I think it’s fair to say everyone is looking forward to Family Weekend, to reunite with their families and, of course, to eat some seriously good food that’s not from Commons. But where are the best places to take your parents, or more importantly, get some dank food?

Here is your ultimate guide to Family Weekend eating. Whether you are unsure about the classics or looking for somewhere new, this is the place to start.

Alteri’s Restaurant, Clinton

family weekend

Photo courtesy of yelp.com

A perfect place for the fam dinner you have been missing. They have all the classics like chicken parm and lasagna as well as some dope pizza. It’ll be a dinner that everyone will love.

Clinton Cider Mill, Clinton

family weekend

Photo courtesy of hamilton.edu

Although this is not technically a restaurant, you’ll want to hit up the Cider Mill on parent’s weekend. The donuts are actually the bomb, but the apple sauce and hot cider are also to die for.

Grapevine, New Hartford

Date night. Grapevine. #StartingOffRight

A photo posted by Jeremiah Spoon (@jeremiahspoon) on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:11pm PDT


If you are feeling like you want to mix it up a little, come here for some amazing Mediterranean food. I recommend the lamb gyros.

Mitsuba, New Hartford

family weekend

Photo courtesy of mitsubasushi.com

If you are craving sushi that is a little more authentic than what Commons serves for lunch, look no further. Any sushi, or other Japanese food you are craving, Mitsuba will be there to satisfy. They also take online reservations.

Nola’s Restaurant, Clinton

family weekend

Photo by Amanda Becker

A great dinner spot. It has entrees, like scallops and steak, that you definitely cannot get in Commons. It also is attached to the wine bar next door, so your parents are sure to love it. Nola’s is pretty popular among Hamiltonians though, so make sure you get a reservation.

Peter’s Cornucopia Cafe, New Hartford

family weekend

Photo courtesy of uticaod.com

A local health food store with all the basics you can’t really get on campus. The sun-dried pesto wrap is one of the greatest wraps I have ever had, and is perfect if you are craving something a little opus-esque off-campus during the weekend.

8 Fresh, Clinton

family weekend

Photo by Julia Booth

This is like Chipotle and your local salad store mixed into one. It’s lunch or dinner for even the healthy members of the family. They also have fish taco Fridays, so it’s pretty much a must-go.

I hope this inspired you all to look for some quality food places for family weekend. Eating well is a great way to show your parents how awesome Hamilton really is.