From the first time I walked through the door it has felt like a place that doesn’t quite belong in Syracuse — and I mean that as one of the highest compliments I could pay. There is something happening at Alto Cinco that is hard to put your finger on. It’s the atmosphere, the people, the food, the drinks. It’s all of it working together in a way that just feels effortless.
I once heard a story about someone who got into the restaurant industry because they were walking past Alto Cinco late on a summer night and heard music coming from inside. As they got closer they realized it was coming from the kitchen — door cracked open on a hot night. They looked in and saw the line cooking with tickets maxed, all of them just having a great time. Slinging food, laughing, enjoying themselves. That image alone put that person on a path that eventually led them to cook at Alto Cinco and later open their own restaurant. I think that story says everything about what makes this place special. It’s unique without trying to be.
And the food backs it up. Any restaurant bold enough to put catfish tacos and jerk chicken tacos on the menu is operating at a different frequency. But the thing I love most — and the thing that I think gets overlooked — is that Alto Cinco is the only restaurant I know of in Syracuse that serves Nopales tacos. A cactus taco. Something that should be a staple on every Mexican menu but that I have only ever found here. And it is outstanding.
I brought Miggy along with me, an agent with Acropolis Realty Group who has a pretty unique connection to this place — she used to work here. Loved it so much she got the logo tattooed on her arm. So getting to walk back into Alto Cinco with someone who has that kind of history with the restaurant made the whole visit feel a little more special.
We ordered the jerk chicken taco, the catfish taco, and the Nopales taco. All three were excellent, but the Nopales was my favorite without question. Crunchy, acidic, light, and incredibly satisfying. If you want big flavor without feeling like you need a nap afterward, that’s your taco.
For drinks, I had planned on a margarita. Miggy ordered a Negroni with Hendrick’s gin. There’s something I respect about a person who doesn’t just order a drink but specifies the spirit. I cancelled my margarita on the spot and got the same thing. And I’ll be honest — I never would have predicted that a Negroni with Hendrick’s would be the right pairing for jerk chicken tacos. I was completely wrong. It worked perfectly.
Alto Cinco is at 526 Westcott St in Syracuse. Go. And when you get there, order the Nopales taco.
A very special thank you to our friends at Acropolis Realty Group for sponsoring Eat Local New York Taco Month and making all of this possible. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Syracuse or Central New York, or need help with a commercial property, make sure you reach out to the crew at Acropolis Realty Group.
Alto Cinco
526 Westcott St.
Syracuse, NY
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