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Start a Top 5 for Cheap EatsEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in CITY Magazine. Updated August 2026.
Rocky's · Rochester
Rocky's on Jay Street has been a Rochester institution since 1949, and CITY Magazine's Cheap Eats guide called it an old-school red-sauce joint with zero frills serving crazy-cheap Italian done right. The board runs to large portions of linguine with red or white clam sauce, gnocchi, and homemade cheese ravioli. Order the ravioli or the clam-sauce linguine.
Chuy's Taqueria · Rochester
A family-run taqueria near the University of Rochester on Mount Hope Avenue, known around town for its birria tacos.
Dogtown · Monroe Avenue
Dogtown on Monroe Avenue won both Best Plate and Best Comfort Food in CITY Magazine's 2025 readers' poll. The gourmet hot-dog kitchen builds its version of the Rochester plate as the Junkyard Plate, layered over home fries and macaroni salad. Order the Junkyard Plate with the works.