Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a bbq restaurant in Downtown, Rochester.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Rochester occupies a 1905 railroad station on Court St, overlooking the Genesee River. Named Best BBQ in Best of Rochester 2025.
Editorially verified June 24, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: St. Louis ribs, Pulled pork, Prime brisket
Must order: St. Louis ribs with coleslaw and mac and cheese on the side.
Tip: Best seating is at the bar overlooking the river. Live blues music on weekend evenings. Reservations available on Resy.
Address: 99 Court St, Rochester, NY 14604
Branca Midtown on E. Broad Street serves Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza and hand-cut pasta in a polished downtown Rochester dining room and bar.
Signature: Neapolitan pizza, House pasta
Order: The Neapolitan pizza from the wood-burning oven, charred and blistered at the edges.
Tip: Lunch service runs Wednesday and Thursday. Bar stays open later than the kitchen. Reservations via Resy.
Han Noodle Bar on Monroe Ave in Rochester serves Chinese broth noodles and stir-fry dishes on a no-fusion, no-gimmicks philosophy since it opened.
Signature: Broth noodles, Stir fry noodles, Dan dan noodles
Order: The dan dan noodles with house chili oil and the spicy broth noodle bowl.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays. The kitchen takes its noodle quality seriously; this is not takeout-chain Chinese cooking.
Branca Midtown on E. Broad Street serves Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza and hand-cut pasta in a polished downtown Rochester dining room and bar.
Signature: Neapolitan pizza, House pasta
Order: The Neapolitan pizza from the wood-burning oven, charred and blistered at the edges.
Tip: Lunch service runs Wednesday and Thursday. Bar stays open later than the kitchen. Reservations via Resy.
Aladdin's Natural Eatery on Monroe Ave in Rochester has served Mediterranean food with vegan options since 1979, winning Best Mediterranean 2025.
Signature: Falafel wrap, Hummus plate, Mediterranean salad
Order: The falafel wrap with tahini and the hummus plate with warm pita.
Tip: One of Rochester's most-visited lunch spots. Gets busy at midday on weekdays. No reservations needed.
The Revelry on University Ave in Rochester runs a cocktail-forward New American kitchen with a Sunday brunch program and late-night bar hours on weekends.
Signature: Weekend cocktails, Seasonal dinner menu
Order: The seasonal cocktail and whatever protein is on the dinner specials board.
Tip: Friday and Saturday the bar stays open until 02:00. Sunday brunch runs 11:00-14:30. Reservations on Resy.
Restaurant Fiorella at Rochester Public Market serves casual Italian from surrounding market stalls, named Best Italian in Best of Rochester 2025.
Signature: House pasta, Market-sourced specials
Order: The pasta of the day, made with whatever the market had that morning.
Tip: Call for reservations and takeout. Located inside the market building itself; best experienced on Saturday when the full market is operating.
Thali of India on South Winton Road in Rochester serves Indian cuisine with a daily lunch buffet, named Best Indian Restaurant in Best of Rochester 2025.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala, Lamb curry
Order: The lunch buffet, which rotates daily across North and South Indian preparations.
Tip: Buffet runs until 14:00 daily. Monday evening buffet is a good value. Takeout available.
