Rochester, New York, is a city that blends east and west and is home to a diversified and thriving population. Restaurants in Rochester NY, like any other metropolitan region, have everything from trendy hotspot bars to luxury five-star establishments.
Despite the fact that the city was originally regarded as a flyover between Buffalo and Syracuse, it has now become a major tourist destination in North America.
Rochester has hundreds of restaurants and pubs that you should not miss, as well as lots of things to eat if you merely want to sample the city’s flavors. Moreover, whether you reside outside of Rochester or in the neighboring region, there are plenty of things to do.
Whether you’re searching for an exciting weekend vacation or just a calm supper, there are lots of restaurants with fantastic alternatives for each meal of the day and any mood. Rochester has a diverse culinary scene that will delight any gourmet. Every year, the Rochester International Wine Competition and the Taste of Rochester showcase the region’s culinary abilities.
It would be a shame to leave the city without sampling at least some of the 10 top restaurants in Rochester NY, each of which is distinctive and has its own tale to tell.
Visiting other places in New York? Check out our other tasty guides:
- 5 Best Restaurants in LeRoy, New York
- 5 Must-Try Vegan Pizza Brooklyn
- 7 Best East Tremont Restaurants
- 7 Must-Try Batavia Restaurants
- 7 Must-Try Saratoga Springs Restaurants
- 7 Must-Try Churchville NY Restaurants
- Five Best NYC Ice Cream Shops
- 5 Best Restaurants In SoHo NYC
- NYC’s Best Pasta Restaurants
- The 7 Best Albany Restaurants
- Where To Find The Best Pizza In New York City
- Seven Must-Try Ithaca Restaurants
Contents
The Top 10 Restaurants in Rochester, New York
Restaurant and Bar Edibles
Rochester, NY +15852714910704 University Ave
As you walk inside Rochester’s Edibles Restaurant, you will notice its distinct atmosphere. The restaurant is housed within a refurbished mansion from the mid-1850s. This pre-Civil War edifice was conserved in order to highlight its beauty and individuality. The end result? It is an artistically built restaurant with a nostalgic feel.
At Edibles Restaurant in Rochester, you can anticipate a diverse combination of flavors. The ingredients are fresh, and the quantities are big, which cannot be said for many of the area’s eateries.
Ossobucco, mushroom risotto, tomato pan sauce, braised pig shank, Chicken de Medici, lemon parsley, aged Parmesan, tomatoes, and breaded chicken cutlet are among the options.
Whether you are searching for breakfast, lunch, or supper, you will find exactly what you are looking for at our freshly refurbished restaurant.
Restaurant La Luna
+1585232586260 Rochester Browns Race
La Luna Restaurant & Wine Bar is an excellent venue for upmarket social gatherings, business meetings, and private celebrations. La Luna is one of the most handy and strategically placed business and leisure destinations. This restaurant serves superb Italian food, a wide range of wines to suit your tastes, and a welcoming atmosphere in which to enjoy your meal.
The appetizers are definitely the best part of what La Luna has to offer. I suggest the deep-fried mozzarella with tomato sauce, or the baked eggplant drizzled with olive oil and toasted sesame seeds for something lighter. These two things are light yet tasty, just how an Italian starter should be.
What distinguishes La Luna is its capacity to handle big groups, making it suitable for business lunches or dinners, wedding receptions and showers, and other important occasions.
AVVINO
Rochester, NY +158527052292541 Monroe Ave
Another expensive Italian restaurant focusing on fresh ingredients may be found on the outermost end of a body of lake surrounded by Rochester skyscrapers. The sounds of clinking wine glasses and delighted diners at Avvino are drowned out by the busy metropolis.
Avvino has built a reputation for serving some of the greatest Italian cuisine in Rochester since its inception. There are several classic meals on the menu that will satisfy any hunger.
Avvino’s menu features substantial Italian meals, appetizers, salads, sides, and handmade desserts. The first dish of your supper is either meatballs or cheese puffs. After that, a tomato sauce with pork and veal meatballs is served over penne pasta.
Chef Dave’s cheese puffs are created from scratch and include two types of cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Asiago, baked inside a flaky puff pastry.
There are several possibilities for mid-priced, family-style meals in this area. The ambience is significantly superior to that of most other Italian restaurants in Rochester, and you can have a good time here regardless of the occasion.
Cure
Rochester Public Market, Rochester +1585563794150
Cure, located in the Public Market with other local restaurants and cafés, takes you on a culinary journey. This stylish French restaurant provides nourishment for both the body and the spirit. Scents of spices and fresh herbs greet visitors as they walk through the doors. Diners are enticed to choose appetizers, salads, major dishes, and cheese plates from the restaurant’s innovative menu.
Almost every style of food is covered here. If you want an appetizer, you may choose shrimp or chicken tacos with avocado and cilantro in addition to the Brisket Tacos. Entrees include the Bone-In Dry Aged Sirloin Steak, which is grilled medium-rare and served with a creamy porcini butter sauce.
Of course, since Cure uses locally sourced foods, you may also taste classics like pizza and spaghetti throughout your stay.
Cure, with its pleasant ambience, would be ideal for a supper date. This restaurant’s comfortable atmosphere and delectable food will entice you to come at least once more.
Char Steak & Lounge is a steakhouse and lounge.
Rochester, NY +15852417100550 East Ave
Char Steak & Lounge, a more modern restaurant in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, is one of the city’s newest eateries. It features the upmarket and beautiful environment that steakhouse brands are known for. It does, however, have several qualities that set it apart from other steakhouses in the neighborhood.
The menu of Char Steak & Lounge includes a variety of products such as fresh salads, charbroiled chicken breast, delicious Atlantic salmon, and many more delectable types of steak. Its award-winning wine list has over 160 distinct options. Moreover, the dining menu includes a range of appetizers and seafood dishes.
