Kasius Dukes

BEST ICE CREAM

Pittsford Farms Dairy

44 N. Main St., Pittsford | 585-586-6610 pittsfordfarmsdairy.com

The Pittsford Farms Dairy was founded in 1888 and was once best known for its scientific agriculture and prize-winning Jersey cattle. Today, the dairy is best known for its delectable, made-from-scratch ice cream. Raw milk from local farms forms the foundation of the dairy’s dozens of flavors, including favorites like Grasshopper Pie (mint ice cream with Oreo cookie and a fudge swirl), Landslide (chocolate ice cream, chocolate crunch, and peanut butter), and Coconut Almond Crunch (pretty much what it sounds like), that can be had by the cone, the dish, and the quart. The dairy’s primary retail outlet, built in 2012 in the heart of Pittsford Village, has a comforting farmhouse aesthetic that leaves visitors feeling like they just got home. Eating in? Pull up one of the old metal milk cans that double as seats and indulge under the chandeliers made of glass milk bottles. Taking your cone to go? The Erie Canal path is just a few steps away. Are you a city dweller who isn’t up for the drive to Pittsford but has a hankering for Cow Tracks with hot fudge? The dairy has a location at Park Avenue and Somerton Street next to Cafe Sasso. Finalists:Abbott’s Frozen Custard Hedonist | LuGia’s Ice Cream

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BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

The Pasta Villa

1313 East Ridge Road | 585-266-2676 thepastavilla.com

Pasta Villa sets the bar for classic, Italian-American comfort food. Its menu is loaded with carb-heavy, liberally sauced offerings, done extremely well and served in gargantuan portions. While you’ll find plenty of welltrodden offerings like eggplant parmigiana and ravioli, the Pasta Anthony, a garlicky concoction accompanied by clams and olives, is a standout. Finalists:Restaurant Fiorella | Rocco | Vern’s

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BEST LUNCH SPOT

Magnolia’s Deli & Cafe

366 Park Ave. | 585-271-7380 magnoliascafe.com

Next year, this ultra-popular Park Avenue eatery marks its 20th anniversary. It’s also the only restaurant in town that can say it was good enough for President Barack Obama, who dined there during a visit in 2013. You can even order what he ate. Magnolia’s menu includes a robust selection of sandwiches and salads, with some soups as FILE PHOTO well. It also serves pizza, which comes with a cutter so you can size the slices to your liking. Finalists:Dogtown | Jine’s Restaurant | Voula’s Greek Sweets

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Neno’s

642 Monroe Ave. | 585-978-7210 nenosmexican.com

Neno’s journey began in a tiny 10-foot trailer and has since expanded to multiple food trucks, two restaurant locations (642 Monroe and 695 Park avenues), and an outpost in Canandaigua’s Star Cidery. Coming from Mexico to Rochester in 2007 with his siblings, Neno’s chef and founder, Fidelio Rita Jr., and his FILE PHOTO family have worked their way to achieving the American dream. Tacos are where to start at Neno’s, but you’ll be back for more, and when you do, try the enormous tortas and the savory mole enchiladas. Neno’s food speaks for itself, fresh and full of flavor with Rita’s passion for authenticity in every bite. Finalists:Monte Alban | Old Pueblo Grill | Salena’s Mexican Restaurant

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Strangebird

62 Marshall St. | 585-505-8700 strangebirdbeer.com

Strangebird made waves in the local beer world upon its opening, defined by its fixation on odd, barrel-fermented offerings from wood-aging auteur Eric Salazar. Accompanying those libations is Chef Nate Stahl’s playful menu of innovative pub classics. While Stahl has found ways to tread new ground on something as familiar as pizza and Caesar salad, the star of the show is undoubtedly the smoked maple Buffalo chicken wings. An inventive take on a region-defining snack, just the thought of these sweet and spicy flavor bombs is drool-inducing. Finalists:Adelita’s | Crisp | Le Petit Petinourie | Peach Blossom

