CoreLife Eatery

Don’t go here if you have food allergies. I ordered the chicken and no where do they have posted in the restaurant that they cook their chicken with soy, yet they do. Found that out the hard way. I am allergic to soy.

The owners of Core in Liverpool/​North Syracuse have capitalized on a void in the local dining scene. Their restaurant, aimed at people with «active lifestyles» who want to eat healthy, has proven extremely popular.
Offering a variety of green bowls, grain bowls, bone broth bowls and vegetable broth bowls, CORE’s goal is to provide nutritious, healthy and clean food. You can also create your own bowl for as low as $ 5.55. It’s fast and convenient — taking up to 10 minutes between walking in the door and getting your food. The meals are complete in themselves, made with ingredients free of trans fats, GMOs and artificial additives. In addition, their meats are sustainably raised and do not contain antibiotics or hormones.
I came on a cold day for an early lunch when a salad or soup sounded really good to me. CORE had been recommended to me by several people, so I decided to give it a try.
It’s a beautiful space. When you walk in, it’s a huge open space with wood floors, wood accents and a huge chalkboard wall in the back of the restaurant. The counter is impressive to look at as well, with the shelves of brightly colored fresh veggies right behind the employees waiting to make your dish.
I considered making my own bowl, but instead went for the spicy ginger steak bone broth bowl with rice noodles. I also got a lemonade as a drink, as I’m a huge lemonade lover and it’s hard to find good, fresh made stuff. The portions are generous… they definitely load you with fresh veggies, nuts, all that good stuff.
The flavor, in my opinion, was underwhelming. I expected a much fuller, bolder flavor from the broth after reading their website. This particular dish even had a generous amount of Sriracha sauce in it, but I didn’t find it very spicy at all. It was a very small portion of meat… cut in pieces so small I really couldn’t get much of a flavor from it. I was very impressed with the freshness of the vegetables though.
The lemonade was great. They had a couple different varieties, and I tried a cranberry cayenne lemonade which was AMAZING. Sweet, tart with a little kick of heat at the end from the cayenne. Interesting flavor mix, but extremely tasty.
So…underwhelmed. But I do intend to come back to try a salad. The food isn’t bad at all, but I feel you’d enjoy it more if you’re very into the healthy eating, active lifestyle.

I CANNOT STOP EATING HERE. I think I am actually addicted. I find it really hard to wow me with a salad… and they wow me every single time. I have gotten their bone broth soups before, which are delicious… but I am going to rave about
Their southwest chicken grain bowl.
THIS SALAD IS SO GOOD YOU WILL DREAM ABOUT IT. Fresh greens, wild
Rice, black beans, corn, avocado, crunch tortilla chips, cheese, tomato, grilled
Chicken…with CILANTRO LIME dressing. SO GOOD IM DROOLING RIGHT NOW. Every ingredient is fresh. There are so many Yummy options and you can modify any of Them. I also really appreciate that they mix the salad for you… such kind people.
Not only are their options delicious and fresh, it is AFFORDABLE and they have a BANGIN beverage selection. Fresh iced teas and lemonades. Perfect beverage to compliment your hearty and healthy meal. So if you have lost all hope in the garden salad… please go to core. You can get rice noodles in your salad. If that isn’t hip and trendy then I don’t know what is…

Airy large organic café with plenty of options for various healthy diets, ample parking, and friendly staff.

Today I stopped in here for their Steak, Bacon, and Blue Cheese Salad. It came to almost $ 10 but was totally worth it. All fresh ingredients and a friendly staff. The store is clean and feels like an improved version of Chipotle. I’m definitely going to make this a regular stop from now on. Fresh quality ingredients in a fast food business model? Awesome!

