College Town Pizza
1 / 27#27. College Town Pizza
- Rating: 2.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 139 Dryden Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Ithaca by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Ithaca area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
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Capital Corner Restaurant
2 / 27#26. Capital Corner Restaurant
- Rating: 2.6/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 140 West State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Sicilian Delight
3 / 27#25. Sicilian Delight
- Rating: 2.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 Catherwood Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Ling Ling Garden
4 / 27#24. Ling Ling Garden
- Rating: 3.0/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 331 Pine Tree Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
D P Dough
5 / 27#23. D P Dough
- Rating: 3.0/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 408 College Ave. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Chicken Wings, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
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Jade Garden Restaurant
6 / 27#22. Jade Garden Restaurant
- Rating: 3.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 108 South Meadow St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Chinese, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Casablanca Pizzeria
7 / 27#21. Casablanca Pizzeria
- Rating: 3.2/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111A East State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
The State Diner
8 / 27#20. The State Diner
- Rating: 3.3/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 428 West State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Oishii Bowl
9 / 27#19. Oishii Bowl
- Rating: 3.3/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 College Ave. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
Pudgie's Pizza & Sub Shops
10 / 27#18. Pudgie's Pizza & Sub Shops
- Rating: 3.4/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 215 Elmira Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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Collegetown Bagels
11 / 27#17. Collegetown Bagels
- Rating: 3.5/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 301 East State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Lansing Pizzaria
12 / 27#16. Lansing Pizzaria
- Rating: 3.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2035 East Shore Drive Rte 34 Lansing, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Ned's Pizza
13 / 27#15. Ned's Pizza
- Rating: 3.7/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 840 Hanshaw Road Ste 3 Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Sicilian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
Sal's Pizzeria
14 / 27#14. Sal's Pizzeria
- Rating: 3.7/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 220 South Fulton St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Shortstop Deli
15 / 27#13. Shortstop Deli
- Rating: 3.8/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 204 West Seneca St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Collegetown Bagels
16 / 27#12. Collegetown Bagels
- Rating: 3.8/5 (481 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 420 College Ave. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Bagels, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
Press Cafe
17 / 27#11. Press Cafe
- Rating: 3.9/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 118 West Green St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Purity Ice Cream
18 / 27#10. Purity Ice Cream
- Rating: 3.9/5 (414 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 700 Cascadilla St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Sopoong
19 / 27#9. Sopoong
- Rating: 4.0/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 147 Dryden Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
Lincoln Street Diner
20 / 27#8. Lincoln Street Diner
- Rating: 4.1/5 (154 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 309 East Lincoln St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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Louie's Lunch
21 / 27#7. Louie's Lunch
- Rating: 4.3/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 500 Thurston Ave. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
Temple of Zeus
22 / 27#6. Temple of Zeus
- Rating: 4.3/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Goldwin Smith Hall Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Gorgers Subs
23 / 27#5. Gorgers Subs
- Rating: 4.4/5 (324 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 116 West State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Salad, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Franco's Pizzeria
24 / 27#4. Franco's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.4/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 527 West State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Dolce Delight
25 / 27#3. Dolce Delight
- Rating: 4.5/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1080 Danby Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Comfort Food, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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Cornell Dairy Bar
26 / 27#2. Cornell Dairy Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 411 Tower Road Stocking Hall - Department of Food Science Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Circus Truck
27 / 27#1. Circus Truck
- Rating: 4.7/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 720 West Green St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Food Trucks, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.
