The Wedge Restaurant in Syracuse in Every Cheese-Lover’s Dream

The moment every cheese-lover in Syracuse has waited for is finally here. The Wedge, the new restaurant owned by The Curd Nerd’s Sarah Simiele, is opening next week. Like the shop next door, The Wedge restaurant will focus on all things cheese, carefully crafted by Sarah and her team of both locally and nationally renowned staff. The vibe is cozy. Each dish is delicious. The staff is approachable, yet knowledgeable. It opens to the public on Wednesday, April 16. And I can’t wait to go back.

The makings of The Wedge

I have been waiting patiently… That’s a lie. I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for The Wedge to open since it was first announced last August. I was so excited that one of my favorite local artisan food stores was going to add a restaurant. And who better to do that than self-described America’s Cheese Sweetheart, Sarah Simiele?

In case you missed it, the Brooklyn native and Binghamton University grad claimed first prize in the National Cheesemonger Invitational in 2023. Making her the best cheesemonger in the country. Right here. In Syracuse.

As a huge fan of The Curd Nerd, I’ve gotten to know Sarah well since the shop opened in 2022. We’ve hosted multiple beer-and-cheese pairing events together and I visit the shop as often as I can. I cherish each visit, knowing I can trust Sarah to find me my next favorite cheese while we catch up on our hectic lives.

So of course I asked her about The Wedge’s progress over the past eight months. She described the space as a cozy, eclectic restaurant that reminds you of your grandma’s house. Mismatched tables, chairs, dishes, and glassware would fill the room. And having eaten dinner there for the first time tonight, that is exactly what it is.

* Did you know that The Curd Nerd is one of over 80 participating businesses on the Wandercuse passport? Passport holders save money every time they visit!

The Ambiance

Sarah and her team have completely revamped the space at 2802 James Street in Eastwood, most recently home of The Marketplace on James. Now, the space is open, with cream-colored side walls and a navy blue bar back. A mix of salvaged tables and chairs in various shapes and sizes are scattered throughout the restaurant. When building up the space, Sarah had asked friends, family, and neighbors for any old items that they would be willing to donate to the space. Each thrifted piece adds to its charm.

Around the front corner is a beautifully curated display of vinyl records. Everything from Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan to Joni Mitchell and The Beatles.

Each table is adorned with a wooden salt cellar and pepper grinder, a framed QR code of the full drink menu, and a vase of dried flowers. Nearly every menu item is served with a unique plate, bowl, or glass. And yet it all blends together in just the right way.

The Food

With a menu co-created by the best cheesemonger in the country alongside some stellar local chefs and mixologists, you know it’s got to be good. But good is such an understatement. The menu, which is set to change weekly – if not more often, features a quaint selection of shareables and entrees. Most of the ingredients are sourced locally and the pasta is made fresh in-house daily by chef Brody Mapes.

Tonight’s preview dinner menu included pesto gnocchi, duck confit, warm olives, roast chicken au jus, beet salad, and mushroom tortelloni. Unsurprisingly, the menu features both pre- and post- dinner cheese boards, curated by Sarah. There are also daily mac & cheese and grilled cheese specials.

Fans of The Curd Nerd will recognize some of the shops’ signature items, like the pimento cheese (served with chips) and burrata (served on toast). They’ll also notice Sarah’s handwriting, which she turned into a font for the menus, and her quirky doodles across the pages.

We ordered the goat cheese leek galette and the fries for the table. Both home runs. The galette was served in a butter crust shell and served on a bed of greens. It was crispy on the outside, and oh-so creamy on the inside. Sweet, but earthy. Fresh and delicious. And the fries? Everything I could want in fries. Housemade, thin-cut, and covered in a “snow” of parmigiano reggiano. The cheese was pillow soft, and had melted every-so-slightly when it landed on the hot fries that it stuck to them.

For our main dishes, we narrowed it down to the pesto gnocchi and daily mac & cheese. Because how could we not order the freshest pasta around, topped with the best cheese? The pesto was pureed so smooth and served with peas, pecorino romano, and topped with a tomato & fennel slaw. The mac & cheese changes daily with Sarah’s selection of cheeses, and served with fresh-made sfoglini pasta.

Drinks & Desserts

With a full liquor license, The Wedge has a wide variety of beer, wine, ciders, and craft cocktails. There are also non-alcoholic versions of all of those. The team was very intentional with putting together the drink list, choosing all New York state beers. The choices included hyper-local options from Eastwood Brewing and Freight Yard, alongside Prison City and women-owned, Brooklyn-based Talea. Diners can scan the QR codes at their tables to see the full menu of liquor options not listed on the specials.

Lastly, no good restaurant is complete with some great dessert options. Once again, The Wedge does not disappoint. The dessert case at the front of the restaurant showcases truffles from Sweet on Chocolate and cake from Hannah Bunel. Back in the kitchen, more magic happens with crème brûlée and fruity ice cream. And there’s always the option of a dessert-centered cheese board.

The Future of The Wedge

Located in the booming neighborhood of Eastwood, The Wedge is in the perfect spot to host community events and private get-togethers. Sarah and the team are already planning to have Sunday brunches from 11am til 4pm. And they plan to add vegan dessert from local Fat Cat Baking.

As far as using vegan cheese in the restaurant? That is unlikely. Due to the fact that most vegan cheeses are nut-based, the kitchen staff plans to avoid them for fear of cross-contamination. Even so, many of the dishes on the menu can be prepared without cheese for those with dairy allergies or intolerances.

The Bathrooms

If you’re someone who appreciates a well-designed bathroom, you are in for a treat. Get ready to take new photos of cool bathroom art to text to your friends (or, in my case, my friend and her mom). Because these might take the cake as the quirkiest, cutest, coolest bathrooms in Syracuse.