My husband and I visited the Ithaca area for our anniversary and chose Taverna Banfi to celebrate. The restaurant is located in the Statler Hotel, conveniently situated on the Cornell University campus. We had complimentary valet service, and enjoyed deliciously prepared entres while seated in a very elegant dining area with tons of natural light, and a view of the campus from the second floor. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive-- a real pleasure. Takeaway --- Upscale establishment with a relaxed vibe. I highly recommend the Lavender Lemonade!!! read more

Taverna Banfi - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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This was a great dinner after a long day at our conference. The seasonal menu had some great options and we enjoyed our meal with a great view of the gardens. The staff were friendly and helpful answering questions about the menu. read more

Taverna Banfi - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Had dinner at Taverna Banfi while visiting Cornell and we liked it so much that we had to come back again the following night. To start, we had the Grilled Octopus and the Spinach and Stracciatella Salad - both excellent. For our entrees, we had the Duck Breast, Fried Chicken and the Ribeye - all very nicely prepared especially the Duck and the Ribeye. Great staff especially our server Freyja who was very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend! read more

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My favorite foods of the "brunch": 1. smoked salmon with fresh lemon (I squeezed the lemon wedge onto the smoked salmon and it was delectable!) 2. mini waffle with fresh vanilla whipped cream (This was by far my favorite bite of the meal! The waffle was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and it paired so well with the whipped cream which had specks of vanilla bean in it! I topped my waffle with a slight drizzle of maple syrup and it made for a perfect bite (not too sweet) 3. The breakfast potatoes (So good!! Well seasoned and soft but I wish they had a crispy exterior) 4. The roast beef and horseradish sauce (I only enjoyed this one because of the horseradish sauce. It was so good and had the perfect creamy tanginess that paired amazingly with the beef) The service: Our waitress was really attentive and kind! We ordered the complimentary tea and coffee at our table and she gave us honey to go with it as well! You can ask for different milks too for your complimentary hot tea/coffee! We got to sit by the windows and the natural light coming was so nice even though that day was really cloudy. All areas are kept clean and tidy. It was a calming brunch experience! read more

Taverna Banfi - ayce brunch baby shrimp with cocktail sauce, salmon, roast beef with horseradish sauce, pasta salad, breakfast potatoes - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Delectable food and exceptional service. Taverna Banfi defies expectations for a student-run restaurant. The dishes are absolutely gorgeous both taste and presentation-wise. The duck is tender and savory with the perfect amount of sweetness from the maple sauce and sweet potato side. The gnocchi is pillowy, however, the portions were a bit small for the price. The table-side focaccia is tender and airy. Perfect for elegant date nights or special occasions. Prices range from $30-70 per person. Parking is limited. read more

Taverna Banfi - Duck - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Brunch buffet is wonderful and reasonably priced at $30 pp. Service is exceptional throughout. Banfi is beautiful of course and all of the touches are there. The buffet has a nice selection of both breakfast and lunch foods. Some highlights were the salmon, mac and cheese, and carving station with horseradish sauce. The desserts were also top notch. In particular I loved the creme beulee and lavender tart. They also had vanilla bean panna cotta, pecan pie, blonde bars, and more. The breakfast food was okay, but some things could be improved. The bagels were cheap grocery store esque bagels and the cream cheese was individual sized Philly. There was seemingly nobody working the crepe station or waffle station so I passed those over entirely. They can bring out hot sauce if requested but imo it would be nice to have some accoutrements next to the eggs. Lastly, it's a shame that coffee isn't included with the buffet but juice is. I'm not a juice person so I stuck to water, but it would have been nice to have coffee instead as a courtesy. Would go back! Definitely worth the price. read more

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This place is one of my favorite parts of Cornell. Starting with brunch when we visited for accepted students day to celebrating my son's graduation and the many times we went in between, each meal has always been solid and the service by the student staff always impeccable. The restaurant is inside the Statler Hotel at Cornell University which makes it convenient if you are staying there. Get a seat by the window to get a view of the campus while you enjoy your meal. Thankfully we still have another child there to enjoy a few more meals! read more

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I really wanted to love this place. The hotel was great and the hostesses were super nice, but the service was so slow. We sat down around 7:45 PM and didn't get our appetizer for at least 30 minutes. The main dishes took another hour. I asked about the food after an hour, and the waitress said it would be out in 2 minutes. After waiting for another 20, I checked again and she said 1 minute, and I decided to cancel my entree. Of course, the food showed up about 10 minutes later. We had the octopus and kale Caesar to start--both were just okay. My husband had the fish and said it was fine. My daughter ordered the New York Strip medium rare, but it came out more like medium. By the time we finished eating, it was almost 10:30 PM. read more

