Abbiocco
Come Hungry, Stay Awhile, and Let Dinner Be the Event at Abbiocco! Some restaurants are where you go to eat but Abbiocco by A Mano is where you go to spend an evening. Located at 344 South Warren Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, Abbiocco is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30-9:00pm. Reservations, along with information about parties and catering, are available directly through Abbiocco’s website (abbioccosyr.com) or by calling (315) 303-1630. My insider tip is as follows: make the reservation, come hungry, and give yourself time. This is not a meal to rush through!
We got a sitter and headed downtown for a Thursday date night, and it was exactly the kind of evening out we needed. Michael was our waiter and was absolutely fantastic, as always. The restaurant was bustling, yet he somehow made us feel like we were his only table. He was attentive without hovering and gave us time to enjoy every course while making sure our drinks were never empty. That kind of service is part of what makes Abbiocco feel like an experience rather than simply dinner! There is also a great family story behind the restaurant. The Fiacchi family operated A Mano Kitchen and Bar for five years before creating Abbiocco by A Mano, a family-run restaurant inspired by the Italian trattoria: welcoming, semi-casual dining centered around traditional dishes and regional Italian specialties. What makes it particularly fun is the balance of old and new. Familiar Italian traditions meet innovative ideas, quality imported ingredients and fresh local products. The menu changes seasonally to take advantage of what is fresh and available locally, while specials are constantly changing, so there is always a reason to come back and discover something different. The current menu, for example, incorporates local produce alongside imported Italian ingredients and cheeses. Thursday’s are particularly exciting because it is gnocchi night, with creative flavors and combinations to discover. And always listen carefully to the specials, particularly the seafood specials as that is exactly how I found my entrée!
We started with a favorite: fried calamari with long hot agrodolce and lemon aioli. Crispy, tender, sweet, tangy and just a little spicy, it is everything you want calamari to be! We also couldn’t pass up that night’s affidavit featuring puffball mushroom: lightly fried mushroom “filets” topped with perfectly seasoned peppers and onions and served over a bed of creamy ricotta. It was unexpected, creative and absolutely delicious! Then there is the bread…do not underestimate the bread basket! We enjoyed fresh focaccia and sesame bread with their ever-changing homemade butter. That evening it was cinnamon butter, which honestly tasted like dessert. Warm bread, cinnamon butter, a great cocktail and nowhere you need to be for the next couple of hours is a pretty wonderful way to start dinner!
For his entrée, Kyle chose the NY Strip, a 16-18 oz. CAB Prime steak with twice-fried potatoes. It was stunning, cooked exactly to order and incredibly flavorful! It may very well be one of the best steaks in town. The crispy twice-fried potatoes alongside it made it even better. I was enticed by the seafood special: beautifully seared large scallops served over carrot purée with cauliflower. The scallops had a gorgeous golden crust while remaining perfectly tender inside. The sweet and spiciness of the carrot purée complemented them beautifully, while the cauliflower added texture and balance. It was the kind of dish that reminds you why ordering the special can be so much fun! And yes, after all of that, we ordered dessert. There was simply no way we were stopping there. The homemade cannoli with orange ricotta filling, chocolate and pistachio was crisp, creamy and just citrusy enough. The olive oil cake with EVOO, lemon, Grindstone Farm blueberry jam and whipped mascarpone was equally wonderful: bright, rich without being overly heavy, and the perfect ending to the meal!
The drinks deserve their own mention. This is a place to order the wine. This is a place to try the cocktail. And this is absolutely a place to save room for dessert. The whole experience encourages you to settle in and enjoy yourself. We will also be back for the wood-fired pizza, made to order and cooked right in the brick oven in the dining room. The menu includes everything from a classic Margherita to combinations featuring roasted garlic, sausage and long hots, and pepperoni with Calabrian honey. Watching the pizzas being made and fired right in front of you only adds to the atmosphere. Even the name tells you what kind of evening you’re supposed to have. “Abbiocco” describes that wonderfully sleepy, completely satisfied feeling after a big meal. It is basically an invitation to slow down: order another course, share some wine, eat the bread, have dessert and enjoy the people sitting across from you. Whether you are meeting friends before a show, planning an intimate date night, gathering everyone for the holidays, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or just getting a sitter and turning an ordinary Thursday into something special, Abbiocco fits the occasion! They also offer catering and customized options for parties and group gatherings, with details and reservations available on their website.
Some places feed you; Abbiocco gives you an evening to remember! Go hungry, bring people you love, try something familiar and something completely unexpected, and give yourself permission to linger. Order the appetizer. Eat the bread. Try the special. Get the wine. Save room for dessert. Then experience Abbiocco for yourself and discover just how wonderful it feels when dinner isn’t something you squeeze into the evening, but the reason for the evening. You can thank me later!