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

Genesee Brew House

25 Cataract St. | 585-263-9200 geneseebeer.com/brewhouse

Genesee Brewing Co. has a long legacy in Rochester. Genny Light? The Genny Girl? Cream Ale, anyone? But the brewery’s Genesee Brew House has made a name for itself with its tasty pub-style fare and spectacular view. After being welcomed at the front door by a museum chronicling the evolution of the company since its founding in 1878, visitors find their way upstairs to the restaurant and an outdoor dining terrace with a glorious vista of one of Rochester’s natural landmarks — the cascading High Falls. From their perch on the patio, diners can soak in a panorama of the historic High Falls District and the Rochester skyline while soaking up the mustard with one of the restaurant’s celebrated Bavarian pretzels. Wash it all down with a sampling from the 16 taps pouring the freshest beer the brewery can serve. The patio is heated and enclosed with glass panels during the colder months, making for a pleasant dining experience with a view year round. Finalists:Aladdin’s | The Owl House | Trata

BEST PIZZA

Pizza Wizard

760 S. Clinton Ave. | 585-565-4557 pizzawizard.pizza

What sorcery is this?! A win for Pizza Wizard solidifies it as a force on the burgeoning local pizza scene. Specializing in Detroit-style pizza, Wizard serves square pies that hit all the notes a native Michigander would look for and that Rochester obviously wants: An airy but crisp crust; Wisconsin Brick cheese piled high and to the edges; and two thick stripes of red sauce topping it off. Behind the restaurant’s success are chef James Revels and Brian Van Etten, chef and co-owner of Playhouse/Swillburger. Pizza Wizard’s pizza is serious business, but as its name suggests, the restaurant is creative and playful with its rotating menu. Pies called “El Meat Man” and “The Side Piece” make it hard not to laugh with your mouth full. Finalists:Mark’s Pizzeria | Peels on Wheels | Pizza Stop

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Another great pie . . .

Peels on Wheels

1157 Culver Road | 585-355-4111 peelsonwheelspizza.com

I thought I was passionate about pizza until I met Peels on Wheels owner Luis Perez. Turns out, I was only passionate about eating it. Perez can talk for hours on end about dough fermentation alone. His devotion to the craft is evident in every slice. Peels marries elements of New York-style and traditional Neapolitan pizza, and the results are glorious. Like a true master, Perez shows his versatility and prowess in other popular styles, offering Detroit-style pizza on Motor-City Wednesdays and Sicilian and Grandma (my personal favorite) pizza on what he calls “Thicc Thursdays.” Following years of Peels being on wheels, Perez has parked the Italian-imported Piaggio Ape truck oven in the Beechwood garage/pizza shop his operation has called home since 2021. Perez himself is constantly on the move, though, traveling for education and collaboration. DARIO JOSEPH BEST RESTAURANT

Good Luck

50 Anderson Ave. | 585-340-6161 restaurantgoodluck.com

Owner Chuck Cerankosky has made a name for himself on the local restaurant circuit for inventive, hip eateries, with the likes of Lucky’s and Cure. But Good Luck is clearly his standout joint. This Neighborhood of the Arts staple specializes in rustic fusion dishes drawing influence from Italian, French, Japanese, and virtually every other culinary tradition under the sun, set against a backdrop of dimly lit ambience and one-of-akind cocktails that our readers voted to be the best in Rochester. Finalists:REDD | Strangebird | Vern’s

Altro . . .

Velvet Belly

3 Rochester Public Market | 585-413-0825 velvet-belly.com

Chef Jeremy Nucelli is a mad scientist, and Velvet Belly, the seafoodfocused upscale restaurant at the Rochester Public Market, is his laboratory. His innovative approach to food leads to a menu that always feels new and fresh. From the decadent sushi, including the jaw dropping miso and scallop-topped TNT roll, to the deconstructed steak-and-potatoes take on beef tartare, Velvet Belly is a masterwork of culinary ingenuity. Words can hardly summarize the experience, but my best description came upon tasting the broth of the shellfish stew: “This is art.” GINO FANELLI

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DESSERTS

Phillip’s European

26 Corporate Woods | 585-272-9910 phillipseuropean.com

No need to save room, just go straight for the desserts at Phillips European. Known by locals as Rochester’s premier destination for cakes, tortes, pies, sundaes, and everything else you wish you could eat while watching “The Great British Bake Off,” this restaurant has the antidote to your sweet tooth’s craving. The storied chocolate raspberry torte at this place has a cult following due to its balanced combination of raspberry jam, white chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache. If chocolate isn’t your thing, Phillips has a variety of fruity confections, such as the Viennese meringue torte. Multiple layers of meringue and sponge create a slice of heaven. Phillips is the perfect spot to celebrate with friends or to escape from everyday life on your own and treat yourself. Finalists:Caramel Bakery and Bar | The Red Fern White Rabbit Dessert Experience