Rochester, NY
For Garbage Plate in Rochester, the local food press points to Dogtown, Nick Tahou Hots, and Steve T. Hots & Potatoes. Picks from CITY Magazine, updated July 2026.
Editor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in CITY Magazine. Updated July 2026.
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.
Nick Tahou Hots · West Main Street
Nick Tahou Hots on West Main Street is the originator: Alexander Tahou founded what became Nick Tahou Hots in 1918, and the family trademarked the Garbage Plate name, as CITY Magazine's plate feature recounts. It placed as a Best Plate finalist in the 2025 readers' poll. Order the original plate where the dish began.
Steve T. Hots & Potatoes · Henrietta
Steve T's Hots and Potatoes in Henrietta traces back to the Tahou family as the former Nick Tahou's II, and now runs as its own hots-and-potatoes joint building the Rochester plate over macaroni salad and home fries. Order a cheeseburger plate with the works.
Fairport Hots · Fairport
Fairport Hots on Fairport Road is run by Joe Cupia, and CITY Magazine's plate feature names its Varsity Plate, about sixteen dollars, as the house version of the Rochester plate built in the proper order. It is a suburban hots joint doing the plate east of the city. Order the Varsity Plate, the loaded plate the magazine singled out.
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