The Finger Lakes Restaurants

We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Finger Lakes - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.

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  • 1. Aurora Inn

    $$

    Well appointed but not overdone, the Aurora Inn is the spot for fine dining in town. The food is mostly classic American and the seasonal menu uses many fresh, local ingredients. Dinner could be veal Oscar (with crab cakes and béarnaise sauce), pan-seared scallops, or rack of lamb. The pastry chef whips up decadent desserts. You can eat inside or out: the formal dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows opens out onto a spacious patio overlooking Cayuga Lake. Breakfast is served daily.

    391 Main St., Aurora, New York, 13026, USA
    315-364--8888

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 2. Balloons

    $

    Since 1934, Balloons has been a local favorite for its prompt service, uncomplicated menu, and warm welcome. The concrete wall of the Auburn Correctional Facility is right across the street, but Balloons, with its original art-deco decor, is a transporting experience. Sizzling steaks are the specialty, but you can also go for heaping platters of spaghetti and meatballs, surf and turf, or rattlesnake pasta (chicken and pasta with a spicy chipotle sauce), all accompanied by an iceberg salad topped with the original secret-recipe house dressing.

    67 Washington St., Auburn, New York, 13021, USA
    315-252--9761

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.--Mon., Credit cards accepted
  • 3. Bully Hill Restaurant

    $

    A spectacular view of Keuka Lake awaits you at this breezy patio café, part of the Bully Hill Vineyards. The food is eclectic: Maryland crab cakes, buffalo burgers, or sage-and-prosciutto-stuffed chicken breast with three-cheese fettuccine. Lunch includes sandwiches and salads. Bully Hill wines are available, of course.

    8843 Greyton H. Taylor Mem. Dr., Hammondsport, New York, 14840, USA
    607-868--3610

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner, Credit cards accepted
  • 4. Casa de Pasta

    $$

    Tucked away on a side street in downtown Canandaigua, this Italian restaurant offers an intimate setting with burgundy linens and candles on each table. The menu includes shrimp scampi, homemade potato gnocchi, and braciola (thin slices of beef rolled with a filling of prosciutto, sliced egg, Parmesan, and onions).

    125 Bemis St., Canandaigua, New York, 14424, USA
    585-394--3710

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon., no lunch, Credit cards accepted
  • 5. Castel Grisch

    $

    Strudel, Swiss fondue, sauerbraten, and schnitzels highlight the largely German and Hungarian menu at this restaurant, part of Castel Grisch winery. In warm weather you can sit on a veranda taking in the vineyards, hills, and the lake in the distance. Steak and duck preparations, as well as American fare (burgers and such), also are available.

    3380 County Rd.28, Watkins Glen, New York, 14891, USA
    607-535--9614

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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  • 6. Clam Bar

    $

    More clams are sold here than anywhere else in the region, according to the Clam Bar, which also serves lobster, haddock, steaks, and chicken, plus daily specials. Clams come raw, steamed, in marinara sauce, and with garlic, butter, and wine. A full bar rounds out this comfortable, family-owned North Syracuse spot, which opened in 1959 in an old farmhouse.

    3914 Brewerton Rd., North Syracuse, New York, 13212, USA
    315-458--1662

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 7. Coleman's

    $

    Crawl through the little front door built for the "wee people" and you'll understand why this restaurant is the center of Tipperary Hill, Syracuse's Irish neighborhood. (Don't worry: there's also a regular-size entrance.) Green beer flows freely every March 17, and corned beef and cabbage and open-faced Reubens lead the menu year-round. Also available: shepherd's pie, seafood, and burgers. The cozy wood-paneled, two-story pub has several fireplaces. There's a full bar and Irish bands play Thursday through Sunday. Patio dining is a summer option.

    100 South Lowell Ave., Syracuse, New York, 13204, USA
    315-476--1933

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 8. Connie's Diner

    $

    The chrome-trimmed diner, run by the Caratozzolo family, serves nothing except tasty comfort food. Eggplant Parmesan, linguine with clam sauce, and liver and onions are popular dishes. The lasagna is made from an old family recipe. The homemade pies—especially the coconut cream and raspberry—are glorious. Connie's is 3 mile west of Seneca Falls.

    205 E. Main St., Waterloo, New York, 13165, USA
    315-539--9556

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon., No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
  • 9. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

    $

    What started as a darling of the biker crowd has evolved into a regional hot spot for pork sandwiches, barbecued ribs, and, on most nights, live blues. Chicken, beef, and pork are prepared barbecue, Cajun, and even Cuban style. Try a side of salt potatoes for some local flavor. On Friday and Saturday, waits can run as long as 90 minutes; the full-service bar, with 17 beers on tap, helps pass the time. In July and August, you can eat at one of the sidewalk picnic tables.

    246 W. Willow St., Syracuse, New York, 13202, USA
    315-476--4937

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
  • 10. Doug's Fish Fry

    $$

    Go for the fried-fish sandwich and clam chowder, stay for the down-home atmosphere at this Skaneateles institution. The menu, posted over the counter where orders are taken, also includes steamed clams, fried shrimp, grilled chicken, frankfurters, and ice cream. Drop by Friday for lobster bisque. The counter staff shouts your name when your order is ready. Sit in the dining room under watch of the colorful mural of Skaneateles, at an outdoor picnic table, or take it to go.

    8 Jordan St., Skaneateles, New York, 13152, USA
    315-685--3288

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
  • 11. Eric's Office

    $$

    Vintage signs and photos and tablecloths printed with Victorian-era newsprint add interest to this casual place on the north end of town. The menu is a mix of bar food, salads, wraps, and sandwiches: batter-fried shrimp, a Reuben, a chicken BLT, burgers, chips topped with shredded cheddar and bacon. The dinner menu adds entrées to the mix, such as beef tenderloin dusted with coffee, chocolate, and spices, pan-seared and served with a port wine sauce. Locals warm the stools in the front-room bar.