Core just received Best local fast food in 2015 award. The concept is simple. Locally sourced veggies and meat. No GMO’s. You can create your own salad bowls, grain based bowls or have some other yummy bone broth soups or vegetable base soups. This place is great for the Paleo diet, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-​free, as well as those who like to have a little chicken or beef protein and /​or just tofu.
You can order off the menu or even make your own. I chose the steak and blue cheese with cranberries greens salad bowl tonight. Delicious.
As for the drinks, of course you can get your Standard cup of water. No sugary sodas here. Instead lots of yummy beverages such as: beet lemonade, lemon basil lemonade different kinds of teas;tropical or black. For those who need to be highly caffeinated, there is cold local brewed iced coffee.
BTW: the little cheese crisp crackers that they serve with the soup… yummy!

I loved Core! My parents love to cook dinner and didn’t get my fascination with wanting to check this place out, but it is sooo close to their house and I heard there was a Unilocal Event there, so I insisted that I wanted to check the place out. I promised I would still have enough room for dinner.
I ended up ordering the bone broth steak with ginger and kale. The soup was hearty, and had a lot of flavor with the mix of fresh ingredients. There was a long assembly line of sorts, but it went quick and by the time I went through the line I had my meal.
The place is huge! Lots of seating and it’s very trendy inside. Cool green little plushies, along with regular tables and just a fun colorful design. The ambiance helps it feel cool to hang out here. The bone broth and marinated steak soup with sriracha was just what I felt like I needed on this day. I’d totally get it again, but where this place shined was their drinks! Definitely grab a cup and sample some of their basil lemonade, beet drinks and other assorted concoctions they have at the counter. Absolutely delightful.

The wife and I were probably the last folks in Syracuse to try Core. Had heard for months how wonderful it was, but never found the time to get out and try it. Stopped in this afternoon and have to say all the reviews were spot on! Loved this place! Can be a little overwhelming at first with all the choices– settled on a Southwestern chicken grains bowl/​wife ordered up her own made from scratch bowl. Both were amazing! Decided on lemonade to drink, but couldn’t settle on a flavor at first (they have at least 4 – 5 different kinds). Employee recognized my dilemma and encouraged me to try a taste of each. Picked the blueberry mint lemonade which was unlike anything I had ever had; wife enjoyed the beet lemonade which was surprisingly sweet. Prices were very reasonable. Look forward to coming back here!

Absolutely phenomenal! I am so addicted! It sounds cheesy, but I swear you can feel the nutrients going into your body when you eat the salads here. It’s not your normal boring iceberg lettuce salads, they have arugula, chopped up kale, baby spinach, hearts of romaine, wild rice, quinoa, and a bunch of other great «base» items for your meal.
Lots of vegetarian options, there are salads with hummus, falafel, chickpeas, tofu, or nuts. They also have plenty of meat options as well… chicken, steak, and bacon, as well as lots of different cheese options.
If you are looking for a good, fresh, clean eating experience, this is the place for you! It seems to have a constant flow of customer traffic, but the line continues to move because they have workers set up for each stage of assembling the meal, so you are not waiting in a stagnant line that does not move.

I’ve been to Core twice now, and have pretty much only good things to say!
There are pre-​set menu options, and then there’s the build your own option too. The choices of veggies are almost overwhelming — but fortunately, the workers are very helpful in guiding you!
The first time I went, I ordered the pre-​set «Spicy Ginger Steak and Rice Noodle Bone Broth» — the shredded kale was a little overwhelming for me, and since I was expecting an Asian themed bowl, it threw me for a loop. However, it wasn’t bad — the broth was delicious, everything was fresh, huge portions, etc.
The second time I went, I decided to make my own bone broth, with similar components found in the bowl I got last time, but instead swapped the noodles for rice, chose spinach, added cilantro, etc. — I was much happier with what I chose and very thankful for the patient workers who let me know what my options were.
The homemade lemonades are very good (although, be warned: the blueberry mint lemonade is very minty!), and they also have iced coffee which I’ve tried and loved!
A piece of bread also comes with the meal :)
The only thing I noticed that they could improve on was the efficiency of the line (they have paper menus for people to look at options, but for building your own, they don’t list out all the options/​exactly what components you can have in the bowl, so it takes longer as people have to ask a lot of questions) and when I went, they were still fairly new, so the workers were a bit slow on determining what went into the bowls/​the procedures for broth vs. grain bowls, etc.
The ambience of the restaurant is unique — a casual, cool, hipsterish vibe & there’s also outdoor seating.
Last but not least: There’s an icecream shop next to Core in case lunch was too healthy for you ;)

