311 Highly Recommended Restaurants, Diners, Cafes, Pubs, Bakeries, and Bars Around Rochester

This list represents 40+ years of experience dining in the Rochester area, as well as highly recommended restaurants from friends and colleagues.

I had planned to stop at 52 (a new place to try every weekend) but the passionate recommendations kept coming in!

Rochestarians frequent these establishments because the food and atmosphere is consistently amazing. These are places the locals go several times a year, if not more, and recommend them to friends and visitors.

Some of these food destinations are well-established, loved by generations, while others are quickly becoming favorites as Rochester’s culinary scene explodes.

And some have been featured on the Food Network or Travel Channel.

Highly recommended restaurants in the City of Rochester

1. Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant
2. Aladdin’s Natural Eatery
3. Aş Evi Turkish Cuisine
4. Balsam Bagels
5. Bitter Honey
6. Black Button Distilling
7. Boulder Cafe & Lounge 
8. Boxcar Donuts & Fried Chicken
9. Brooklyn Ramen
10. Brown Hound Bistro
11. Caribbean Heritage Restaurant 
12. Cafe Sasso
13. Captain Jim’s

1. Cedar Mediterranean Restaurant
2. Cheesy Eddie’s
3. Country Sweet
4. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
5. Dogtown
6. Donuts Delight
7. D’Mangu
8. Edibles Restaurant & Bar
9. El Latino
10. Flavors of Asia
11. Fiorella
12. Flight West Wine & Whiskey Bar

1. Frog Pond
2. Genesee Brew House
3. Golden Fox
4. Golden Port
5. Good Luck
6. Harry G’s NY Deli & Cafe 
7. Hettie’s Delites Cafe
8. Highland Park Diner
9. Hose 22 Firehouse Grill
10. James Brown’s Place
11. Java’s Cafe
12. Jay’s Diner

1. Jeremiah’s Tavern
2. Jim’s on Main
3. Jines Restaurant
4. Joe Bean Roasters
5. John’s Tex Mex
6. La Casa
7. Magnolias Deli & Cafe
8. Mamasan’s
9. Mark’s Texas Hots
10. Max’s Chop House
11. Misfit Doughnuts & Treats
12. Mr. Theo’s Restaurant & Lounge

1. Mt Hope Family Diner 
2. Mullers Cider House
3. Neno’s Gourmet Mexican Street Food
4. Nosh
5. Old Pueblo Grill
6. Owl House
7. Pane Vino
8. Park Ave Pub
9. Peppa Pot
10. Pizza Stop
11. Pomodoro Grill & Wine Bar
12. Railway Station Diner

1. Red Fern
2. REDD
3. Ridge Donut Café
4. Roam Cafe
5. Rocco
6. Rocky’s
7. Roncone’s Italian Restaurant
8. Rooney’s
9. Rubino’s
10. Salena’s Mexican Restaurant
11. SEA Restaurant
12. Sinbad’s Mediterranean Cuisine
13. Voula’s Greek Sweets
14. Zoc’s Gourmet Burgers and Shakes

Highly recommended restaurants with multiple locations

1. Abbott’s Frozen Custard
2. Benucci’s
3. Bill Gray’s 
4. Core Life Eatery
5. DiBella’s
6. Itacate 
7. Monte Alban Mexican Grill
8. Mr Dominic’s
9. Schaller’s Drive-In
10. Six-50 
11. Tai Chi Bubble Tea
12. Texas de Brazil
13. The Distillery
14. Tom Wahl’s
15. Village Bakery

Highly recommended restaurants in Monroe County

Brighton

1. Amaya Indian Cuisine
2. Basha Mediterranean Eatery
3. Cerame’s Italian Villa
4. Char Broil
5. Chen Garden
6. Delmonico’s
7. Grinnell’s Restaurant
8. J B Quimby’s
9. Phillips European
10. Plum Garden
11. Ristorante Lucano
12. Sodam Korean Restaurant
13. Sweet Mist
14. Thali of India
15. The Beer Market
16. The King and I

