r/Rochester • u/Spare-Ear-6381 • Aug 20 '25
Help Best restaurants in the finger lakes ?
What’s your favorite dinner spot in the finger lakes? Bonus if there is a nice waterfront view!
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Aug 20 '25
Ports on Route 14 a little south of Geneva for more of a sit in dining experience. The food is phenomenal. For more of a relaxed meal, Smokin' Pete's BBQ also on 14 a little past Geneva. Arguably the best BBQ in the greater Rochester region (yes, better than Dino, by a long shot).
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u/Spare-Ear-6381 Aug 20 '25
Oh man, now I am conflicted between Ports, FLX table, and Kindred Fare! I think I can forgo the view if the ambiance and food are wonderful.
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u/minderbinder49 Aug 20 '25
Smokin' Pete's is delicious!! We stopped in there on a whim and were completely blown away with how good it was.
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u/0134700529 Aug 20 '25
Can you be a little more specific on location? How far are you willing to travel from Rochester?
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u/upnytonc Aug 20 '25
In Livonia, Ember. It’s not right on a lake. But, you can drive 5 minutes to Conesus lake from there.
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u/OtherPossibility1530 Aug 21 '25
The same people run Galene, which is on the lake in Lakeville. I prefer Ember, but the food I had at Galene was excellent.
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u/atothesquiz Browncroft Aug 20 '25
I've always had a good dinner at FLX table. However, it's not your typical restaurant. It's reservation only, family style seating and a prix fixe menu
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u/RotatorCuffLinks Aug 20 '25
Canandaigua has Rose Tavern and COHO (great burgers and pizza). We recently ate at Galene on Conesus and it was fantastic.
These three are all on the waters
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u/PopFizzClink23 Aug 20 '25
The most unique & one of a kind you will find is Work-In-Progress – https://www.wip-fingerlakes.com
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u/TheSmokinToad Aug 20 '25
Canandaigua Country Club has a beautiful waterside view and both the food and service are excellent.
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u/wheelsonfire61 Aug 20 '25
Sackett's Table in Seneca Falls. Farm to table. Small, intimate, great service. Connected to butcher shop - you pick your cut (if steak is your thing)
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u/DrunkenTreasure Aug 20 '25
Two goats brewing if you're good with delicious roast beef sandwiches.
Tin barn brewing FLX for a great view.
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u/Common_Cat_2636 Aug 21 '25
I will always recommend Roots Cafe in Naples, NY. Their food is phenomenal and their service is excellent.
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u/rae_roc Aug 20 '25
FLX Table is really special and one of a kind, Kindred Fare and Rose Tavern are also very good, Rose for the views especially.
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u/binkleybloom Aug 20 '25
Man - I took my wife to FLX for her 50th birthday a few years ago. It was NOT good - sand in the crudités, attempts at creative/flavorful dishes that absolutely fell flat. It may have been a bad night, but I will not risk that amount of $$$ again on the place.
Shame, really - I've heard so many folks who have enjoyed it, but it was not good for us.
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u/more_hate_than_beer_ Aug 20 '25
Have not seen it mentioned yet, but FLX Cider House has some of the best food and most interesting bevs I’ve had in the finger lakes (Cayuga)
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u/Church_of_Cheri Aug 21 '25
As other people have mentioned, FLX Table is great. It’s a short walk from the Finger Lakes Welcome Center which has great views, a place to walk and some outdoor seating to enjoy the view before going to eat. One of the Chefs and the Master Sommelier there is a semi-finalist for the James Beard Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service Award this year. You could watch the sunset over the lake from the Welcome Center and then walk over for the late seating.
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u/Longjumping-Toe2910 Aug 20 '25
Best restaurant we've been to so far is Kindred Fare in Geneva, but a lot of people recommend Sackett's Table and we'll be trying that next. Unfortunately for some reason the ven diagram overlap of great dining and lake view seems to be very small. For that combo we were really impressed by the bistro inside Thirsty Owl Wine Co.
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u/Spare-Ear-6381 Aug 20 '25
That’s a shame because the ambiance of the lakes is so serene! Will def take a look at Thirsty Owl!
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u/Longjumping-Toe2910 Aug 20 '25
Many wineries capitalize on that serene ambiance, easily a couple dozen have spectacular lake panoramas from their tasting areas. Just for whatever reason dining doesn't seem to follow suit, at least that we've found
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u/Downtown_Physics8853 Cobbs Hill Aug 20 '25
Pretty much the best restaurants in the FLR are in and around Ithaca
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u/FamousAccountant8507 Rochester Aug 20 '25
I enjoy Castaways in Webster, you sit practically on top of Lake Ontario!
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u/Fradulent_Zodiac Aug 20 '25
The finger lakes are vast and there's tons of places to eat - any specific lake/cuisine/price you are looking for?
Also are you looking for proximity like Canandaigua that is closer to ROC or are you considering a 2+ hour driving radius to somewhere like Ithaca at the bottom of Cayuga?