At 1060 Bistro, guests can sip a glass of whiskey they likely won't find anywhere else in Syracuse: Compass Box's limited-edition This is Not a Luxury Whisky. The distillery released a little fewer than 5,000 bottles, and 1060 Bistro snagged two of them, presumably without using any mind-control tactics.

It's no surprise that a bistro located inside the opulent Genesee Grande Hotel would have such a rare spirit, and its luxe lounge—complete with cognac-colored leather sofas and chairs—has style to match. What is surprising is how approachable much of the food is here. Dinners might start off with housemade cheesy tots or grilled flatbread pizzas before Angus burgers or fish 'n' chips settle onto tables. Entrees take familiar dishes and elevate them, such as pairing a new york strip with a porcini-and-sweet-onion velouté sauce and crispy beet chips.