Great place to grab dinner in ithaca. This place feels very "old timey fancy". Food is good but portions are pretty massive and nothing is shocking if that makes sense. It's all very classsically good food. We got some nice wine and the calamari was great - again nothing shocking but i think that's about the best you're going to get in ithaca. If you're visiting a college student i would def recommend this place for like a fam dinner situation. Super great vibes and overall good meal read more

Taverna Banfi restaurant is such a great spot in Ithaca. High in the hills of Ithaca and lost in Cornell's beautiful campus, Banfi is a hidden treasure. The food is really good. The staff is exceptional and the restaurant offers a beautiful view of Ithaca and Cornell's historical campus. They serve buffet style breakfast and lunch and have an excellent extensive wine selection. Dinner is also served at Banfi. Reservations are suggested. Great for family reunions, business meetings and occasional movie star sightings. read more

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We had a delightful dinner at the Taverna Banfi in the Statler Hotel at Cornell University. There is valet parking at the hotel if you have reservations at the restaurant. The dress code is business casual. I find this touch refreshing. There were a lot of suits and nice dresses, partially because Cornell uses this facility to entertain guests, parents and clients. The service was attentive without being oppressive. The food was excellent. My wife never eats Calamari but here she did. It was battered and lightly fried and included cherry peppers to add a little heat to the squid. We shared a delicious beet salad and the shrimp scampi. My only reservation was that I found the shrimp slightly over seasoned and the pasta slightly under seasoned. My wife disagreed with that judgment. They made good cocktails. The wine list was on an electronic pad (iPad) which I did not look at. For dessert we took the Coconut Tapioca to go. We ate it the next day. Very tasty. If they get the system working, you can request your car on your phone from the table and it will be waiting for you at the door. It was down on the night of our visit. Nevertheless, the valet parking was a treat. read more

Great buffet lunch or open menu. We were walk ins to the Statler hotel on the Cornell campus. The ambience, food and service were all excellent. Culinary students do the serving . read more

This review is for a dinner date experience. I was a bit apprehensive after reading reviews on yelp, but decided to give it a go for a lack of better options while passing through. My date ordered the Statler Chicken, with the side of mushrooms, and I ordered the NY Strip, with a side of Broccolini. We also requested bread for the table, which ended up being delicious, and was served with olive oil and vinaigrette. I also ordered a Pinot Noir, and my date ordered a Moscow Mule. To start, I cannot say enough good things about the staff. They were all very kind, and incredibly attentive and accommodating. More pleasant than I've experienced in a while, including at places where the bill will run $400+ per head before beverages. 10/5. Drinks; the Mule was well balanced, though not served in a traditional copper cup. The Pinot was also good, and fairly priced at $11/glass. 4/5. Sides; the broccolini was delicious, grilled perfectly and nicely seasoned. However I would say it was a bit too oily still. The mushrooms were great, excellent flavor and cooked well. 4/5. Mains; the chicken was impressive for $30. Cooked just right, great flavor, and the bread pudding paired with the butternut squash puree was a nice touch. The NY Strip was overall solid, not the best I've had but not at all lacking, especially for $42. 5/5. Overall I'm giving this place a 5 star review for the service experience and quality of food for the price. Would definitely stop by again! read more

Taverna Banfi - NY Strip - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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The weekend Brunch Buffet is where its at!! I've been to a lot of different hotels, but the Statler has the best food. Even my picky family loved the roasted meat and cute desserts. The taste of the bread is unforgettable. I think it was ciabatta? Pictures are below:) read more

