Unfortunately I have to agree with many of the other more recent reviews here-- Cornell's seems to…read morehave gone way downhill in the last couple of years. I was here last in 2022 and had many delicious meals during my trip to Schenectady. This time, I returned to the restaurant and asked for a seat at the bar, only to be told that they weren't accepting walk-ins. I thought this was odd, but made a reservation for the following week. I wish I'd followed my gut and skipped it. The menu looks the same, but the preparations are completely different. The chicken Milanese used to be two large pieces of chicken served with a light and delicious cream sauce, nothing else. Now, it's a single thinly pounded piece of chicken, piled with lettuce and tomatoes (no mentioned of this on the menu) and served on top of a bland cream sauce. I wouldn't have ordered it if I'd known this. Also, the side order of cavatelli which used to be so delicious tasted like it had about a tablespoon of salt poured over it. Seriously, I've never had such salty food in my life. I also heard a diner at an adjacent table complain to their waitress that their food was too salty. I don't know what happened, but Cornell's is a completely different place than the great restaurant it once was. I won't be going back.

Went to Cornell's in Schenectady for Restaurant week on Friday night. 4 days later I literally feel…read morestolen from. We went with 3 kids, and were told there was no kids menu, it says thus no where, should no one ever bring a child here? The menu had no traditional American Italian kids items ie chicken parm. It had Barciolle, stuffed flounder, eggplant rollatini, and steak pizzialo. Which is fine, if you still offer a kids menu. The stuffed flounder gotten by 3 of us, one child, Was inedible, the stuffing mixture was so old, it tasted so off. Sour almost. None of us ate it. One child got steak pizzialo, the steak was basically boiled in tomato sauce, tough and not good. Service was maybe a 2/5. Save your money, I want mine back. $210 with tip. We left hungry. When the waitress came and saw the full plates, she said, do you guys want boxes? No thanks.

I've always wanted to visit More Perreca's on Jay St. I've heard so much about the restaurant and…read moreespecially the bakery, Perreca's, located right next door. The businesses are located a couple of blocks from the gateway marking the entrance to Schenectady's Little Italy. So much history, food and romance in this neighborhood. We had Sunday brunch at More Perreca's. The bakery is closed on Sunday but I got a Sausage Lettuce Tomato sandwich served on toasted Perreca's bread. It was so delish. The Italian sausage was served with lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic puree, mayo and side salad. Everything was so fresh. My $11 meal was reasonably priced. The garlic purée was amazing. They need to bottle it. I'd buy some. My friend had the Mac and cheese and an espresso martini. He loved both. Rachelle was our server. She was wonderful. Very helpful. She explained some of the menu to me because there were a number of Italian sausage dishes. The food was prepared quickly which was great because we were hungry. Rachelle came back later to check on us. I gave her a thumbs up and a smile while busily chewing a bite of sandwich. The restaurant is charming with nice tin ceilings and big windows to let the light in. There are many booths which makes it cozy. When we arrived most of the tables were full. Based on the chatter in the room it sounded as though a lot of friends had gathered at the restaurant to literally break bread over brunch. The menu offers a nice variety: from egg breakfasts, assorted salads to Italian classics. It was an all around yummy and enjoyable experience. I let Rachelle know that we'll be coming back.

Full disclosure: my son works here, so yeah... biased as heck . Just me and Kiernan rolling in,…read moreolder bro + dad energy fully loaded -- two-man Italian food squad on a mission. Me? Chef mode engaged, tasting like a pro. Kollin was working, locked in as the waiter, moving like a ninja, didn't even notice us quietly demolishing everything in sight. Absolute respect. Every table around us? Wild vibes. Plates stacked like skyscrapers, people laughing, yelling, living their best family life -- basically a full-on Italian festival. Specials flying out like missiles, drinks hitting like tiny joy grenades, and every plate? Hot, huge, and straight fire. I had gnocchi so soft it made me question all my life choices, mussels practically jumped into my mouth, and Kiernan just nodded in silent approval -- Dad + Son synergy unlocked. We basically became part of the ambient soundtrack -- the chef dad, tasting like a pro, the son absorbing pure Italian energy. Portions massive, flavors insane, zero drama, all vibes. If you even think about Italian in Schenectady... go see Kollin. Go to Perrecca's. You'll leave stuffed, happy, and probably texting your friends in all caps about how legendary this place is. #DadAndSonGoals #GnocchiGods #LockedInLegend #FullOnVibes #PerreccasOrBust

Seven years later, still the premier Italian restaurant in Schenectady!! I've been a huge fan for…read moreas long as I can remember. Now that I live 2.5 hours away, it's still worth the drive!! Hubby took me to celebrate our anniversary and he knows this is my favorite!! The service is impeccable, the food is beyond delicious and it still feels like being at Nana's house. Thank you all again for another amazing dinner!!

Came back again for my dad's and my birthday dinner. As we have spent many years doing this…read moretradition. Service was good. The food was good. Casual Italian dining. I got the same dish just a little different from previous years of Chicken Cacciatore. The family-style salad was simple but delicious, as was our appetizer I loved the roasted red peppers & provolone cheese. The bread was good.

