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When I hear the word ‘Corning’, my first thought is probably similar to yours…. Those old school bakeware sets that are probably still sitting in your moms cupboard. If your family is anything like mine, they aren’t ones to ditch those uber functional classics just because something ‘new’ has come out, so those good ol’ Corningware blue and white dishes are still making their appearance at dinnertime.

But did you know that there’s an entire CITY erected around the still operational world headquarters of Corning glass?!

When I heard that the 2018 TBEX (Travel Bloggers Exchange) conference was being held in Corning in Upstate New York, at the one and only Corning Museum of Glass no less, I was stoked! I mean, glass art is so cool, and I had heard that visitors can even make their own pieces on site! So, one September day, armed with a list of the best restaurants in Corning, NY and the determination to drink all the wine and eat all the food, I set off on a new adventure.

Read on to learn some tips for planning your trip to Corning, and to snoop my list of the best restaurants on Market Street in Corning (and see what I ordered!).

Planning your Visit to Corning, New York

Getting to Corning, NY

There are a few ways to get to Corning. My favourite way is obviously to road trip. Whether you drive your own car from wherever you are or decide to fly into somewhere closer and drive from there, having a car to travel around the Finger Lakes region is super helpful. Depending on your interest in road trips you could fly into Buffalo and drive 2.5 hours, New York City area and drive 4 hours or Rochester or Syracuse and drive under 2 hours.

The easiest airport to fly into in the Corning area is the Elmira Regional Airport. It’s only 15 minutes from Corning, and you can easily catch a shuttle into town. Ithaca also has an airport that welcomes most airlines to fly in or out, but at nearly an hour from Corning it is a longer drive into town.

Read more: Extend your road trip with a visit to New York City!

Where to Stay in Corning, NY

I had my car with me during my visit to Corning so I decided to book a room in Painted Post, a 5 minute drive to downtown Corning. After checking reviews on Booking.com I chose Corning Inn and ended up having a great experience. Check in was easy, beds are comfortable and the housekeeping staff was super tolerant of my requests for extra towels.

There are several hotel options in the area, some even within walking distance of Market Street. Can’t go wrong with easy access to all of these amazing restaurants!

Next visit I’ll look for a bed & breakfast, maybe closer to one of the Finger Lakes. I’ve seen some amazing reviews from fellow travellers, like the one mentioned in this post about a weekend in Hammondsport.

Airbnb is another great option in this area. There are many homes and rooms available to rent in and around Corning. Airbnb is generally our favourite way to book accommodations all across the US, so it’s no surprise I’m recommending it to you now!

Booking.com

Getting Around Corning, NY

Moving around Corning and the Finger Lakes region is honestly easiest if you have a car. If you aren’t bringing your own, I’d definitely recommend renting one if possible.

If that’s not an option Lyft is a great alternative. I don’t think it’s as popular here as it is is some of the bigger cities, but there’s definitely drivers around so check it out. There is also a local bus system that operates around Corning, Horseheads and Painted Post, including a daily shuttle between the Corning Museum of Glass and Market Street where you’ll find all of the Corning restaurants mentioned in this post.

What to pack for a visit to Corning, NY

Like packing for any trip your probably have your standard packing list, but there are a few things that are handy to have when visiting this area, that you might not consider ahead of time. Here’s a few items I find essential for exploring Corning and the Finger Lakes:

• A packable cooler bag. Whether you’re planning on a day at the lake, a winery tour day or just wandering around town, having a cooler bag will allow you to bring some snacks along to break up some of the drinks you’re sure to find. I love to cut up some cheese, pack some crackers and throw in a couple bottles of water so I’m prepared for anything. Plus, this is a great way to make sure your leftovers stay safe to eat later! (IF you manage to control yourself in order to have any leftovers, that is! I know I struggled!)
• An umbrella. Whether it was for protection from sun or rain, this is always handy
• My portable battery pack. The area is so beautiful, you’re sure to take a ton of photos. But if your day is anything like ours, you won’t be in the car long enough to get a decent charge back on your phone!
• Clothing layers. The weather seemed to play quite a bit in the fall. One minute the sun is shining and I’m hot, the next a breeze picks up and I want something on my shoulders. Wear layers to sty comfortable in any situation.
• Comfortable shoes. A given, I’m sure
•  A healthy appetite and an interest in beautiful scenery

Read more about my essential packing list for any adventure!

