Suggestions for Webster or Rochester, NY?

Question

My husband and I have to travel to Webster, near Rochester, NY almost every Friday in the next year or so. Since we are going to be there so often, I was wondering if I could get some suggestions for good restaurants and places to eat in the area. Anything in or near the Rochester area is fine. We don't mind going out of the way a little for good food.

In general, we like excellent food of any type and cuisine. Since we have many Friday evenings to spend there, a variety of recommendations would be great. Maybe some nice places, and some other cheaper options. We also like restaurants that are unique and authentic (if ethnic). Healthy is also a plus, though we don't mind the calories if it's for good food, just not some greasy, cheap, fast-food like places. A nice atmosphere is preferred, but the quality of the food is more important. 

Any suggestions would be extremely helpful. Thanks so much in advance!

Answer

Well, since I live in Webster, I'll try to give you some advice (starting with -- try to go somewhere else!!!).

We have very bad restaurants in Webster - unless you like chains like Red Robin and Pizzaria Una.

There is only one restaurant I would highly recommend in Webster - Proiettis. Real food, excellent. Make reservations.
http://www.proiettis.com/

There are a couple of restaurants along the lake - avoid them unless you like overpriced food or blue-hair early bird specials. There is also a Mexican place (Maria's) in the village which I think is nasty but other people like it...

These are some of our favorite area restaurants (sorry, I couldn't find web sites for some of them) --

Bar B Que:
Sticky Lips (my fave - but barbque's a personal thing)
http://www.stickylipsbbq.com/stickylips/main.html

Dinosaur BarBQue (downtown Rochester - most people's fave)
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/

Miscellaneous:

Edibles (excellent - downtown - be sure to stop into the little store across the street called Craft Compnay #6)
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g48503-d415713-Reviews-Edibles-Rochester_New_York.html

Veneto (downtown - our favorite casual date place - lively, bar infested neighborhood)
Veneto Woodfired Pizza & Pasta (google it)

Fairfield's Grill 2600 Baird Road, Penfield (not too far, suburban - google it - sort of a family run place, can get mobbed on Friday for fish fry)

Park Ave Grill (fun neighborhood - elegant meal, small place)
http://www.remingtonsrochester.com/

Jine's (diner in same fun neighborhood - great breakfasts - see you there Saturday mornings)
http://www.jinesrestaurant.com/

2 Vine (everybody's favorite - except mine - pretty pricey)
http://2vine.com/

Remingtons (close - in city - spotty service)
http://www.remingtonsrochester.com/

As you can see, we travel a little to find good restaurants. We nearly always have to head into the city because we hate chain restaurants. So, if you don't mind running around a bit you can sample some of Rochester's best.

Write back if you need any other help. Enjoy!

Answer

I see I screwed up and listed the wrong link for Park Ave Grill -- which I see I also listed with the wrong name (!) -- it is Park Avenue Pub. Senility.
http://www.2taste.com/parkavenuepub/index.html

Answer

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We will try these places! Also, we enjoy trying different cuisines. Any good ethnic restaurants in the area? 

Thanks again for the replies. They help a lot!

Answer

Our favorite Thai:
The King & I, 1475 East Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY
(note: Do not eat at the Thai place in Webster called Puket Thai)

Our favorite Indian:
India House, http://www.indiahouse.com/

Our favorite Mexican:
El Rincon, 6974 Old Ridge Road, Sodus NY 315-483-4199 (a bit of a haul - check mapquest)

Soul Food:
Featuring Harley's
http://www.rochester-citynews.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A4721

Chinese:
none recommended

And our favorite place for grazing:
The Rochester Public Market (Saturday Mornings) All foodies must go there. 280 Public Market, Rochester 14609
Richport Bakery for unbelievable Puerto Rican pastries
Juan & Maria's Empanada Stop
etc.

Here is a listing of other ethnic places, many of which I have never been to -- but this is the newspaper that would know if they are good or not:
http://www.rochester-citynews.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A2493

Answer

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Italian yet. Rochester has a plethora of great Italian restaurants. The pick of the litter has to be Guido's Pasta Villa though. It's a small place, but the food is excellent.

http://www.thepastavilla.com/

If you don't mind a bit of a drive, you can also check out Fratelli's in Avon.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g29852-d458445-Reviews-Fratelli_s_Restaurant-Avon_New_York.html

One other place my wife and I love is the Mundo Grill. Seasonal menus and excellent food and drinks.

http://www.mundogrill.com/

Enjoy!

Answer

My absolute favorite burger in Rochester is actually in Webster at Charlie Riedel's, 1843 Empire Blvd at Bay Ave. Order "Charlie" burgers with everything and curly fries. Excellent. This is quintessential upstate NY stuff, including the teenage staff and their serious Rochester accents. Funny enough, no one has mentioned Nick Tahou's and the famed "Garbage Plate". It's located downtown in Rochester, worth the trip for the experience-- Google it for exact directions. I recommend the daytime. Have fun.
Oh! And I second the recommend for El Rincon in Sodus. Fantastic Mexican.

