Pausa is a small escape when traveling through Syracuse. In a way, it is a portal to a relaxing time, alluring and full of elegance. This is truly a lounge where locals are spending time out with friends, and savoring the moment. If you find yourself in need of an espresso or just want a cool lounge to hang out at with a nice craft cocktail, Pause Coffee is the place to be.

Deep in the heart of downtown Syracuse, where South Salina meets West Onondaga, is a great food hall that combines the diverse and rich delicacies of Syracuse’s numerous cultural identities under one bazaar-style marketplace. The Salt City Market is a transformative community space that provides sustenance in the form of food and beverages, affordable housing, a coffee shop and bar, a cooperative grocery store, and the promise of a better tomorrow.

Since opening in 1962, the Erie Canal Museum has been educating travelers, students, and museum goers alike about the extensive policies, strategies, and stories that led to the creation of the canal, including the technological advancements that came from it, and the prosperity that was built in the Empire State because of it.

In celebration of the 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial, Flotsam! River Circus, a troupe featuring acrobats, musicians, choreographers, trapeze artists, and puppeteers from around the world, is rolling on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York City.

Wolff’s Biergarten is a local Central New York (CNY) bar and restaurant rooted in Albany, dating back to 2009, with locations in Syracuse and Schenectady. While the Syracuse location does not feature a food menu, the bar shares an ethos of serving delicious craft beers by the litre, hosting karaoke and trivia nights, college nights, industry nights, Bingo, and an awesome happy hour. Importantly, Wolff’s Biergarten and many of its patrons all share one commonality: a love of soccer.

The Sound Garden has roots that originated in Baltimore in 1993, and they opened the Syracuse shop in 1995. In 2008, it moved to its current location and has maintained its status as an indie music store in Syracuse for the past 30 years.

Olivo Tacos began their journey as a Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Latin-infused restaurant in Rockford, Illinois, with the mission of serving up delicious and high-quality tacos at a great price. Considering that truck prices their street tacos at 3 for $5, I’d say they are living up to their mission by keeping incredible prices for this day and age.

On the road, I find myself gravitating towards a good coffee shop. I have always loved sitting down in a warm café with a cortado or cappuccino to get a sense of the ambiance, the people, and the flow of the city.

Fortunately, while going with the flow on my way to lunch, I stumbled upon Recess Coffee on Montgomery St. in the Historic Courier Building in Downtown Syracuse. It was a hot day strolling around town, and the high temperatures were catching up with me. This felt like an opportunistic moment to sit down, hang out, and try a local roast.

The Whiskey Coop at the Armory Square in Downtown Syracuse is both spacious and elegant, while simultaneously offering a casual and relaxed experience for visitors seeking a well-crafted meal and a stellar selection of spirits.