Canandaigua

Nolan's on Canandaigua Lake

South Main Street / lakefront · Canandaigua · Steakhouse and seafood with American fine dining

The Reliable

Nolan's is a dependable lakeside wine list that does right by its guests without taking any real risks — the Finger Lakes locals are a genuine highlight worth seeking out. Send a friend here for the view and the steak; tell them to order the Heron Hill.

Pintxo Wine & Tapas Bar

Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Spanish tapas and wine bar

The Wild Card

Pintxo is punching well above its weight class for a small-city wine bar, and the Spanish regional focus gives it a genuine identity that most places never find. If you're anywhere near the Finger Lakes and care even a little about wine, this one's worth the detour.

Rose Tavern at The Lake House

Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American

The Reliable

Rose Tavern is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine if you're already staying at The Lake House — the setting does a lot of the work. But if you're driving in specifically for the wine list, you'd do better hitting a dedicated Finger Lakes tasting room down the road.

The Lake House on Canandaigua

Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Upscale Contemporary American / Event Dining

The Lazy List

The Lake House is a beautiful place to get married or host a corporate dinner, but the wine program is clearly an afterthought — a functional, inoffensive list designed to move bottles at events, not to excite anyone. If you're eating here, drink the Finger Lakes options and leave the Meomi alone.

The Lake House on Canandaigua - Rose Tavern

Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American

The Wild Card

Rose Tavern isn't trying to be a destination wine bar, but it's got the bones of one — a sommelier, a thoughtful local-first list, and a glass program that lets you actually explore it. Markups on the name brands are punishing, but stick to the Finger Lakes section and you're drinking well at a lake view that most wine lists couldn't dream of.

Flavors Indian Restaurant

Lafayette Street · Canandaigua · Indian

The Reliable

Flavors isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Fox Run Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and don't overthink it.

Wally's Pub

Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Bar / Pub / Pizza / American

The Wild Card

Wally's has no business having a 91-bottle wine list, and yet here we are. It's not a wine destination, but if you're grabbing a late slice and want something better than house red in a tumbler, this place will surprise you.

Il Posto Bistro

Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Bistro / Italian

The Reliable

Il Posto is doing honest, focused work on a wine list that respects its Italian menu without overcrowding the table. The markups lean steep at the top end and we want more Finger Lakes on a list that's literally in the Finger Lakes — but for a neighborhood bistro in downtown Canandaigua, this is a solid night out.

Nick's Chophouse Wine & Martini Bar

Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Chophouse / Steakhouse

The Reliable

Nick's is a reliable steakhouse wine list in a town that could be doing something far more interesting with its Finger Lakes backyard. Come for the ribeye, drink the Buglioni, and try not to think too hard about the Caymus markup.

KiX ON MAIN

Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · Creative American

The Reliable

KiX on Main is a solid neighborhood wine list for a town that could easily get away with something worse — fair prices, generous glass pours, and two Finger Lakes bottles that deserve more attention than they probably get. Don't come here for a deep dive, but don't skip the wine either.

The Cove Restaurant and Bar

Lakeshore Drive / Hotel Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Contemporary American

The Reliable

The Cove is doing more than its hotel-restaurant status requires, and the Greek and Loire picks alone are worth a second look. It's not a destination wine list, but for Canandaigua lakefront dining, you'll drink well here.

Lock Stock Bar & Grill

Route 64 / Outskirts · Canandaigua · American Grill

The Wild Card

Lock Stock isn't a wine destination, but Wednesday's half-price Wine Down with Dr. Frank's Riesling in your glass and $1 wings on the table is genuinely hard to argue with. Come for the deal, stay for the surprise.

Bon Ami French Bistro

Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · French Bistro

The Wild Card

Bon Ami is a genuinely pleasant wine surprise in a town more famous for Riesling trails than bistro lists — the picks are thoughtful, the by-the-glass program is generous, and a few bottles here are legitimately exciting finds. The markups on premium bottles drag it down, and the absence of any local Finger Lakes producers is a strange miss, but for a cozy French dinner in Canandaigua, the wine list will more than hold its own.

Acquilano Wine Cellars

Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · Wine Bar

The Wild Card

Acquilano isn't trying to be a destination wine bar — it's a Finger Lakes producer pouring its own work in a casual Main Street setting, and it does that with charm and absurdly fair prices. If you're in Canandaigua and you skip this, you've made a mistake.

New York Kitchen – Tasting Room

Lakeshore · Canandaigua · New York State wine and craft beer tasting room with casual American bar bites

The Wild Card

New York Kitchen's tasting room is the Finger Lakes in a glass — focused, proud, and genuinely good. If you're anywhere near Canandaigua and care about American wine, this is a mandatory stop.

Nick's Chophouse & Wine & Martini Bar

Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · Steakhouse

The Reliable

Nick's is a perfectly respectable chophouse wine list for Canandaigua — locals get two solid Finger Lakes Rieslings, steak lovers get their Napa Cabs, and there's enough Italian depth to keep things from being totally predictable. The markups on the trophy bottles are aggressive, but play it smart and you'll drink well.

Rose Tavern

Canandaigua · Canandaigua · American, Farm to Table

The Rager

Rose Tavern is the best argument for a wine-focused road trip to the Finger Lakes that doesn't involve a tasting room — two knowledgeable sommeliers, a deep local list at fair prices, and a setting worthy of the pour. Send your friends here without hesitation.