Louis W. Leonini
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a colleague whose daughter is enrolled at B.U. and was sad to hear something all too familiar. He said his daughter feels like there’s nothing interesting to eat besides college junk food, it’s depressing, and she is bored. Sadly, this isn’t the first time I heard a story like that. The average student thinks that much of the Southern Tier seems to have been forgotten, like many parts of upstate New York and the Midwest. They give up on finding anything of interest beyond the campus and downtown Binghamton. I gladly told him how I visit often and wrote down some local recommendations for his daughter that she didn’t already know. That event was the inspiration for me to share them with you, the current crop of New York’s finest students.
I lived on campus for two years and the West Side of Binghamton for two years. I have local friends to this day and visit the area every year, so my observations are not out of date. I may have gone to B.U. when the dinosaurs roamed, but this area ain’t unfamiliar to me. I’m also a Yelp Elite reviewer, so I post a lot on food and travel experiences, including some reviews of Binghamton spots. The more I travel, the more I realize that every place you will ever visit or live in has something unique to offer if you’re open to experiencing it. “Bro, I was in L.A. and the pizza was mid” is a less fulfilling attitude than “Dude, I was in L.A. and the Korean BBQ was bussin’.” In other words, accept that not everywhere is going to have what you have in your hometown. Find out what is unique and enjoy it! So, what does Binghamton have to offer? Well, I have put together a few unique things food and non-food-related that sadly, most students don’t ever experience.
Food
Eat a spiedie. What is it? It’s marinated awesomeness on a sub roll. “Spiedie” is a word derived from spiedo which is Italian for “spit”, since it is cubed and cooked over a charcoal grill. It is assumed that the marinade is an Americanized version of an original recipe popular in Sicily, where many of Binghamton’s immigrant families originated. It is the Southern Tier’s greatest contribution to the American culinary cookbook, and there’s even a spiedie festival every August to celebrate the sandwich (see below). If you really want to up your tailgate game and get noticed back at home, buy some marinade yourself, and make it. The original is Lupo’s in Endwell, and there’s also Spiedie and Rib Pit. If this culinary delight is to your liking…
Go to the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally. Spiedie Fest has been held in the same location since 1983 at Otsiningo Park. Generally held in August, it includes a cookoff, hot-air balloon rides, a car show, pro wrestling exhibition matches, games of chance, country music stars, those lovely “Wild Bill” soda trucks, and all the carnival food you can stuff down your gullet. It’s a classic event that gets better every year. You’ll also get to see locals at their happiest, and what the area is like during B.U.’s summer session. Afterward, head downtown to be in a familiar place but see it in a different light. Speaking of bars…
If your age allows, go to a non-SUNY bar. Southern Tier locals are really cool. Yes, really. Not only that, but they also actually like you. They think you’re amusing, merely roll their eyes at your youthful perspectives, and they are aware of the economic benefits of being a college town (just don’t constantly remind them of that, it comes across poorly). They only really get salty when you insult their town to their face. I was blessed to have made local friends in my college days, which is why I still visit. If you live on the West Side, I recommend Abel’s Pub. There’s a shrine to the former owner, cheap drinks, and live music. Bring cash, as they don’t allow tabs. If you haven’t made any friends from the area, go in a small group. If you want a great burger or wings, go to The Belmar. Be respectful, and you will always get respect back.
Go to The Cider Mill in Endicott in October. You can go whenever, of course. But October is when you begin to embrace autumn. It’s been around for almost 100 years and it has delicious donuts, pies, apple cider, and various other treats. They even have pumpkins from local farms for Halloween. What fun!
Have special occasion spots. It’s nice to have a place to go when your parents visit, or for date nights or other special dinners. You have great options for that. Station 45 is an old train station that was renovated into a steakhouse and cocktail bar. It’s within walking distance from downtown. If you really want to go off the SUNY grid, go to McCoy’s Chop House in Endicott. You can use Resy to get reservations at Station 45, but for McCoy’s you’ll have to call to make one. Make your reservation ahead of time (at least a week, or two weeks if there’s an event in town), as they get booked quickly. If those are booked, try Remlick’s. If these options are too fancy for whatever reason, try The Old Union Hotel.
