Culinary Staples of Rochester, New York

When people think of Rochester, NY they probably don’t think of it as a foodie destination or the culinary capital of the North East. Since my husband is from Rochester, we visit this city once a year to see family, not for the food like our other vacations, though there are some samples you have to have when you’re in town. These are the Rochester staples that we always get each time we’re in town, and I’ve recently discovered a third, and I can’t wait to go back to have it again!

First, when we’re in town, my husband and his friends always have to eat a Trash Plate at Empire Hots. I’m embarrassed to admit that I ate this plate sober, and liked it! This plate starts with a generous serving of your choice of home fries, mac salad, or beans… or a combo of two choices. We always go for the home fries and mac salad. Then it’s topped with two hamburger patties with melted cheese (or you can pick from your choice of hotdogs, sausage, pull pork, fried fish, chicken). After it’s is topped with “hot sauce”, which is a meaty mixture in a spicy red sauce, similar to a bean-less hot chili. Lastly, they finish it off with mustard and onions. Voilà, a greasy and delicious Trash Plate!

 

The second Rochester staple that you have to have is a Bill Gray’s cheeseburger. Bill Gray’s…home of the “world’s greatest cheeseburger”. This burger was so loaded that I ate it with a fork and knife and still needed a handful of napkins! You can order the deluxe cheeseburger that comes on a soft fresh baked roll topped with mustard, ketchup, relish, cheese, Bill’s hot sauce, lettuce, tomato and mayo. Finish off your meal, with some Abbott’s frozen custard or a frozen chocolate dipped banana.

 

Last, but definitely not least, is my lastest delicious discovery…Wegman’s Sourdough Miche bread. Amazing. First of all, Wegmans is the greatest grocery store I’ve ever been in. So spectacular that one location actually had their own restaurant across the street, Next Door, which served this amazing bread. The Miche bread is a round loaf made from a blend of whole wheat, white, and rye flours, with a sourdough tang. It literally melts in your mouth and I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area, so I know and love my sourdough bread, but this tops it all. Unfortunately, the grocery store was out of the bread when we stopped by after dinner, and now I can’t wait to get back to Rochester again so this bread can make sweet love to my mouth once again.