Alright, boring planning stuff is out of the way… Let’s talk about the IMPORTANT stuff– FOOD!

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The Best Restaurants on Market Street in Corning, NY

During the 1.5 weeks I ended up spending in Corning between 2 visits this past fall, it was basically my mission- and my duty, of course- to eat at as many places as I could, just so I could build a list of places YOU need to try when you visit! Problem is, my list of restaurants to try ended up being too long to fit into 10 days so now I have to go back to finish it off! My life is tough, I tell ya.

Alright, alright. Time for the goods! Here’s my list of favourite restaurants in Corning, NY and what you should eat at each one!

Mooney’s for mac & cheese

When I heard that this small New York chain has 17 different kinds of Mac & Cheese on their menu, I knew they had to top my list of Corning restaurants to try! SEVENTEEN, guys!! No matter what your tastes, there will be something delicious calling your name.

The standard mac & cheese is wonderful on it’s own, but the different flavour combinations are really where it’s at. Hands down my favourite is the Rodeo Mac & Cheese. But because I’m high maintenance a BBQ fan, I requested to substitute the ground beef for all pulled pork. And I don’t regret that decision one bit! It was AHH-MAZING. Both that night, and the subsequent 3 meals I ate the left overs for! The BBQ sauce was the perfect compliment to the uber cheesy sauce, and the noodles are cooked perfectly- if, like me, you aren’t keen on ‘al dente’ noodles (I know, I know, my former culinary school teachers are yelling at me), you’ll love these ones. Not OVER-cooked, but cooked.

Being a budget traveller (and eater) I balked a little bit at the price for a single portion. But as soon as it hit the table I understood why… This is no single portion. These dishes are designed to share! I’ve never really nailed that skill down though, so take out boxes are a godsend.

Budget Tip: Bring a few friends, order a few different dishes and eat them family style! Each full size order of Mooney’s Mac & Cheese is HUGE, and why wouldn’t you want to try more than one?!

The Cellar for taco Tuesday (and Monday)

It doesn’t even matter how they taste.. $1 tacos need to be on your ‘must eat’ list! Lucky for you (and me!) these ones are quite good. When given the choice I almost always opt for chicken tacos, and this Corning restaurant was no different. To be honest, I don’t even remember if there are other choices (there are, I just didn’t look at them- I think one was shrimp… Which is a big NOPE in my meal plan) But who cares? You’re getting tasty tacos for $1! Side note though, these are only available on Monday’s and Tuesdays. The rest of the week you can enjoy their regular menu tacos, and great selection of drinks.

Hand + Foot for great cocktails

This one you’re just going to have to take my word for, because I was too busy socializing with a whole bunch of bloggers to remember to take photos of our drinks (BAD food blogger, BAD). But trust me, go in and check out their drink menu- I can assure you that you’ve probably never seen one so big!

Their food menu is pretty awesome too. We had the chicken tenders one night and everyone agreed they were delicious. To be honest, I’m actually kind of mad at myself that I didn’t make it back in to try the Al Pastor Pita. But I’m seriously considering booking a return trip just to try it, so stay tuned. (H&F, if you’re reading this, please don’t take it off the menu until I can try it! I’m coming, I promise!)

Aniello’s Pizzaria for New York style pizza

Aniello’s was the first meal I ate in Corning. I had just pulled into town the night before, and was ready to hit the ground running.

But first…. I had work to do over at Soul Full- a blogger’s job is never done, you know. That morning I had met my first real, live travel blogging friend there to get some work done before our awesome week of TBEX conference activities started. Once we had both written to our hearts’ (read: deadlines) content, it was time for lunch.

