Perfectly in time with the uncharacteristically nice Binghamton weather, the milkshake for dessert was the perfect touch. The Colonial had three flavors to pick from: chocolate, vanilla and shamrock. Since I didn’t get the chance to fulfill my shamrock shake kick, I decided to go with the shamrock flavor and was delightfully surprised. The shake was everything you would expect it to be and more, with mint chocolate chunks at the bottom that added an extra minty flavor to it.

If you’re looking for a fast lunchtime stop this Restaurant Week, check out Sake-Tumi for its affordable lunch specials and speedy service. The restaurant has a casual ambiance with a lot of natural light that makes for a relaxing dining experience and a killer location for an Instagram story. Additionally, the service is fast, making it a perfect destination if you’re looking for time to kill between classes.

A chic, spacious dining area furnished with geometric mirrors and a shimmering chandelier set the scene for an eclectic three-course meal of visually pleasing, daring and decadent dishes. For my appetizer, I tried the beet tartare, a painstakingly plated mound of geometric beet chunks. The beet structure was supported by a thin base of greens and ricotta cheese, surrounded by diced mango and topped with a sphere of cold mango puree. Even diners who usually shy away from beets might be pleasantly surprised by the dish — the typical earthy flavor was countered by a light honey and lemon zest glaze.

I was delighted to see that the restaurant offers delicious-sounding vegetarian options. I eagerly selected the grilled shroom slider and the black bean slider, the chop’t garden salad as a side with white balsamic vinegar, the Cookiez ‘n Cream sundae for dessert and the Craft All Day beer from Beer Tree Brew Co. Steven ordered the Craft slider and the Korean pork belly slider, house fries, the Unicorn sundae and the Raiz Cabernet Sauvignon. We aimed for as much diversity as possible in the options to get the most comprehensive look at Craft’s Restaurant Week offerings.

Specializing in contemporary American cuisine, River Bistro offers numerous options ranging from traditional American dishes such as chicken tenders, burgers and steak to modern twists like Korean barbecue yellowfin tuna, Irish nachos (nachos with corned beef, Swiss cheese, scallions and a horseradish-dijon sauce) and chickpea burgers.

Lupo’s S&S Char-pit is known for its Southern Tier dishes and especially its spiedies, a Binghamton staple. According to owner Steve Lupo, a spiedie is a “marinated meat product cut in cubes marinated [in] oil, vinegar [and] dry spices, [served] on a six-inch roll or 12-inch roll.” Although the original spiedie, brought over from Italy to Endicott, consisted of just lamb off the skewer on Italian bread, Lupo’s serves its spiedies with various other toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, peppers and onions.

Number 5’s Restaurant Week menu is but one more example of the ways that owner Jim McCoy, the waitstaff and the chefs here have perfected the art of creating a special dining experience for every guest. It’s not exactly at a student-friendly price range, but for students looking to splurge on a special meal, Restaurant Week is the time to do it.

Throughout my entire experience at South City Publick House, I noticed the excitement about each meal. The waiter talked me through each eclectic option with vigor, patrons discussed the pros and cons of various meal options — one even stopped by my table to talk about my egg drop soup. The patrons were genuinely happy to be there. Merely 15 minutes after its opening, the beloved gastropub was already slowly filling up with excited patrons, and by the time I left, I struggled to see an empty table.

If you’re looking for a chill atmosphere, attentive and polite waiters and delicious and diverse options of food, Lost Dog Cafe on Water Street is the ideal place to dine. Just make sure to come completely starving, because you’ll most likely be leaving with a stomach filled with more food than you originally anticipated to eat.

Conveniently located on 60 Court St., the cantina is known for its colorful decorations, eye-popping wall art and, of course, Mexican food. The murals on the walls inside, done in a mixed style of traditional Mexican folklore, Western cowboy aesthetics and hipster fashion, were created by local Binghamton artist Bruce Greig, whose work can be found all over the city. If you pass by any night, you’re certain to see the restaurant filled with customers, flashing lights and great music.