Highest-rated restaurants in Utica by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Utica, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#27. Bagel Grove
- Rating: 4.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7 Burrstone Road Utica, New York
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Sunny Restaurant Asian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 530 Albany St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Thai, Chinese, Cambodian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Pho Mekong House of Noodles
- Rating: 4.0/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 John St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Vietnamese, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Iconic by Chesterfield
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 102 Lafayette St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Joel's Spanish Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1225 Park Ave. Utica, New York
- Categories: Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#22. The Willows
- Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 900 Culver Ave. Utica, New York
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Ventura's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 787 Lansing St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Napoli's Italian Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 412 Culver Ave. Utica, New York
- Categories: Bakeries, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Rick's Famous
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 421 Broad St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Mi Casa Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1315 Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Dominican, Latin American, French
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Tailor and the Cook
- Rating: 4.5/5 (296 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 311 Main St. Utica, New York
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Tramontane Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1105 Lincoln Ave. Utica, New York
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Sheri's Eastside Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 2199 Bleecker St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Ambassador Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 537 Albany St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Craylee's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 237 Bleecker St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Nina's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Motus
- Rating: 4.5/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 234 Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Gastropubs, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Willie's Bagel Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 219 North Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bagels, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Mello's Subs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 242 Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: American, Turkish, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Joe's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 927 Jay St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Daniele 's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1556 Mohawk St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Italian, American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Roma Sausage
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2029 Bleecker St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Meat Shops, Bakeries, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Zeina's Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 607 Varick St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Lebanese, Mediterranean, Turkish
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Rooster's
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 814 Charlotte St. Utica, New York
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Trattoria Calabria
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 706 Culver Ave. Utica, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Golden's
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 244 Genesee St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Yummilicious Cafe & Bakery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 1600 Rutger St. Utica, New York
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.