Olive Ridley's

Story by Lindsay Panzica
Photos by Lindsay Pamzica

In downtown Plattsburgh, down the street from Woodstocks and across the street from Koffee Kat is Olive Ridley’s.

Located at 37 Court Street in Plattsburgh, NY this small intimate restaurant brings an atmosphere of comfortable fun and good food. The restaurant is owned by the same people who run the seasonal restaurant “The Naked Turtle” the relaxed atmosphere makes this restaurant a perfect setting for all occasions. The first half is a full bar with a stage that hosts a variety of bands and performers every Friday and Saturday night beginning at 10pm.

            The second half of the restaurant is the dinning room.  The entire area is decorated in the style of the interior of an Italian Villa with a rich, warm dark orange on the walls highlighted by dark wood and dim lighting.  The dining area contains a handful of small tables surrounded by several booths. 
The few times that I have been to Olive Ridley’s the dinning area was always relatively empty.  Generally there were only a couple of other tables besides the ones the my friends and I were dinning at.  Of course when I generally go in the early evening may be the slow time for the dinning area.  Yet, the quiet atmosphere is nice if you are looking to go someplace and have a nice quite meal with some friends.  The bar is always a bit more crowded with a variety of customers enjoying a nice cold glass of beer. 
The food offered at Olive Ridley’s is both delicious and affordable.  The menu consists of a wide variety of Italian dishes ransing from specialty pizzas and pasta dishes to several different style paninis.  The appetizers consist of several yummy options including “Bad to the Bone” wings in plain, buffalo (mild, medium, hot), BBQ or honey garlic.  Other appetizers include mozzarella stix, loaded nachos, garlic cheese bread, and poutine fries.  All of these orders you can get for less than $10 (with the exception of larger orders of wings which are more expensive).
The service at Olive Ridley’s is always fast and friendly. The waitresses will great you with a smile and provide fast and efficient service. The food is prepared rather quickly and so you don’t have to wait long before you get to try one of their many delicious appateziers.
For entrees, you can choose from a variety of specialty pizzas including Hawaiian, Mediterranean veggie, “Mexicali Blues,” Here’s the Meat, Farm & Garden, “Buffalo Soldier” chicken, & “White Album” pizza.  All of these pies come in small, medium, and large and can all be found for less that $20.  You can also build your own pie using any variety of the numerous topping options offered.
There are also several delicious pasta options including spaghetti with several sauce and meat options.  There is also chicken parmesan, lasagna, chicken alfredo and more.  All past options are served with bread and a side and are all $15.99 or less.
There is also the panini section. 

Olive Ridley’s offers five different panini options including my personal favorite, option number five: grilled chicken with spinach, feta cheese & black olives with garlic oil. All of the paninis are $6.99 and for just $1.75 more you can add a soup, salad or fries. You can also get soup or salad as a meal as well.  Each day they offer two different delicious soup options and there are several salads to choose from as well.
The food there is warm and straight out of the oven.  The paninis are grilled and melt in your mouth.  The French fries are extra crispy and the soups are kept warm in a crock pot all day.
The menu also offers several burger options as well for those who are looking for an American style meal rather than traditional Italian cuisine.  Olive Ridley’s is an ideal place to visit in Plattsburgh.  It offers a wide selection of delicious food for a relatively inexpensive price.  You can also enjoy live entertainment along with a friendly staff and quick service.

APN gives Olive Ridley's 4 stars.

Have you ever been to Olive Ridley's?