Highest-rated cafes in the Syracuse area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the Syracuse area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Syracuse area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Syracuse were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#28. Freedom Of Espresso
- Rating: 3.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 1st St. Liverpool, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Thee Diner
- Rating: 3.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6043 NY-31 Cicero, New York
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Original Grain
- Rating: 3.6/5 (222 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 302 South Salina St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Cafeteria, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 3.6/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9090 Destiny Usa Drive Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Cafe Kubal
- Rating: 3.7/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3911 Brewerton Road Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Luna Cafe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1001 East Fayette St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Japanese, New American, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Freedom of Espresso
- Rating: 3.9/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 128 West Genesee St. Fayetteville, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Tea Rooms
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Freedom of Espresso
- Rating: 4.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 Solar St. Ste 101 Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Cafe Kubal
- Rating: 4.0/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 324 West Water St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Cafe Kubal
- Rating: 4.0/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3501 James St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Cafe Kubal
- Rating: 4.0/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 South Salina St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Kung Fu Tea
- Rating: 4.1/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 306 Hiawatha Blvd. West Ste J209 Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cafe Blue
- Rating: 4.1/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 720 Van Rensselaer St. Ste 104B Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#15. The Kind Coffee Company
- Rating: 4.1/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 715 West Fayette St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Phoebe's Restaurant & Coffee Lounge
- Rating: 4.2/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 900 East Genesee St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: New American, Coffee & Tea, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Recess Coffee - Tipperary Hill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 429 Ulster St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Ink Corner Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5590 State Rt 31 Cicero, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Strong Hearts Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (694 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 Irving Ave. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Pronto Fresh
- Rating: 4.3/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 133 East Water St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Recess Coffee House & Roastery
- Rating: 4.4/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 Harvard Place Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Ice Cream Stand
- Rating: 4.4/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 200 West Water St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Tous Les Jours
- Rating: 4.4/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2743 Erie Blvd. East Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#6. BAMBU
- Rating: 4.4/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 4131 West Genesee St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Cracked Bean Roastery
- Rating: 4.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2384 James St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#4. DeWitt Bagel Co
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 4320 East Genesee St. DeWitt, New York
- Categories: Bagels, Coffee & Tea, Kosher
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Salt City Coffee & Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 484 South Salina St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Kelsey's Coffee and Friends
- Rating: 4.6/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1200 East Genesee St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Salt City Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 509 West Onondaga St. Syracuse, New York
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
