My cousin was visiting from Rhode Island, and I wanted him to experience the authentic, delicious…read morefood at Appian Way. It was a great choice because Joe is a good cook himself and a frequent traveler to Italy. He fully enjoyed his dining experience here. Starters: *Rapini sautéed in garlic cooked perfectly. *Fried Calamari was crispy on outside and tender inside. Always tasty. '*Homemade crusty Italian bread was outstanding. *Salad with fresh tomato slices and cucumbers Veal Francais --Joe liked the quality, tenderness of the thin veal slices in the lemony sauce. Veal Naturale -- My daughter ordered her favorite that has lots of flavorful mushrooms. Mushroom and Prosciutto Pasta --SIL raved about the homemade fettuccine and flavorful broth which he ate up with a spoon not to leave any behind. Veal Sorrentino -- I ordered for first time. The eggplant and veal were delicious. I did not like the Prosciutto layer. We all loved our homemade Gelato treat. The Stacciatella was out of this world delicious. Nobody makes it better! Chocolate was enjoyed by SIL. Service was experienced and welcoming. "Stracciatella is a variety of gelato with fine strands of drizzled chocolate stirred through it. It was originally created in Bergamo, northern Italy, at the Ristorante La Marianna in 1961."

This is absolutely the most Authentic Italian restaurant in the Capital District. The food is…read moreamazing! Everything that is served is made at the restaurant. The service is top notch...you are welcomed like family and treated spectacularly. I love that the dining room is very inviting and decorated with paintings of Italy. Please see my previous review on the Appian Way, it truly describes the essence of this restaurant . It is an absolute pleasure to dine at The Appian Way!

I've always wanted to visit More Perreca's on Jay St. I've heard so much about the restaurant and…read moreespecially the bakery, Perreca's, located right next door. The businesses are located a couple of blocks from the gateway marking the entrance to Schenectady's Little Italy. So much history, food and romance in this neighborhood. We had Sunday brunch at More Perreca's. The bakery is closed on Sunday but I got a Sausage Lettuce Tomato sandwich served on toasted Perreca's bread. It was so delish. The Italian sausage was served with lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic puree, mayo and side salad. Everything was so fresh. My $11 meal was reasonably priced. The garlic purée was amazing. They need to bottle it. I'd buy some. My friend had the Mac and cheese and an espresso martini. He loved both. Rachelle was our server. She was wonderful. Very helpful. She explained some of the menu to me because there were a number of Italian sausage dishes. The food was prepared quickly which was great because we were hungry. Rachelle came back later to check on us. I gave her a thumbs up and a smile while busily chewing a bite of sandwich. The restaurant is charming with nice tin ceilings and big windows to let the light in. There are many booths which makes it cozy. When we arrived most of the tables were full. Based on the chatter in the room it sounded as though a lot of friends had gathered at the restaurant to literally break bread over brunch. The menu offers a nice variety: from egg breakfasts, assorted salads to Italian classics. It was an all around yummy and enjoyable experience. I let Rachelle know that we'll be coming back.

Full disclosure: my son works here, so yeah... biased as heck . Just me and Kiernan rolling in,…read moreolder bro + dad energy fully loaded -- two-man Italian food squad on a mission. Me? Chef mode engaged, tasting like a pro. Kollin was working, locked in as the waiter, moving like a ninja, didn't even notice us quietly demolishing everything in sight. Absolute respect. Every table around us? Wild vibes. Plates stacked like skyscrapers, people laughing, yelling, living their best family life -- basically a full-on Italian festival. Specials flying out like missiles, drinks hitting like tiny joy grenades, and every plate? Hot, huge, and straight fire. I had gnocchi so soft it made me question all my life choices, mussels practically jumped into my mouth, and Kiernan just nodded in silent approval -- Dad + Son synergy unlocked. We basically became part of the ambient soundtrack -- the chef dad, tasting like a pro, the son absorbing pure Italian energy. Portions massive, flavors insane, zero drama, all vibes. If you even think about Italian in Schenectady... go see Kollin. Go to Perrecca's. You'll leave stuffed, happy, and probably texting your friends in all caps about how legendary this place is. #DadAndSonGoals #GnocchiGods #LockedInLegend #FullOnVibes #PerreccasOrBust

Unfortunately I have to agree with many of the other more recent reviews here-- Cornell's seems to…read morehave gone way downhill in the last couple of years. I was here last in 2022 and had many delicious meals during my trip to Schenectady. This time, I returned to the restaurant and asked for a seat at the bar, only to be told that they weren't accepting walk-ins. I thought this was odd, but made a reservation for the following week. I wish I'd followed my gut and skipped it. The menu looks the same, but the preparations are completely different. The chicken Milanese used to be two large pieces of chicken served with a light and delicious cream sauce, nothing else. Now, it's a single thinly pounded piece of chicken, piled with lettuce and tomatoes (no mentioned of this on the menu) and served on top of a bland cream sauce. I wouldn't have ordered it if I'd known this. Also, the side order of cavatelli which used to be so delicious tasted like it had about a tablespoon of salt poured over it. Seriously, I've never had such salty food in my life. I also heard a diner at an adjacent table complain to their waitress that their food was too salty. I don't know what happened, but Cornell's is a completely different place than the great restaurant it once was. I won't be going back.