Brockport

1. Brockport Diner
2. Jimmy Z’s Plates & Shakes

Chili

1. Acropolis Family Restaurant
2. Leaf & Bean Coffee Co

Churchville

1. Stone’s Countryside Tavern

East Rochester

1. Guacamole Authentic Mexican Taqueria
2. Landmark Family Restaurant
3. Lemoncello Italian Restaurant & Bar
4. Leo’s Bakery & Deli
5. New Yorker’s Pancake & Grill

Fairport

1. Chakara Sushi & Bar
2. Donnelly’s Public House
3. Durf’s Family Restaurant
4. McArdle’s Restaurant
5. Mulconry’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
6. Riki’s Family Restaurant

Gates

1. 585 Rockin’ Burger Bar
2. Agatina’s
3. Edoya
4. Fatso’s Bar & Grille
5. Mesquite Grill
6. Mr Beenz Diner 
7. Shmeg’s Restaurant

Greece

1. Bernard’s Grove
2. Orien’s Café
3. Patti’s Pantry

Henrietta

1. Bob’s Diner
2. Coco Garden Malaysian Restaurant
3. Lovin’ Cup
4. Mamma G’s
5. Naan-tastic
6. Pi Craft
7. Tandoor of India
8. Taisho Bistro

Hilton

1. Jo’s Diner

Irondequoit

1. Atlas Eats
2. Don’s Original
3. Eastridge Family Restaurant
4. Pasta VillaRidge Donut Cafe
5. Savoia Pastry Shoppe
6. Shamrock Jack’s Irish Pub
7. Thai Mii Up

North Chili

1. North Chili Family Restaurant

Penfield

1. Five Mile Café
2. George’s Family Restaurant
3. The Original Steve’s Diner

Pittsford

1. Back Nine Grill
2. Burger Bar by Wegmans
3. JoJo’s Bistro & Wine Bar
4. Label 7 Napa Eatery & Bar
5. Next Door by Wegmans
6. Pittsford Farms Dairy & Bakery
7. Simply Crepes
8. Village Coal Tower Restaurant

Scottsville

1. Artisan Coffeehouse
2. Salvatore’s Saloon 
3. Scottsville Diner

Spencerport

1. Sullivan’s Charbroil
2. Union Street Eatery
3. Bad Apples Bistro

Webster

1. BC’s Chicken Coop
2. Castaways on the Lake
3. Charlie’s Restaurant
4. Empire Pizza
5. Garlic Pit
6. Jade Palace
7. Maa’s Diner
8. Mama Lor’s Café
9. Mario’s Homemade Pasta Kitchen
10. Monte Alban Mexican Restaurant
11. Nucci’s Italian Steak and Seafood
12. Nutcracker Family Restaurant
13. Proietti’s Italian Restaurant
14. T’s Family Restaurant
15. The Waffle Factory

Outside Monroe County

Angelica

1. Black Eyed Susan Acoustic Café
2. Cartwright’s Maple Tree Inn 

Auburn

1. Hunter’s Dinerant
2. Peppermints

Attica

1. Morluski’s Polish & Italian Cuisine

Baldwinsville

1. B’Ville Diner
2. Canal Walk Café

Batavia

1. Bourbon & Burger Co

Bath

1. Chat-A-Whyle Restaurant 

Belfast

1. Ace’s Country Cupboard

Buffalo

1. Amy’s Place
2. Bertha’s Diner
3. Daisies Café
4. Kenmore Village Restaurant
5. Lake Effect Diner
6. Swan Street Diner

Caledonia

1. Caledonia Village Inn
2. Cozy Kitchen
3. Reminisce Soda Fountain

Canandaigua

1. Charlie Riedel’s
2. Eric’s Office Restaurant
3. Green Front
4. Macri’s Deli & Café
5. Ray’s Restaurant
6. Rheinblick German Restaurant
7. Simply Crepes Cafe

