As soon as diners step inside Rochester Bistro, they're whisked away to Paris or Milan, if only for a couple hours. Like the French and Italian bistros that inspire it, this restaurant is a celebration of rustic, flavorful cuisine and Europeans wines. Chefs prepare french onion soup bubbling over with cheese, salmon paired with seasonal vegetables, and veal chops so tender the meat practically slides off the bone. Then there's the real star of the show: the steaks, which range from filet mignon in red-wine sauce to bone-in prime rib that's aged for more than 50 days.

Guests slowly savor these dishes in an elegant dining room enhanced with earth-toned tiles, exposed bricks, a dark-wood bar, and ornate lighting fixtures. In addition to dinner six nights a week, this space also hosts a variety of special events, including wine tastings overseen by international experts.