If you must have your NYC-area favorites, don’t limit yourself to Vestal Parkway. You can find just about anything in the area if you are willing to do your own research, and don’t limit yourself to places that only students frequent. Once you or a friend get a car or live off-campus, this will be easier. Did you know there’s a Little Italy in Endicott? Look, I can tell you my favorite pizza, bagel, taco, pho, sushi, BBQ, etc., but then it won’t be as much fun for you to explore on your own. Be adventurous, be open-minded, and for the love of all that is holy, please don’t surrender to the idea that the whole area has nothing just because Denny’s or Nirchi’s isn’t to your liking. I promise you there are good options. Go find them.
To close out our food section, if you’ve decided not to go to the dining hall or cook, actually go out to eat when it’s possible to do so. It’s sad I feel the need to point this out, but I know you were subjected to lockdowns in your formative years and got comfortable with delivery in a way my graduating class never did. Look, I’m as big a fan of convenience as anyone, but people and places are important. When I lived on campus I ordered from a pizza spot regularly. I never met anyone but the delivery guy for two years. Once I finally visited, it became a home away from home. It was family-run, and they treated me like a son. Sadly, the place no longer exists. However, no one can take away my memories of Mama Rosa’s face lighting up every time she saw me, the day the family met my parents, walking down Murray Street to the restaurant and having dinner with the family during a blizzard because no one else was around, or the exact song that was playing that one time when I lingered there to finish my glass of wine after devouring her homemade cheesecake. Rest in peace, Mama.
Experiences
Sadly, your stomach is only so big, and there are many hours of the day where you won’t be eating. During those in-between times, consider the following.
Go to a museum. Binghamton has some good museums if that is your thing. They also do events and food festivals to draw a crowd. Take your pick, but I like the Roberson Museum.
Enjoy the parks. My favorites are Otsiningo Park for the trails along the river, and Confluence Park, which is never more beautiful than when it’s time to enjoy a hike and grab some pictures of foliage in autumn set behind the confluence of the Chenango and Susquehanna Rivers. Binghamton is also the carousel capital of the world, and you can locate them all online. My favorite is in Recreation Park on the West Side, but if you go to the one in Ross Park, there’s also a zoo.
Have fun being a 90’s kid for a day. Parks and museums not your thing? Enjoy NY’s largest arcade that has games from all eras of gaming. Robot City Games is part of Antique Row. Have a look.
Learn how to cook from a local chef. Phantom Chef in Endicott has cooking classes for up to 16 people at a time. The chef grew up in the Binghamton area but studied at the storied Culinary Institute of America. It’s not often that the same chef can teach you how to make your own sushi and pasta. Having this asset so close to campus is a great opportunity. It’s also a great idea for a student group outing and it’s a great life skill to master. That’s why it made it into this section and not the food one, in case you were wondering.
Take advantage of your location. Binghamton is surrounded by farms, country markets with fresh local produce and pies, wineries, places to pick apples and pumpkins, shooting ranges, paintball, overlooks, mountains, lakes, and other cities. If you have a car, you don’t have an excuse not to travel with a couple of friends and have some shared experiences. Most students return to the area rarely (if at all) after graduation. Enjoy it while you can. If taking I-81 South is on your path back home, this is a pro tip for you, and one that I only discovered in the last couple of years. On my last day of every visit, I stop at the Park Diner for breakfast before I head out. On my way home I pick up a pie from Bingham’s, a country-style diner about 30 minutes south of Binghamton with fresh pies and sweet breads. Bringing something delicious home to your loved ones will help them tolerate how you don’t call or text enough unless you need money to pay for all these adventures that dopey alumnus Louis got you all excited about.
So there ya have it, folks. This is by no means a complete list but should get you started. Good luck, and God bless.
Louis W. Leonini is a former writer and editor-in-chief of Binghamton Review. His chicken spiedie recipe slaps.