Budget
Jay's Diner
A popular hangout with local college students, there's cheap food and it's always open.
Bill Gray's
The largest local burger chain may also be the best, with a wide-ranging menu of burgers, hots, wings, and "plates". With eight locations in and around the city, and four more in the outer suburbs, you won't have to go far to find one. In a delicious local partnership, several locations have Abbott's Frozen Custard stands right inside, and most have a game room as well.
Steve T. Hots and Potatoes
Just as authentic as Nick Tahou's, but in a safer part of the city and always open.
Cobbs Hill Pizza and Pasta
Don't go looking for this joint at Cobbs Hill; it long ago moved north to Park Ave, where it sits in a tiny retail plaza. The New York-style pizza is actually only so-so, but what really distinguishes Cobbs Hill is the extensive menu; for such a small place, they'll cook up just about anything you can think of, as long as it's vaguely Italian or American. Subs, wings, and some very good pasta are all on the menu. Great neighborhood joint.
Nick Tahou Hots
Tahou's is the origin of Rochester's authentic cuisine, the garbage plate. For a few dollars, the plates come with your choice of meat, macaroni salad, home fries, onions and special sauce. The most common plate can be ordered by as quickly as possible saying "Cheeseburger plate, mac salad, home fries, everything!".
DiBella's Italian Market
This new flagship location includes soups and salads in addition to the usual subs, chips, and cookies.
Mark's Texas Hots
This is where drunk college kids stumble off of Monroe Ave. to eat a garbage plate. The garbage plates from establishments that reside inside the city limits of Rochester have a decidedly more flavorful character than those in the suburbs. Mark's is the only diner you might ever visit that has a bouncer. Go if only for the spectacle.
Malek's Bakery
Located in the Twelve Corners area of Brighton, this Jewish and Kosher bakery makes European-style breads and pastries. They always have great challah, rye, pumpernickel, white and sour dough, and then each day of the week turn out specialty breads, like the not-to-be-missed chocolate babka Th F Su and poppyseed danish Th F Su.
DiBella's Old-Fashioned Submarines
The best subs in Rochester, hands down. It's the rolls, freshly baked in-house, that do it. Red Osier roast beef and other high-quality toppings put Subway to shame. The cookies are also among the best in town.
Salvatore's Old-Fashioned Pizzeria
This chain, founded by local legend Salvatore "Soccer Sam" Fantauzzo, advertises that they "deliver everything... but babies!" But primarily, they deliver pizza, some of the most popular pizza around town. With 22 locations in Rochester and its suburbs, you won't have to go far to find one.
Biggest location, including a large game room.
Other locations locally in Webster and Perinton, and farther afield in Buffalo, Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | up to $10 |
| Mid-range | $8–$20 |
| Splurge | $15+ |
Rochester's cheapest options are epitomized by the burger joints that sprung up along the lake shore in the middle of the 20th century—Bill Gray's, Vic & Irv's, and Don's Original at Sea Breeze near Irondequoit Bay; and Schallers west of the river. The greasy spoons like Tahou's are also easy on your wallet if not your arteries.
Schallers Drive-In
Another Rochester burger joint that grew up along the beach, this one in Greece west of the river. The Greece location has some excellent ice cream.
Bill Gray's at the Skyliner Diner
This location is housed in a tiny 1950s-type diner, long and narrow like a train car. The diner, which used to be known as the Skyliner Diner, is in turn located in the lobby of the Strong National Museum of Play. No museum admission is needed to get to the restaurant or to the carousel, for that matter!.
The original location, at Sea Breeze.
New location in the suburbs; expect it to be packed with RIT students late at night.
The original Salvatore's location.
Midrange
Tavern 58 at Gibbs
Classy yet casual, one of the newest and best-reviewed restaurants in downtown. They have positioned themselves as a great place to get dinner after seeing a performance at the Eastman Theater or Downstairs Cabaret. Dinner-and-theater packages available with some Auditorium Theatre shows; being able to park at the restaurant is a major benefit. Go for sandwiches if you want to spend less than $10, or steaks or seafood if you're willing to spend about $20.
Abyssinia
The premier Ethiopian restaurant in Rochester and in the Grove Place district of town, Abyssinia has been open since 2000 and shows no signs of slowing down. Go for the combos, which are served injera Ethiopian bread or the clay pots of lamb or beef.
Shiki
Looks like nothing from the outside, an easily miss-able hole-in-the-wall place on South Clinton. But inside the tiny space is a little haven, authentically Japanese, with rice-paper screens and the most perfectly prepared sushi in Rochester. The only staff are the friendly Japanese owners who will offer lots of guidance if you ask.
Seoul Garden
Features extensive Korean menu -- Korean BBQ, scallion pancakes, spicy stews, etc. All meals come with lots of tasty extras, like fermented black beans and kimchee.
