215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850 Even before the sign went up, Cafe Decadence was packing in the customers. In business from 191981, the Dryden Road stalwart long left its mark on Collegetown: its iconic sign stayed up for nearly 30 years after the restaurant closed, finally being taken down in 2009 for safety reasons. An excellent addition. The cafe occupies space that housed the Crossroads Restaurant for some 30 years. There was a Korean restaurant, Cayuga, that opened up while I went to school there, with the spiciest beef soup and by there an Indian small market where we would get bidis to smoke. I was almost certainly one of its first customers as I walked by it every morning from my run down apartment on Dryden Road. For information about catering or reservations, call (716) 256-0390. Cant mention The Rongo without mentioning the Bastard Series of drinks: The Dying Bastard, Dead Bastard, and Suffering Bastard, each with progressively more alcohol. I believe they were only open for a few years, but their pizza was superior to Mama Ts and Collegetown Pizza. The sandwiches at the Chariot were gi-normous! says Van Ryn. Oops! ), Rulloffs was my date restaurant, notes Matt Van Ryn 82. Obbees diner was the best way to end the night. Great times there with fun, warm people. I used to go to watch football on TV, recalls John Seiler 57. Sandwiches are $3.50 to $5.95. Roast beef, corned beef, russian dressing. Sometimes we had to go back for several weeks before the weather was good enough to take the photo. And some fabulous nights listening to Zobo Fun Band (their troupe of dancers) and Boffolongo (sp.) Voted Best Brunch of Ithaca 2005, 2008 & 2010 - Ithaca Times; Voted Best Breakfast in Ithaca 2015 -. Between Pops and Olivers there was Muggsys. Larkin explained to me that it took 12 years to form and polish The People We Keep from start to finish. Featuring over 300 Quilts plus Wall Hangings, Pillows, Dolls, Toys, Books, Furniture, Rugs, Artwork and much more from the Amish & other Craftspeople of Lancaster County, PA. Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Did it serve food? Loved the names of the subs the Eggplanet was one of my faves. The X-er : Pastrami,Roast Beef baked with cheese, then anointed with Russian Dressing Lettuce and onions !!! For daily libation the Royal Palm was my favorite. I remember when you had to ask where Duffys was! A bunch of us mostly engineers who lived up the hill on Dryden Ave used to meet at The Connection on Thursday nights for fluids lab, putting many pitchers of beer to the test. The iconic bagel shop first opened in the Chacona Block in 1976, in the storefront that would later house Bear Necessities. No one had a credit card and every penny was precious. Surprised it wasnt mentioned in this article. Went there the day it opened, pre-liquor license. It was excellent in its own right until Vinnie, who was always on the premises, got sick of Ithaca weather, shut the place down in about 1988, and retired to Florida. And the third opened in Brighton's Twelve Corners on Aug. 5. I used to manage Lums then fell into managing Old Number 9s for a stint early on, about 1974ish. As a freshman engineer in the early 60s, Pops Place was a great place to procrastinate and grab a sandwich. One last indelible memory to note: Going to the Palms and being astounded that my friend Al Biederman (79) knew all the words to Love Potion #9. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. They closed within a year, during which they were a go-to spot for many students.. Still do. Makes me so sad, though, to see historic buildings razed nothing can create the special college town environment like preservation of history and the physical presence of the historic place that is Cornell. Heidi Kunsman fills that role in the Brighton shop. Looked around for any other KDs in the place that I could make the long cold (February) walk back to North Campus when in he walks. 1978 1982 was a great time to be in Collegetown. My favorite restaurant along with Souvlaki house. 9). Hi, Richard! This allowed me to head up in the dead of winter without a jacket and not have to worry about losing it. Visa & Mastercard Accepted - No Admission Fee - PH 7 1 7-786-8487 f I X, ft - 1 II- m Evnlnn: 7:25.9:45 SaturdaySunday Matlnwi: 1:25.1:45 CMnnt, with 2 IK 5TEBE04I Evening;: 7:00,9:35 SaturdaySunday Matlnw: 1:00, 3:3$ B Whit Stillman's arcdona QiliLi- PG-3&. Paintings by local artists are displayed; the owners intend to feature a different artist each month. I worked there starting pretty much as soon as I arrived in Ithaca in fall of 1969 through some of the winter in 1969-70 before I started grad school at Cornell. H. Fisk Johnson 79, MEng 80, MS 82, MBA 84, PhD 86, remembers this family-style Greek and Italian stalwart so fondly that he gave the eateryand its now-retired owner, Peter Papachryssanthoua shout-out during the 2017 celebration of the gift that created the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. yes! Yes, Jim, King