Guidebook for Ithaca
Food Scene
Authentic Vietnamese. Everything on the menu is good, and the service is great!
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Saigon Kitchen
526 W State StAuthentic Vietnamese. Everything on the menu is good, and the service is great!
Hole-in-the-wall authentic Laotian, and the best pad Thai in town!
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Sticky Rice Thai & Laotian Cuisine
401 East State StreetHole-in-the-wall authentic Laotian, and the best pad Thai in town!
Our local restaurant has great Americana ambience and a nice surf 'n' turf menu. Plus good desserts and a full bar.
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The Antlers Restaurant
1159 Dryden RdOur local restaurant has great Americana ambience and a nice surf 'n' turf menu. Plus good desserts and a full bar.
It's a short walk from our house and serves typical bar & grill items of average quality.
Plantation Bar & Grill
1285 Dryden RdIt's a short walk from our house and serves typical bar & grill items of average quality.
A short drive from our place, it's a coffee shop plus full range of exotic cheeses, deli meats, and chocolates, and beer on tap in the back!
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Ithaca Coffee Company
2255 N Triphammer RdA short drive from our place, it's a coffee shop plus full range of exotic cheeses, deli meats, and chocolates, and beer on tap in the back!
Bread, bagels, deli sandwiches, prepared foods and coffee...all a short drive from our place.
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Ithaca Bakery
400 N Meadow StBread, bagels, deli sandwiches, prepared foods and coffee...all a short drive from our place.
The Varna Community Center hosts a pancakes & more breakfast every second Sunday of the month. For all-you-can-eat breakfast and a taste of the true local culture on the outskirts of Ithaca, it can't be beat.
Varna Community Association
943 Dryden RdThe Varna Community Center hosts a pancakes & more breakfast every second Sunday of the month. For all-you-can-eat breakfast and a taste of the true local culture on the outskirts of Ithaca, it can't be beat.
Madeline's
215 E State StBest desserts in Ithaca.
Drinks & Nightlife
They make artisan cocktails, including house-made tonic water. On Thursdays and Saturdays they include a pop-up taco stand. It is a bar with a grown-up ambience. The Loft is only open Thursday-Saturday nights at the time of this writing.
The Loft
305 Stewart AveThey make artisan cocktails, including house-made tonic water. On Thursdays and Saturdays they include a pop-up taco stand. It is a bar with a grown-up ambience. The Loft is only open Thursday-Saturday nights at the time of this writing.
The Watershed
121 W State StDrinks and snacks, nice ambience, near the Commons.
Bandwagon Pub
114 North Cayuga StreetA brew pub with nice ambience and great food.
Parks & Nature
It's a pretty spot on the shore of Cayuga Lake. Great playgrounds and, in summer, a merry-go-round. Park entrance is free.
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Stewart Park
71 Stewart ParkIt's a pretty spot on the shore of Cayuga Lake. Great playgrounds and, in summer, a merry-go-round. Park entrance is free.
The Monkey Run area is easily accessible from our house, either by walking or driving. Along beautiful Fall Creek, the Cayuga Trail (a spur of the Finger Lakes Trail) gives you access to hundreds of miles of trails. Dogs are permitted. Great birdwatching and you might even see mink.
Monkey Run Road
Monkey Run RoadThe Monkey Run area is easily accessible from our house, either by walking or driving. Along beautiful Fall Creek, the Cayuga Trail (a spur of the Finger Lakes Trail) gives you access to hundreds of miles of trails. Dogs are permitted. Great birdwatching and you might even see mink.
Ithaca is gorges, after all. There are many waterfalls to see in the area, but this is the most accessible to downtown.
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Ithaca Falls Natural Area
Lake StreetIthaca is gorges, after all. There are many waterfalls to see in the area, but this is the most accessible to downtown.
Nice lakefront swimming in summer. Also the iconic and easy hike up the gorge to the base of famous Taughannock Falls (taller than Niagra).
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Taughannock Falls State Park
1740 Taughannock BlvdNice lakefront swimming in summer. Also the iconic and easy hike up the gorge to the base of famous Taughannock Falls (taller than Niagra).
Shopping
Specializing in local, pasture-raised meats and other artisan products from around the region. They serve terrific soups and sandwiches at lunchtime. No seating, unfortunately.
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The Piggery
423 Franklin StSpecializing in local, pasture-raised meats and other artisan products from around the region. They serve terrific soups and sandwiches at lunchtime. No seating, unfortunately.
April through December it's in a beautiful venue on the waterfront, with live music scattered around the place. In winter it moves indoors to The Space @ GreenStar and the selection is more limited, but there's still plenty of veggies, meats, and other local farm products plus crafts and prepared foods.
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Ithaca Farmers Market
545 3rd StApril through December it's in a beautiful venue on the waterfront, with live music scattered around the place. In winter it moves indoors to The Space @ GreenStar and the selection is more limited, but there's still plenty of veggies, meats, and other local farm products plus crafts and prepared foods.
Selling only locally made products, from t-shirts to soap to lamps made from gourds. The quintessential Ithaca gift shop.
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Ithacamade
215 North Cayuga StreetSelling only locally made products, from t-shirts to soap to lamps made from gourds. The quintessential Ithaca gift shop.
The iconic Ithaca pedestrian mall lined with shops and restaurants. There is a nice playground in the middle and sometimes live music.
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Ithaca Commons
171 E M.L.K. Jr. StThe iconic Ithaca pedestrian mall lined with shops and restaurants. There is a nice playground in the middle and sometimes live music.
Essentials
Our local food co-op stocks a huge number of locally and regionally produced items, both food and non-food. A good selection of natural food purchased in a way that helps the local economy rather than enriching some distant corporation. Great deli and prepared foods, too. I often eat lunch there. They have a kids' play area and child-sized shopping carts. Look for the "Co-op Deals" shelf tags to get some really great deals on great food.
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GreenStar
770 Cascadilla StOur local food co-op stocks a huge number of locally and regionally produced items, both food and non-food. A good selection of natural food purchased in a way that helps the local economy rather than enriching some distant corporation. Great deli and prepared foods, too. I often eat lunch there. They have a kids' play area and child-sized shopping carts. Look for the "Co-op Deals" shelf tags to get some really great deals on great food.
Entertainment & Activities
Live performances from Lyle Lovett to Garrison Keillor to Chinese acrobats to the local youth theater company. A medium-sized venue in a classic early 20th century style
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State Theatre of Ithaca
107 W State StLive performances from Lyle Lovett to Garrison Keillor to Chinese acrobats to the local youth theater company. A medium-sized venue in a classic early 20th century style
A great children's science museum, including interactive physics displays and live animals. For entry they have reciprocity with many other museums in the country so if you are a member elsewhere, be sure to ask.
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Sciencenter
601 1st StA great children's science museum, including interactive physics displays and live animals. For entry they have reciprocity with many other museums in the country so if you are a member elsewhere, be sure to ask.
Arts & Culture
A free museum on Cornell's campus that not only has a large collection of all kinds of art but the most stunning views in Ithaca. Ride the elevator to the top and look out the panoramic windows. Parking can be tricky but you may get lucky with the meters out front.
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Johnson Museum of Art
114 Central AveA free museum on Cornell's campus that not only has a large collection of all kinds of art but the most stunning views in Ithaca. Ride the elevator to the top and look out the panoramic windows. Parking can be tricky but you may get lucky with the meters out front.
It's a wonderful local resource of Tompkins County history.
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The History Center in Tompkins County
110 N Tioga StIt's a wonderful local resource of Tompkins County history.