Not being into this type of food, I was not expecting to actually like it, but I did! I had a ginger steak salad and it was quite good. With this type of ordering, it’s tough to know what toppings are an additional cost and what are included. The broth is really good and I want to go back to try a broth bowl as a meal. The prices were slightly lower than I expected, so that’s cool. I wasn’t a huge fan of the drinks, however, I appreciate their uniqueness– I’m sure lots of people love them.
Overall, nice job. They have the «buy local/​buy fresh» mentality, so I feel good supporting them. That being said, sometimes I just need to eat a greasy cheeseburger, haha!

I wish I worked on Buckley Road so I could #eatatcore everyday for lunch. That’s how much I’m into this place. The vibe is very similar to a Chipotle. Walk up and order menu is on the wall. Furniture has a cold modern feel. The food blew me away. I was nervous about what to order because it’s surely something different. I ended up ordering the Thai Chicken Rice Noodle grain bowl. My other half ordered the southwest grain bowl (would’ve ordered a bone broth bowl but it was a warm day out) Both looked amazing. Ingredients were very colorful, looked freshly made and cut. The order line and kitchen seemed sparkly clean. Staff was friendly. Offered drinks we of course couldn’t turn down the amazing looking wall of house lemonades. I did sneak a try of a couple different flavors and they are unique (which I love) but can be an acquired taste. I settled with the blackberry mint and saw chopped fresh mint leaves floating around my cup and got real excited. Both my other half and I loved our grain bowls. He ate his right up till the bowl was empty and really enjoyed it. He said it had a «kick» to it. Mine even though was titled «Thai» was not spicy at all which I liked! I’m a baby when it comes to spicy foods. I love the idea of putting rice noodles on a «salad» type dish. So unique but amazing! I had some left over to bring home. Perfect to eat later since you can eat it right from the fridge! Will be back to try other bowls! Glad Syracuse finally has a healthy quick option for lunch and dinner.
Quick notes– this cost $ 22 which is great for what you’re getting in my opinion (fresh, healthy, non gmo)! Filled us up.
— gluten free and vegan and other allergy delight (they even asked if it was ok for them to put nuts on my bowl) (of course it’s ok!!)
— $ 1 cup of bone broth if your daring. I almost got it! I’m saving it for when I’m sick :)
— natural sweeteners only! (Stevia and turbinado)
— bai, iced tea, aloe, Saratoga h2o some other bev choice.
— seems as you can «build your own» for those picky eaters.
–outdoor seating! And ice cream next door

I have been to Core now 3 times and have yet to be disappointed. Everything is always very fresh tasting and the kicker is it is local! Nothing like feeling like you are supporting your local farmers while enjoying a delicious meal.
The staff is always quick to offer a menu or answer any questions you might have regarding any of the menu items. You can tell this places focuses on being healthy and eating right.
No soda sold here! Only freshly squeezed juices and teas. There is carbonated water or iced coffee should you so desire. I would recommend trying the bone broth bowls! I have tried both the chicken/​rice noodle bowl as well as the ginger steak and noodle bowl. Both of these were excellent and you can add a wide variety of additional items to spice it up!
Overall, really nice atmosphere, catchy music, great staff and you will walk away full but not bloated!

If having grilled beef in your salad sounds unusual to you, then you and I think alike. However don’t let that sentence stick, because this place makes great food. With the blue cheese, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and semisweet sweet dressing, the meat fits right into the salad. Your brain might tell you no but your mouth tells you yes. You’ll also find a portion to be just right. The price was very fair and competitive and will easily fill you up for a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet, all while your so fine the portions just right. Price was very fair and competitive and will fill you up for price that doesn’t make you regret it, all while making the eating experience quite enjoyable. ⁷⁄₁₀

Fresh stuff… love the concept. Had the Greens and Ancient Grains Bowl and loved it. Their fruit punch is amazing. Other nice drinks are the tropical green tea and the cucumber basil lemonade. I will definitely make this one of my frequent spots.