Whatever your taste buds want, Char Steak & Lounge is guaranteed to gratify. Specialty sandwiches, handmade burgers, and their famed Minnesota walleye fish fry with fresh coleslaw and homemade bread are available.
Char Steak & Lounge is a terrific spot to dine while seeing the arts or listening to live music. Char Steak & Lounge is really two restaurants in one.
The restaurant’s wide menu of meals that mix savory ingredients with a focus on local fruit, meats, and cheeses has earned it several honors.
Tournedos Steakhouse & Bar
+1585269388826 Rochester, Broadway
Tournedos Steakhouse, located within Rochester’s first luxury boutique hotel, The Inn on Broadway, provides local and international cuisine. This restaurant has pendant lighting in addition to suspended lights, hardwood flooring, and cozy leather booths.
Fine chandeliers, an arched doorway, and a temperature-controlled wine cellar add to the royal ambiance.
Tournedos Steakhouse in Rochester is the ideal place to commemorate your special event. Since this is a steakhouse, there are several meal alternatives.
Prime rib, filet mignon, chicken Marsala, and swordfish are among my favorites. There are also several fish meals offered, as well as sides such as potato croquettes and sautéed spinach.
Stephen Reiziger, the restaurant’s executive chef, takes pleasure in the restaurant’s distinctive seasonal cuisine, which features the best steaks in Rochester, fresh seafood, and great side dishes.
As a consequence, Tournedos costs are relatively reasonable when compared to the high quality of the cuisine offered and the romantic setting.
Lento
N Goodman St, Rochester, +15852713470274
Lento is located at the entrance to the Neighborhood of the Arts, a district that is home of art galleries and creative non-profits. A restaurant is established to service this community, with customers often wandering amid glass and ceramic sculptures. Lento has a creative and avant-garde vibe while being approachable to everybody.
To arrive to Lento, stroll down the path that runs from Genesee Street and look for the green awning. Just as you approach the intersection of Main Street and Exchange, a pair of hefty oak doors greet you on the left.
Lento is a lively and low-key location to eat wonderful meals. It is well-known for their regionally adored drinks. The buddha bowl, on the other hand, is ideal if you want something lighter.
With brown rice, edamame, tomatoes, bok choy, avocado, and carrots topped with shrimp and a spicy gingery sauce, all liquids and sauces are created in-house.
It’s sometimes simply simpler not to leave your booth or table. In such case, try one of Lentos salads or the buddha wontons with Lentos fragrant jalapeño sauce as an appetizer.
The River’s Pane Vino
Rochester, NY +15852326090175 N Water St
Pane Vino has won multiple honors for its cuisine and service, including Best Italian Restaurant and Best Romantic Restaurant from the Democrat and Chronicle. Moreover, this restaurant’s outside terrace has specifically constructed heaters that give warmth even when the weather outside is frigid.
Pane Vino serves a three-course set menu with three or four dishes each course and an optional wine pairing. This choice provides an excellent opportunity for customers to sample the greatest items on the menu.
One starter that comes to mind is the oil-cured olives with toasted almonds and cherry peppers. Unusual and unique, but oh very good.
Pane Vinos’ menu features a wide variety of traditional Italian meals as well as daily specials from local and seasonal products and seafood. There are whites and reds on the wine list, as well as eleven unique cocktails.
Pane Vino also has a private dining room, which is excellent for special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, or just getting together with family.
Lucano Restaurant
Rochester, NY +158524434601815 East Ave
Ristorante Lucano in downtown Rochester is a family-owned and run restaurant that serves superb Italian food in a lovely setting. The interior decor of this restaurant includes Old World paintings, tile floors, textured walls, framed photos of ancient Rome, and beautiful ceiling tiles.
Sconce lighting, lighted tables, and pristine white linen tablecloths provide a sense of romanticism to this setting, making it ideal for a memorable supper.
Lucianos’ menu has something for everyone’s taste and budget. If you want to complement your dinner with a glass of superb wine, Restaurant Lucano provides a wonderful wine selection with red and white wines such as Lucanos Chianti.
This restaurant also serves fresh seafood, such as the seafood franchise and grilled salmon with brown butter sauce. Don’t forget to round off your ideal Italian experience with a traditional Tiramisu.
The Celebration
University Ave, Rochester, +158534064541290
This Arts District neighborhood-themed eatery has a unique aesthetic thanks to its large paned windows. Its rustic-chic decor includes exposed ceilings, stone walls, chandeliers, and a romantic fireplace, making it a great location for a romantic date night.
Poached halibut, baked filled clams, grilled swordfish, and meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veal osso buco are among the seafood items on the menu.
Even if you don’t like fish or meat, you may still enjoy this restaurant’s spicy smoked tofu salad with arugula and tomatillo relish.
imagine The Revelry {image}
While quite pricy, The Revelry is worth a visit for the following reasons: It’s Rochester’s only Southern tasting menu. The recyclable materials were used to make the bar.
They employ local and fresh ingredients wherever feasible and provide a variety of sweets, including South Carolina pecan pie with bourbon whipped cream.
Finally, these are the top ten restaurants in Rochester, New York.
Rochester, New York, is quickly becoming one of the region’s newest culinary attractions. Together with farm-to-table eating and sophisticated American fare, Rochester’s developing ethnic culinary scene includes barbeque and Caribbean cuisine.
Nothing beats a nice eating experience (apart from the fragrance of freshly made cookies). Whether your preferences are diverse or formal, gourmet or simple, you will find something to amuse and please you on this list. Virginia Woolf was correct when she remarked, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well until one has eaten well,” and one will undoubtedly dine well in Rochester and will most likely contemplate returning.