Clarence

1. Emily’s Family Diner

Clifton Springs

1. Warfield’s Restaurant, Lounge & Bakery

Corning

1. Donna’s Restaurant

Cuba

1. Moonwinks

Darien Center

1. Johnny Bear’s Restaurant

Derby

1. Super Freeze Drive In

East Aurora

1. Riley Street Station

Farmington

1. El Jimador
2. Park Place Restaurant

Fulton

1. Blue Moon Grill

Geneseo

1. Euro Café Real Food & Deli
2. Bar-Eat-O
3. Village Tavern
4. Cricket’s Coffee Company

Geneva

1. Char Burrito Bar
2. Deluxe
3. El Morro Restaurant
4. F.L.X. Table
5. Kindred Fare
6. Ports Cafe
7. Torrey Park Grill
8. Water Street Café

Holley

1. Sam’s Diner

Honeoye

1. Mill Creek Café

Hornell

1. The Texas Café

Ithaca

1. Lincoln Street Diner
2. Moosewood

Jamestown

1. Johnny’s Lunch

Lakeville

1. 3 Legged Pig BBQ
2. Lakeville Family Restaurant
3. Hook & Spoon

Leicester

1. Gatherings at the Depot

LeRoy

1. D & R Depot Restaurant
2. Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn

Lewiston

1. Apple Granny
2. Brickyard Pub & BBQ
3. The Silo
4. Syros Restaurant

Lima

1. Lima Diner

Liverpool

1. Heid’s of Liverpool

Livonia

1. Ember Wood Fire Grill

Lockport

1. Aguacates
2. Lock 34 Bar & Grill
3. One-Eyed Jacks
4. Sunny’s Family Restaurant
5. Tom’s Diner

Lyons

1. The Caboose

Macedon

1. Log Cabin Family Restaurant

Medina

1. Country Club Family Restaurant
2. Mariachi De Oro
3. Zambistro Restaurant

Middleport

1. Alternative Grounds Caffe

Montour Falls

1. Classic Chef’s

Mount Morris

1. Brian’s USA Diner
2. Charred American Bar + Grill
3. Questa Lasagna

Naples

1. Bob & Ruth’s Vineyard Restaurant
2. Brew & Brats at Arbor Hill
3. Redwood Restaurant
4. Roots Café
5. Sawmill Restaurant

Newark

1. Bee Tee’s Drive-In

Olean

1. Beef’n’Barrel
2. Chuck Wagon

Ontario

1. Heintzelman’s BBQ Pit

Oswego

1. Dahls Diner
2. Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-In
3. The Coffee Connection
4. Mom and Pop’s Soda Shop

Painted Post

1. Jelly Beans Restaurant

Palmyra

1. Chill & Grill
2. Yellow Mills Diner

Penn Yan

1. Andy’s BBQ Shack
2. Penn Yan Diner
3. Skyline Trading Post

Perry

1. Country Kitchen & Pizzeria
2. Charcoal Corral

Piffard

1. Yard of Ale

Portville

1. Sprague’s Maple Farms

Sanborn

1. Tina’s Place

Skaneateles

1. Doug’s Fish Fry

Sodus

1. El Rincon
2. Hots Point

Sylvan Beach

1. Canal View Café

Syracuse

1. Mother’s Cupboard
2. Stella’s Diner
3. The Gem Diner

Tonawanda

1. The Dockside Bar & Grill

Victor

1. Chit Chat Café
2. Lucca Wood Fire Bistro
3. Otto Tomotto’s

Warsaw

1. Silverlake Family Restaurant

Waterloo

1. Abigail’s Restaurant
2. Connie’s Diner
3. Mac’s Drive-in
4. Star Diner

Watkins Glen

1. World’s Smallest Diner

Weedsport

1. DB’s Drive In

Wellsville

1. Texas Hot

Williamson

1. Orbakers Drive In
2. Original Candy Kitchen

Wilson

1. Wilson House Restaurant and Inn

Wolcott

1. Skipper’s Landing Restaurant & Marina

Youngstown

1. Youngstown Village Diner

Where are your favorite restaurants around the Rochester area?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!