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While dining in there is better by far, take out is excellent, too. The Caesar salad was solid. Sadly they didn't have the calamari from the web menu, but we tried the housemaid mozzerella with prosciutto di Parma, Arugula, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cracked Black Pepper, and that was solid. The crostini with roasted tomato salsa was a hit, too. The bread to start was enjoyed by all. Could use more butter. Grilled octopus was so-so, lacked flavor beyond the grill, needed a dash more lemon and salt. Pastas: we liked the wild game hen and mushroom agnolotti, though the hen separate in the dish was a touch boring. Wished there was more agnolotti instead. The lobster handkerchief pasta was excellent though, double serving was needed to satisfy the table craving! Jurgielewicz Duck Breast with ancient grain and veggies, didn't make much of an impression, similar to the Fried Stadler Chicken. Salmon was cooked well but unexciting. The NY strip Grass Fed Beef with a bourbon glaze and with potato purée was well cooked and the potatoes and asparagus were great sides. The potato puree was definitely a hit as we had extra sides of that. The side of mushrooms was ok, but nothing special. Dessert tiramisu was normal, and the s'mores cake was super sweet. A bite was enough to top the meal off. Overall it definitely lived up to its billing as one of the best restaurants in the area. Definitely some gems here and I'll be back to dine at the restaurant when all is well again. They do give you masks if you come in without one, which is a nice touch. read more

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Food was more disappointing than I thought it would be and the prices are pretty expensive. The ambiance is a bit old and worn down. The waitress was a student and didn't really make me feel welcome. read more

We had dinner here for our son's graduation so they only offered a pre fixe dinner menu but the items they selected for the limited menu were all amazing. There was a salad, app, entree and dessert. For salads, they only had 2 options so we had 2 of the heirloom tomatoes and the house made mozzarella. They were good but nothing that special. For apps, a choice of 3 but we again went for 2 of the bean soup and the truffle barley risotto. Both were very good but only order the risotto if you really like truffles. For entrees, we had 2 strips, cascatelli buttera and the salmon. All of the entrees were amazing, especially the salmon, which is saying a lot because I love steaks and pasta. For desserts, we had 3 cheesecakes and a coconut tapioca pudding. I forgot to take a pic of the pudding; I am not a fan of coconut so probably subconsciously I skipped it. The interior is very nice and they gave us a table in a little alcove so it almost felt like private dining. The service was also top-notch by a class of 2025 waitress, who was helpful and attentive. Nothing more we could ask for. read more

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It's likely the "nicest" restaurant in the area... And the food is fine - perhaps good for the area. The food quality: 3 stars Service: 5 stars - attentive, accurate, efficient, friendly Thus the 4 star review. Let's talk the food... a lot of vegetable ingredients mushed together in "stew" like base for a lot of the meats and fish (salmon)... It was like an attempt at ratatouille, but overooked. The zucchini pasta (an attempt at glutenfree, veggie noodles) would have been decent if it weren't oversauced by a thick tomato paste. It would've been good if it was sauced with a light hand - perhaps good olive oil, some olives, parm and chiffoned basil - the thick almost paste-y tomato sauce made the "pasta" become like the above "stew" the salmon was fine - cooked medium rare but wasn't special. The fried calamari was not well executed - the breading fell off, a little soft and wasn't light and crispy. read more

Came here during convocation weekend with my boyfriend, his family, his friend, and his friend's parents. This was my second time coming here. The last time was for a Valentine's Day dinner. The restaurant was fully booked as expected. Usually I write an extensive review describing everyone's dish and drink but I did not think it appropriate asking people how their food was when we were there for a celebratory meal LOL So this review is specific to my experience only. My overall rating for is a 4/5. I got two drinks and an entrée. For drinks I got an espresso martini and an irish coffee. The espresso martini was great, good ratio between the espresso and the alcohol, plus 3 beans for the garnish! (5/5) The irish coffee was kind of gross and would not recommend, tasted unblended and very strong. (1/5). For the entrée I got the statler fried chicken and it was amazing. (5/5). The chicken was moist and delicious (bit on the salty side, but I like that). The polenta was excellent and the broccolini was cooked properly. I think I got the same entrée for Valentine's Day and it was just as good. From what I can observe everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. A solid place to get a celebratory meal. read more

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Best restaurant in Ithaca for ambiance, service and excellent quality of food. Expensive but worth every penny for an exceptional dinning experience. read more

One of the best dinners I've had in a while. From the grilled octopus appetizer to the ice cream sundae dessert. Every dish was flavorful, filling, and fresh. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. If you visit you must try their freshly made mozzarella paired with large slices of prosciutto. And end your meal with ice cream made at Cornell! read more

