I usually eat at least once in the Ruby Tuesday on Carrier Circle--it's within walking distance (good to clear your head) of the places I tend to stay there, and has a salad bar. That said, totally chain.
Destiny USA has a lot of great stuff there when you've got some free time--the Melting Pot (also a chain, but still) has some of the best food I've had, and there's this really great aerial obstacle course. I'd also never been in a mirror maze before--that's surprisingly disorienting, they keep it really unsmudgey. (I think the extent of my enjoyment last two bits are artifacts of me being fairly childish... but a lot of the stuff you liked as a kid didn't actually stop being fun!)
I like Yum-Yum's Gluten Free Bakery a great deal, but that's mostly due to dietary restrictions I've taken upon myself a few months ago.
Still, they make a damn fine pie!
That said? My absolute FAVORITE resource in Syracuse is Wegman's. (We don't have those in Utica!) Particularly if my room has a refrigerator, I like to stock up on sushi and use that throughout my stay; I swear, it's like pure energy.
Hope it helps!
(I've also heard good things about Funkin Waffle, but I'll admit I've not managed to get there. Oh, and I've had some decent time at Armory Square--the Blue Tusk has a fantastic beer selection, and Empire Brewing has good food when you don't have a waiter who spends his time trying to pick up the hostess rather than serving you... that only happened once, though.)