Brunch was great. They have all your classic breakfast selections, such as bacon, sausage, eggs, and more. They also had freshly cooked crepes available. The lunch selection was wonderful. From a salad and soup bar to pasta, shrimp, roast beef and so on! Their dessert were fresh with a wide variety to select from.
Banfi is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Ithaca! Every meal I’ve ever had here has been nothing short of excellent and you’d be missing out by not taking advantage of this hidden gem while in Ithaca!
Pictured, from my most recent visit in April 2023, are the grilled octopus (incredible—amazingly tender and delicious!) and the NY strip (perfectly cooked, with a mouthwatering bourbon glaze). Prices are a bit on the higher side for Ithaca, but the food and experience is well worth it.
They also do an awesome weekday lunch buffet as well as a weekend brunch!
One of the reasons I stay at the Statler Hotel at Cornell University is because I love the food at this restaurant, and the customer service is great- students are actually been trained to run restaurants and hotels and guess what, while been watched by a preceptor and possibly graded. So you can be rest assured service will be great😉
Like I stated, food is great and fresh; well plated , also atmosphere and seating is relaxing.
The restaurant is on second floor of cornell statler hotel, on cornell ithaca campus. It's very convenient if you are staying on statler hotel. All the servers are cornell students. The food was amazing. My favorite dish was grilled octopus and duck breast. We had a great time, definitely will be back again.
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We, a group of three, had the pleasure of dining at Tavarna Banfi today, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The lunch buffet offered a delightful array of delicious vegetarian options that satisfied all our taste buds completely. The freshness and excellence of their coffee left us impressed.
What truly made the experience memorable was the impeccable service provided by Ms. Heather. Her warmth, attentiveness, and professionalism added a special touch to the entire meal. She went above and beyond to ensure our dining experience was truly enjoyable.
We wholeheartedly recommend Tavarna Banfi to anyone seeking a fantastic dining experience. The combination of scrumptious vegetarian dishes, excellent coffee, and outstanding service makes it a top-notch restaurant. Five stars without a doubt!
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Superb atmosphere and service, one of the best restaurants in Ithaca. Gorgeous view of the campus from the window seats(which you may need to reserve in advance). I’ve been here several times for brunch and dinner with friends and we all love it. I highly recommend brunch buffet here as you have various options to choose from, perfect for meat lovers and vegetarians. I especially like the dessert here such as brûlée and mousse as they are very delicious and not too sweet. For the diner, it’s also great but as the dinner menu does not often change, I have not been able to find something new after a few visits.
The only place that served a perfectly seasoned cooked to my liking steak in ithaca. Grilled octopus was a little chewy. The pan seared duck was perfectly rendered and tasted great. Service was very professional.
The food here seems to be prepared with extreme care, using the best ingredients available. Even a regular steak tastes delicate and exceptional here.
The ice cream is possibly the best in the world! Don’t dismiss any dish because it sounds ordinary. Try it for a pleasant surprise!
Great food, great drinks! The service was also fantastic. They also have gluten free options. I definitely recommend this place.
As always, amazing. Best part is that you interact with the hotelie students. Excellent food and wine. Ask for a window view.
nice place to dine in. we loved most of the dishes. the service was great. good ambiance.
Stayed at the hotel for a week and managed to go through most of their menu. Must say everything was consistently fresh, unique, and great tasting.
This is the first time my wife and I went to this restaurant...... It's up on the hill near Cornell University, and we were worried about parking, but they have valet parking for free! We, of course, tipped after our meal on our way out, we can it'll come up, which, by the way, was a fantastic and great view for brunch, definitely recommended, service was top notch.
Great experience. The food was perfectly prepared. Really delicious. Wait staff was gracious and friendly. We had a beautiful view of campus from our table. Couldn't ask for more.
The seating was comfortable and the ambiance was nice. There is valet parking which I was not expecting.
The service was really good, our server was very attentive and timely. Our apps came out in under 5 mins, and our entrees came out less than 10 mins after we finished our apps.
The food was quite good. The octopus was cooked very well. So was the game hen and agnolotti. The tiramisu was quite good as well. The bread was mid but not bad, can't complain!
Everything was quite reasonably priced. I paid under $150 for apps, entrees, and deserts for two people.
For an upscale dining experience in Ithaca you won't get much better than this.
Had breakfast buffet with lots of selection. Pretty standard fare plus things like smoked salmon, fresh made pancakes and crepes. Quality was good. Highly recommend the crepes. Had views of the clock tower, which was nice. Decor and cutlery was pretty classy but not too stuffy. Staff were kind and attentive. Overall 5/5.
Delicious food & good service. I got the mushroom ravioli, which was delicious. The outside part of the ravioli was slightly undercooked. But other than that I had a good experience.
Amazing experience at Taverna Banfi. Reserve a table in advance when you go. I had the Statler Chicken and the salmon. Both of them were amazing, cooked to perfection. The presentation and detailing were immaculate, as expected from a restaurant with such a reputation. The staff was extremely polite and courteous. A must visit if you find yourself in Ithaca, craving for some fine-dine experience.
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