Rating restaurants is a matter of taste, literally and figuratively. No two people are likely to feel precisely the same about a particular entree or dessert, but it is possible to build a consensus over time. Here are a few local establishments that rated among our favorites as of Fall 2008, when we last updated this page.

   ♦Barbecue — Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: What's sassier, their sauce or their waitresses? Frequent live music shows are a huge plus, and you've got to love that the building used to be home to the legendary Carpe Diem. Find them at 99 Court St., Rochester. [Visit their site]

   ♦Fine dining — 2 Vine: Still described by some as "trendy," 2 Vine has been regarded as at or near the top of the list for five years running. The wine list is quite extensive, making for a fine complement to the grilled lamb chops or Angus New York Strip. Located at 24 Winthrop St., Rochester. [Visit their site]

   ♦Fish fry — Jeremiah's Tavern: The Friday special is a generous portion of Haddock expertly prepared in a beer batter that's light and full of flavor. Add a bowl of lobster bisque and you're set for the night. Located for three-plus decades at 1104 Monroe Ave., Rochester. [Visit their site]

   ♦Greek — Mykono's: We have not visited them since the move from Winton Place, but the Steak Diane and Shrimp Alexander were superb change-ups from what might be considered more traditional fare. Friends of this site rate the Combo Souvlaki as a must-have if you stop in at 687 Moseley Road, Fairport. [Visit their site]

   ♦Ice cream — Abbott's: This is the no-brainer of the bunch. Nothing but nothing beats an Abbott's custard, and you can't beat more than a century of tradition combined with the convenience of multiple locations. [Visit their site]

   ♦Italian — Pasta Villa: The death of owner Jessie Guido in September 2007 has not diminished the quality of the food at Pasta Villa, home of the tastiest tomato sauce any of us have encountered in town, which is saying something considering the rich Italian heritage of the community. Visit them at 1313 East Ridge Road, Rochester. [Visit their site]

   ♦Lunch — Rocky's: They don't have a Web site, just the best bowl of tripe this side of Brooklyn every Friday afternoon. The tiny building at 190 Jay St., Rochester, is a bit cramped for lunch, but you've got to love a place where a state supreme court justice, a construction worker, a doctor and an exotic dancer could be eating at consecutive tables.

   ♦Pizza — Amy Rose Pizza: This one ranks as an upset (and it's a bit out of the way), but we've come to love the light and tasty crust topped by a most agreeable sauce. They're at 11 Main St., Scottsville, [Visit their site]. Closer to home, try Savastano's Pizzeria & Bakery, 477 Spencerport Road, Gates.

   ♦Sandwiches/wraps — Pelligrinos: The chicken wrap was love at first bite, but seemingly everything made there satisfies to the max. If you're bread-phobic, the selection of soups and salads will hold you over. But the sandwiches are worth the trip if you're out close to the U of R River Campus. Located at 1120 Mt. Hope Ave.

   ♦Sushi — Shiki: This establishment isn't talked about much and they don't spend as much on advertising as the competition does, but the quality of all of its Japanese cuisine is excellent. The spicy salmon roll won us over even on a night when the service was a tad slow. Located at 1054 S. Clinton Ave., Rochester. [Visit their site]

   ♦Wings — The Distillery: Competition is fierce, but the three area locatons (1142 Mt. Hope Ave. Rochester; 300 Paddy Creek Circle, Greece; and 3010 S. Winton Road, Brighton) win out, particularly the garlic-cajun flavor. [Visit their site]. For pure-and-simple barbeque-flavor wings, the muliple Pontillo's locations have been consistently underrated for years.

   ♦Garbage Plate at Nick Tahou's, preferably around midnight.
   ♦Frozen custard at Abbott's, preferably on Lake Ave., 200 yrds south of the shoreline.
   ♦Uncle Ralph's Streakout, a catering biz that sets up shop at local drinking establishments five nights a week.
   ♦Zweigle’s white hots, preferably hot off the grill on the back-yard deck.

   ♦RocWiki.org: "Amateur Hour" need not have a negative connotation. Rochester's wiki has an enthusiastic group of users offering frequent updates. Don't give too much weight to reviews and observations at the bottom of individual listings, but do feel as though you can rely on the directory information.