Ithaca, NY is known as a collegetown with beautiful waterfalls and more restaurants per capita than NYC itself, but there’s so much more to Ithaca than just what you may find on a brochure.
Throughout my time here, I have explored a lot of what Ithaca has to offer, and this list of spots is something I hold near and dear to my heart. Am I going to gatekeep spots? No! I am going to give you my best underrated spots in Ithaca. Will I regret this? Hopefully not but here I go.
First, FOUND Ithaca is a vintage antique shop. According to their website their “45 dealers have assembled a rich and ever-changing array of hand-picked, artfully arranged items that encompasses a broad range of styles. Furniture from 19th c. formal to Mid-Century, including country primitive, cottage style and industrial pieces. Glass, china, pottery, estate & vintage jewelry, vintage clothing, art, ephemera and books. You’ll find all of these things and much more at FOUND! Once you step into this spot, you are immediately transported into an old wonderland filled with history and beautiful art. FOUND feels like a museum and I could stay in there for hours. I was able to pick up a 35mm film camera with a case, two lenses, the bod, and a strap for the camera for $70. The owners have built this place with so much care and love, and it’s clear in the pieces they curate for the Ithaca community.
Second, Mimi’s Attic! Mimi’s website states “Mimi’s Attic is a locally owned business outfitting the Finger Lakes with previously enjoyed furniture, household goods, and home decor.” Gotta love a good, local small business! I have always been able to find lovely jewelry at Mimi’s through the beautiful and unique section that they have curated with care. Going in to get pieces from Mimi’s, I was able to get some homeware for my dorm including two sets of glass cups, a lamp, and a woven vase for under $40. Mimi’s also collaborates with other small local businesses across Ithaca, showing their commitment to fostering a strong sense of community.
Third, Past Times in the Dewitt Mall is the closest location to Ithaca College’s campus which makes it the most accessible. This location is smaller, but filled with so many hidden gems. Past Times specializes in “(…) antique and vintage jewelry, clothing, art, textiles, ephemera, and early postcards. We also carry early buttons, beads, antique photographs, silver, pins and medals, vinyl records, toys, furniture, glassware, other household items, and various unexpected oddments and curiosities.” When I explore this store, it takes me through an endless time loop through different periods of time. The last time I went, there was a box filled with letters from soldiers serving during WWII to their wives back home; while reading one of the letters, I almost cried. A majority of the stuff in this store isn’t behind glass, so you can openly touch things to enhance that close feeling.
Going into the food category, let’s start with CDMX Tacos! This spot in the Ithaca Commons on West Green Street is very accessible. If you’re an Ithaca College student, take the 11 and if you’re a Cornell Student, take the 32 or the 90, and get off at the Ithaca Commons & Green Street stop. The area itself is really cool and I definitely suggest checking it out! There are little shops around the area, including a cafe which has this absolutely divine Butterfly Matcha. Talking about the food CDMX serves, they specialize in Tacos, all of which are $5.00. They make sure each taco is PACKED and filled with deliciousness. CDMX has an arrangement of tacos from Al Pastor to Vegetarian and their Salsa’s are so delectable as an addition onto your taco. Whenever I go there, I am met with exceptional service and they have a small seating area so you can eat in the space. One of the many things I really enjoy about CDMX is the fact that you can see your tacos being cooked right in front of you!
Bickering Twins is one of my other favorite spots. Specifically, I really enjoy their Brunch Menu and would suggest getting the Breakfast Tacos (they have a sliver of avocado on the top and it’s divine). It’s unbelievably good and all the ingredients are fresh! Bickering Twins also offers a salsa bar where you can curate salsas and toppings of your choice for no extra cost! Bickering Twins, it was started by two twins named Kevin and Corey, Kevin, an Ithaca College alum, studied abroad in Bolivia, where he developed a lasting love for Latin American food and cooking that continued after graduation. Corey moved to Ithaca and joined Kevin in 2015 to start the then “pop-up” restaurant Bickering Twins, and since then, they have taken the Ithaca food scene by storm. Their brunch menu is light and airy with the perfect amount of ingredients within each dish. Their dinner is also exceptional, but I especially enjoy their Brunch menu.
Ha Ka Cha is another restaurant I absolutely love. They specialize in Japanese Fusion dishes and have a large array of food. One of my favorites is their Vegetarian Ramen. If you know me, I am basically a carnivore. If I see red meat on a menu, I am getting it! However, the day I came into Ha Ka Cha, I was curious to try their Vegetarian Ramen and it was amazing. The broth was so delicious that I didn’t even need red meat with my dish. When ordering drinks, I suggest the Yuzu Lemon or the Raspberry Rose Soda (if you like things sweet), and for appetizers I love the spring rolls!
Dolce Delight is amazing for sweets and fun treats! I visited Dolce Delight recently and was astounded at how many menu items they had. I got the Sweet Piggy (ham, bacon, egg, and maple syrup on a plain bagel) and was in heaven for all 6 minutes I was eating it. This place is the perfect spot for mornings when you need a good pick me up! They have a cafe bar and they bake everything in house, that morning! Insane dedication! You can tell that this place and their food is all built on the foundation of love.
All in all, Ithaca is a lovely little hidden gem on the finger lakes itself, and I absolutely love this little town and all it has to offer. All of these spots are ones I hold very dear to me. Some of these I discovered recently, like CDMX Tacos, while FOUND Ithaca was a spot I discovered my freshman year. The one thing these spots have in common is that they are all locally owned, small businesses. Shop small and support local businesses! They need all the support they can get and they make the community so much stronger. I hope you found this list helpful and hopefully you like these places!