Best of Rochester

Nightlife, music, theater, and art, CITY readers know them by heart . . .

Perhaps more than any other year in recent memory, 2020 seems like an odd and unsettling time to be celebrating what’s “best” in our community. While there is certainly much of which to be proud about the Greater Rochester area and the people who call it home, the death of Daniel Prude and the effects […]

In addition to the results from your “Best of” ballots, we’ve got CITY’s own picks for local places and activities that are worth spotlighting. Kate Stathis provides an overview of pizzerias named after “Tony,” Renée Heininger writes about outdoor activities that are conducive in the COVID era, and Leah Stacy highlights the nature wine pop-up store of Aldaskeller Wine Co.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how to make the best of a bad situation. With that in mind, we present our annual Best of Rochester readers’ poll.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how to make the best of a bad situation. With that in mind, we present our annual Best of Rochester readers’ poll.

OFF-THE CUFF, SOMETIMES OFF-COLOR RESPONSES TO OUR BEST OF ROCHESTER 2019 PRIMARY BALLOT

BEST YOUNG FARMER: Eric Houppert of Deep Root Farm There are myriad categories featuring food in the Best of Rochester awards, but nothing about the people growing (and supplying) local ingredients behind the scenes. Several years ago, Macedon resident Eric Houppert made the jump from graphic designer to farmhand at Mud Creek Farms in Victor. […]

BEST FOOD AND DRINK BEST PIZZA The Pizza Stop Several area locations; pizzastop1.com Mark’s Pizzeria | Pontillo’s Pizzeria | Salvatore’s BEST BURGER Bill Gray’s Many area locations. billgrays.com The Gate House | Restaurant Good Luck | Swillburger BEST BARBECUE Dinosaur Bar-B-Que 99 Court Street, (585) 325-7090; dinosaurbarbque.com Good Smoke BBQ | Sticky Lips | Texas […]

BEST GOODS AND SERVICES BEST BIKE SHOP Park Ave Bike 600 Jay Scutti Boulevard, (585) 427-2110; 3400 Monroe Avenue, (585) 381-3080. parkavebike.com Bike Zone | Full Moon Vista | Towpath Bike BEST FITNESS TRAINER Molly Flaherty at M/Body 1048 University Avenue, (585) 434-2608; mbodyrochester.com Anthony Caruso (Samsons Powerhouse) | Julian Darrohn (World Gym) | Lore […]

BEST LOCAL COLOR BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST GROUP Girls Rock! Rochester girlsrockrochester.org Hope Dealers BTC | Metro Justice | Out Alliance BEST SOURCE OF ROCHESTER PRIDE Wegmans Many area locations. wegmans.com Frederick Douglass | Garbage plates | Out Alliance BEST LOCAL MEN’S SPORTS TEAM Red Wings @rocredwings; redwingsbaseball.com Amerks | Flower City Fear | Knighthawks BEST […]