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The Finger Lakes region of New York is a popular destination due to its many alluring attractions and activities. From booking a boat cruise on the Finger Lakes to visiting the state parks in the area and exploring the Cumming Nature Center, there is always something new to experience in Finger Lakes.
Likewise, there are plenty of dining options to ensure you don’t go sightseeing on an empty stomach. The best Finger Lakes restaurants offer seafood, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and lamb, chicken, or steak dinners.
Read on to learn more about the delicious meals you can choose from and the fun dining establishments in the Finger Lakes region I would highly recommend.
The Best Finger Lakes Restaurants
- Sand Bar
- Red Dove Tavern
- Ports Café
- Kindred Fare
- Warfield’s Restaurant
- Roots Café
- Lucca Wood-Fire Bistro
- Rio Tamatlan
- Mill Creek Cafe
- The Waterfront
- Stonecat Café
- The Lakeside Tavern & Restaurant
- Veraisons
- The Rook
- Elderberry Pond Restaurant
Sand Bar
You can find the Sand Bar restaurant at 770 S Main Street in Canandaigua, New York. This restaurant is open every afternoon and evening on Fridays and Saturdays. You’ll discover the feel of this eatery as quite casual with a fun lake theme. For instance, you’ll find a wooden boat hanging from the rafters!
When I visited this restaurant, I ordered the delicious jumbo shrimp cocktail as an appetizer and the crispy skin salmon, which came with a sweet orange glaze and wild rice.
Red Dove Tavern
The Red Dove Tavern sits on 30 Castle Street in Geneva, New York. This lovely restaurant serves lunch and dinner using the best local ingredients to develop a unique menu. This Red Dove provides a family-friendly atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating.
When I came to this eatery, I enjoyed the roasted sweet potato as an appetizer and lamb meatballs, which included squash, pickled onions, and tasty chickpeas. For dessert, I loved trying the delicious apple crisp with whipped cream.
Ports Café
I discovered the Ports Café on 4432 West Lake Road in Geneva, New York. The fine-dining establishment in the Finger Lakes region serves dinner from Tuesdays through Saturdays. The dining room here is filled with wooden tables and chairs, and the staff is amicable. You can also enjoy outdoor dining under an umbrella.
At the Ports Café, I ordered the tasty house salad and the spicy tandoori chicken as my main meal. I also love ice cream, so I had to try the hot fudge sundae for dessert. It was a perfect end to my meal.
Kindred Fare
The Kindred Fare dining establishment sits on Hamilton Street in Geneva, New York. This eatery serves dinner for dining in or take-out every night of the week. Here, you can enjoy Finger Lakes wines such as Cayuga White wine and Heart and Hands Pinot Noir wine.
I loved trying the grain bowl as my appetizer at this restaurant, followed by the BBQ beef burger with house fries. This exquisite meal provided the perfect end to my day in the Finger Lakes region.
Warfield’s Restaurant
You can find the Warfield’s Restaurant at 7 W Main Street in Clifton Springs, New York. Here, you can enjoy a meal of brunch as well as lunch or dinner. In addition, you can enjoy fine dining at this establishment with its local produce, including vegetarian and seafood dining options.
When I ate here, I tried the tasty pulled pork sliders as my appetizer along with the creamy chicken Thai noodles since I had a big appetite that night.
Roots Café
You can find the Roots Café on Main Street in Naples, New York. This restaurant serves lunch and dinner from Thursdays through Sundays except for Sunday nights. In fact, you can enjoy some delicious Sunday brunch at this eatery.
I enjoyed the atmosphere here, as it was friendly and casual. For my lunch, I ordered a delicious spicy curried chicken salad wrap with some crunchy French fries. I also loved the flavorful Winter Mojito with my meal.
Lucca Wood-Fire Bistro
The Lucca Wood-Fire Bistro stands on Main Street in Victor, New York. You can enjoy lunch or dinner at this restaurant Tuesdays through Sundays. This trendy bistro serves meals indoors by a bar and outdoors under an umbrella.