Went to Cornell's in Schenectady for Restaurant week on Friday night. 4 days later I literally feel…read morestolen from. We went with 3 kids, and were told there was no kids menu, it says thus no where, should no one ever bring a child here? The menu had no traditional American Italian kids items ie chicken parm. It had Barciolle, stuffed flounder, eggplant rollatini, and steak pizzialo. Which is fine, if you still offer a kids menu. The stuffed flounder gotten by 3 of us, one child, Was inedible, the stuffing mixture was so old, it tasted so off. Sour almost. None of us ate it. One child got steak pizzialo, the steak was basically boiled in tomato sauce, tough and not good. Service was maybe a 2/5. Save your money, I want mine back. $210 with tip. We left hungry. When the waitress came and saw the full plates, she said, do you guys want boxes? No thanks.

At Canali's today for a post funeral luncheon for around 50 people…read more Food: 3.5 Stars, rounded up to four Value: 4 Banquet Room: 2 The buffet moved efficiently as tables were called to get in two lines in front and behind the buffet table. "Chicken Marsala" with mushrooms and onions was very good -- Moist, tender, and flavorful. Cut with a fork! Roasted Potatoes were excellent! Browned on all sides with crispy skin and not greasy. They rightfully call them their "famous" roasted potatoes. Italian Bread was outstanding! Tortellini Primavera was blah. Sauce was too thin. Not enough vegetables. 2 Stars Ziti looked okay, but I did not have any. I heard the sauce was good. Baby Meatballs were weak, bland and slightly spongy in texture like frozen ones from market. 2 Stars Salad was limp and dressed too soon. Very little in it besides salad greens. Water was served in plastic cups, but there were nice white cloth napkins. Wines, coffee, and cookies were self serve. Price for this Buffet was $20. plus tax and gratuity per person offered Noon to 4 pm Wed. thru Sunday. The Chicken Marsala protein was selected from several. I would order the chicken, potatoes, and bread again on another visit or by takeout. Parking lot is huge. Many stairs lead down to the large basement Banquet Room. I smelled mildew when I sat down likely from the old carpeting.

Chicken Alfredo is so cheesy and delicious. Portions are humongous. Service was excellent.read more

Love everything about this restaurant! Tonight we had eggplant parm which was lightly breaded and…read moretender, with a delicious fresh marinara sauce. Eggplant wasn't chewy or thick as many are. My date had the meat sauce with tagliatelle that was so thick and flavorful. But hats off to the baker! The bread is the best I've had in any restaurant in the Capital district! Even better than most Italan bakeries. Fresh, crusty, dense and tastes like homemade! The dessert we had was amazing- a pistachio and chocolate chip panna cotta. It was light and creamy but not overly sweet with a crunchy topping. The perfect ending to an Italian dinner! Our server was lovely and genuine (didn't get her name but it was around 6pm tonight). She was so thoughtful! We love Stella's and highly recommend it for an amazing meal and great service.

I came here with an out-of-town friend to sample the Seven Points brews at the bar, but we decided…read moreto stay at the bar for a meal as well. I enjoyed the atmosphere here, as well as my Baritone American-style Porter. My brewery companion said his beers were ok, but he really enjoyed his pasta dinner. He travels to Italy frequently, and he said the pasta would be considered traditionally al dente in Italy, though perhaps not to all Americans' taste. I took advantage of the happy hour prices (which included a discount on my beer) to try the Eggplant Stack appetizer. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, crisp without being greasy, and the marinara sauce was addicting. Service at the bar was fun with the chatty bartenders. Besides coming back here to sample more beers, this could easily become one of my go-to Italian restaurants in the Capital District.

Fantastic service, food, and environment. Our server,…read moreAnthony, was incredibly nice and comp'd our dessert (it was really good, he was just nice.) Old timely Italian vibes. Their eggplant parm was nuts. Can't wait to go back

Seven years later, still the premier Italian restaurant in Schenectady!! I've been a huge fan for…read moreas long as I can remember. Now that I live 2.5 hours away, it's still worth the drive!! Hubby took me to celebrate our anniversary and he knows this is my favorite!! The service is impeccable, the food is beyond delicious and it still feels like being at Nana's house. Thank you all again for another amazing dinner!!