Now, full disclosure, I was actually planning to find the local hotdog food truck, but it wasn’t where it was supposed to be that day (Burn’s Dogpound- I never did track them down). So, we had to come up with a Plan B. After a quick Google search for ‘best restaurants in Corning, NY’ (we ARE bloggers, after all), we found Aniello’s near the top of the list. So off we went!

This counter-service restaurant serves a variety of pizzas by the slice, and even more topping combinations if you order a whole pie. I ordered a couple different slices then went to find a seat while they heated them in a pizza oven before bringing them to me. The signature NY thin crust is done well here, and brings back so many memories of our favourite $1 slices in NYC!

Aniello’s also offers some great looking pastas and salads as well as some seriously huge sandwiches. I feel like you can’t go wrong here, no matter what you order.

Little Boomer’s for tacos

The first thing I did when I knew I’d be travelling to Corning, New York for TBEX was to google ‘Best Tacos in Corning’ (naturally). And Boomer’s consistently appeared at the top of the list. So either A) Boomer’s is the only taco place in Corning, or B) Boomer’s is actually the best taco place in Corning. Turns out, both are basically true.

From my research, most taco places in Corning have wheels… meaning they aren’t actually IN the city very often. So, Little Boomers is the only true taco shop in Corning. Since I arrived in town late Saturday night I planned to go here for dinner on Sunday. Jokes on me though… that’s the only day they’re closed!

By the time I made it here for dinner on Monday I was definitely ready for a taco fix. Boomer’s thankfully did not disappoint! The taco plates come with 3 tacos, chips and sauce. I’m always bummed when it’s a $1-2 charge for avocado, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that that’s quite standard in the US (Missing my adopted homeland of Mexico where avocados are barely pennies, and it comes standard on every taco). All in all, these are great tacos so add Boomer’s to your list of Corning, NY restaurants!

Market Street Brewing for a beer flight

Where else can you get a flight of 6 x 4oz pours for $8?? No, seriously, where? Please share, so I can go there too! This is one of the Corning restaurants that I visited a couple times during my visit. It’s an easy place to meet for a meal or a quick drink, and you really can’t complain about their awesome flight! I tried out the ‘pub-a-rizza’ as well, and really liked it. It was basically a pita topped with all kinds of taco-y goodness. me+beer+tacos=satisfied customer

Read more: Planning the ultimate summer road trip

Liquid Shoes Brewing for some local draft

Opened less than a year ago by 2 local brothers, Liquid Shoes is a great place to grab a beer and chill. I visited a couple times during my stay in Corning and really enjoyed both the atmosphere and the beer. Their beer is so good- and well known around town- that it runs out regularly so they have a pretty constant rotation of beers on tap. Do what I do and grab a flight so you can try out a few!

Soul Full Cup Coffeehouse for a great cup of coffee and quiet work space

As a digital nomad, finding good, quiet places to work that don’t kick me out as soon as my cup is empty is pretty imperative. So on my first morning in town, with a big deadline looming, I did a quick search for good coffee shops in Corning, NY. Soul Full Cup popped up right at the top, so off I went! Well, I and my new friend Jason from Southeastern Traveler– working alone is no fun!

Despite having a line up nearly out the door, it moved quite quickly and we were able to get seats at the table in the back room. There’s easily room for 20 in that area, each with a spot at one of the several work tables, though that morning most of the tables were taken. Clearly we weren’t the only ones who thought this would be a great place to work! All in all, internet is great, coffee is hot and the work room is quiet, so I definitely recommend checking it out!

Dimitri’s Confectionery for homemade peanut butter cups

My entire life I’ve been in love with peanut butter and chocolate. Every birthday, Christmas and Valentine’s day, my mom would find some version of Reese’s to gift to me. So when I saw a sign advertising homemade peanut butter cups here, there wasn’t even a question as to what I was getting. And they were delicious! I find homemade chocolate always end up harder and richer than the commercially produced stuff, and that’s a great thing. The combination of homemade peanut butter filling and fresh chocolate has my mouth watering just thinking about it!

Wegman’s for the trail mix bar

Being Canadian, I’d never heard of Wegman’s until I got to New York. When I got to Corning I started hearing about how great the grocery store is, and that I HAD to go in for the ‘experience’. Never being one to turn down a foodie experience, I popped in one day when I had some time between sessions… And ended up walking out with $30 worth of cheese.

