The Lake House on Canandaigua 770 S. Main St., Canandaigua, NY 14424 (585) 394-1480 rosetavern.com This new family-owned American restaurant is known for its commitment to the community and farm-to-table service. Enjoy a comforting meal with old friends or grab a cocktail with your special someone in the private dining room. The seasonal menu includes dishes such as steak'n'eggs, fire-smoked salmon, Bostrom Farms pork ribeye, and the well-loved Sands family's chocolate bundt cake. Read more: Rose Tavern captures the Finger Lakes in full bloom

300 High St., Victor, NY 14564 (585) 888-6927 nybeerproject.com

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Not your typical neighborhood pub, NYPB offers an elegant experience in a grand location for an affordable night out. Enjoy new twists on bar classics while admiring the forty-six-foot-tall cathedral ceilings with chandeliers, just like a New York City beer hall. This location has much to explore and is accessible to all. Read more: Nick's Picks: New York Beer Project

9 East Main St., Rochester, NY 14614 (585) 287-6314 instagram.com/peachblossom15/

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A tight-knit mother and son team brings a fresh perspective to Mexican cuisine in Rochester. Specializing in handmade sopes, quesadillas, and mazas, everything is made to order at a low cost with a grab 'n' go. Read more: Peach Blossom is both autentico and delicioso

819 S. Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 978-7237
crisprochester.com

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The modern restaurant serves comfort food with some Texas influence. The seasonal menu features low-and-slow St. Louis ribs and multiple vegan options such as a crispy vegan burrito. The craft cocktail menu is full of classics and new creations, and the extensive mocktail menu offers delicious nonalcoholic craft beverages.

Read more: Crisp serves up Southern comfort in Rochester

4565 Culver Rd., Rochester, NY 14622 (585) 563-7304 uniontavernseabreeze.com

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Whether you're looking for authentic coastal seafood or some classic pub dishes, Union Tavern offers a wide variety of hearty options and fun cocktails. Have a grand time in the comfortable downstairs bar and dining area or a date night or party in the vibrant upstairs dining room. Read more: Union Tavern: A great haunt, in more ways than one

My sister let out a scream so mighty that I could hear it over the sound of my own panic. We both sprinted away from a crowd of people, none of whom seemed bothered by the projectile that was headed right for them. I pivoted to the left while my sister headed to the right, and we didn’t meet back up until we got past the crowd. Wide-eyed and out of breath, we both knew how close we’d come to being hit. We paused to collect ourselves—and that’s when we heard the laughter. We looked up to see our cousin Harry, one hand on his chuckling belly, the other pointing at the two of us. “Neither of them wanted to catch that bouquet! They both screamed so loud, you’d think those flowers were a grenade!” 

A family wedding in my early twenties was when I was first hit with the germ of a thought: Maybe I wasn’t that interested in getting married. I had been pushed out to the dance floor with the rest of the single ladies, as ritual dictates, to stand in a group while the bride throws her bouquet out to all the matrimonial hopefuls. The ladies must shove, push, and jump at the chance to catch it, the way an eager outfielder looks to grab a fly ball. But I was never thrilled to be out there, so I didn’t even bring my glove to the field. I’d find a spot far away from the action and then turn around so that my back was to the crowd. Squeals of delight filled the air as the pitch went live, and as everyone focused on scrambling for the flowers, I seized the opportunity to run in the opposite direction. I wanted no part of this game.

And so, as my twenty-fifth birthday approached, my parents asked me if there was anything special I wanted for this milestone year. I had an answer right away: a diamond ring. Over the years I’d received a small diamond necklace and diamond earrings as gifts, but never a ring. I told my parents the diamond didn’t have to be big or fancy, but there was a purpose in this request: “I’d like to know that I never have to rely on marrying a man just to get a nice ring.” The day came, and my parents delivered what I asked for: a tiny stone in a plain setting, the perfect ring to occupy the spot on that all-important finger.  

A few months after my birthday, my dad came home from a visit with my grandma and handed me a gift bag. “Grandma heard that you wanted a diamond ring this year for your birthday, so she sent this.” My grandma famously bought jewelry for all her granddaughters, and she had great taste. I drew in a quick breath of anticipation and flipped the ring box open. The gasp I let out brought my sister running over to look. The ring had diamond chips in two rows, leading to a center cluster of yellow canary diamond chips. It wasn’t an ostentatious display; this ring was spectacular because it was so understated. I fell in love with it immediately, and my sister was envious. “CANARY DIAMONDS,” she shouted, “Grandma has outdone herself!”  When I asked my parents for a ring, I never considered that my grandmother might want to weigh in. I certainly didn’t anticipate something so grand; in a few short months I went from having zero diamond rings to now owning two.  