Wow…
There’s mainly 3 factors when we think of food: deliciousness, price, and nutrition. It’s rare to find all 3 in any establishment. What typically is healthy, frankly doesn’t often taste that good nor is cheap is price. What we find delicious, is typically either not cheap or not healthy. This fast-​casual restaurant is as close this as I have found since coming to Syracuse.
I came here with doubts because honestly, who has eaten a salad and actually felt satisfied? The usual result is not enough food or not enough flavor packed into a meal. I had the Spicy chicken with ancient grains and honestly it was probably one of the best salads I have had. My only nitty gritty comment is I didn’t care much for the (all organic) chicken as it was dry, but honestly I didn’t even care. The chicken was by no means the star of the dish, but rather the veggies and the sauce. The sauce was very light and the overall combination of fruits and vegetables worked really well together. It didn’t seem like much food at first, but I couldn’t stop eating it and at the end I felt satiated for one of the first times by a salad. If the other dishes are anything like this, I can’t wait to try out more! It get’s even better, the most expensive dish on their menu is $ 7.95 with most averaging between $ 5 – 8. I honestly did not expect such a dish with high quality ingredients to be available at such a value.
They also offer an amazing array of unique lemonades and teas that are quite refreshing. From the taste, everything is definitely homemade and some are quite delicious. Some of the flavors include cucumber basil lemonade, blueberry mint lemonade, mango something tea, a few other flavored lemonades, and the rest of the names I cannot remember. They were all quite unique, light, and refreshing. It is a really nice touch and a final finish to the ultra healthy and delicious meal you just galloped down.
Other notes:
— Sounds like everything is locally sourced (meats and veggies)
— everything is gluten free aside from the bread

Enjoyed the new concept at Core. The place was packed. I tried the Spicy Chicken Grain bowl. Chicken, quinoa, fresh veggies and yummy dressing all full of flavor. My husband had the Spicy Ginger Steak broth bowl. Rice noodles in homemade broth and veggies were flavorful, comforting. Plenty of comfortable seating inside and out, friendly staff and great, receptive owners make it a welcoming place. Meals come with whole grain bread which was very tasty.
They offer a row of amazing lemonades. I had the beet lemonade and it was awesome.
The restaurant was loud but this is an issue owners are working on and resolution is on its way. Staff was great, service was pleasant. It is something different in the area. A great healthy alternative that is also tasty.

Coming from a clean-​eating professional athlete and Personal Trainer/​fitness fanatic with a nutrition background, this place is refreshing. Not only are all of the vegetables fresh and organically grown on site, but the meat is cooked each day as well, right in front of your eyes on the grill or rotisserie. I’ve had a salad and bone broth bowl so far, and the portions are very generous, though they could add more meat for people seeking the protein experience. I love their drink options as well. Fair price for the portion size and the organic/​clean-​eating option that is sorely lacking for on-​the-​go/​restaurant-​style eating. Definitely a recommendation for anyone, but especially the health conscious individuals like myself. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

A great experience in the «fast-​casual» restaurant movement. We’re lucky to have something so interesting Syracuse.
The menu is interesting, flavorful and satisfying. I’ve been for dinner a couple of times and always enjoy the entire experience.
Try the bone broth it’s so good, it’s practically therapeutic. The food at Core makes you feel good.

**read warning at middle*. The place is very nicely put together with a wonderful set up for the veggie lover. The prices are very fair and they really cater the bowl style eater. However im going to point out the major problem here. *no real love for the carnivore or sweet eater*. I took my lady hear on a whim didnt have time to look at their reviews. When she got her salad it was amazing for a veggie eater. By the time i got to the end i had a bowl with rice noodles and beef in it lol. At that point i pulled a lame move and cancelled my order as it would have been 9 $ for something i would be bored with. They need more saucy beef type foods or other cooked not raw add ons. Before i get the wrath of the vegans on me i gotta say one thing. It swings both ways! Vegans complain about lack of vegan choices at other restaurants. Today carnivores get to do that!