Best Public Park: Highland Park

January 01, 2023

Monica Ortiz and David Treu, of Greece, picnic in the shade at Highland Park. - PHOTO BY LAUREN PETRACCA

PHOTO BY LAUREN PETRACCA
Monica Ortiz and David Treu, of Greece, picnic in the shade at Highland Park.

Highland Park
450 Highland Ave. | 585-753-PARK
monroecounty.gov/parks

When readers selected Highland Park to win this category, they handed the victory to Rochester’s first public park. It also happens to be the most intact Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park in Rochester’s system. Highland is most readily associated with its lilacs and the yearly Lilac Festival, but the original section of the 150-acre park functions as an arboretum. Winding paths follow rolling lawns that pass through flowering trees, bushes, and gardens. The park’s stand of magnolias is brilliant when in bloom.

Finalists: Cobbs Hill Park | Ellison Park | Mendon Ponds Park

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Best Bloody Mary: The Revelry

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Best Craft Brewery: Three Heads Brewing

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Best Toy Store: Millennium Games

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Best Distillery: Black Button Distilling

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Best Vintage Clothing Store: Little Shop of Hoarders

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Best Smoothies/Juices: Just Juice 4 Life

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Best Wedding Venue: Pomona at Blue Barn

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Best Winery: Living Roots

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Best Yoga Studio: Breathe Yoga & Juice Bar

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Best of Rochester: Food

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Best Plate: Dogtown

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Best Sports Bar: Jeremiah's Tavern

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Best Tea House: Tai Chi Bubble Tea

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Best Comfort Food: Dogtown

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Best Late-night Eats: Dogtown

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Wine Selection (Bar or Restaurant): Apogee

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Best Bakery: Savoia Pastry Shoppe

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Best Wine Selection (Store): Marketview Liquor

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Barbecue: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Bread Bakery: Amazing Grains

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Breakfast: The Original Steve’s Diner

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Burger: Good Luck

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Calzone: Stromboli’s

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Candy Shop: Stever’s

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Caterer: The Meatball Truck

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Chef: Margherita Smith aka The Saucey Chef

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Chinese Restaurant: Han Noodle

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Cooking Class: Rochester Brainery

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Deli Sandwich or Sub: DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Doughnuts: Ridge Donuts

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Farmers Market: Rochester Public Market

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Best Fish Fry: Captain Jim’s

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Food Truck: Le Petit Poutine

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Global Foods Market: Rubino’s Italian Food Market

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Ice Cream: Pittsford Farms Dairy

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Italian Restaurant: The Pasta Villa

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Lunch Spot: Magnolia’s Deli & Cafe

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best Mexican Restaurant: Neno’s

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Jan 1, 2023
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Best New Restaurant: Strangebird

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Best Outdoor Dining: Genesee Brew House

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Pizza: Pizza Wizard

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Restaurant: Good Luck

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Restaurant for Desserts: Phillip’s European

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Restaurant to Dine Alone: Highland Park Diner

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Ribs: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Sushi: Plum House

Plum House has been a Monroe Avenue institution for nearly 20 years, and it has rightfully earned its place as Rochester’s premier sushi stop.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Sweets Bakery: Savoia Pastry Shoppe

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Thai Restaurant: The King & I

There’s no shortage of spots offering Thai cuisine in Rochester, but this year the mainstay The King & I wears the crown.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant: The Red Fern

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Wings: Jeremiah’s Tavern

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Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Bouncer: Lori Lippa (ROAR)

She’s an Avon makeup and skincare sales representative (yes, as in “Avon calling”) who moonlights as a bouncer at one of Rochester’s hottest nightclubs.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Bar: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best Karaoke: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best Trivia Night: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best Pickup Bar: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best LGBTQ+ Bar: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best Dive Bar: Lux Lounge

If Lux's "Pabst Smear" — a $3 order of a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a well liquor shot of your choosing — doesn't scream dive bar, we don't know what does.

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Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Arts & Entertainment

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Best of Rochester

Best Actor: Penny Sterling

Penny Sterling burst onto the local performing arts scene in 2016 with “A Spy in the House of Men: A One-Woman Show With Balls,” recounting her decades-long journey of transitioning from a man to a woman.

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Best of Rochester

Best Art Gallery: Memorial Art Gallery

Visiting the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, better known by its nickname “The MAG,” means journeying through 5,000 years of art history.