Years later, I joined an adult ballet class with my old high school dance company. We were at the age when almost every week, one of my friends would walk into class and announce their engagement. They’d show off their ring or talk about wedding venues, and everyone would listen excitedly. I loved hearing everyone’s good news; I was always happy for them. But after a few of these announcements, I came to the stark realization that I was never jealous. I never thought, “When will it be my turn to get married?” or “Why isn’t that me?” Like most girls, I always assumed I would get married, so this was a surprising development. I spent the next few months in examination mode. If marriage wasn’t a goal that excited me, what was? I didn’t have to look too hard for an answer. When I watched monologues on late night talk shows or awards ceremonies; when I read humor columns; when I heard someone deliver a perfectly written joke— that was what made me jealous. I’d be left thinking, “When is my chance? I know I can write like that, too, so when will it be my turn?”

I knew I had a responsibility to answer to these wishes, so I started online comedy writing classes with Second City Chicago. When the company tour came to town, I went to a show and was smitten. Before long, I knew what I had to do: move to Chicago and get the full experience of taking the classes. I asked my sister if she wanted to move with me, and she was all in. I lived in Chicago for two years, completed the program, and started on the path of taking my writing seriously.  

My grandmother passed away last year; many times, during my writing journey, I wondered if her ring was a charm that released me from the worry of domestic endeavors. With canary diamonds secured on my finger, my hands were free to grab for other brass rings. I may not have gotten married, but I still had a ring to show off; one that came with its own set of vows—that I would trust, honor, and obey my true self. People ask me about the ring all the time, and I love to tell the story. In doing so, I keep the vow to honor my grandmother as well.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of (585).

The quiet of winter is one of the best times to visit the Finger Lakes. I recently had the opportunity to take part in a “Handcrafted Holiday” tour, an exclusive event at six local wineries. We tapped barrels and tried wine in various stages of fermentation. We ate grapes fresh off the vine and got to sample unreleased wines. Lake Life Catering provided food at each winery. 

Our first stop was Keuka Spring Vineyards. We were served beef tenderloin crostini over spinach salad while winemaker Dan Bissell discussed his process, from checking levels to tasting the berries. “Wine is so beautiful because it’s science and magic together.” Our favorite was a delicious 2024 Cabernet Franc with a note of green bell pepper. Bissel says, “If it’s not good enough to put into a bottle, then we don’t do it.” 

At Weis Vineyards, we tried a Blaufränkisch blend with strawberry essence paired with a profiterole with chocolate drizzle and berries. After we toured the main rooms, tasting room manager Tambi Shweizer took us behind the scenes to taste a three-week-old tank sample of the semidry Riesling. It was full of apricot, peach, and pear flavors and will stay in the French oak barrels for another eight to ten months. We learned that Zum Wohl is the German way to toast with wine. We tried the 2022 Terroir Riesling Limestone with notes of citrus and melon. German owner Hans Peter Weis found the minerality of the soil around Keuka Lake similar to that of home. 

In our group, Reenie is visiting from State College, Pennsylvania. In 2006, she happened upon Keuka Lake and now comes back every year. Sam and Jess are here with friends from New York City. They have visited wineries in Napa, Temecula, and Austria but decided that the best-tasting wine is in the Finger Lakes. 

At Domaine LeSeurre Winery, we toured around the grounds and were shown the evolution of the grapes, including those just picked the day before. Owner Sébastian LeSeurre had flown in from France that morning after a visit to his family in Champagne. LeSeurre and wife, Céline, are part of a family that has been handcrafting wine for six generations. They traveled the world before settling here in 2012.

LeSeurre led us into the red cellar barrel room, where we were served greens with cherries, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and honey balsamic. We tasted a ’24 dry Riesling from a vineyard planted in 1971 and he explained the difference with older vines as their roots stretch deeper and explore more of the soil. We sampled a 2019 Merlot barrel select, aged for two years, and ate fresh grapes off the vine. We tried a 2017 Riesling Late Harvest No. 6, his grandmother’s favorite from a limited collection, as LeSeurre reminded us to “Trust yourself. The good wine is the one you like.” 

In 1972, John and Josephine Ingle planted twenty acres of grapes, and that was the beginning of Heron Hill Winery. Now, all these years later, theirs is known as one of the top ten most spectacular tasting rooms in the world, as named by Travel + Leisure magazine. The grapes grown for their popular Ingle vineyard wines are always handpicked. Jennifer Campbell, tasting room manager, served us wines paired with deviled eggs over pickled beets, carrots, and arugula. The 2014 reserve Gewurztraminer wine was aromatic, floral, and bright. We loved the 2021 reserve Baco Noir, a Heron Hill favorite, boasting a rustic, toasty warm spice note. 

At Hunt Country Vineyards, co-owner Suzanne Hunt met us at the tasting room and walked us down to the barn, where we met her horses and dog, Zorra. The Hunt family settled on this farm 200 years ago in a log cabin on just under 200 acres. Seven generations later, Hunt has spearheaded sustainability efforts at the farm and winery, including energy efficiency, wildlife habitat, and more. We settled in at long tables inside a room filled with giant tanks and enjoyed wines paired with crab cakes in a remoulade sauce. The ’23 Cayuga White was bright and crisp with aromas of kiwi, melon, and lemon zest. We tried a smooth cream sherry fortified with grape brandy and warm with the flavors of raisins, butterscotch, and hickory. 