California Rollin'
If less traditional, more experimental/Western, sushi sounds interesting to you, pay a visit to this excellent sushi restaurant and bar. A special each day of the week; the best values for your buck are the Wednesday $20 all-you-can-eat and the Sunday 3-for-$12 deals.
Aja Noodle Co.
Serves lunch and dinner. Though located away from other travel attractions, the noodles are some of the best in Rochester. Second location in Perinton south of Fairport.
California Rollin' 2
Highland Park Diner
Rochester's last classic diner. A 1948 Orleans diner restored in 1986 to an art deco style. Their motto is "real food, served real well at real prices". A neighborhood joint with very good food. Friendly, personal service the owner himself often takes orders and fantastic Sunday breakfast/brunch menu: berries & peaches stuffed French toast, tasty savory omelets and a glorious eggs Benedict. Be sure to ask for "sweet cheese" on your waffles, pancakes & French toast.
Olive's Greek Taverna
Located in Rochester's snootiest suburb, you wouldn't expect the best deal in Rochester, but this charming restaurant will give you the most bang for your buck. Authentic and carefully prepared, don't miss the huge mezede village platter an appetizer that can be easily shared by two or more, gyros and well-spiced kebabs. Lots for vegetarians, and unbelievable sweet potato fries. Reservations only taken for 3 or more. On the weekends they're basically required, or you'll wait hours for a table.
The King and I
Located in Henrietta, a sprawling suburb that features mostly grimly terrible chain restaurants, this fantastic Thai spot features reasonable prices, lightning quick service seriously, it's like they know what you're going to order before you get there and food that always tastes uncannily fresh and yummy. The ambiance is not great, with a huge cavernous dining room and terrible, terrible art on the walls, but the food is consistently good and you can always get takeout. Make sure to try the Thai iced tea. No need to bother with reservations. Open for lunch and dinner.
The middle ground is where most of Rochester's restaurants lie. A variety of ethnic cuisines are available, if you're willing to look around a bit. In particular, Rochester's barbecue scene is better than you might expect.
Top end
Bamba Bistro
Once Rochester's most upscale restaurant, the Rio Bamba has been scaled down a bit into the more casual Bamba Bistro. The place is rarely crowded and sometimes downright empty, but the food is generally considered high quality, if not quite as good as it once was.
Max of Eastman Place
Considered one of the top restaurants in Rochester, with an elegant atmosphere and a menu to match.
Max Chophouse
This might be the only place in Rochester to get a $15 hamburger.
Uncle Ralph's Steakout & BBQ
Don't go looking for a storefront proudly signed as "Uncle Ralph's"—Ralph takes his show on the road to different establishments around the city. On Sunday, he's at the Anchor Bar at East Ave and Alexander St; Monday he's at Paddy's Irish Pub in Greece; Wednesday he can be found at Daisy Dukes in Webster; and Thursday finds him at Gi-Gi's Restaurant in Irondequoit. Locations subject to change. Wherever he's at, and whatever the weather, Uncle Ralph cooks up a variety of meat-based entrees on his outdoor grills.
Phillips European
The food is only ok, heavy, traditional French—good for a business lunch or unadventurous out of town guests—but the desserts are spectacular, with emphasis on pies, tortes, tarts, cakes and specialty cheesecakes. Examples include their Chocolate Tiramisu Torte and White Chocolate Carrot Cake. The mere mention of a trip here for coffee and dessert will get Rochesterians salivating. A full dessert menu is available in the restaurant, but the cakes can also be ordered whole and picked up.
Scotch 'N' Sirloin
Simple but substantial entrees served in a cozy atmosphere by waitstaff in crisp white uniforms. It's a fairly casual environment for the price—don't feel like you need to dress up, but jeans might be pushing it a bit. The open kitchen, wood-and-stone decor, and candle lighting contribute to the warmth, although some visitors complain that the place hasn't changed a bit since 1972, when it first opened. The steak teriyaki comes highly recommended.
Restaurant 2 Vine
French and Italian food in a casual yet elegant bistro-type setting. Delicious vegetarian dishes, as well as a wide selection of fish, veal, etc. Moderately priced and near The Little Theatre.
Rochester is no New York City when it comes to upscale dining, but there are a few options around for when you want to dress up and have a fancy meal.
Grill at Strathallan
Perhaps not the top-of-the-line experience it once was, the Strathallan is still one of the finest dining options in Rochester. Features what is probably the area's longest and best wine list. Live jazz Thursday–Saturday.
Dining in Rochester is typical of most mid-sized American cities. The immediate suburbs are crawling with large chain restaurants, but you can find more original fare in the city proper, and in outlying areas away from the biggest commercial strips.