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Best of Rochester

Best Artist: Shawn Dunwoody

Shawn Dunwoody needs no introduction. The prolific muralist and all-around creative is widely considered the face of the city’s art scene.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Arts Event: Rochester International Jazz Festival

For nine days in June, this international event draws an estimated 200,000 people to downtown Rochester. And yes, music is the draw.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Band (Cover): Something Else

Sometimes you just want to hear the hits, let your hair down, and let your feet loose. Rock trio Something Else can help you get there.

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Best of Rochester

Best Club DJ: Mighty Mic (ROAR)

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Best of Rochester

Best Comedian/Comedy Troupe: Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson stomped into stand-up after being goaded by friends who liked his Facebook and Instagram quips.

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Best of Rochester

Best Theater Company: Geva Theatre Center

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Best of Rochester

Best Drag Performer: Dee Dee Dubois

After 24 years on Rochester’s stages, DeeDee Dubois has moved from a “Best of Rochester” runner-up in this category to top queen.

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Best of Rochester

Best Published Poet: Chen Chen

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Best of Rochester

Best Film Festival: Rochester International Film Festival

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Best of Rochester

Best Published Author: Justin Murphy

Years of pulling thread on the troubled Rochester public school system led to D&C reporter Justin Murphy publishing his first book.

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Best Place to See Comedy: Comedy @ The Carlson

Finding a place to see solid standup in Rochester is no joke. Comedy @ The Carlson is an exception.

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Best of Rochester

Best Rock Artist or Group: Joywave

These homegrown rockers won this category by a ridiculously large margin and deservedly-so — even in a city blessed with many great bands.

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Best of Rochester

Best Photographer: Jim Montanus

Photography is in the blood of this perennial “Best of Rochester” winner, who is perhaps best known for his images of area landscapes.

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Best Music Festival: Rochester International Jazz Festival

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, which promises 325 shows spread across nine stages.

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Best of Rochester

Best Instrumentalist: Herb Smith

Trumpeter Herb Smith is as affable as he is stylistically versatile.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Museum: Strong Museum of Play

Many people think of museums as stodgy institutions where touching exhibits is off-limits and fun goes to die. The Strong National Museum of Play is the opposite.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Live Music Venue (Small): The Bug Jar

Most live music fans in Rochester have a fond memory of the Bug Jar. Part live-music venue, part quasi-punk bar, the Bug Jar is a local gem.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Movie Theater: The Little

The Little Theatre is no mere art deco movie house, it's a beloved icon of Rochester's East End that has stood for more than 90 years.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Live Music Venue (Large): CMAC

The large outdoor venues are where the most enticing summer shows are found, and CMAC is the best of them.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Band (Original): Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Blues Artist or Group: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Jazz Artist or Group: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Solo Musician: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Vocalist: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she took five different “” categories.
Best of Rochester

Best Country Artist or Group: Zac Brown Tribute Band

Live-music lovers know exactly what they’re getting with this good-vibin’ septet devoted to interpreting the songs of the Zac Brown Band.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Dance Company: Garth Fagan Dance

The world-renowned dance company is known for captivating audiences with dazzling choreography.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Folk Artist or Group: The Honey Smugglers

You can call The Honey Smugglers an Americana band, or even a jamgrass group. CITY readers call the sextet Rochester’s best folk group.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Hip-Hop Artist or Group: Moses Rockwell

Moses Rockwell's songs are observational. If he has an odd conversation or experience, he mines it for comedy and rhymes it in a song.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Mural or Public Art: Murals at MLK Jr. Memorial Park

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park is a year-round artistic backdrop with the vibrant Roc Paint Division murals

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Media Outlet (Other Than Us, Of Course):13 WHAM

WHAM-TV (Channel 13) has been the dominant local news affiliate for the better part of 40 years.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: The winners . . .

This year, some 10,349 discerning CITY readers cast 426,656 votes to determine the Best of Rochester winners across 110 categories. Here, we present the top picks of the people, places, and things that make Rochester home.

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Arts & Entertainment

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

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Food & Drink

Hankering for burgers, baked goods, or beer? CITY readers come here . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Recreation

From first dates to dancing and shooting stick to shooting hoops, CITY readers have the scoop . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Goods & Services

Whether you're looking for flowers, a haircut, or that special gift for a four-legged friend, CITY readers recommend . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Who we are

They rise above the crowd, they make CITY readers proud . . .

Oct 1, 2021