Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Rochester by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Rochester using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Genesee Brewing Company
- Rating: 3.9/5 (677 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 25 Cataract St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: American, Breweries
- Read more on Yelp
#29. The French Quarter
- Rating: 3.9/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 534 West Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Park Avenue Pub & Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 650 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Wine Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Sinbad's Mediterranean Cuisine
- Rating: 4.1/5 (364 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 719 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Han Noodle Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (711 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 600 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Chinese, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Guido's Pasta Villa
- Rating: 4.2/5 (279 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1313 East Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Mamma G's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (363 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2133 East Henrietta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Coco Garden
- Rating: 4.4/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 420 Jefferson Road Ste 12 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Malaysian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Chortke
- Rating: 4.7/5 (276 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 352 Goodman St. North Rochester, New York
- Categories: Persian/Iranian, New American, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Pane Vino On the River
- Rating: 3.9/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 175 North Water St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Lamplighter Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 831 Fetzner Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Black & Blue Steak and Crab
- Rating: 3.9/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3349 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. The Revelry
- Rating: 3.9/5 (536 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1290 University Ave. Ste A Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Rocco
- Rating: 3.9/5 (322 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 165 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Max Chophouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1456 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#15. The Vesper
- Rating: 4.0/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Capron St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Trio
- Rating: 4.0/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3423 Winton Place Rochester, New York
- Categories: Lounges, New American, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tournedos Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 26 Broadway Rochester, New York
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Branca Midtown
- Rating: 4.1/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 280 East Broad St. Ste 100 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Phillips European Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (277 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 Corporate Woods Rochester, New York
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Cure
- Rating: 4.1/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Public Market St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, French, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bernard's Grove
- Rating: 4.1/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 187 Long Pond Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Cub Room
- Rating: 4.1/5 (304 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 739 South Clinton Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ristorante Lucano
- Rating: 4.2/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1815 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Nosh
- Rating: 4.2/5 (623 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 47 Russell St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Owl House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (877 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 75 Marshall St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Tapas 177 Lounge
- Rating: 4.3/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 177 Saint Paul St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Michael's Valley Grill
- Rating: 4.3/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1694 Penfield Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Avvino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (374 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2541 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Polizzi's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 274 Goodman St. North Ste D-108 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