Answer

for indian food, my new favorite is thali of india (i used to be a strictly india house kinda gal), in the win-gate plaza, corner of jefferson & winton, in henrietta. it's really easy to get to off the 390. even the buffet food is phenomenal, for prices you can't beat. www.thaliofindia.com/

abyssinia is a great ethiopian place right downtown near eastman. the food is delish. http://rocwiki.org/Abyssinia. (the rocwiki mainpage also has a link to local restaurants, and you can peruse those reviews) i've heard the food at dashen is good as well -- a hole-in-the wall place usually inhabited by ethiopian men, but my friend swears by it. i have yet to compare.

speaking of holes-in-the-wall, paola's has the best burritos to be found locally. i believe the owners are either mexican, or mexican-american. it's kind of hidden -- there's a weird little "plaza" at the intersection of south ave and rte. 15-a. it's neighbored by a chinese place and a mr. shoes pizza.

for greek/mediterranean, i recommend sinbad's on park ave, alexandria's on east ave, or the olive tree on monroe ave (http://www.olivetreerestaurant.com/)

for something a little more upscale, tapas, on st. paul, is usually a good deal -- i'd say the best way to describe it is latin/asian fusion.

fetta-chini's in the village gate (across from the memorial art gallery) is good, but a little pricey. it's, italian/greek, if you couldn't guess.

i second the above comment regarding 2Vine. way overpriced for mediocre food.

also, love, love, love the king & i for thai.

for dessert, you must check out phillips european in henrietta. 
www.phillipseuropean.com/

charlie's frog pond is another good choice on park ave for "gourmet diner" food (and my personal preference over jines, which is right next door) or, if you're in town for brunch, go and have their banana pancakes, just for the syrup.

i have heard good things about cibon (paninis) and magnolia's (noodles, salads, etc) as well, also on park ave, but have yet to try them.

i am planning on checking out el pacifico (in farmingdale) this weekend, rumoured to have good mexican food. i'll let you know!

happy chow!

Answer

for chinese, haven't been in a few years, but i really enjoyed the china gate, in henrietta, on jefferson road. it's a sit-down place, nicely done inside. not too greasy.

Answer

the public market is a great spot

go along park avenue for interesting places

cant beat dinosaur in rochacha its the best of the 3 in that chain

the fish counter at wegmans in brighton is good

i have had some of the best indian and sushi in my visits to rochester

Answer

I just want to say hanks everyone so much for their suggestions!!

Answer

Martini Grille at 176 South Goodman Street is AWESOME! Great food and atmosphere. Small restaurant, only 13 tables, but a daily list of specials that is incredible. It is in the Park Avenue district...visit Parkleigh across the street for some great shopping!

Answer

If you want to splurge a little, you might want to consider Max of Eastman Place:

www.maxofeastmanplace.com

Answer

I would definitely try The Highland Park Diner on South Clinton Ave. The wings at either The Distillery or the Elmwood Inn are very good. They are both on Mt. Hope Ave across the street from Mt Hope Cemetary....I would also recommend a visit to the cemetary as well. I know it sounds crazy, but it's a very beautiful place and some famous folks are buried there.
I also second the 2 Vine suggestion.

Enjoy!

Answer

here is some good info if you are here 

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/405560

Answer

Bistro 135 in East Rochester-minutes from anywhere-is THE place. Wonderful small plate apps. (ever had a lobster tail Frenched?) and creative full dinners. Friendly! And great jazz nightly! Check out their web site.

Answer

We lived in Webster 30 years before moving to Asheville NC. The two places we miss most are Remington's on Merchant Rd in Rochester (nice dining, especially good filets, walleye and king crab legs if they still offer them) and Charley Browns on Penfield Rd about 20 mins from Webster but worth the drive - inexpensive, good drinks, and great bolognese sauce on the italian dishes. If we're ever in town again, that's where we would go.

Answer

Plum Garden - Japanese, a little more formal than casual. 5 -guys burger joint, red robin restaurant, Champps at Eastview Mall(awesome asian rolls, fantastic nachos and burgers). pf changs, also at Eastview Mall, close to expressway!! CW - Pittsford, NY

Answer

I would recommend you go to the Swan Market in the city on Parsells ave. 
www.swanmarket.com German meat market and restaurant, serves beer.

Also try Restaurant Good Luck which is in the Village Gate off Goodman street. www.restaurantgoodluck.com 
I think Good Luck is the best restaurant in Rochester.

I'm pretty dismayed that people here are recommending so many chain restaurants. Stay away from Five Guys, if you want a good "ground round" burger, go to Vic and Irv's or Schallers. Want a fancier burger? Absolutely go to the Gate House in Village Gate. Fantastic burgers and pizza.

