Tucci’s Family Diner

Tucci's Family Diner has been feeding Waterloo and the surrounding Finger Lakes community since 2005, and the sheer volume of FLX Finest awards tells you how deeply this place is woven into the local fabric. Gold for Best Diner in 2023 and 2024, Gold for Best Breakfast, Burger, and Plates in 2023, Silver for Best […]

Rylee’s Place

On Main Street in Willard, a tiny hamlet on the western shore of Seneca Lake, Rylee's Place has quietly become one of the most decorated cheap eats in the entire Finger Lakes. This family-owned diner punches absurdly above its weight class: Gold for Best Cheap Eats in both 2024 and 2025, Gold for Best Appetizers […]

Red Brick Pub

Red Brick Pub anchors Fall Street in historic Seneca Falls, right in the heart of a downtown that also houses the National Women's Hall of Fame and the It's a Wonderful Life Museum. The address — 57 Fall Street — puts it squarely in the walkable center of town, and the vibe inside matches the […]

Potters Farm to Fork

Potters Farm to Fork sits on Route 31 in Port Byron, about 20 minutes west of Auburn, and it is quietly the most-awarded restaurant in the entire Finger Lakes Finest rankings. Gold for best all-around restaurant three years running. Gold for breakfast, lunch, brunch, wings, sandwiches, and plates. The trophy case is absurd for a […]

Mac’s Drive-In

Mac's Drive-In is the kind of place that makes people argue about whether nostalgia counts as a flavor. It does. This seasonal roadside stand on Waterloo-Geneva Road has been serving burgers, hot dogs, and soft-serve ice cream to Finger Lakes families for generations, and the consistency is the point. You order at the window, eat […]

Canal View Family Restaurant

The award list at Canal View reads like someone accidentally merged four different restaurants into one. Best Pancakes, Best Burger, Best Chicken Wings, Best Salad, Best Sandwiches, Best Lunch Spot, Best Breakfast, Best All-Around Restaurant — Gold in nearly every category, year after year. For a family restaurant on West Union Street in Newark, that […]