There is one mainstay of local cuisine that travelers with a large stomach and no fear of cholesterol should absolutely try: the famous Garbage Plate of Nick Tahou's Hots. For a few dollars, a "Plate" comes with your choice of meat served on top of macaroni salad, home fries, and onions, topped with "hot sauce" and ketchup and/or mustard. Most suburbs of Rochester have a local "Hots" Penfield Hots, Empire Hots, etc.; each of them, not to mention nearly every other burger joint and diner around town, has its own variant on the "Plate"—but the original and most authentic is found at Tahou's. Steve T. Hots and Potatoes is the former second location of Nick Tahou's, and run by a different branch of the Tahou family; it's an acceptable second choice, mainly because the original is only open until 8PM these days. Late-night "plate runs"—a college tradition in Rochester—thus usually end up at Steve T.'s.
A "hot", by the way, is simply a hot dog, but they come in two varieties: red hots traditional hot dogs and white hots. Zweigle's is the local brand; don't even bother with any other brand if you're going to try a white hot. "Hot sauce", rather than the expected mouth-scalding pepper blend, is usually a mildly spicy meat sauce to put on hots, especially on garbage plates.
Of course, if you do want mouth-scalding sauce, Buffalo-style chicken wings are almost as popular here as they are in Buffalo. Most any bar, bar-like establishment, or pizza joint will have "wings" on their menu no need to specify "Buffalo wings"; it's assumed. Everyone has a favorite location for wings, but Jeremiah's Tavern has some awards to back up their claim, and Buffalo's own Anchor Bar where the Buffalo wing was invented now has a location here in Rochester.
If you're looking for something a little more traditional, Rochester's beaches spawned a great set of local burger joints most of which don't call them burgers; they're "ground steak sandwiches". The two big local chains are Bill Gray's, with their flagship location at Seabreeze, and Tom Wahl's, which started south of the city in Avon. Tom Wahl's is famous for their root beer floats and homemade ice cream, while Bill Gray's has incorporated Abbott's Frozen Custard into several of their locations. Both have great burgers and classic old-time atmospheres.
Speaking of Abbott's, it's the place to go for ice cream—only it's not ice cream; it's frozen custard, which is richer and creamier than regular ice cream. With about thirty locations around Rochester, you have no excuse not to drop in and try some.
DiBella's is a chain of local sub shops that locals swear by, despite inroads from Quizno's and Subway. DiBella's restaurants have a classic 1950s atmosphere, with lots of neon, chrome, and checkerboard patterns. The sub rolls are made fresh in-house each morning, and they're solid and big enough to hold all the toppings you could want. The "Godfather" and "Dagwood" subs are quite popular. You can order them hot; it takes a few minutes, but it's well worth it. Don't forget to pick up one of Grandma DiBella's chocolate chip cookies; they're also baked fresh in-house and have almost as many fans as the subs do.
For pizza, everyone has a different favorite. The local style is somewhere between New York thin-crust and Chicago deep-dish–not surprising considering Rochester's location. The oldest local chain, dating from 1947, is Pontillo's, but quality varies widely from location to location. The best Pontillo's pizzas are truly outstanding, but the worst are truly bad. More consistent quality can be found at another local chain, Salvatore's. Mark's Pizzeria is also popular, and Cam's is expanding and popular with college students.
It's not just pizza, either. Rochesterians love all sorts of Italian food; it seems like around every corner is another favorite neighborhood Italian-American restaurant, at least in the suburbs. You'll also find a lot of places owned by Greeks, from greasy spoons like Nick Tahou's to classy family restaurants, although they usually toss in plenty of Italian and traditional American entrees as well. A staple at local Greek- and Italian-American restaurants is Chicken French. It's a breaded chicken breast sauteéd in a lemon-wine sauce. It's so popular that veal and even artichokes can be found "Frenched" on local menus.
All this focus on the lower end of the dining spectrum shouldn't obscure the upscale dining available, mostly in the downtown area. The options are neither as exclusive nor as pretentious as those in other, bigger cities like New York, but that doesn't mean you won't want reservations, and you will want to dress up a bit.
Finally, no trip to Rochester is complete without stopping in to a local Wegmans (http://www.wegmans.com) supermarket. No joke: residents frequently take their out-of-town guests to Wegmans, not necessarily to buy anything, but just to see the place. "Wait," the guests say, "you're taking us to a grocery store?" But Wegmans is something special, and Rochesterians are justifiably proud of their hometown grocer. Customer service is paramount at Wegmans, consistently ranked one of the best companies to work for in the U.S. The stores are attractive, clean, well-stocked, and open 24 hours a day. They also each feature an amazing "Market Cafe", where a wide variety of prepared foods are available for purchase eat-in or carry-out, all made in-store from Wegmans-branded grocery items. Don't miss the very good subs; Wegmans' sub shops were modeled after DiBella's and rival Rochester's favorite sub shop in quality.
There's only one Wegmans left in the city proper, but the suburbs are loaded with them. The flagship location is on Monroe Avenue adjacent to Pittsford Plaza.