Taverna Banfi

Name: Taverna Banfi
Address: 130 Statler Drive Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States, 14853
Telephone: (607) 254-2565
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

1236 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Top tags:

A Tuscan Inspired Italian Restaurant In Ithaca, NY
Tuscan culture embraces a cuisine that is inspired by availability and accessibility. At Taverna Banfi, our seasonal menus reflect this attitude. Located at the heart of Cornell University campus, our casual fine dining atmosphere is perfect for entertaining family, friends, and clients visiting Cornell University and the Finger Lakes region.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sept 28, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 51 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(607) 254-2565
Website
http://www.statlerhotel.cornell.edu/
Payment Options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Andrew Nichols
Private party facilities
For parties of 6 people or more, please call the restaurant.
Private party contact
Sales Department: (607) 254-2624

Location
130 Statler Drive, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Neighbourhood
Ithaca
Cross Street
130 Statler Drive
Parking Details
Valet
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,236 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Upstate New York
Most Booked
Southern Tier
Best Overall
Southern Tier
Best Food
Southern Tier
Best Service
Southern Tier
Best Ambience
Southern Tier
Best Value
Southern Tier
Healthy
Southern Tier
Neighbourhood gem
Southern Tier
Good for special occasions
Southern Tier
Most Booked

1,236 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience5
Went for a casual dinner with my daughter. As always, the service from the front entrance to the exit was impeccable, professional and kind. The entree and wine were excellent as per usual. The thing I still am having trouble with was the Caesar salad….not sure what the heck was going on in the kitchen but it was awful…overdressed, romaine lettuce with majority of browning, white stalks and had tomatoes in it! It was quite gross and so unlike every other meal / salad I e had here…including the Caesar salad. As disappointing as it was unusual. Other than that, of course I will return…but I will be sure to check how the Caesar salad will be served the next time😳!
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HD
HankD
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Duck breast and strip steak were excellent. Kathy and Joe were outstanding as our servers.
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DO
DiningOut
New York Area
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was excellent and beautifully presented in each plate. The servers were attentive and bellflower explaining the choices.
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SP
SeekingPeace
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Taverna Banfi is an established culinary entity in Ithaca. The Sunday Brunch is must-do for any Conellian and their family. The Brunch buffet is divided in two separate rooms: breakfast, and lunch. The price is fair, the service is top notch, and the facilities are superb. While the reservation instructions clearly dictate a business casual dress code, a significant portion of patrons dress casually for the occasion. I assume this is more common on Brunch, but I haven't paid enough attention to dress code on my previous visits. The servers are attentive, professional and not intrusive. In fact, most of the bussing and water refills tend to happen when you stand up to get food at the buffet. One thing that prevented us from fully enjoying our romantic brunch experience were loud patrons and children roaming around the place and jumping on seats and window sills. There was a child playing with the blinds behind our table, taking the experience a couple of notches down. Other than that the place and its staff are exemplary.
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t
trailwalker
New York Area
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
There were 5 of us. Each had a different entree. Each entree was excellent.
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R
Ringo
Columbus
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Evaluated options to go to dinner near the lab we were working, this choice popped up as ‘inexpensive’ but seemed a little pricier than expected. Excellent service and good food so maybe change the price category to reflect current levels
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P
Pumpkin
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The lunch buffet was wonderful. Fabulous selection of salads, hot veggies, salmon and roast beef.
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RS
RobertS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always great food and ambiance at Taverna Banfi / Statler
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C
Cornell
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
It raised the price this year. Not that worth it. Hope it stays with the previous price.
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AS
AnneS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Taverna Banfi did not disappoint! From the hostess to waiter to manager to the food ( aka the chef), it was wonderful! Would definitely return when in Ithaca again!
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BA
BobbyA
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was an excellent experience! The food was delicious. I had the salmon and my daughter had the Statler chicken. The salmon was cooked perfectly. It was seasoned well, juicy, and the accompanying vegetables were paired well with the fish. The chicken was seasoned well and grilled to perfection. The savory bread pudding was a perfect accompaniment to the dish. It was truly savory and extremely satisfying. The service was excellent and so was the atmosphere. We will definitely return and highly recommend it.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Toby the host is amazing and all the servers provide excellent service!! and don't even get
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JD
JoanneD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lindsey our server was awesome... was very attentive and helpful
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LW
LorieW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
some of the food was cold. the noise level was high. but the service was excellent
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S
Stefania
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience5
Always come to this place when staying at The Hotel. Would love to say that the food is excellent but considering what I expect it is nothing excepcional. However the service is great and the place amazing..
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
The service was impeccable, as was the cleanliness and food quality. I would have liked a bit more variety in the breakfast bar offerings. Eggs or omelette to order? Otherwise a great experience 🙌.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I loved Maisa’25 engineering grad for our server. So pleasant attentive and knowledgeable. We are going back tonight to her section.
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l
lizzie
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful restaurant. Our food was, as always, delicious.
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CD
ChristopherD
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 11, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
The weekday lunch buffet at Taverna Banfi is always a good deal: diversity of salads, hot dishes, and desserts. However, apart from the meat option at the carving station, the selections do not vary much from day to day or even week to week. The service is usually really good, with Marty being one of the stars. His attentiveness is outstanding. Most (not all) of the other staff are students, so the service can be spotty. But, it is a learning experience for them.
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LR
LauraR
