Summer in the city might not last long, but you've got to take advantage: walks along the canal, trips to the beach, ice cream at Abbott's or Shark's in Bloomfield. Another of summer's small pleasures is dining al fresco, and choices abound, whether urban, by the water, or suburban.
The classic urban outdoor dining destination would be Park Avenue, particularly the restaurants near Berkeley (Sinbad's, Esan, and The Big Apple to name a few). The water? How about Don's Original up by Seabreeze, Joey B's on the canal in Fairport, or the spectacular Esperanza Mansion on Keuka Lake?
The Olive Tree (165 Monroe Avenue, 454-3510) has served great food in the city for 28 years. Out back is an intimate, tasteful patio where the enlightened dine in high style. The small fountain in the goldfish pond is perfect to distract you from the noises of the city, spectacular at night with Greek music. You can almost smell the Mediterranean.
Peter and Joanne Gekas bought an abandoned building back in 1977 and made it into a local landmark. Better still, they know food. The menu is high-end all the way. Peter's taramosalata, a blend of caviar, olive oil, and lemon juice, is worth the trip alone. That and some flaming saganaki under the stars will get your motor running.
No summer here is complete without a couple trips to the Finger Lakes. Canandaigua has a number of great restaurants and several that are on the lake. Max on the Lake (770 South Main Street, Canandaigua, 394-7800), run by Tony Gullace of Max of Eastman Place, brings it all together. Its beautiful patio overlooks Canandaigua Lake, and if the weather doesn't cooperate, huge glass windows afford a beautiful view.
The restaurant is part of The Inn on the Lake, so why not make it a sweet getaway weekend? Boaters can pull into the marina and dine at The Sandbar, a Caribbean-inspired bar and grill.
Like its city namesake, Max on the Lake affords minimalist elegance and top-notch food. It's also open for three meals a day, seven days a week. Try a classic breakfast like bagels with lox, country-style buttermilk pancakes, or Max French toast (with toasted almonds, whipped butter, and maple syrup). The lunch menu goes from the simplicity of a tuna sandwich to the high-end-low-end of grilled mushroom meatloaf and beyond.
At dinner, check out one of many Finger Lakes wines (perhaps a Heron Hill white or Dr. Frank's famous Salmon Run Riesling). Move on to steamed clams, followed by a bib salad and, just because you can, an 18-oz. Angus T-bone. Or, to make your own picnic, check out Max on the Lake's Gourmet to Go menu.
The river just south of downtown has always been a pretty walk. With Corn Hill Landing on the Western shore along Exchange Street, it has become a spectacular destination for dining. Grab an ice cream at Corn Hill Creamery or quesito at Rich Port Bakery and go for a stroll.
In the mood for Asian? Siam, the new offering from Golden Port's Wayne Luong, has a small deck and fine Thai (232-7426). For a summery meal, try the fabulous marinated beef salad, num tok, or the spicy green papaya salad, sum tum.
You could also sit on the 110-seat deck at Virtu (454-6050) and take in the Rochester skyline framed by the redesigned Troup Howell bridge. Sienna owner David Alkaher opened Virtu earlier this year, bringing chef Jill Mondry-Doebler over to run things. Virtu serves lunch weekdays, dinner seven nights a week, and has an attractive bar as well. A surprisingly extensive lunch menu includes appetizers like polenta fries with gorgonzola fondue; shrimp ceviche martini; and pan-seared, black-and-white-sesame-crusted ahi tuna with five-spice salt and Asian BBQ. There are also many salads with various grilled meats, a raft of sandwiches, and a pile of pastas. It's a bit pricey, but perfect for Jackson Browne's lawyers in love. The dinner menu is similar, but adds tasty-sounding entrées like bourbon-and-mustard-brined pork loin over BBQ bean ragout; shrimp risotto with asparagus, lemon, and parmesan; and vegetable Wellington. The long deck and casual elegance remind me a bit of spots on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
Really, that's just a start on outdoor dining in the area. Pane Vino on Water Street and Pomodoro on University both have attractive decks, and the Triphammer Grill has an awesome view of the High Falls gorge. Then there's Richardson's in Bushnell's Basin or the Rabbit Room at the Lower Mill in Honeoye Falls. And don't forget the art walk outside Starry Nites and Edibles... I could go on and on. You're going to need a couple of summers at least.