Sitting at 401 Lakeshore Drive in Canandaigua, Finger Lakes Public House has carved out a reputation as the spot for one very specific thing: the best Bloody Mary in the Finger Lakes. Gold in 2025 and Silver in 2024 for that single cocktail is not a fluke — it is the result of a house-made mix and garnish game that takes an already bold drink and turns it into an event. If you are the sort of person who judges a brunch spot by the quality of its Bloody, Public House is your temple.

The bar program extends beyond that signature cocktail into a happy hour that earned Silver for Best Happy Hour in 2025, which makes the late-afternoon window here one of the better deals on the north end of Canandaigua Lake. The food leans hearty pub fare — the kind of menu that does not try to be anything more than satisfying, well-portioned, and designed to pair with whatever you are drinking. It is comfort food in the best sense, served in a relaxed atmosphere where nobody is rushing you out the door.

Canandaigua's dining scene tends to orbit the lakefront and the downtown boutique strip, but Public House holds its own on Lakeshore Drive with a straightforward value proposition: good drinks, generous food, and a vibe that feels like a neighborhood bar rather than a tourist destination. That the locals keep voting it into the FLX Finest year after year tells you everything about where the regulars actually spend their time.