    2574 County Rd. 28, Canandaigua, New York, 14424, USA
    585-394--8787

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 12. Fargo Bar & Grill

    $

    A brick building across the street from the Aurora Inn houses this tavern, a once-crusty bar now outfitted with dark-wood paneling, rough-hewn beams, and crackling fireplaces. The food is pub fare with a bit of flair. The most popular item is the burger, topped with raw or caramelized onions and a choice of cheese, served with hand-cut fries. Also on the menu are pulled-pork sandwiches, spicy black bean burgers, and barbecue chicken sandwiches with apple-smoked bacon. A TV resides over the bar and there's a pool table in back.

    384 Main St., Aurora, New York, 13026, USA
    315-364--8006

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 13. Hazelnut Kitchen

    $

    A cozy spot with checkered-tile flooring, mismatched silverware, and an open kitchen, this restaurant serves up rustic-elegant meals without pretension. The chefs, Philly transplants, use local locally grown produce, grass-fed beef, and cheeses from local dairies. The menu changes monthly, but past diners have tucked into cheddar-and–Ithaca Nut Brown Ale soup, pâté made in-house on baguette toasts with Dijon mustard, jam, and cornichons and grilled hanger steak with hand-cut fries and malt-vinegar aioli.

    53 E Main St., Trumansburg, New York, 14886, USA
    607-387--4433

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.--Wed., Credit cards accepted
  • 14. Hill Top Inn

    $

    A giant wreath with a shamrock beckons from a hill, making this family-owned restaurant, in operation since 1933, hard to miss. The menu has mostly seafood, steak, and chops: filet mignon, scallops in cheese-and-cream sauce, and Irish surf and turf (with lamb chop and langostinos). Open-air dining is an option on the deck and terrace.

    171 Jerusalem Hill Rd., Elmira, New York, 14901, USA
    607-732--6728

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 15. John Thomas Steakhouse

    $$$

    A two-story 1848 farmhouse on the grounds of La Tourelle Country Inn is home to this restaurant that specializes in grilled meats but also serves chicken and fish dishes (and a vegetarian entrée). Filet mignon, prime rib, strip steak, and porterhouse are among the choices. Sides, such as garlicky mashed potatoes, are served family style. In summer you may eat outside on the deck, with views of the lawns, gardens, and La Tourelle. The restaurant is about 3 mi south of downtown, near Buttermilk Falls State Park.

    1152 Danby Rd., Ithaca, New York, 14850, USA
    607-273--3464

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 16. Just a Taste

    $

    On the Commons, this tapas place is a bistro-style storefront that manages to be romantic despite the fact that you're sitting elbow to elbow with other diners. Menus of small plates might include rare grilled flank steak with homemade kimchi, marinated scallops with walnut-garlic aioli, or spinach salad with pears, goat cheese, and bacon. Small portions mean room for dessert; don't overlook the cornmeal shortbread with a wine-soaked dried-fruit compote and whipped cream. This tiny place gets packed, even on weeknights.

    116 N. Aurora St., Ithaca, New York, 14850, USA
    607-277--9463

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
  • 17. Knapp Winery Restaurant

    $

    Part of a winery 11 mi south of Seneca Falls, this eatery uses fresh produce grown in its own gardens. The food is contemporary, and the menu changes every two months. Try crab cakes with chipotle aioli or salmon over white-truffle risotto, or choose from burgers, wraps, and salads. The covered patio overlooking the flower garden and vineyard is nice in warm weather. The restaurant is open daily till 5 pm.

    2770 County Rd. 128, Romulus, New York, 14541, USA
    607-930--3495

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.--Thurs. Nov., Credit cards accepted
  • 18. Lakeside Restaurant

    $

    This casual spot—one of the best choices in the area for lake views—occupies an 1880s cottage on the west side of Keuka Lake. The food is American: prime rib, fried shrimp, bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin, barbecue chicken, a variety of steaks and chops, and a Friday fish fry. Outside, a fire pit and 150 seats overlook the bluff of Keuka Lake.

    13780A W. Lake Rd., Hammondsport, New York, 14840, USA
    607-868--3636

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.--Tues., Credit cards accepted
  • 19. Market Street Brewing Co.

    $$

    Five beers—two lagers, and a red, pale, and dark ale—are brewed on-site throughout the year. Each season brings one or two specialty brews. The kitchen incorporates Thai, Southwestern, Mexican, Caribbean, and Italian influences, among others, in dishes such as pork osso buco, Jamaican jerk chicken, a salmon fillet glazed with the brewery's D'Artagnan ale, coconut-battered shrimp appetizer. Sandwiches and burgers are also available. Beer suggestions accompany entrée descriptions.

    63 W Market St., Corning, New York, 14830, USA
    607-936--2337

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.--Mon. in winter, Credit cards accepted
  • 20. Moosewood

    $

    Since its founding in 1973, this downtown restaurant has been at the forefront in the field of creative vegetarian cooking, and its cookbooks are known worldwide. The menu changes daily, and everything is prepared from fresh ingredients. Past menus have included spinach-and-cheese ravioli in a red-pepper-basil sauce and haddock with lemon, thyme, tomatoes, and topped with dill pesto. A vegan option is always available. The setting is casual: chunky blond-wood tables and booths and lively conversation fill the space. You may also dine outside on a patio.

    215 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, New York, 14850, USA
    607-273--9610

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted

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