My cousin was visiting from Rhode Island, and I wanted him to experience the authentic, delicious…read morefood at Appian Way. It was a great choice because Joe is a good cook himself and a frequent traveler to Italy. He fully enjoyed his dining experience here. Starters: *Rapini sautéed in garlic cooked perfectly. *Fried Calamari was crispy on outside and tender inside. Always tasty. '*Homemade crusty Italian bread was outstanding. *Salad with fresh tomato slices and cucumbers Veal Francais --Joe liked the quality, tenderness of the thin veal slices in the lemony sauce. Veal Naturale -- My daughter ordered her favorite that has lots of flavorful mushrooms. Mushroom and Prosciutto Pasta --SIL raved about the homemade fettuccine and flavorful broth which he ate up with a spoon not to leave any behind. Veal Sorrentino -- I ordered for first time. The eggplant and veal were delicious. I did not like the Prosciutto layer. We all loved our homemade Gelato treat. The Stacciatella was out of this world delicious. Nobody makes it better! Chocolate was enjoyed by SIL. Service was experienced and welcoming. "Stracciatella is a variety of gelato with fine strands of drizzled chocolate stirred through it. It was originally created in Bergamo, northern Italy, at the Ristorante La Marianna in 1961."

This is absolutely the most Authentic Italian restaurant in the Capital District. The food is…read moreamazing! Everything that is served is made at the restaurant. The service is top notch...you are welcomed like family and treated spectacularly. I love that the dining room is very inviting and decorated with paintings of Italy. Please see my previous review on the Appian Way, it truly describes the essence of this restaurant . It is an absolute pleasure to dine at The Appian Way!

Love everything about this restaurant! Tonight we had eggplant parm which was lightly breaded and…read moretender, with a delicious fresh marinara sauce. Eggplant wasn't chewy or thick as many are. My date had the meat sauce with tagliatelle that was so thick and flavorful. But hats off to the baker! The bread is the best I've had in any restaurant in the Capital district! Even better than most Italan bakeries. Fresh, crusty, dense and tastes like homemade! The dessert we had was amazing- a pistachio and chocolate chip panna cotta. It was light and creamy but not overly sweet with a crunchy topping. The perfect ending to an Italian dinner! Our server was lovely and genuine (didn't get her name but it was around 6pm tonight). She was so thoughtful! We love Stella's and highly recommend it for an amazing meal and great service.

I came here with an out-of-town friend to sample the Seven Points brews at the bar, but we decided…read moreto stay at the bar for a meal as well. I enjoyed the atmosphere here, as well as my Baritone American-style Porter. My brewery companion said his beers were ok, but he really enjoyed his pasta dinner. He travels to Italy frequently, and he said the pasta would be considered traditionally al dente in Italy, though perhaps not to all Americans' taste. I took advantage of the happy hour prices (which included a discount on my beer) to try the Eggplant Stack appetizer. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, crisp without being greasy, and the marinara sauce was addicting. Service at the bar was fun with the chatty bartenders. Besides coming back here to sample more beers, this could easily become one of my go-to Italian restaurants in the Capital District.

What can I say about this place? A LOT. But in the interest of not completely filling up Yelp's…read moredatabase, I'll keep it brief. The first thing that you notice when you walk into Garofalo's is how great it smells: it's like getting hit in the face with a cinder block of glorious fucking awesomeness. It smells THAT good. I love it. I really don't think there's a single thing here that isn't fantastic. I'm especially in love with their smoked ribs. The stuffed pork chops are awesome. They make all sorts of phenomenal sausages. They also sell a variety of other things: various cheeses, meats, spices, canned tomatoes, olive oil and more. The staff at Garofalo's are great as well. They're very friendly. This place is obviously in the best hands. If you're not familiar with the area, it might be a little tricky to find because it's on a weird little road. There really isn't any parking (I normally walk here from my Schenectady office anyway), so the best place is to just park in the lot around the bend behind Perreca's and Cornell's. Garofalo's is well within walking distance from there. Garofalo's accepts credit cards, but there's a minimum amount (which is $15 if I recall correctly). Be warned: If you're going there today for the smoked ribs, you're SOL. I'm pretty sure I bought them out for the day. That's how I roll.

A Schenectady treasure along with Pereccas Bread. An authentic Italian meat shop featuring sweet…read moreand hot Italian sausage plus cheddar brats, kielbasa and many other hand made links. The steaks are outstanding quality. The Lamb Sausage which we grill is a family favorite, especially as an appetizer. The Italian Sausage is great in sauce or grilled. They also make sausage patties in the summer. Their grated cheese is always in our refrigerator. Out of state relatives request the cheese and the Italian Sausage when we visit. Family owned since it was established almost 100 years ago.

Had tickets to a show at Proctors and decided to pop in for dinner first! Holy moly ! What a…read morefantastic joint! We sat at the bar and the barmaid was terrific! The food? Scrumptious!!

Outstanding food and warm and welcoming staff. This is by far the best Italian food in…read moreSchenectady! Everytime we come, we make it a mandatory stop!! Vallee and Alexa are both outstanding, and make sitting at the bar a blast!!

