Back in the day, restaurateurs brought the Old Country with them to America. Authentic dishes brought back memories to those who were raised in that country. To others, it was excellent food. Today, four and five star chefs define a city with their creations. For example, in the South, you would expect to find typical Southern foods like fried chicken and barbecue. And you will, with a twist from a five-star chef. So what kinds of food define Rochester’s University Avenue? http://hannaproperties.com/locations/university-ave-nota-rochester/
Good Luck
50 Anderson Ave.
The first to bring Rochester “social” dining, Good Luck serves its menu all at one time, while diners share directly from the plates. Their signature dish is a one pound burger they grind in the kitchen and a ton of crisp French fries.
Dinosaur BBQ
Lehigh Valley Railroad Station
Since we were mentioning barbecue, let’s begin with the best in New York. Just called Dinosaur, smoky meats, their own line of sauces and homemade sides do a great job of defining Rochester. The décor is homey and rustic, the music bluesy and the food, well, you’ll have a bit of a wait, because the place is always jammed. But it’s worth the wait.
Highland Park Diner
960 S. Clinton Ave.
Most diners try hard to imitate the original box car setting with the 50s-speckled upholstery and chrome everything else. This place is the only diner in operation from the original company, who began in 1948. That makes the originality beyond question. However, this diner doesn’t just do diner food. It does it 20 to 30 different ways and all of it done well. French toast cooked with challah? Homemade corned beef hash? Fifteen versions of burgers, 15 salads, deli sandwiches and up to 30 ways to make Eggs Benedict? Yeah, this diner is a credit to Rochester.
Dogtown
691 Monroe Ave.
Some days only a dog will do, so you pull into Dogtown. Salivating, you know that the dogs are reasonably priced. You can’t wait to see what the cooks will throw on your dog today. It could be sauerkraut, baked beans and feta or it could be coleslaw, bacon and home fries. Whatever they toss on it today, it will be filling and taste out of this world.
The Kitchen
5 S. Main St., Pittsford
For high end dining, four to nine course dinners are few and far between. Chefs well versed enough to cook and plate them correctly are fewer. Elegant décor and food make The Kitchen an experience not to forget. Chef Cipolla uses only food fresh from the farm and seafood from Browne Trading Company, who’s personally chosen fish grace restaurants country-wide. His plating technique is not only appealing, but it highlights the cooking methods used with meats and vegetables.
Swan Market
231 Parsells Ave.
The old country food we discussed above can be found here. Authentic German cuisine combined with German-style deli meats prepared in-house is just unbeatable. Affordable, too.