Finger Lakes Region
Other Fooderies you have to go to…
Great flavors and cool vibes…
Genesee Brew House - Rochester
The Genesee Brewery is the 6th oldest brewery in the U.S. with a born on date of 1857. The building that houses the Brew House has been part of the brewery campus for over 100 years. In 2012, it was repurposed to house the flagship restaurant that sports upscale Bar Food, a tasting room featuring Genesee standards, and limited production beers that you won’t find anywhere else. It also serves as a history museum for Genesee’s 170+ year existence and brewing in Rochester. The third floor deck is a great place to sit and drink a Genny beer on a sunny summer day while admiring the beautiful view of the brewery’s namesake Genesee River and the High Falls area of Rochester. We highly recommend getting a table on the 2nd floor outdoor patio for your eating experience so that you can admire that wonderful view.
New York Kitchen - Canandaigua
Sitting at the North end of Canandaigua Lake is a unique eatery that allows you to sample many of the best Upstate NY originals with locally sourced ingredients. The outdoor seating on the second floor comes equipped with a beautiful view of the lake while you have a FLX crafted beer, cider, or wine. The added bonus here is that it is also the place to go if you want to learn how to cook a gourmet meal or become a Sommelier! We took a cooking class here and it was a blast. They divide you into 5 groups which are each tasked with making one course of the gourmet 5 course pairing meal. The instructors help and give pointers, you can sample some of the wines and beers that are a part of the pairings, then you sit down and eat the meal while you learn how the meal was put together by the expert chefs. It is a great wintertime or anytime thing to do.
Chen Garden - Rochester
It makes me feel old to say that I have eaten here in 3 different decades, but with the quality and price of the food, it is a mainstay in our restaurant roster. There is much more than the traditional Chinese menu offerings here including Clay Pots, Thai offerrings, and an entire page of different soups. But all are fantastic. The Wasabi Shumai - delish. Although if you wolf them down as quickly as we did, the wasabi does provide a complimentary decongestant for your nostrils. Ask the waiter for their signature Zombie served in a Tiki glass and depending on your alcohol tolerance - you may turn into one.
Hattie’s - Rochester
A brew, a view, and great Sushi, too. Nine stories above the ground in the heart of Rochester is a place with the best sushi in Rochester and craft cocktails that feature spirits from local breweries and distilleries. And if you have one too many cocktails, you could always stay at the hotel below, The Strathallan, which is one of downtown Rochester’s best hotels. On a Friday afternoon in the summertime you can see suits, shorts, and Sangria as vacationers, business folks, and locals all ride the elevator to the top floor for some Chillaxin’ time.
Blue Point Grill - Watkins Glen
The Harbor House at the South End of Seneca Lake is not only a great place to stay, the restaurant there is the perfect end to a day of wine tasting or leaf peeping in the fall. They serve many of the best Finger Lakes wines and have great fine dining entrees that run the gamut of steak, seafood, and vegetarian options.
Rio Tomatlan - Canandaigua
If you like really good Mexican food, you have to make a trek here. In our opinion, this is the best Mexican restaurant in Upstate NY. The Margaritas are to die for, and yes, I know that every Mexican restaurant HAS to have great Margaritas, but these are one of our faves because they use Tequilas from Mexico that most people have never had. The freshness of the food and other ingredients helps to make it a fantastic experience, too. Most food is grown locally and the fish dishes are great because it is all fresh. The decor here has a lot of character as well. Cool murals line the walls to add to the authentic feel. Canandaigua has a lot of nice restaurants and things to do, but this is a must have meal if you stop there.
Simply Crepes - Pittsford/Canandaigua
Crepes aren’t just for breakfast anymore since Simply Crepes came to Pittsford back in 2003. The Heroux family now has 4 of the fantastic Creperies in the Rochester area and one in Raleigh, NC. The key is that they make crepes that are great any time of day. Our favorite is the Chicken Corden Bleu Crepe which is panko crusted and stuffed with smoked ham, chicken, and spinach. Top it off with melted Gruyere and Alfredo sauce and you have one tasty dinner! And the Poutine?!? We can’t stop Poutine it in our mouths because it is so tasty. And if someone in your party is a lame eater, they do have non-Crepe options, too.
Lento - Rochester
Lento is a cool vibe hipster restaurant in the Village Gate in downtown Rochester that just so happens to have really good food. Best Oysters in Rochester - check. Great signature cocktails - check. Flavorful and unique Entrees like Chicken Roasted under a brick - check. We have gone there many times and it never disappoints. Oh yeah, those signature cocktails that I mentioned - The Beets by Dre is great, but also the most interesting - Gin, beet juice, cynar, and bitters. Sounds gross, tastes great!
Agatina’s - Gates
Covid has forced this restaurant to cut their menu down a bit from the 132 entrees and 35 appetizers that they used to have, but if you want great Italian food with a great variety of selections like veal, seafood, traditional pasta, and the best greens and beans in the area - then this is the place to go. The prices are very reasonable, and we feel that it is the best Italian Restaurant in the Rochester area. You could have dinner here every day for 2 straight months and never have to order the same thing twice. Besides the G&B (our vernacular for Greens and Beans, which we highly recommend that you have them add Prosciutto to at no extra charge), the Frog Legs appetizer is great, as is the Veal. But what is our favorite, you ask? Definitely, the Seafood Provencial.