We had dinner at Grano on Wed 8/19/26. They offer four course meals of $30pp on Tue, Wed, & Thu…read more Open from 4-10pm everday, but closed on Mon. Conviently located on State St next to Proctors Theater. Free public parking behind Proctors week days after 5pm & weekends. We ordered the four course special (rotating menu) from our attentive waitperson Michael. We ordered wine $10-12 per glass from their wide selection. Full bar offerings. Apps were fried oysters & mozzarella w/ blistered tomatoes & basil. Next was tomato bisque soup & mixed greens salads. Then the pasta course - gnocchi w/ marinara sauce & pasta primavera. Entrees were pork tenderloins & chicken Sorrento. All served appropriately hot or cold, very tasty, and just-right portion sized. Also warm, crusty bread w/ herbed butter. Excellent presentation. High recommendation for this upscale Italian+ restaurant. We will be back. Thank you Michael & all the staff at Grano. Nick, Liz, & Lauren Albany, NY USA

A longtime Italian American friend whom I have known since first grade recently asked me to…read morerecommend a restaurant. He and his family are meeting in their birthplace and mine --Schenectady-- for a sibling family reunion. They now live elsewhere but remember their hometown fondly. I immediately thought of Grano! It is a popular restaurant in downtown Schenectady known for its farm-to-table focus and authentic Italian cuisine served in a warm, urban atmosphere. It offers dishes like fresh-made pasta, mussels, and other Italian classics. The emphasis is on fresh, simple ingredients revered by Italian chefs. I like the selection of small plates and pasta dishes. We recently enjoyed Grilled Octopus (Potatoes, olives, celery, radish, tomato jam, blood orange lemon vinaigrette), Lemon Basil Ricotta Fritters, Chicken in Vodka Sauce, and Armondo's Zuppa Di Pesce (Egg fettuccine, cod, clams, shrimp, PEI mussels, scallops, marinara). The food was prepared with expertise and exceptionally delicious. I did not take photos because I was caught up enjoying the good food and conversation. Our server was experienced, attentive, and helpful with ordering. The crusty bread was perfect to mop up the sauces! They are also making a reservation at Cornell's, their choice.

We enjoyed a Homestyle takeout lunch with my daughter and two grands. Menu is well organized into…read morecategories. Prices are moderate. The Chicken/eggplant/cheese/pesto Panini was excellent. The in store made Italian bread was grilled nicely. The crust was crispy and spread with pesto. My daughter and I split the generous Panini. Yum. Grandpa enjoyed half of the Chicken Parm Sub. Ordered a round Cheese Pizza for the children plus nicely breaded and fried large Chicken tenders. Food was well received. I added to my phone order when I went for pickup from the two large cases of ready to go foods. I got a large serving of Sausage and Peppers and a square of Eggplant Parm. Two fresh in-house made rolls were included --Fresh and outstanding as always. We sampled my selections, and the rest will be served for dinner. The Italian sausage was spiced mildly, had fennel seeds as it should have, and lean. The peppers used were red, yellow, and orange --not less desirable green ones. Five Stars. The Eggplant Parm was heavily breaded and fried until too soft. 3 Stars. I love how you do not have to preorder many items. They have available two large cases of food ready to go including: Chick Parm, Eggplant Parm, Lasagne, Ziti, Alfredo pasta, and Orzo Soup with Greens. Slices of pizza are also available: tomato pie, broccoli, and pepperoni. pizza. And there is more! Stromboli, garlic knots, and Parmesan bread sticks adorn the ready to go cases. Staff was making custom order cold subs for two customers. Two other huge cases are filled with pastries and cookies.

This is the second time they've forgotten a part of my order. Not only that, the pasta was complete…read moremush, with no flavor. They used to be good, I don't know what happened but it's a shame. I should have ordered from Perreca's.

The space is stunning, the vibes are high, the service is top-tier, the cocktails are creative and…read moredelicious, and the food was outstanding. I may be biased, Mediterranean is my favorite but the flavors and presentation were truly beyond compare. I only wish I had room to try more! There were so many dishes on the menu I wanted to order, but sadly, there's only so much room. We shared the grilled halloumi and charred carrots. My husband had the Branzino special, and I had the lamb gyro. Every dish was absolutely delicious. But the only thing I managed to photograph was THE most creative cocktail special I've ever had the privilege of trying, thanks to Colin. I absolutely love sitting at the bar with a knowledgeable, creative mixologist who is genuinely passionate about their craft. That kind of experience makes a night feel extra special. 10/10 experience. I think we just found our new special place.

Came on a busy Saturday dinner party of 5 without a reservation. The hostess was so kind. They were…read moreable to find us a table, only caveat is that it was in the vault room. And quite frankly, that was a cool area. You could snap a photo inside the giant safe. The restaurant used to be a bank. So think high windows, high ceilings, open space with beautiful tile flooring. The food did not disappoint. We had a mix of their lamb and seafood dishes. They gave a great twist to the predominantly Mediterranean menu. The cocktails were crafted wonderfully. Im very taken back on this gem of a restaurant in Schenectady NY. Great place for a date night, celebrate a special occasion, or just to have good drinks and food.