Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Rochester area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Rochester 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 Rochester 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., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Rocco
- Rating: 3.9/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 165 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#29. The Angry Goat Pub
- Rating: 3.9/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 938 Clinton Ave. South Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pubs, American, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Max Chophouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1456 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Gio's Prime 26
- Rating: 4.0/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 26 Broadway Rochester, New York
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#26. The Vesper
- Rating: 4.1/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Capron St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Sinbad's Mediterranean Cuisine
- Rating: 4.1/5 (379 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 719 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Rooney's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 90 Henrietta St. Roch, New York
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Blue Ridge Grill
- Rating: 4.1/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3400 West Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Branca Midtown
- Rating: 4.1/5 (190 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 280 East Broad St. Ste 100 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Bernard's Grove
- Rating: 4.1/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 187 Long Pond Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Phillips European Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (304 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 Corporate Woods Rochester, New York
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Cure
- Rating: 4.1/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Public Market St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, French, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Guido's Pasta Villa
- Rating: 4.1/5 (301 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1313 East Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Edibles Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 704 University Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Nosh
- Rating: 4.2/5 (646 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 47 Russell St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Asian Fusion, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Ristorante Lucano
- Rating: 4.2/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1815 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Swiftwater Brewery
- Rating: 4.2/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 378 Mount Hope Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Brewpubs, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#13. The Owl House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (912 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 75 Marshall St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Brown Hound Downtown
- Rating: 4.2/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 University Ave. Memorial Art Gallery Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Michael's Valley Grill
- Rating: 4.3/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1694 Penfield Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Mamma G's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2133 East Henrietta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Tapas 177 Lounge
- Rating: 4.3/5 (357 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 177 Saint Paul St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Good Luck Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (823 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 50 Anderson Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Burgers, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Coco Garden
- Rating: 4.4/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 420 Jefferson Road Ste 12 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Malaysian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Signatures At The Humphrey House
- Rating: 4.4/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1783 Penfield Road Penfield, New York
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Avvino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2541 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Polizzi's
- Rating: 4.6/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 274 Goodman St. North Ste D-108 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Atlas Eats Kitchen & Bake Shop
- Rating: 4.6/5 (296 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2185 North Clinton Ave. Irondequoit, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Chortke
- Rating: 4.7/5 (316 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 352 Goodman St. North Rochester, New York
- Categories: Persian/Iranian, New American, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Swan Market
- Rating: 4.8/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 231 Parsells Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Meat Shops, German, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