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a very enjoyable experience while dining at Taverna Banfi. The food was fabulous and the wait staff was wonderful. We will definitely be back in the future.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
During my recent visit to Taverna Banfi Italian Restaurant, I had the pleasure of being served by a young lady waitress from the Engineering 2025 of Cornell. While I unfortunately forgot her name, her service was nothing short of exceptional. Not only did she attend to our every need with a smile, but she also went above and beyond by providing us with a list of nearby places with unique site themes to explore for our visit. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for the local area added an extra touch to our dining experience. The combination of delicious food, attentive service, and thoughtful recommendations made our time at Taverna Banfi truly memorable. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone seeking not only a fantastic meal but also personalized and helpful service. The service was exceptional, and the Simon fish dish was out of this world. The staff was friendly and attentive, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The fish was impeccably cooked, bursting with flavor, and beautifully presented. I highly recommend Taverna Banfi for a memorable dining experience. Can't wait to return.
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P
Patrice
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our dining experience was exceptional. We enjoyed our meal and service.
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J
Jason
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Overall, my experience was great. The food was nice and the service was absolutely fantastic.
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SB
SusanB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Food and atmosphere were great. We had to wait about 10 minutes for eggs to arrive on buffet.
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KH
KathH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went to Banfi's for a special Fathers day breakfast. We had a wonderful experience. The food was very tasty. Our waiter was attentive & was pleasant. Over all our experience was 10 out of 10. Thank you Banfi's for making this Fathers day even more special.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 16, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
The place is nice and clean. Some tables have a nice view outside. Service was pretty good, although the host made us wait for our table in the hallway despite the restaurant being half empty + us having a reservation. Overall we had a nice dinner, the food is good.
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KM
KimM
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We always have a great meal and receive great service there. Can't wait until our next visit!
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JD
JohnD
Los Angeles
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
The food was excellent, the location on Campus is unmatched, and the staff was very nice. However, our entire dinner experience took almost three hours. Luckily, our group was having a good time catching up and drinking wine, so it didn't really ruin our evening - but ideally, we would have gotten in and out a little faster. To be fair, it was reunion weekend, and I think the staff was really busy between the restaurant and also banquet service in the hotel. The staff was super friendly and apologetic. They also were really nice in accommodating two six-people reservations into a 12 person table (which they don't usually do). Overall, it was still a great dining experience and I would recommend to anyone who wants a nice Italian dinner while visiting Cornell. It was slower than ideal, but still a good time.
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KF
KarenF
New York Area
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We ordered an appetizer to share, the grilled octopus which was enjoyed by 3 people. The gnocchi, salmon and rigatoni dinner were all excellent. A friendly wait staff and beautiful views of the Cornell Campus. A must to dine when traveling to Ithaca !
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ST
StevenT
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 8, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Excellent server with hotelie Jack. A rising sophomore and hockey player was provided excellent service and great conversation.
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S
Sarika
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect place for fine dining on the Cornell campus! Free valet parking with reservation. Vast menu with wonderful presentation and quality of food - on par with the best restaurants in any major city!
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DL
DebL
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 5, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Ithaca dining options are fewer after Covid. However, Taverna Banfi is going strong. They still offer a full menu. The salmon was excellent, and so was my vegetarian entree. The perfect place for a special evening.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on May 29, 2023
overall1food1service3ambience1
Italian restaurant with no Italian food during their brunch.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent overall
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CL
ClaudiaL
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Initial bread before meal was mediocre so I was a bit worried that meal would be too. But the steak was really delicious! Perfectly grilled. Highly recommend.
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ML
MelindaL
New York Area
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We really enjoyed our meal. We ordered the Tuscan Kale, Housemade Mozzarella, Jurgielewicz Duck Breast and Ricotta Gnocchi and they were all delicious! Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu choices.
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c
claudia
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great selection and food done well in a lovely environment.
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h
hamfred
Chicago
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
My family had a lovely meal there. The service was attentive, the ambiance was very pleasant, and the food was good. There were a few small hiccups, like overly dressed salad, or dishes that were slightly more complicated than necessary...but overall we had a really nice time.
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E
Erin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best French onion soup I've ever had and the duck was absolutely delicious
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M
Marco
New York Area
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food. Well prepared. High quality, flavor, and execution.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
Physical distancing
- Distancing maintained in common areas

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Taverna Banfi is rated 4.7 stars by 1236 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sept 28, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 51 times today

130 Statler Drive, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

Additional information

Cross Street
130 Statler Drive
Neighbourhood
Ithaca
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress Code
Business Casual
Parking Details
Valet
Payment Options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Andrew Nichols
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.statlerhotel.cornell.edu/
Phone number
(607) 254-2565
Private party facilities
For parties of 6 people or more, please call the restaurant.
Private party contact
Sales Department: (607) 254-2624

Taverna Banfi

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

What 1,236 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

How is Taverna Banfi restaurant rated?

Is Taverna Banfi currently accepting bookings?

Make a reservation

Additional information