Moral of the story: this store is seriously cool. Almost like a cross between a Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. The hot buffet was huge and definitely worth a visit for a meal, especially if you’re looking for something quick or portable. But if you go for one reason, that reason has to be their trail mix bar. Because where else will you see this?!

Connor’s Mercantile for their crazy truffle selection

This is an easy one. Just look at the photo! Connor’s Mercantile is a cute little shop right in the middle of Market Street. They aren’t a restaurant, or really food centered at all, but as you browse the gifty stuff and pick up a few souvenirs you’ll no doubt run into the giant display case full of chocolate. The selection is amazing, and you’ll struggle just picking out a few! Now, go get some truffles!

Read more: How to plan a road trip on a budget

Go food truck hunting for pretty much anything

As you’ve seen here (and will hopefully experience first hand for yourself!) the Corning, NY restaurant scene is pretty well rounded. While Market Street might only stretch for a few blocks, you can find food to pretty much satisfy most cravings. For everything else, there’s food trucks. There are easily a dozen trucks that rotate around Corning, Painted Post, Horseheads and up into the Finger Lakes. I only managed to try out 3 of them- party because of lack of time and party because we were there at the end of the season when many were closing down for the winter- but all 3 were seriously awesome.
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Chef’s Catering Truck

Chef’s Catering Truck had DEEEE-licious pulled pork, which I tried both as sliders and on a poutine (duh, I’m a Canadian foodie. If I can’t have tacos, I’m going for a burger and poutine!). I liked that this truck offered a few different slider styles and a variety of combos so you could mix and match to try more than one. The regular Chef’s Slider and the Chicken Avocado were both soo good as well. I was too hooked on the sliders and poutine to do it, but you should give the Chef’s Trash Plate a try and tell me how amazing it is!!

Global Taco

In my Google searching for ‘best tacos in Corning, NY’ Global Taco truck came up more than once. Sadly, I wasn’t able to make it to any of their locations in my first week in Corning. So when we drove back through 2 months later it was at the top of my list of food trucks to find. Thankfully I found it parked at Cold Beer on Seneca Lake- coincidentally on the same day we were doing a DIY wine tour around that very lake! So our dinner destination was settled before we even set out in the morning. And man, was it worth the wait!! I ordered Speidie chicken tacos (because what the heck is that?! A regional favourite, the trucks’ owner, Sara, explained to me), regular beef tacos, and the falafel taco. All 3 were pretty much amazing! Sara’s fresh ingredients and clear love of her craft made the entire experience one I can’t wait to have again. My only disappointment: she was out of the Korean short ribs! Guess I just have to get back there again soon 😉

Super exciting side note… Sara also operates a seasonal grilled cheese truck called Cheesy Rider every winter!

Felony Donutz

Felony Donutz was set up at a Horseheads brewery on our last night in town during my second pass through the area. After a day trip around Seneca Lake I figured a good donut would be the perfect way to end the day- especially since Seth basically tagged along and watched me taste wines all day with no incentive for himself. So, off we went.

Funny thing is, donuts seem to be a secondary thought on the menu! I was hungry (and committed to my mission to eat everything in Corning), so ordered the homemade corn dogs with mac & cheese. The corn dogs were tasty and well made. I loved the batter- I’m not super excited about a thick layer of batter on my corn dog, and this one definitely wasn’t that. It was thin, crispy and was complimented well by the honey mustard sauce. The mac & cheese was good, but I couldn’t decide whether the combination of 2 different noodles was intentional or accidental. Oh, and the Oreo peanut butter donut was good, too.

Time to get packing!

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse at the deliciousness that awaits at the restaurants in Corning, NY, no doubt you’re ready to book a trip and pack your bags. I know I am! Looking through these photos while putting together this post is just making me hungry, and I can’t wait to get back to Corning to explore even more.

Have you been to the Finger Lakes?

What was your favourite restaurant on Market Street in Corning, NY?

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