Whether you’re a seasoned upperclassman who’s been around the block before or a first-year still finding your way around campus, you’ve probably heard the rumor that Ithaca has more restaurants per capita than New York City. While there are a lot of restaurants in town to choose from, you’ve probably also heard of Moosewood as a bucket list destination for those who want to explore Ithaca’s diverse food scene.
Located in the Dewitt Mall in Downtown Ithaca, Moosewood has solidified its position as a standout restaurant that features natural vegetarian dishes and local sustainable foods. With numerous accolades and over 50 years of establishment, Moosewood is well known as the spot to go for truly flavorful and fulfilling vegetarian-based dishes.
As of late, however, Moosewood has garnered quite a polarizing reputation among Cornell students — either you love Moosewood or you don’t. I decided to see what this debate was about when I visited Moosewood for the first time for a friend's birthday dinner. While it’s worth noting that the menu changes seasonally to reflect the availability of fresh, local ingredients (this menu being from Summer 2025) I decided to see for myself why this restaurant had such glowing and glaring reviews.
My friends and I went for dinner on a Friday night, and it was certainly busy. Even with a good amount of indoor, bar and patio seating, you're probably better off making a reservation if you have a larger group.
The ambiance in the restaurant was impeccable. With low lighting, cozy yet polished decor, candlelight tables and a small Moosewood gift shop, the restaurant felt more akin to dining in a big city.
As a group of five, we ordered the lemon tahini broccoli and farmer ground polenta cakes to start. Both dishes were flavorful and well-dressed despite being relatively simple plates. Both the polenta and the broccoli had a slight crisp to them, which we all enjoyed as well.
For the entrées, our group ordered the black bean burger, the lasagna, the pasta strozzapreti and the chili verde. I personally ordered the chili verde, but had bites of my friend's food in an attempt to sample the most that I could from the entrées. As a note, there were only six entrées to choose from in this particular menu, but they also serve soups, four different kinds of salads and a good amount of appetizers.
I found all of the dishes extremely flavorful, but not overwhelming. Moosewood knows how to balance dishes with simple ingredients and composition with quite unique flavor combinations very well. The chili verde arrived in a generous portion size with tostada chips, and I was not disappointed. The chili was hearty, intentionally spiced and extremely filling. Half of it is currently sitting in my mini fridge. The plate was a little dense and could have used more fresh ingredients to brighten the dish, but nothing major to complain about overall.
The black bean burger was also a hit. To be quite honest, as a meat-eating, allergy-insensitive, non-picky eater, I was a bit hesitant to eat a burger patty developed to resemble ground beef, but I was happily impressed. The burger actually did resemble ground beef, but in an appetizing ‘I didn’t try too hard to be something that I’m not’ kind of way. The burger was also served with crisped New York State sharp cheddar and very well-seasoned potatoes.
I’ve heard favorable things about the pasta dishes at Moosewood before my first visit, and the rumors were not entirely wrong. The lasagna seemed to be a win as my friend finished off her plate before I could steal a proper bite. I did manage to try the vegetable sauce, and it did indeed taste amazing. As for the pasta strozzapreti, I would recommend it if you are inclined to something a bit lighter for dinner. I only had a bite, but the pasta seemed simply dressed and a bit more mild in flavor compared to the other dishes I sampled.
While Moosewood became a culinary name thanks to the over five million million vegetarian based cookbooks sold, I was surprised to learn that a good number of Cornellians aren’t the biggest fans. I found the restaurant to be quite nice for a special occasion and the food to be much more culinarily complex compared to the other restaurants in Ithaca. While the food isn't necessarily cheap, I thought the ingredients in the dishes were high quality, fresh and hard to find in other local dining options.
If you or someone you know has written off Moosewood recently, I’d encourage you to stop for a visit one more time, especially if they’ve since rotated the menu. My guess is that most Cornell students tend to visit during the winter months, so you might be missing out on the best local ingredients that are in season during spring, summer, and fall. Consider dropping by before the cold sets in to experience what’s likely a more vibrant and varied menu!
Vivien Dobrescu is a sophomore in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning. She can be reached at vmd33@cornell.edu.