I had the best time at Johnny's recently. A friend and I made reservations to eat there before…read morecatching a show at Proctor's. We shared the Jo Jo Special. It consists of lobster tail, shrimp, clams and mussels in fra diavolo sauce over pasta. Our helpful server said the Jo Jo Special was meant to be shared. We thought it was an amazing Italian dish. I also had a delicious espresso martini. We were quite full. We had no room for dessert though the couples sitting next to us had rave reviews for the chocolate cake. Perhaps next time. In addition to the wonderful meal, I liked the ambiance. The restaurant is huge. We sat at a table right up front. The red and white checked tablecloths are classic. The large bar and decor harken to a different era. The art and images on the walls celebrate the Capital Region's history. The photos along the bar pay tribute to former service men and women from the region. I also liked the gracious and efficient wait staff. They were so welcoming. They were also very much aware that we had a show to catch. Even though Proctor's is just across the street, they made every effort to see to it that we were happy and fed in a timely manner. I'm grateful. We'll be back. Thanks.

Recently had my son's 21st birthday dinner here. Private room, great waitress named Julie, and the…read morestaff is always attentive. I definitely would recommend them for a private event. Drinks good. The food was good. My son is usually a chef in the kitchen but had the night off and enjoyed being cooked for lol. Was accessible. Warm and inviting!

Some friends recommended this restaurant so we gave it a try. My wife and I had the chicken…read morefrancese. Absolutely wonderful! The other party we were with ordered the chicken parm and the haddock francese. 2 magnificent dishes! All meals were perfectly prepared and the service was great. Nadine was knowledgeable, friendly, and upbeat. The owner, Joanne, was very sweet and it was east to tell that she loved what she was doing. The great meal, and a couple for cocktails, made the evening a pleasure. We shall definitely be returning!

Was driving through the area with a baby when we decided to stop here on a whim. They were very…read moreaccommodating without a reservation, happily brought over a height chair and the entire staff was so friendly! The home made cavatelli was fantastic, my chicken parm was fantastic. Loved the art all over the place, amazing smells emanating from the restaurant. Will be back to try the veal next!

We had dinner at Grano on Wed 8/19/26. They offer four course meals of $30pp on Tue, Wed, & Thu…read more Open from 4-10pm everday, but closed on Mon. Conviently located on State St next to Proctors Theater. Free public parking behind Proctors week days after 5pm & weekends. We ordered the four course special (rotating menu) from our attentive waitperson Michael. We ordered wine $10-12 per glass from their wide selection. Full bar offerings. Apps were fried oysters & mozzarella w/ blistered tomatoes & basil. Next was tomato bisque soup & mixed greens salads. Then the pasta course - gnocchi w/ marinara sauce & pasta primavera. Entrees were pork tenderloins & chicken Sorrento. All served appropriately hot or cold, very tasty, and just-right portion sized. Also warm, crusty bread w/ herbed butter. Excellent presentation. High recommendation for this upscale Italian+ restaurant. We will be back. Thank you Michael & all the staff at Grano. Nick, Liz, & Lauren Albany, NY USA

A longtime Italian American friend whom I have known since first grade recently asked me to…read morerecommend a restaurant. He and his family are meeting in their birthplace and mine --Schenectady-- for a sibling family reunion. They now live elsewhere but remember their hometown fondly. I immediately thought of Grano! It is a popular restaurant in downtown Schenectady known for its farm-to-table focus and authentic Italian cuisine served in a warm, urban atmosphere. It offers dishes like fresh-made pasta, mussels, and other Italian classics. The emphasis is on fresh, simple ingredients revered by Italian chefs. I like the selection of small plates and pasta dishes. We recently enjoyed Grilled Octopus (Potatoes, olives, celery, radish, tomato jam, blood orange lemon vinaigrette), Lemon Basil Ricotta Fritters, Chicken in Vodka Sauce, and Armondo's Zuppa Di Pesce (Egg fettuccine, cod, clams, shrimp, PEI mussels, scallops, marinara). The food was prepared with expertise and exceptionally delicious. I did not take photos because I was caught up enjoying the good food and conversation. Our server was experienced, attentive, and helpful with ordering. The crusty bread was perfect to mop up the sauces! They are also making a reservation at Cornell's, their choice.

I have not eaten here in decades! Really good Italian food is pretty hard to find. The stand out…read morepart of the evening by far was the service! Our waitress was amazing! She took care of so many tables that I honestly don't know how she did it. The restaurant is cute inside, definitely rustic. The salad was fresh, which was nice. The children parm was alright. The best part about it was definitely that it wasn't bad crispy. The pasta was from a box and unfortunately the marinara was just not good. The best thing I ate was definitely the cookie but that was most certainly outsourced from somewhere else. They don't do a real tea service with a selection of teas, neither do they offer cream or lemon. It is just a Lipton tea bag and hot water. But if that's all then, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Went a few weeks ago for the first time Called last minute…read moreon a Friday night and was able to make a reservation I definitely recommend reservations. The food was superb. Service was great. Made you feel like we were there many times before. Started with salad and bread. I had scallop and shrimp over Bucatini. My boyfriend dish was amazing too. Next time I'm ordering the steak!