Howard G. Goldberg picks out the must-visit restaurants, hotels and shops to see in Finger Lakes, New York State
Hotels
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
This large-scale, airy, modern building offers many large front rooms facing the water. The bathroom showers are famous. Blue Pointe Grille serves dependable, hearty food.
www.watkinsglenharborhotel.com
The Inn at Glenora, Dundee
The well-tended rooms and the staff exude efficiency. The inviting Veraisons restaurant stands above vines. Decks and patios offer splendid views. www.glenora.com/inn
Inns of Aurora, Cayuga
The charming, refined sisterhood of Aurora Inn, Rowland House and EB Morgan House date back more than a century. Sweettoothed locals favour Dorie’s Bakery nearby. www.innsofaurora.com
New Vines Bed & Breakfast, Seneca
Unlike many converted vintage residences, this modern house, advertising wireless Internet access, was built as a bed and breakfast. The proprietors are very accommodating. www.newvinesbb.com
The Inn at Gothic Eves, Trumansburg
Breakfasts, especially eggs, win praise at this friendly, comfortable two-house bed and breakfast. Guests enjoy the grounds, especially the flowers, picnic tables and outdoor hot tub. www.gothiceves.com
Restaurants
Dano’s Heuriger, Seneca
Austrian country restaurants inspire the menu: liptauer cheese, dill cucumber, smoked trout with beetroot horseradish, schnitzel, Sacher torte. And, naturally, Riesling. www.danosonseneca.com
Suzanne Fine Regional Cuisine, Seneca
A transformed old farmhouse on a 40ha farm with backyard vegetable and herb garden. American cuisine, with two-course, threecourse and tasting menus. Attentive service. www.suzannefrc.com
Ports Café, Geneva
This casual place earns many friends. Think baked brie, fish, steak and cheesecake. Heed the specials menu. Reserve ahead. www.portscafe.com
Moosewood, Ithaca
Since 1973, this natural-foods restaurant and the word ‘iconic’ have been synonymous. Owned by a collective, it has fathered 13 cookbooks. Its ever-changing menu is inventive. www.moosewoodcooks.com/restaurant
Ginny Lee Café, Wagner
A bright rest stop for lunch while you circle Seneca, offering an awesome lake perspective. Nothing fancy and not too pricey: French onion soup, house salad, grilled chicken sandwich and pizza. www.theginnylee.com
Shops
The New York Wine & Culinary Center, Canandaigua
The state wine industry’s headquarters. The tasting room, bistro and boutique educate visitors about regional wine, beer and food. www.nywcc.com
Lively Run Goat Dairy, Interlaken
Artisanal cheese is so much of a speciality that a Finger Lakes Cheese Trail has been formed: www.flcheesetrail.com. Lively Run, not listed as a member, offers tours and plenty of chèvres. www.livelyrun.com
Climbing Bines Craft Ale Co, Seneca
This popular craft brewery uses hops farmed on-site and barley grown nearby. It offers an extensive list of brews, some on tap. www.climbingbineshopfarm.com
Red Jacket Orchards, Geneva
One of the Northeast’s major summer-fruit growers, this market is flush with stone fruits, fruit juices, organic vegetables, root crops, jellies and jams, baked goods, pretzels and chocolate. A must-buy is the signature Fuji apple juice. www.redjacketorchards.com
Corning Museum of Glass
An internationally renowned museum devoted to glass – its art, science and history. A new wing focuses on contemporary art in glass. Glassblowing demonstrations are entertaining. www.cmog.org