Want to get fancy? Go to Lento. Great food, good ambiance, nice wine list. 
Thai? King and I in Henrietta or Phuket in Webster. (Phuket Noodle is a great dish)
Dinosaur and Sticky Lips for BBQ
John's Tex Mex on South for Mexican or El Rincon if you want to make a drive. 
For a pub experience, Try the Old Toad on Alexander. They do Sunday Roasts and curry dinners.
Fancy a bit more upscale pub experience with great food? The Tap and Mallet on Gregory (www.tapandmallet.com)
For wings, Jeremiah's are consistently voted best in town. Me? I prefer Acme Bar and Grill for their burgers. They also frequently have a 2for1 beer special with a ton of craft beers on tap. 
Fish fry? Pittsford Seafood Market on Monroe. 
Diner? James Browns Place on Culver
Want to order a pizza? Nino's on Culver
Garbage plate? Irondequoit Hots all the way.

Hope this helps someone. Need more Rochester info? Feel free to contact me.

Answer

I can't recommend Lento enough. I ate there with friends while in town for a conference, and the food was incredible - fresh, local and bursting with flavor. The heirloom tomato salad was exquisite, and I had a vegetarian entree of local squash stuffed with black beans and pepitas that was just incredible. The fit and goat cheese cream tart that finished off the dinner defies my ability to keep finding superlatives! Great, great food, great atmosphere, and wonderful wait staff.

-----
Lento
274 Goodman St N, Rochester, NY 14607

Answer

I lived in Rochester for a year and my husband and I visit still quite reguarly, so I had to get in on this discussion:

I agree with the King and I. LOVE it! and the service? So fast! 

Park Avenue - we are big fans of Jine's (especially for breakfast) but the other secret is Nathan's Soup and Salad. Very cheap and cheerful, but absolutely delicious! 

I am sure there is another whole discussion on this topic somewhere, but we are big fans of Wegman's flagship store in Pittsford (on Monroe). Between their Fish market, (where they cook in front of you) tea shop, $6 fresh meals, asian/indian/salad buffet, burrito bar, pasta, sushi...its a great place for cheap, healthy food, especially when you are with a bunch of indecisive people. They have a large seating area on the second floor and they show kids movies on Friday and Saturday nights (and they sell popcorn and beer!). 

For italian, Pomodoro's on University has always been a favourite. You need to make reservations on the weekend. They have a bread that comes with roasted garlic which is excellent. 

Pizza - I have quite enjoyed Great Northern Pizza Kitchen which has an excellent herbed crust and isn't greasy. Don't plan on going their late, since they close around 9 or 10. 

I haven't gone, but I have great things about Open Face on South Avenue. 

I also LOVE Philip's European for dessert - dinner, not so great. They are closed Sunday, so don't make the trek there without checking the day of the week. 

Lastly, its not a restaurant, but Stever's homemade candy on Park Avenue is a stop for any foodie who loves a bit of something sweet. They have everything imaginable, but if you can, go for the seasonal chocolate dipped strawberries and raspberries. Also closed on Sunday.

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King and I Restaurant
1455 E Henrietta Rd, Rochester, NY 14623

Open Face
651 South Ave, Rochester, NY 14620

Jines Restaurant
658 Park Ave, Rochester, NY 14607

Answer

Can anyone recommend a restaurant or two in the Greece Area? Specifically near Unity Hospital or the Airport Marriott on Ridge Road West. Or the Fairfield in the airport. I have a construction project up there which will require bi-monthly visits to those areas.

Answer

Thanks to everybody for suggestions. We have reservations for Lento for tomorrow night although our cooking teacher at the Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua prefers Good Luck. The menu at Lento is a little broader, however, and we are going with four other people with different tastes. I'll report back! Will try one of the other suggestions for lunch. You guys are the best. Thanks again.

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Good Luck
50 Anderson Ave, Rochester, NY 14607

Answer

As promised, here is a brief report on Lento. Had the swordfish, served with mussels and a caper sauce. Very flavorful; the swordfish was very well prepared but not the best piece of fish I've ever had. (Above average, though.) Had a kind of pizzetta as an appetizer; the dish was average but the home-made lamb sausage it was topped with was unbelievable. My husband had head cheese for an appetizer -- LOVED IT. He also had a very good rabbit pot pie. Our friends had a grilled wild mushroom salad (fabulous) and lamb chops (pretty good); and lobster bisque (pretty good) and zucchini latkes (pretty good). The dessert was average. The wine and beer list very interesting and mostly local. The atmosphere pleasant; the prices about what I expected. The service was terrific but don't know if we just got lucky in our server. The menu was very ambitious. Our friends (who live in Rochester) say that the menu is always changing and that some of the entrees are usually superb, though it's not always clear which ones those will be.

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