Stories, tips, and local perspectives from across the Finger Lakes.
Geneva's dining conversation tends to revolve around farm-to-table tasting menus and craft hot dog shops on South Main Street, which is exactly why The Elephant feels like a discovery. Tucked into the ground floor at 1 Franklin Street, this Thai restaurant occupies a modest storefront that you could walk past without noticing — no flashy […]
Thai Elephants occupies a modest storefront on East Fourth Street in Watkins Glen, about a five-minute walk from the entrance to the state park gorge. The location is no accident — this has become the post-hike dinner spot for the million-plus visitors who come through Watkins Glen annually, and it has earned Gold for best […]
Sakura Buffet at 315 Genesee Street in Auburn is not trying to be a destination restaurant, and that honesty is part of its appeal. It is an all-you-can-eat Asian buffet — Chinese, Japanese, sushi bar, and Southeast Asian dishes spread across a sprawling lineup of hot trays and cold stations. Back-to-back Silver for Best Asian […]
Every region has that one Chinese buffet — the one locals defend with surprising passion, the one that quietly feeds half the town every weekend. In the Finger Lakes, that place is Ling Ling, a sprawling operation on Hamilton Street in Geneva that won Gold for Best Asian Restaurant and draws a crowd that includes […]
In a town dominated by farm-to-table American cooking and Italian red-sauce joints, Ichiro is Geneva's sharp left turn — a full-service Japanese restaurant at 405 Exchange Street with a sushi bar, hibachi grill, and a menu deep enough to reward multiple visits. Back-to-back Gold awards for Best Asian Restaurant (2025, 2023) and Best Sushi (2023) […]
Auburn is not the first place most people think of when they're craving sushi, which is precisely why Ichiban feels like such a find. Tucked into a strip on Grant Avenue, this Japanese restaurant has quietly become the most awarded sushi spot in the entire Finger Lakes region, earning back-to-back Gold for Best Sushi in […]