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We had our 55th wedding anniversary dinner on September 7th, 2023 at Banfi. The moment we approached the podium, we were warmly welcomed with a big smile and a "Happy Anniversary." The same warmth and greeting was extended to us by all whom we encountered that evening. Our server and the maitre'de were so attentive! Our choices of the 'Shrimp Scampi on Angel Hair Pasta' and the 'Game Hen with Hankerchief Pasta' were excellent and elegant. Both dishes' sauces were beyond delicious! The bottle of wine we ordered came from Cornell's partnership with a winery in Tuscany, Italy and labeled so. The price of our meal was comparable to other fine dinning establishments in Ithaca and the meal was SO much better! The one puzzling issue that we spoke of during our dinner is how so many knew it was our anniversary? As we were ordering an amazing peach, cherry crisp with Cornell ice cream to share for dessert, I asked our server if they had records of our anniversary date. We only remembered a Valentine's dinner years ago at Banfi and have had the spectacular Sunday brunch a few times. I told him my husband didn't believe he mentioned this occasion when he made the reservation. That was when our sweet waiter told us that our three children, Amy, Matt, and Ryan had taken care of our meal. I had only mentioned where we were going that morning to our daughter when she asked what we were doing for our anniversary. Banfi is now our first choice for fine dining. We will probably go more often for the incredible Sunday brunch and avail ourselves of the luncheon fare as well. Thank you Banfi for the wonderful evening! read more

Taverna Banfi - Taverna Banfi's 55th wedding anniversary! - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Easily one of the best restaurants in Ithaca, and honestly one of my personal favorites. The menus are built carefully with input from several CIA graduates and the wait-staff is comprised of many hospitality undergraduates. That alone makes this a unique experience, but the food itself is top-notch with a great wine menu to match. As of writing this they are open for in-person dining, and it's just as good as ever. read more

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I enjoyed dinner at the Taverna Banfi about a month ago. The food is exceptional! I ordered the salmon entree, and it was absolute perfection. The risotto it was paired with was so tasty! My dad ordered the rigatoni, and I had a few bites. It was incredible! The appetizers did not disappoint either. Everything tasted delicious and service was great. I recommend dining here, especially if there's a special occasion and you're in the mood for some delicious Italian food. read more

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Definitely some of the best food I've had since coming to Cornell! Location is extremely convenient for students and faculty and offers a nicer dining experience than you'll usually find near campus. This rigatoni was the best pasta I've had in Ithaca so far. We also got the grilled octopus as an appetiser, which was delicious. I'll be coming here again for sure ! read more

Taverna Banfi - Rigatoni Butera - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Really had high expectations for this restaurant since Cornell is known for their hospitality program (best in the world) and this restaurant falls within their student curriculum, etc. I went for a buffet style dinner and rib eye was bloody which is fine, when I asked a server to cook it to medium for me he said "no." Not like acceptable. Plus quality of all food was sub par for the premium Ritz Dinner Buffet cost, overall a disappointment. read more

Taverna Banfi - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Amazing food and amazing servers! I love that they update their menu very frequently, and there's always something new to try. Food is cooked to perfection and their cocktails are also amazingly delicate and delicious. read more

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The restaurant is nice and the food was great! I had scallops and a side of sweet potato hash; I also had the apple cranberry crisp for dessert. Everything was cooked well and very flavorful. I love that students are on the waitstaff, and in other roles throughout the hotel-I found them enthused and welcoming. read more

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Brunch was unbelievably disappointing. Way too expensive for extremely basic, flavorless food and limited options. Much better breakfast anf brunch options in Ithaca. read more

Had an excellent brunch here on April 30th. Staff was wonderful. Enjoyed the breakfast and lunch items especially the blueberry and cream cheese crepe, the potatoes, the baked goods. Our server was exceptional! read more

This is by far my favorite spot in Ithaca! Free valet is a huge perk!!! The food is always fantastic. My family is a huge fan of the weekend brunch buffet, save room for dessert because it is ALWAYS outstanding!!! The service is great too, I really like the students :) it's fun being a part of their learning process as they develop into young hospitality professionals. I must recommend the Rigatoni Buttera and the tiramisu.... Both are absolutely legendary!!! read more

Our go to "fancy" meal when visiting the kid at uni. Always get a solid delicious meal here. Last time we went, had a Bibb lettuce salad with crazy good dressing that my salad averse husband asked for 2 nights in a row. Dessert is also a must, so work backwards and count your calories. read more

It's such a shame because the staff for dinner is so friendly and amazing!! The staff at lunch though are rude disrespectful not nice. They are extremely slow to serve you if you are not above the age of 40. They rushed us in to say that they were full reboot, and there is not a single person sitting at the tables around. I've eaten here at least once a week for the last three years and it's never been this bad. It is such a shame that the knock off Olive Garden ambience has really caught up with this place read more

