Nothing says Rochester food lore quite like the mighty Garbage Plate. Whether you are a longtime resident, new to the city or just a visitor, it’s hard to come through the 585 without encountering a plate or two. The origin story of the local legend goes something like this: A couple of college kids came into what was then West Main Texas Hots and ordered “a plate with all that garbage on it.” Alexander Tahou — who, in 1918, founded what would become Nick Tahou Hots — gave them exactly that.
The traditional Garbage Plate is constructed from a hot dog and/or burger, mac salad or beans, home fries, topped with meat sauce and condiment fixings of choice. This writer prefers a burger base, mac salad, a healthy pile of onions, a generous drizzle of mustard and a couple of dashes of hot sauce—Frank’s, if they have it. And this is the “proper” plate order according to Joe Cupia, owner of Fairport Hots.
When the CITY team rolled into Fairport Hots, Cupia yelled to the back, “Danny! I need the best plate of your life: burger, mac, loaded, no funny business.” What came out was heavy, intimidating in presence and delicious in theory. The Fairport Hots Varsity Plate, which runs for the bargain price of $16.49, came out steaming hot, drizzled with French’s (another Rochester original) and large enough to feed a small family.
The plate has made national headlines as Rochester’s signature dish, with stories in “Eater,” its own Wikipedia page and the topic of one of the city’s most heated Reddit threads. When it comes to passionate online discourse, nothing matches the fandom divide on Reddit, debating who serves the best plate in town.
Down the rabbit hole of Rochester plates, a few things are universal. Everyone has a certain way they like a plate — and some people love them; others, not so much — but most importantly, everyone has some sort of nostalgic anecdote regarding the classic plate.
For a city with such a thriving food and beverage scene, it’s fascinating how plates have not only stood the test of time, but become known nationally as the dish of the city. Newcomers will often wonder why — until they don’t. While shooting at Fairport Hots, we reminisced about eating plates late at night and the ensuing stories that came with those memories; it’s a running theme every time the Rochester delicacy is brought up with people of all generations.
With friends, strangers and lovers of all things plate-related, the conversation often starts with preferences on construction and local spots that serve their favorites, then quickly evolves into stories that parallel the enjoyment of a plate. Whether that was biking to the local hots place late at night in high school, enjoying them after a 21st birthday or ending a wedding with plates for everyone — this is a common Rochester experience.
Although the OG (and trademarked) plate is still available at Nick Tahou’s, many places have put their own spin on the Rochester classic, continuing to grow its legacy. These “new-age” interpretations of the classic plate can be found throughout Rochester menus with breakfast, vegan and even burrito renditions.
It’s a dish of regional pride, a part of our coming-of-age stories and something we associate with the adventures of living in Rochester. Regardless of one’s stance on the plate, it will always exist to remind us what it means to ‘grow up’ in this city.
Joe Morrell and Abby Quatro are contributors to CITY.
This article appears in Oct 1-31, 2024.
