
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Elmira area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Elmira area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all 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 and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 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 chefs' 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, 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 the Elmira area 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., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#5. Tanino Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 3.2/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1-3 Ithaca Road Horseheads, New York
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Giuseppe's Pizzeria & Restaurant
- Rating: 3.4/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1020 Center St. Horseheads, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Roundin' Third Sports Grill
- Rating: 3.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 255 West Water St. Elmira, New York
- Categories: Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Lib's Supper Club
- Rating: 3.8/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 106 West 5th St. Elmira, New York
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Hill Top Inn
- Rating: 3.9/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 171 Jerusalem Hill Road Elmira, New York
- Categories: New American, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.