We have enjoyed many meals at Taverna Banfi. While in the past it has been very good (even 2 weeks ago), today represented the inconsistency that seems to be happening more and more. We went to brunch at 9. The server told us we couldn't order ala carte -- though the table next to us did. The brunch was on a par with a hotel chain brunch. Cheese that looked left over and not fresh, eggs that were cold, dried out cinnamon buns, stale coffee cake. We had brunch here 2 weeks ago and it was excellent. I'm not sure what happened- but the options were much more limited and what was there just didn't seem fresh and wasn't appetizing. As much as I love this place, time to find a better brunch in Ithaca. read more

Excellent meal -- we enjoyed 2 very tasty pasta dishes (shrimp scampi on pasta, and bucatini with sweet sausage). Excellent Caesar salad to start. Good service by an earnest waiter. Nice ambiance. read more

BREAKFAST. The breakfast buffet here is phenomenal. High-quality and locally-sourced ingredients. Savory bacon...baaaacon. The sausage is special, and the eggs are fairly good. Particularly impressive is the smoked salmon. I always go for smoked salmon when I'm anywhere in the great State of New York, it never disappoints. A good selection of fruit and plain yogurt to accompany it. At around $20 (less if you stick to cold items), this is one of the best breakfasts I've had anywhere. The fact that I get to enjoy it every single day I stay in Ithaca? Priceless. I went out on a later flight home just to enjoy one last meal in the city that is just plain gorges. I'll admit, I haven't been here for lunch or dinner in a long time, so the review doesn't factor that into account, but given my success breaking my fast in the morning I would expect them to be superlative at satiating someone any time of the day. read more

I've visited a few times for the breakfast/lunch buffet. Through the times, the quality of the food has varied greatly. Sometimes amazing, other times not so much. Once I came and they only had lunch available and hardly any protein options . Food is okay but definitely not worth the price. read more

Sunday brunch... overall, a great selection of food and everything was prepared well and tasted great. Service was hovering for beverages or anything we may have needed. Nice to see specific diet ingredients called out on certain foods -- like contains eggs, vegan, etc. Seating was roomy and the only real downside, as others have noted, is the pricing. As good as it is it just feels expensive for the overall location and value. read more

Taverna Banfi is A-OK. We entered on a Saturday morning after spending the night in the Statler Hotel. We just missed the breakfast buffet, and honestly, breakfast, but were told we could order off the regular menu. The host was not terribly hospitable, really, but perhaps our arriving as the buffet was being broken down was frazzling her. No matter, we got a terrific seat and were treated like royalty by the servers tending to our needs. The servers each would receive five stars if they could be rated separately from the restaurant: they were working hard, courteous, enthusiastic and clearly A students. We ordered buttermilk pancakes with blueberries, which came (slightly overdone and too brown, hence dried out) beautifully displayed with plenty of hot and juicy blueberries and a lovely arrangement of fresh fruit pieces and Cornell maple syrup; and a garden frittata, nicely done with garden goodness, basil, and mozzarella cheese mixed together for a delicious combination. The potato of the day though, sorry to say, gets two thumbs down. They appeared to be shoestring potatoes, but alas, they may well have been actual shoestrings. Beyond crispy, not good. Could be the slim pickins this late in the morning (11 o'clock-ish). Tea was very good, I add this because often, tea drinkers do not get proper service. The tea came with a darling little individual bottle of honey, very nice. Coffee was just what you might expect at an upscale restaurant. Now the music: the blasting, hideous piped-in music was awful to have to listen to. Really wrecked the atmosphere and beauty of a couple on a weekend get-away. Understandably, it was supposed to be in keeping with the Italian theme, but it did not make the cut. Something more subtle - and quieter - would have been a better choice. Perhaps it was more suitable for happy hour? In conclusion, while in Ithaca, I would suggest a different restaurant than the Statler Hotel's for breakfast. You can surely find breakfast for less than $40+ for two. The money you'll save can go towards a nice dinner somewhere else. read more

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Had a great dinner with friends here-food is good but somewhat pricey. Our server was very attentive and polite. I had the scallops with angel hair pasta in caper butter. Delicious and richly indulgent. Dessert was a very good chocolate tort. read more

Taverna Banfi - Scallops with angel hair pasta and caper butter - Italian Near Me - Ithaca, New York