We ended the day as the sun set over the lake at Vineyard View Winery. Owners Adam and Nikki Folts took us back to a separate building where we saw their picking machines and tried a ’24 barrel-aged Chardonnay right out of the barrel. We compared it to a ’23 unoaked Chardonnay, stainless steel fermented and aged to allow breakthrough notes like peach, lime, pear, and green apple. Adam is a fifth-generation grape grower and describes his great, great-grandfather leading a mule with a bale of hay on this farm. We headed back to the tasting room for a hearty corn chowder and, of course, more wine.

Each winery is unique, but they come together to create these events. “We are creating a culture together as a trail,” says Chelsea Race, director of marketing for the Keuka Lake Wine Trail. 

If you are looking to plan something special with your valentine this February, check out Savoring Sweets, an event packed with sweet and savory wine and food pairings at the intimate settings of six wineries. For more information, visit keukawinetrail.com.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of (585).

Soft circular light fixtures hanging from an open industrial ceiling snag my attention as I sit in candy-apple-colored seats against matte black walls, wooden tables, and a stainless-steel bar counter. The four garage door windows bring in enough light to complement them. Admiring the New York flare, I watch Adam Bierton carry out a tray full of crowd-favorite fried chicken in one hand and, in the other, a blue bottle. I can’t remember the last time I had Kool-Aid, and I’m immediately hooked on the fact he sells it. 

Moving back home to Rochester from Brooklyn, Bierton quickly picked up on an opportunity in the Flower City’s dining scene. Chick’n Out hit the streets—quite literally, as a pop-up model restaurant—in April of 2019. 

“No one was frying chicken, or at least dedicating their menu to fried chicken,” Bierton says. “I was eating great fried chicken in Brooklyn, and the Nashville-style fried chicken was trending at the time. When I moved back, I did a bunch of research and found there was a hole in the market. I just had this idea I knew was going to work.” 

It didn’t take long to learn that little touches like selling bottled childhood liquid gold, naming the Mac Attack bowl after his grandfather, or being meticulous enough to go through forty French fry recipes just to nail down the perfect one, make up the essence of Chick’n Out—a vision of personalized and perfected nostalgia paired with top-tier eats that resonate with the community. How kool. 

Bierton launched Chick’n Out at his brother’s bar, Blossom Road Pub, with a repeating Thursday kitchen takeover. He then navigated through the pandemic following this pop-up model, making a home in kitchens at establishments such as Hattie’s, Jackrabbit Club, and Bar Bantam, each for a few months at a time.

Bierton slowly committed to owning a full flagship food and beverage operation, opening Chick’n Out’s current location in June 2024. And just as the brick and mortar took time, it took more than a year to perfect the recipe that would become his shtick. 

“I took my grandmother’s fried chicken recipe, and I developed on that—doing experiments, running a control, and introducing new elements,” Bierton says. “How do you consistently fry the exact same piece? That’s what I’m mostly focused on—doing one thing and doing one thing really well.” 

It’s safe to say Bierton accomplished that. Not only does Chick’n Out have the branding, but it has the tastes to back it. Every dish is made fresh in-house, and most are adapted from his grandmother’s recipes. 

The Mac Attack ranked highest for me—garlic parm french fries, chopped chicken, and mac and cheese topped with Mac Daddy sauce and fresh scallions. It’s all perfectly warmed underneath cool tones from the sauce. 

The mac salad is scooped straight from Bierton’s grandmother’s kitchen table, and I won’t tell my mom it’s better than hers, but it’s pretty dang good. 

Then there’s the three piece tenders that come in Not So Hot, Hot, and Way Too Hot. The first bite went to the Hot and Stung tender—the stung being a honey drizzle that can be added to any chicken. It was delicious, but I’d give my vote to the Not So Hot tender I tried immediately after. It was perfectly crisp but soft to bite. It almost tasted sweet, with a powdered coating that had me licking my fingers in public with no shame. And the cool cucumbers from the cucumber onion salad cut against the hot chicken effortlessly—a perfect complement. 

“My grandmother was from the south, and she married an Italian, so Sunday dinner was a really big thing; we’d either have sauce or fried chicken,” Bierton says. “And there was something nostalgic and comforting about that style of food that I wanted to bring back to my community.”

In addition to southern sides, Chick’n Out has other bowls, wings, and sandwiches. The Heater is a crowd favorite, with pickles, coleslaw, and Awesome Sauce on a brioche bun. They also offer simple classic desserts such as Banana Puddin’ and Tasty Delight Lemon Pound Cake. The restaurant also features a bar with all the essentials and specialty Kool-Aid cocktails. 

But the chicken isn’t everything. Bierton wanted to bring an enthusiastic approach on food and beverage to the community. He’s done egg hunts around the city with free food as prizes, jump-the-line raffles, and other giveaways, and he hopes to expand those trends into the new year. 

“It’s about the experience—creating an experience and location that people can depend on and know exactly what they’re getting every time,” Bierton says. More information, updates, and menus can be found online at chicknoutroc.com or on social media at @chicknoutroc.

Chick’n Out 
37 Charlotte St., Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 232-2468
chicknoutroc.com

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of (585).