Submarine on Eddy was great I remember The Xer the best sub I ever have eaten. I love these comments about King Sub. And Aladdins was great first place I ever tried falafel. Wonderful to get a chance to talk to so many new people and the regulars as I was mixing huge containers of tuna saladin batches so big for me that the nice owners (wish I could recall their names) had to buy me a stool to stand onor spreading it and any other ingredients customers requested. Pops place a favorite during my graduate school years 1971-1975, also ate at Joes every night while completing the writing of my dissertation in summer of 1975. The short-lived, but legendary eateryas described by Tengwas located in a large space on the southwest corner of Dryden Road and College Avenue that remains vacant today. They want you to see Ahhh, times spent sitting with a friend in the window table at Uni Deli, eating blueberry ice cream and watching the movie folks walking to and from or hanging out on College Ave. 50 cent rusty nails at the Nines. My friends and I also frequented both The Connection I ate lots of popcorn there (we lived in a house on Eddy St) and the Plum Tree delicious food! The three partners were graduate students at Cornell University when they started the business: Novak, a native of California, was studying genetics; Molly, who's from Rochester, was in nutrition; David, of Erie, Pa., was in the veterinary medicine program. Very fond memories of Sas. I still walk through there a couple of days a week but when I eat out its at the tavern in my town, or the Glenwood Pines, or, if Im feeling upscale, at one of the farm-to-table places along one of the lakes. In business for just over seven decades before closing in 2012, the Palms was one of Collegetowns most enduring bars. The more she falls in love with her friends in Ithaca, the more she . I havent thought of the Exxer for decades! I remember The Heidelberg tavern. The winning subs for about 8 weeks went onto our new permanent specialty Sub Menu ( 8 new sandwiches including the Tuna Moon, X-er, D MC D, Hot Cosmos and a few others. Have to add the ABC (Apple Blossom Caf) on Stewart Ave. One of the pioneers of vegetarian and vegan food, and a great live music venue. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. In February, Ithaca Beer Company opened its new brewpub on College Avenuefeaturing modern dcor, a patio for outdoor dining, and a menu that showcases its libations and locally sourced ingredients. CAFE DECADENCE - 10 Photos - Shop 62 Westfield Innaloo Shopping Centre, Innaloo Western Australia, Australia - Yelp Restaurants Auto Services Cafe Decadence 4 reviews Unclaimed $ Restaurants, Coffee & Tea Edit Open 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM See hours See all 10 photos Write a review Add photo Location & Hours Shop 62 Westfield Innaloo Shopping Centre I learned what Texas Toast was there. There was a rumor your could turn in 18 animals for a free fish bowl (they were $18 a piece I believe) but who would ever trade in their treasured collection for one measly free drink?! Toasted sesame with cc and sprouts from CTB Sad to see so many of the old favorites gone from Collegetown, certainly lots of great memories from the late 70s at so many of those old classic spots. The more she falls in love with her friends in Ithaca, the more she . Reading The People We Keep and hearing Larkins story leaves me hoping that one day I will do the same. She never confused orders, just amazing! Although not technically in collegetown, I have many happy memories of Mexican good and live music at the Rongovian embassy in trumansburg! It was because Aprils story was personal to Larkin that she felt so strongly about keeping its essence the same. The best one though is meeting my bride-to-be, Heather Straka (Sytsma) 95, on the patio at Olivers during summer break. Its seems very cavernous and big city-ish and impersonal. The following is a not-at-all-comprehensive (and in no particular order) smorgasbord of establishments that offered nourishment, libations, and entertainment to alums from the mid-20th century onward. After looking at the menu, I asked where is the food? Yes! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 9. I initiated a customer menu write-in promotion for extremely great Sub sandwich creations. It has a classy, contemporary look with a long wall of exposed brick, a polished hardwood floor and booths with thick, oak table tops. Collegetown Bagels was my first introduction to bagels with cream cheese (I often grabbed a hazelnut coffee and a cinnamon-raisin bagel toasted with cinnamon-raisin cream cheese on the way to class in the morning). Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. When she "borrows" her neighbor's car to perform at an open . I went there the day it opened, before they had their liquor license. Heidi Kunsman (right) is the manager of their place at Twelve Corners in Brighton. The Mojos, which thrived as a more or less Rolling Stones cover band was a regular contributor to the bars raucous and crowded beer and dance scene. Who noticed? He was traded to the California Angels in 1982, and the special was discontinued. Anbinder notes that even though Pixel was only in business for a decade (200515), it garnered just as much attachment for students as did Dunbars, which lasted 36 years. Located in an alley off Dryden Road, it was named one of the best clubs in Ithaca by the Daily Sun. Ithaca is the backdrop for some of our most important developments: it is where we set the academic and professional foundations for the rest of our careers, and where we form some of the longest lasting and most impactful relationships and friendships of our lives. But the new shop is a transformation. Free popcorn made it so. Dunbars used to run a 25 cent shot special anytime Jackson struck out on television. In the end, that was what struck me most about this novel The People We Keep explores the vulnerability of opening up, whether through your art or your relationships with others, and it uses a familiar location to do so. Larkin said that she eventually learned how to listen to critique while still retaining the vision of April and her life that she wanted. Whatever happened to it? And so I gave that voice to April because she felt the same way about it.. Guess the roses the next day worked here we are 38 years later (married 36). I cant remember if there was cole slaw. And for a student on a budget, I recall a decent meal without a sting. The place got closed down for a week by the Health Dept. As major construction continues to change the face of Collegetown, Cornellians asked alumni to share their memories of the neighborhoods restaurants and watering holes. And Dont forget the Pine Tavern. The more she falls in love with her friends in Ithaca, the more she . Allison Larkins upcoming novel, The People We Keep, follows its protagonist on a similar coming-of-age journey amongst Ithacas gorges, hills and waterfalls. Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. Homemade chicken soup and one giant matzo ball that filled the container. I cant remember the name and it is bothering me now! Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. I also loved Johnny,s after chorus rehearsals or concerts. 198 reviews #9 of 139 Restaurants in Ithaca $$$$ French European Vegetarian Friendly. We opened a Chef Italia in Syracuse, Horseheads, Rochester, and then I helped open the one in Ithaca when I returned to finish my degree in the Hotel School. . Besides the coffees served in the shop, customers can buy beans, too. I went regularly for lunch with friends and co-workers, says Herman, adding that she still uses one of Jordans cookbooks. This book needed caretakers that could see the soul of it. Larkin eventually found a home with an editor and a publisher that understood Aprils journey and wanted to help tell that story. Her only plan is to survive, but as she looks for work, she finds a kindred sense of belonging at Cafe Decadence, the local coffee shop. . 305 Stewart Avenue (Located in lower Collegetown,. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Collegetown Bagels 287 reviews Closed Now Quick Bites, American $ "Such a Treat!" "Skip the lacklustre hotel breakfast" 2. Tully burgers at Bills on College Ave,Sunday night steak dinner at Zincks,late night burgers at State St Diner and great Italian meals at Joes downtown. Of course, we went to Johnnys to eat. A new station was built next door in the 1960s, and the Nines opened in the early 1970s as a bar, restaurant, and music venue (first called Old No. Her only plan is to survive, but as she looks for work, she finds a kindred sense of belonging at Cafe Decadence, the local coffee shop. Aztec Two-Step at the RongoAnd Orleans every weekend at the Salty dog! Yum, Still use the cookbook. Known as Cosmos, the establishment was everyones intro to Greek food, says Curreri. An all time favorite was Steak A Roma on College Ave. Cant mention all of the questionable activities, but all you can drink including top shelf on Thursdays was epic. Nicknamed Uni Deli, the sandwich shop at the corner of College and Dryden was a mainstay of the 1970s. and you could do your laundry in the attached laundromat when I was at Cornell. Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Cornell undergraduate students spend four of our most formative years in Ithaca. But A&W would have none of it and wanted to install their typical interior. When I returned to Ithaca in 2011, I was surprised at how much had survived from the Eighties. There is a whole community of people who used to work at the Chariot and the Nines. The Palms remained a dive-bar favorite even as student drinking habits and socializing behaviors shiftedparticularly after New York raised the legal age to 21. I have made the cashew chili many times. Cant believe its been 30 years! 