In the final top 10 series for my Finger Lakes tour (And yes, I realize I gave you 16 restaurants – I just couldn’t help it!), I want to share the best places to eat in the Finger Lakes region. As you know there are numerous wineries, breweries and even distilleries along the lake trails, as well as outdoor adventures and museums, but with all this activity, you’re going to need some sustenance. Fortunately, the Finger Lakes is brimming with easy fresh and gourmet options, a little something to suit everyone’s tastes.
16 Best Restaurants in the Finger Lakes Region
Keuka Lake
Hammondsport, New York
The Waterfront Restaurant, is exactly that, a waterfront dining option on Keuka Lake. From easy summer bites to a relaxing four course meal, The Waterfront offers specials throughout the day. Including Keuka Lake’s Original Clammin’ and Jammin’ out on our docks every Sunday, Memorial Day through Labor Day, with free live music and fresh steamed clams.
The Lakeside Tavern & Restaurant
Hammondsport, New York
A restaurant and amusement park established in 1936, The Lakeside has a long tradition on Keuka Lake. Today the restaurant offers spectacular views, indoor seating, a three-level outdoor deck for dining in season and even dock space to park your boat. They offer nightly campfires and a variety of menu options from Italian to American cuisine.
Penn Yan, New York
Authentic Mexican cuisine, the menu at La Cocina features a wide array of great selections, made from fresh and high-quality ingredients. La Cocina offers indoor and outdoor seating, small plates and delectable dishes.
Hammondsport, New York
For a snack with some of the region’s most celebrated wines, the 1886 outdoor terrace at Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery overlooking Keuka Lake opens for the season beginning July 1, offering cheese and wine pairings.
The terrace is located on the rooftop adjacent to the 1886 Reserve Room and offers a stunning view of the historic Dr. Konstantin Frank vineyards and Keuka Lake bluff. This experience offers a selection of seasonal cheeses prepared for each party of two served with four wines of your choice off of the wine menu.
Seneca Lake
F.L.X. Table/FLX Fry Bird/FLX Wienery
Geneva, New York and Dundee, New York
Created by Master Sommelier Christopher Bates, this restaurant trio is a must visit. First up is the F.L.X. Table, one of the Finger Lakes region’s premier dining experiences with only fourteen seats and no barrier between the guests and the kitchen. Each evening a set menu is served based on seasonality of local ingredients.
If you’re looking for something more casual, next door at the F.L.X. Fry Bird you can dine on fried chicken and waffles while sipping Champagne. Yes, it’s a thing! And further south on the lake you’ll come to the F.L.X. Wienery which you can read all about it here (warning: you may drool!) while enjoying some of Master Somm Bates’s personal line of wines, Element Winery.
Hector, New York
You cannot visit the Finger Lakes and not eat at the Stonecat! It is hands-down my favorite restaurant destination in the region. On one trip I actually stopped in three different times!
The expert chefs at Stonecat continue to create and evolve the regional cuisine of the Finger Lakes, using local ingredients and global culinary influences. I mean just click here to glance through the menus!
Open seasonally April through December, the café offers a variety of menu items, including fresh produce from Fox Run’s very own vegetable garden, when available. The chefs take pride in providing high-quality foods from New York State businesses and farmers, and in knowing the people behind the products. Plus you can have a glass of Fox Run wines with lunch!
Lodi, New York
One of my favorite places to dine outdoors on a sunny afternoon with views of the vineyards and Seneca Lake. The Ginny Lee is a Finger Lakes winery restaurant with casual, easy American cuisine and it pairs well with a glass of wine outside.
Lodi, New York
Modeled after a centuries-old Viennese tradition, Dano’s Heuriger on Seneca, America’s first heuriger (pronounced Hoy-rig-er), combines the traditional Viennese Winery Restaurant concept with the region’s award-winning wines and superb Viennese-inspired cuisine.
Dundee, New York
Veraisons is a from-scratch kitchen located at Glenora Cellars, where all the meats, produce, and cheese come from local farms and the fish is sustainably sourced. The kitchen staff pickles, preserves, and puts away local fruits and vegetables for the winter months. They also make their own condiments, sauces, and dressings. Veraisons’ bread is sourced from several local bakers and the desserts are designed and made in-house, including pastries and custards.
Cayuga Lake
Interlaken, New York
Americana Vineyards’ café is a great stop for interesting, full-flavored dishes. From salsa and sauces to soups and bread; house roasted pork and turkey to hand packed burgers; and cheesecake with Baco Noir ganache to Sweet Rosie Brownies. The café strives to use fresh, local and seasonal ingredients so the menus change weekly. I have yet to be disappointed!
Knapp Winery & the Vineyard Café
Romulus, New York
Open on weekends in season (April – November), Knapp Vineyard Restaurant is known for its eclectic, casual, and gourmet meals. Chefs use local ingredients from area farms, including herbs and vegetables from their own garden while offering meals with wine flights or pairings. Located steps away from the tasting room, this winery and restaurant opens to an outdoor patio, shaded by a trellis of grape vines that looks west to the estate vineyards. A perfect setting for a Finger Lakes wine country experience.
Aurora, New York
The Aurora Inn was built in 1833 and its dining room restaurant — the 1833 Kitchen — is known for its respect for local ingredients, farmers and the shared environment. That’s why everything from pasta to ice cream is made from scratch whenever possible, and why they source from local purveyors and responsible harvesters.
Ithaca, New York
Located in the heart of Ithaca’s West End, The Rook takes pride in being the neighborhood spot for elevated-comfort food with a fresh take on your favorite classic flavors. With an approachable passion for food and drink, the three chef’s pride themselves on creating a unique experience for guests that combines time-honored techniques, high-quality ingredients and a hip, professional dining atmosphere.
More Ways To Explore Finger Lakes Wine Country
Old World Wine in the Finger Lakes: A Journey through France, Here in the Finger Lakes
5 Amazing Seneca Lake Wineries To Visit If You Love Dry Red Wine
3 Historic Wineries To Visit on Kueka Lake
How To Explore the Finger Lakes Wine Region According to a Master Sommelier