Hey all! You may have noticed, but Restaurant Week is in full swing. So many years in, it’d be easy to take for granted this truly great celebration of all things foodie and all things Binghamton--but you should definitely make the effort to get out and support our local mom and pop eateries.

I’d like to give you 4 quick picks--two new and two classic to drop by--and tell you why I picked them!

205 Dry
My favorite new spot downtown. Styled as a 1920s speakeasy, you’ve heard me rave about the decour. Let me also rave about the food: it’s worth checking out. When they first opened, they made the line wait outside when they hit capacity so check it out on off hours.

Craft
It’s all about the sliders. And the milkshakes. OK, really it’s all about the milkshakes. And the craft beer. It’s definitely about the sliders, the milkshakes and the craft beer. What more need I say? It’s new. It’s delicious.

Social on State
I could probably pick 9 or 10 restaurants off the dinner list and label them as having ‘some of the best food in Bingahmton’, but Social has a tiny, tiny edge in my humble opinion. They put a lot of care into everything they do at this tapas joint, and it shows. Also, I’m biased toward tapas in general--so that pushes it over the edge for me.

Little Venice
I just love the experience. Generally, you’ll find me at the bar, grabbing a bite with my laptop and doing some freelance work. The homemade sauces are something you won’t find anywhere else and you meet some very fun, friendly characters sitting alone at the bar. If you’re looking for a real sense of community (and maybe to overhear some good town gossip), check out Lil V.

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