2 partners owned it including Mike Turback. and the rest is history. Always an alternative to my other favorite, The Palms, the Alt brings back memories of loud music by the Stones and spilled beer on the floor. The Collegetown CTB has since spawned four related outposts (some operating under the name Ithaca Bakery)at the foot of East State Street in downtown Ithaca, in East Hill Plaza, on Route 13, and in the Triphammer Mall in Lansing. Hands down. Great subs, too. When the check would come, it was quite amusing to witness a dozen freshmen try to divvy it up. It was almost as good as the ice cream, particularly if you had them put hot fudge on it. Each generation of students and alumni has its own view of what the timeless icons areand in many cases, theyre pretty narrowly focused, says Mark Anbinder 89, a second-generation alum who has been covering the Ithaca food scene for decades for 14850 Magazine and 14850.com and via a regular weekly segment on WVBR. It was pastrami, not corned beef. Many recall 25-cent drafts, frat and sorority composites on the walls, and singing along with the jukebox. A monster sandwich which was very filling and delicious. I forgot about Steak-a-Roma! Seems kinda sad that Collegetown looks so fancy now. The most coveted seat in Collegetown as soon as the temperatures rose in the spring was on the CTB patio.. Starbucks is there when, Late Night American Restaurants in Ithaca, Restaurants for Special Occasions in Ithaca, Restaurants near The Statler Hotel at Cornell University, Restaurants near La Tourelle Hotel, Bistro, Spa, Restaurants near Hilton Garden Inn Ithaca, Restaurants near Homewood Suites by Hilton Ithaca, Restaurants near Courtyard by Marriott Ithaca Airport/University, Restaurants near Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Ithaca, NY, Restaurants near Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Ithaca, Restaurants near Robert Treman State Park, Restaurants near Ithaca Falls Natural Area, Restaurants near Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Restaurants near Buttermilk Falls State Park, Restaurants near Ports of New York Winery. We mover the entrance to the side with the greenhouse foyer and added the patio. The People We Keep found a home the same way April did: by meeting people who truly understood it. Who didnt need some free food with their beer when they were in college? Combine with recent large construction projects, it will be very interesting to see how a somewhat new collegetowns identity grows and shifts over the coming years. In business briefly in the early 1970s, the restaurant (also known as Ruthys Flamboyan Restaurant) was located across from Chef Italia on College Ave. Aside from great lasagna and her signature cranberry chicken, Ruthy was best known for her hot, fresh-from-the-fat donuts, available a few evenings each week, Rick Curreri 73 reminisces. Born in Berkeley, bred in Ithaca, Cafe Decadence is imported to Brighton David Basak-Smith was sitting in a trendy cafe in Berkeley reading a dermatology text one summer day half a dozen years ago. Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. NOT SOUV!!!!! Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Pile pastrami high For example, as Anbinder notes, when Student Agencies (the buildings owner) announced plans to demolish the Chacona Blockprompting CTBs movemany who objected were unaware of the venerable bagel shops history: it has been operating in Collegetown since 1976, originally residing in a different storefront in the same building. My friends and I, many of whom lived at a house on Cook Street, had the dubious distinction of being asked to leave (actually, kicked out) of the Royal Palms for getting too rowdy playing a drinking game! Oh, and dont forget the short lived Shadows and then Billy Bob Jacks BBQ shack on Dryden Road. But for food Hurry on down to Hardees, baby, where the burgers are charcoal broiled. Closed now : See all hours. I believe the Boxcar was started by Garry Morfit, Garry Moores son (of TV fame, e.g. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. Yes, you could get a full meal with steak, potato, soda and a salad for under $5 at Steak A Roma. Great memory! Cynthia Grossel Silber and I lament its passing every day we are in Ithaca. Wrote Party at Dunbars on my mortar board at graduation. