Abbiocco by A Mano
Fun, fresh, and fabulous are three words that absolutely describe Central New York’s latest and greatest trattoria, Abbiocco by A Mano! 
Abbiocco, for those that don’t know, means “Fit Of Drowsiness That Occurs After Consuming A Large Meal” and this name perfectly fits this latest incarnation of the Fiacchi family’s dream of bringing delicious authentic yet innovative cuisine to all of us! Trattoria’s are semi-casual restaurants, with a focus on traditional dishes as well as regional specialties. Abbiocco by A Mano is absolutely a celebration of rustic Italian food, embracing the stories it tells. Abbiocco by A Mano is located in downtown Syracuse in the icon tower building at 344 South Warren St. and they are open Wednesday through Saturday from 4:30pm to 9pm. Reservations can be made on their website (https://www.abbioccosyr.com) through open table or by calling 315-303-1630. Reservations are not required but they are recommended, especially on busy nights downtown.
This is the part where I usually tell readers about the lovely atmosphere, beautiful decor, and amazing staff and service. Let me say that all of those things are absolutely true at Abbiocco by A Mano. With that out of the way, I can focus on the important part, namely the food! I have never been more impressed with a simplistic yet unique one-page menu! Even with what may appear at first glance to be limited options, we found ourselves having a tough time deciding on what to order because everything just sounded so incredible! How do you choose between all of the scrumptious appetizers, hand-tossed pizza, perfectly prepared meats, and handmade pasta? Seriously, everything on the menu just looks magnificent and tastes even better. We were having a hard enough time deciding and then we got to hear about that evening’s specials which just made our decision even more difficult! We had already decided on the calamari before hearing the specials but we were absolutely tempted by the shrimp scampi toast and will definitely be ordering that next time if it is available. I note that if it’s available because the menu is constantly changing and evolving with the seasons to ensure that patrons are fed nothing but the freshest and most delicious cuisine available. Abbiocco by A Mano also deserves a shout-out for their incredibly unique pizzas; you just can’t miss the Prosciutto & Arugula (mozzarella, fontina, prosciutto San Danielle, and arugula) or Sausage & Long Hot (carmelized onions, tomato conserva, provolone, and mozzarella). So my advice to you is to check out their menu online on Facebook or on Instagram and if you see something you like you better get down there for a delicious treat.
My husband and I arrived at Abbiocco by A Mano on a perfect fall evening. Despite there being a show at the landmark we were able to get very good parking right in front, on Warren Street. We have brought our little family to A Mano in the past but this evening we were lucky enough to have a babysitter so that we could enjoy a date night. We were immediately greeted and seated at a cozy table in the corner with a view of the mural; this was the perfect table to enjoy a much needed romantic evening. Tyler and I joke that food is our love language so Abbiocco by A Mano is the ideal date spot for us! We were soon greeted by our friendly and knowledgeable server, Niki, who told us all about the specials of the evening and made sure there was always something to eat and drink on our table for the entire evening. This was not a rushed evening for us and we were happy that the flow allowed us to actually enjoy everything we ordered and allowed us to enjoy the evening even more. We decided to start our meal with an order of the fried calamari. This dish has golden fried calamari, long hot agrodolce, and lemon aioli and it was absolutely scrumptious. We also decided that since we were going to be sitting a while and enjoying our evening we would order the charcuterie board. This dish called Salumi, includes varying selections of imported and domestic meats and cheeses. This evening we were treated to a spread of mortadella, chorizo, prosciutto, two types of goat cheese and rosemary asiago. This is beautifully presented on a board that also included a selection of olives, warm honey, sweet tomato jelly and figs. This just was as beautiful as it was tasty. For an entrée I knew that it was Thursday and on Thursday they offer homemade gnocchi, a dish I can never pass up. What I did not know was that this amazing pillow light gnocchi covered in arugula and Allman pesto and topped with ricotta would be one of the best things I could ever have tasted. After the first bite Kyle asked what I thought and I just responded that each bite tasted like heaven! Kyle had initially decided on New York strip, that is until he had heard the specials which included a 35 ounce bone-in ribeye served with twice fried potatoes and garlic pepper corn finishing butter. He may have been drooling when this masterpiece, cooked rare, was presented on our table. Of course we both shared each other‘s dish as is the appropriate thing to do at such a trattoria and we even took the bone home for our fluffy friend to enjoy. Although we were stuffed and we had absolutely reached Abbiocco, we couldn’t pass up a delicious dessert. It was getting late and we had to get home so we took a slice of olive oil lemon cake (served with whipped mascarpone, candy pistachios, and luxardo) and four absolutely fantastic cannolis filled with orange ricotta chocolate and pistachio. These were the perfectly sweetest way to end an absolutely perfect evening!
Abbiocco by A Mano is the ideal spot to enjoy a perfect meal, snack or drinks in downtown Syracuse. There’s just something magical about this place that offers something for everybody. It is the perfect location for a romantic date night, pizza and drinks before a show, or even a delectable dessert with a fancy coffee or a glass of delicious wine. Be sure to check their menu out online, follow them on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to check for mouthwatering specials and pictures of beautifully delicious food. Better yet, do yourself a favor and check out Abbiocco by A Mano with some friends tonight!
