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Inka’s is Katy Verzillo’s top pick for celebrating special occasions. On the evening of March 7, the Syracuse resident chose Inka’s for a dinner in honor of her brother’s new house and job. Joined by her parents and two brothers, Verzillo was excited to share the dining experience with her family, who had never visited the Peruvian fusion restaurant before.

“The food is top-notch, top-notch services as well (that are) very informative because a lot of this food is something people haven’t had before, so the waiters always know how to explain it to people,” Verzillo said.

Inka’s opened in November 2024 and is co-owned by four partners: Alejandro Gonzalez, Jose Avalos-Rios, Mario Vigil and Mikayla McCandles. With Inka’s, they not only wanted to bring a new flavor to downtown Syracuse, but also create an exceptional dining experience for customers, Sebastian Ramirez, one of the restaurant’s managers, said. Gonzalez, who also owns Margaritas Mexican Cantina in Armory Square, wanted Inka’s to stand apart from the other eatery, Ramirez said.

On any given weekend evening, you can find Inka’s packed with patrons and filled with the sounds of lively chatter and music. Located on the corner of S. Salina Street and E. Washington Street, Inka’s boasts a Peruvian fusion menu for both lunch and dinner.

Ramirez has been working with the owners of Inka’s since the restaurant’s inception. He believes Inka’s fills a gap in the Syracuse food scene.

Ella Chan | Asst. Photo Editor

The menu at Inka’s, a new Peruvian fusion restaurant that opened in November, incorporates Peruvian and Japanese influences. It was designed by Flavio Solorzano, a chef who specializes in Peruvian food and pastries.

Flavio Solorzano, a chef who specializes in Peruvian food and pastries, designed the menu, which incorporates Peruvian and Japanese influences, Ramirez said. Solorzano, who lives in Peru, comes back to the restaurant every two to three months to check in with its staff. In the kitchen, Ramirez said, each chef has their own niche; one handles seafood, while another exclusively cooks chicken, for example.

“Narrowing everyone’s focus makes sure that all of the food that comes out of the kitchen is 10/10,” Ramirez said.

The menu includes traditional Peruvian dishes like ceviche and Peruvian marinated chicken, but the team curated dishes to fit the Syracuse environment, Ramirez said. The chef and staff initially worried some of the flavors may have been a little too extreme for the local crowd, so they tweaked the menu to ensure the cuisine was accessible for everyone.

Verzillo said the cuisine is something new for her and the rest of the downtown Syracuse community to try, and she’s always willing to try a new dish.

“They make trying something new not so scary,” Verzillo said.

Before opening, the owners redecorated the entire space, including a brand-new kitchen with an oven from Peru, Ramirez said. The redesign process took roughly two years and involved input from the owners, who emphasized the importance of tailoring the atmosphere for customers.

Ella Chan | Asst. Photo Editor

Inka’s, a new Peruvian fusion restaurant, is co-owned by four partners: Alejandro Gonzalez, Jose Avalos-Rios, Mario Vigil and Mikayla McCandles. They wanted to bring a new flavor to downtown Syracuse.

“To have a successful restaurant or business, you can’t just slap new paint on the walls and open the doors,” Ramirez said “You have to give a new atmosphere and vibe to the location for it to work.”

Neon signs illuminate the walls, and greenery hangs down from the ceiling in the main dining room. A mezzanine seating area overlooks the dining room. Directly off the main dining room, there’s a full bar serving specialty cocktails and other drinks.

Several mixologists helped develop Inka’s cocktail menu, including Loyd Von Rose, a quarterfinalist from the TV show Drink Masters. Von Rose helped develop a collaborative cocktail menu that Ramirez said will debut this spring and summer. Pisco, a popular liquor in Peru, is central to many of Inka’s cocktails.

“The same pride that we take in the kitchen, we also take the same pride at the bar with our cocktails,” Ramirez said.

Since its opening almost five months ago, the restaurant has served roughly 2,000 patrons. Its reception has been overall positive so far, Ramirez said.

“It’s been way better than anybody could have anticipated,” Ramirez said. “We have had nothing but good reviews.”

Published on March 20, 2025 at 1:01 am