lot of cafes beyond Cornell campus so I was initially excited for a nice change of scenery. However, I must say that I'm slightly disappointed. The staff were extremely friendly during the times I visited. They offer a variety of reasonably priced drinks such as their homemade fruit juice. I've tried their grape juice and it was VERY sweet -- consider yourself warned! Their kimbap is okay, but I probably wouldn't get it again. Their snack and drinks corner is absolutely adorable and makes it easy for those that want grab-and-go snack or beverage. It's super charming and makes Asian snacks accessible, saving you a trip to the Asian supermarket. As a group study spot, I probably wouldn't recommend it! The area could feel a bit tight. I came with a friend for a study session and the tables weren't big enough to hold both of our laptops. There's also seats near the windows and and blue sofas to sit but for both, you would have to work at an awkward angle. Overall, it's a good place to hang out casually with friends or to do a coffee chat.

So delicious with excellent service!! Kimbap, bulgogi, and fruitade are all amazing, highly…read morerecommend

Best soup and awesome Mac & Cheese. They even have a website of all their recipes, no gatekeeping!…read moreCasual spot for grabbing food. Service is quick, even when it's crowded.

Probably the best place to eat on campus. My day is always better with my daily Zeus latte and…read moresesame bagel with cream cheese toasted. My favorite soups are the mushroom barley and the split pea soup. I love the Ithaca bakery roll that comes with the soups. I had the mac and cheese once and it was okay, not great. The sandwiches used to be much better when they offered sprouts on the turkey sandwich, but they don't do this anymore.

I figured I'd give Cafe Jennie a try while I was back at Cornell for Reunion Weekend. Since many…read moreplaces were closed, I needed a quick lunch to hold me over until dinner several hours later. I ended up getting a pre-packaged chef salad and a black coffee, and both hit the spot. The salad was fresh, satisfying, and exactly what I needed before a busy afternoon of reunion activities. As an added bonus, we received 10% off, which was a nice little perk. The staff was friendly, and the café was convenient and welcoming. Next time I'm back on campus, I'd love to try one of their homemade offerings. For a quick and easy lunch stop, it worked out perfectly. And we had enough seats for our group. When the coffee was ready, my hand held buster went off! All good!

When I think of Café Jennie, the first thing that comes to mind is their desserts and baked goods…read more They offer a delightful variety of sweet snacks, including brownies (with a variety of combinations) and macarons--a rare find on campus. I've tried their sandwiches before, and while they're decent, they can be a bit on the dry side. The salads, however, are fantastic! Personally, I prefer the sandwiches at Goldie's. Café Jennie is located on the second floor of the Cornell Store, in a beautifully well-lit area with plenty of natural light. Finding seating can be a challenge since it fills up quickly, and it's easy to see why. Sitting here makes me a thousand times more productive for some reason. It's definitely one of the prettier cafes on campus, though I still think Goldie's ambiance is superior. I give Café Jennie 4 stars for their impressive variety. If you have a sweet tooth, you'll find plenty to satisfy your cravings!

Nice overall diner with an old school vibe good food, and decent service!…read more The French toast special was outstanding

Located in the middle of the DeWitt Mall, the cafe features uneven flooring, a bathroom key on a…read moresoup laddle, fish tanks with goldfish and guppies, yes, quite good food. They have a handful of staff and what looks like a tiny kitchen. Even so, they are very warm and welcoming. Since the Carriage House on Stewart Avenue has been long closed, I decided to get the cafe's French Toast. It came out nice and hot, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and a side of maple syrup and butter. The crisp exterior gave way to a moist fluffy eggy interior. Much yum. Bonus points: they can also offer French toast in a gluten free variation. My wife opted for the Potato Pile, which was a plate with a pile of potatoes, dressed, along with their homemade kimchi, and eggs. The potatoes were great. The cafe partners with local farms to serve up great produce.

The soups here are amazing. I've tried the tomato florentine, New England clam chowder, chicken…read morenoodle, turkey chili, and chicken gumbo. All of them are fantastic. They also have tomato bisque and minestrone. They alternate 2 soups a day. Big Red Barn also lets you build your own sandwiches with all the usual ingredients. The premade ones don't seem that good to me. I tried the turkey brioche, which seems like a popular choice considering how many people order it, but it was bad. Instead of thick slices of fresh avocado I got a sad tasteless green mush. The turkey itself wasn't much better. My favorite sandwich to get here is a tuna melt because they have amazing tuna. Other options include salads, some pasta dishes, and omelette wraps before 10:30am. The beef ravioli was pretty disgusting. They just have the ravioli sitting in a container in some red slop, and they heat it up and sprinkle some cheese on it before giving it to you. The beef inside the ravioli is unrecognizable as beef--it's just a brown mushy substance. There's lots of seating, including outdoor seating.

I will always have a great fondness for this place…read more I had an amazing "first date" here. He skipped class to extend our lunch to 3 hours. How sweet is that? There is a warmth that the BRBarn has...it just loves people. That's the only way to describe it. The boyfriend is gone, but the Big Red Barn remains...and all the memories implied.