I found the staff friendly and fun to interact with, while the food was incredible. The meal my family and I ordered included the 16-inch Angelo pizza. I loved the garlicky and crunchy pizza with melted mozzarella and baked tomatoes. You won’t regret checking out this pizza place.
Rio Tomatlan
Do you love Mexican food? Then Rio Tomatlan is a perfect stop in your Finger Lakes vacation. You can check out this restaurant on 106 Bemis Street in Canandaigua, New York. This eatery has a wonderful, friendly atmosphere.
Here, I enjoyed the chicken burrito with salsa as well as the guacamole as my starter. I also loved the pitcher of Sangria that I shared with my friends. It was a very fruity drink blended with red wine and liquor.
Mill Creek Cafe
The Mill Creek Cafe is located on Main Street in Honeoye, New York. This restaurant has a very homey feel and serves food Tuesdays through Fridays.
The meal I enjoyed the most included boneless Maryland fried chicken for my starter and a grilled shrimp burrito. This was a tasty lunch, as it had flavorful Spanish rice, spicy sriracha black beans, and salsa. I especially loved the crunchy tortilla chips with creamy guacamole.
Best of all, this place has an ice cream shop, so I enjoyed two scoops of chocolate ice cream.
The Waterfront
The Waterfront restaurant sits along a large body of water on West Lake Road in Hammondsport, New York. You can view gorgeous boats and blue lake waters right outside the restaurant. You can even enjoy outdoor dining under a large, orange umbrella.
The food I ordered at the Waterfront restaurant included a shrimp cocktail for my appetizer and a salmon salad for a healthy, seafood meal. I loved the fish with fresh veggies and mixed greens.
Stonecat Café
Visit Stonecat Café in Hector, New York if you’d like to have some amazing organic food with live music events. This casual restaurant offers all types of local cuisine, including vegetarian and vegan options.
When I visited this eatery, I enjoyed the pub plate of orange fennel sausage along with a main meal of chicken under a brick. My smoked chicken dinner included tasty andouille sausage stuffing with savory sauteed vegetables.
The Lakeside Tavern & Restaurant
The Lakeside Tavern & Restaurant sits in front of a gorgeous body of water on West Lake Road in Hammondsport, New York. This fine dining establishment provides live music and white tablecloth service.
When I came to this restaurant for dinner, I really enjoyed trying the tuna sashimi as my appetizer, a fresh house salad with Italian dressing, and the flavorful Lakeside burger as my main meal. You won’t regret coming to the Lakeside Tavern for an incredible lunch or dinner!
Veraisons
At the Veraisons restaurant, you can enjoy a fine dining lunch or dinner Thursdays through Sundays. Additionally, you can find the eatery in Dundee, New York, after a day of enjoying the Finger Lakes region.
When I came here, I ordered the lobster and shrimp bisque as a starter, along with the Reef and Beef dinner. I absolutely loved my dinner of a 6-ounce petit filet and lobster with mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies.
The Rook
You can find The Rook establishment on West State Street in Ithaca, New York. This restaurant serves dinners from Tuesdays through Saturdays. Here, you can enjoy outdoor or indoor dining as well as take-out options.
When I came here for dinner, I ordered the delicious salmon rillettes on crunchy crostini bread as my starter and the flavorful Royale burger with fries as my main meal. I also enjoyed the rum punch cocktail alongside my meal.
Elderberry Pond Restaurant
If you’re visiting Auburn, New York, grab some dinner at the Elderberry Pond Restaurant. This fine-dining restaurant serves food with local ingredients from its organic farm. In fact, this eatery overlooks the gorgeous vineyards and orchards where the produce comes from.
I ate a grilled chicken and vegetable skewer at the Elderberry Pond Restaurant as my starter and the steak, organic potatoes, and caramelized red onions as my main meal.
Wrap Up
Exploring Finger Lakes wouldn’t be the same without all the fine restaurants to provide you respite from sightseeing and other activities. With so many delicious foods to choose from, ranging from burritos to lobsters and more, you are bound to find something to your liking here but also get a chance to taste something new if interested.
If you are ready to book your stay in Finger Lakes, consider the various rentals in the area that will meet your needs and expectations for an unforgettable vacation.
Featured Image Credit: Naim Benjelloun