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. I liked the gritty, funky, and run-down. OBriens (Obies?) I highly recommend the large Greek salad with extra feta. You can find a fun segment of To Tell the Truth featuring Garry Morfit Jr. and the Boxcar by Googling it. Not a CU student but I worked as a Life Safety Officer/Public Safety & Risk Management for 35 years at Cornell. My favorites: (1) The Chariot (great pizza and beer, jukebox, mismatched plates), where my friends in the band Your Mother serenaded me on my birthday one year. !, What can I say? Still hang with those friends. I had many a late night munch there with the WVBR crew. At the back of the shop, behind a big window, is the coffee roaster where David blends and roasts beans from all over the world. Oh my, the memories. Oh that cheesecake and a pint of Schmidts for 50 cents. The Ithaca Mall was the center of city life Larkin described it as the place where her friends would go on weekends to re-enter society. We speculated on how much of this difference was due to her being a student at Ithaca College as opposed to at Cornell, but we suspected that a much bigger difference was the era in which we experienced college. Aladdins was the venue for my first lunch date with my partner Julian Vrieslander (PhD 81). Married now for 25 years with two great kids. Her only plan is to survive, but as she looks for work, she finds a kindred sense of belonging at Cafe Decadence, the local coffee shop. I came to Ithaca in 77. I returned to campus in 1986 to attend grad school. My wife and I mourn its passing. var mobile_allowed = true; The more she falls in love with her friends in Ithaca, the more she . Common Ground was the excellent gay bar. I appreciated the drink and the ride home. Still, somehow, it doesn't make sense to her that life could be this easy. People and places were intertwined with April a girl from a small town and from a time before the internet in a way that is no longer possible for us. I wish I had kept a list of its ingredients! So, Duffys definitely holds a memory for me! Once your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. There was a Vietnamese restaurant too, best beef cubes rice. Miss it all! Write to Kathy Lindsley at 55 Exchange Blvd., Rochester, NY. I was a denizen of The Palms. I loved Sas too. Ithaca, as well as the other locations which April visits, felt like their own characters brought to life by Larkin and colored by Aprils perspective. Eddy St, just outside the gate. Olivers was one of the first places I cooked. Davia Weinberg Love, Hum Ec 73. I cant seem to find anything on the web confirming they had a little dance floor. Cochrane!! Helen Rubinstein 04 was particularly fond of the restaurants popular fruit salad. Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Early each fall semester The Haunt took a photo of all of the patrons in the parking lot, enlarged it, and put it on the wall inside. The cafe concept is definitely catching on as an alternative to a diner in the morning or a bar at night. It was a cafe inside a church. I think of it often, because I have never since seen a substantial fruit salad on a restaurant menu, and it boggles my mind given how healthy and easy but delicious that one was, she says. Not actually in Collegetown, but jeesh, how could you overlook Hals? My boyfriend then (and now husband) would pick up an order whenever I was sick.. Very anti the War in Vietnam. Nope still chugging along, as is another Cornell 73 friend Jeff Schwartz, who had suis bused in from Shortstop for the celebration of his 60th birthday at the Manhattan law firm of Hahn and Hessen. Fond memories of my calculus professor taking the whole lecture class to the 9s for green beer on St. Patricks day in the early am. Had my first freshman drink at the Palms, I was 17 at the time. I think nobody mentioned The Parker House, perhaps the most mediocre Chinese food served ever, but we had many a fun meal in large rowdy packs of Beta Sigs. Ayesha Chari is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. Required fields are marked *. While alums weighed in on nearly two dozen favorites, otherssuch as Caf Decadence, the Connection, Dinos, and Johnny Osdidnt get detailed shout-outs. I, during those seven years on the hill had very little spare cash. And in the days before ATMs when the banks were closed on the weekends, if I ran out of cash, they were willing to cash a personal check for me. Edition of Democrat and Chronicle. Ive Got a Secret). As freshmen in the U-Halls, wed often walk there on a Sunday evening, a large group, for a rare dinner out, says Michael Emen 71. There was also The Commons inside CURW. And then you hope you see them again. The building that housed the Palms is no more; it was one of several properties razed in 2017 to make way for Cornells Breazzano Family Center for Business Education. There are similar places in town, but with its sandwich menu and on-premises baking, Cafe Decadence is a little different. So the guys decided just to open up their own rootbeer place and named it Muggsys. Nothing made a night more complete than a slice and a soda with friends.. Grabbing a bagel on the way to class at CTB when it was just a crowded little storefront. To this day it remains my gold standard for diner food. Are they the ones who had The Steakburger? I know there were a lot of people that flocked to Dunbars on Wednesdays for Group Therapy, but I found a Wednesday home across the street at Level B for Fishbowl night! But please feel free to add your memories to the comments below! Later, I always chuckled seeing the subway tile floor in the north side of Chef Italia. The North 40. Yes my personal haunt was The Haunt, as well as The Fall Creek House.