Located immediately in the center of Downtown Binghamton on Washington Street, Craft is both hip and timeless at first glance. Wood-paneled walls and classic rock give the restaurant a relaxed vibe, but the atmosphere is decidedly young and fun, something that comes through in Craft’s Restaurant Week menu.

If you’re anything like me, then you are always looking for some good-quality chips and guac. Fortunately, that is exactly what Dos Rios provides. With a perfect hint of lime, the chips and guac is a classic appetizer you can’t miss. We also ordered the Mexi Fries, which united waffle fries, chipotle crema, cotija cheese, pico de gallo and jalapeños into a perfectly crunchy assortment.

As the name suggests, the main focus of Garage Taco Bar is its selection of tacos and other Mexican-inspired cuisine. For Restaurant Week, the restaurant is offering a lunch and dinner meal for $12 and $20, respectively. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. We went during dinner, but the menus are mostly the same, with the main difference being you get an extra taco for dinner.

The Restaurant Week menu offers ravioli with or without the restaurant’s signature “meat logs” — oblong meatballs shaped in a way that purportedly helps them cook more evenly. My dining partner ordered the chicken cutlet parmigiana, which came with a side of spaghetti. All of the restaurant’s pasta is made in-house, and this effort definitely pays off. Both my ravioli and my dining partner’s spaghetti were fresh and cooked to al dente perfection.

The restaurant’s fan-favorite dish is the rigatoni ala vodka, but the Moroccan vegan “meatball” tagine caught my eye. After witnessing us struggle to decide on our orders, our accommodating server, Elaine, surprised us with each of our own pastas — I got mine “old school” with a pinch of cayenne pepper — and a tagine to share.

After inquiring about the strikingly seasonal seasoning of the appetizers, we learned that Number 5 uses Restaurant Week as a way to gauge and edit its fall menu. Though it offers staples — like the petite Greek tenderloin — that bring in regulars each time the event is organized, the dependable influx of visitors allows the establishment to experiment with its fall flavors. This couldn’t be more noticeable in the harvest salmon, which I ordered as my entree.

Partially due to its incredibly friendly staff and surprisingly large — and equally tasty — serving portions, Old World is better than the average stop-and-go sandwich shop. Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, this is an ideal stop for anyone craving a sub on their walk back toward the bridge after an evening, or a late night, in Downtown Binghamton.

The teriyaki choice came with stir-fried zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, red onion and snow peas on jasmine rice with a choice of protein. For the diet-restricted readers, Sake-Tumi’s menu provided vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. The teriyaki choice was simple and delicious, the entree size being generous enough to fill me up after a long day of classes and studying for midterm season.

For my entree, I selected the harvest salad, which consisted of fresh leafy greens, sliced apples, tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese topped with roasted pumpkin seeds. Personally, I chose a strawberry vinaigrette for my dressing to complement the fruitiness of the salad. It was fresh and light, and the pub doesn’t shy away from serving large portions for the main course.

Don’t let The Shop’s laid-back ambiance fool you — from the quality of its food, it’s clear that the chefs put in a lot of work to create unique dishes with contrasting yet complementary flavors. The excellent service was the cherry on top, or the whipped cream on the crepe. Overall, it’s no surprise why The Shop has such a stellar reputation.

The PB and J Burger was ultimately a unique culinary experience, as the sweet flavors of peanut butter and jelly did tastefully contrast the salty patty. Although I would not forecast this as the next groundbreaking culinary fusion, it is a fun and unique item on The Colonial’s menu.

The speakeasy, which opened in January 2018, provides a welcoming environment that emulates a cozy parlor room with bookshelves and mirrors lining the walls. The unusually warm October day allowed me and my photographer to sit right by the new patio. Decorated with twinkly lights and pretty wood furnishing, the patio gives off a different vibe than the rest of the restaurant, but still makes you feel like you’re far away from the city of Binghamton.

According to head chef Vince Fronda, this particular menu is especially exciting — Social on State is in the process of changing its permanent menu, and its Restaurant Week menu sees a sampling of some potential dishes. Longtime fans will also notice that the restaurant has undergone a face-lift, swapping out its old decor for new, chic additions to the space, though TVs and a relaxing atmosphere keep it down-to-earth and casual.