From east to west, they’re named Otisco, Skaneateles, Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Honeoye, Canadice, Hemlock, and Conesus. Getty Images What are the Finger Lakes?ĭepending on how you count, there are 11 eponymous lakes that give the region its name the spindly, parallel bodies of water in western New York state look a bit like claw marks on a map. Skaneateles on the Finger Lakes in upstate New York in autumn.

From Seneca to Skaneateles, Cayuga to Canandaigua, here’s all you need to know about dining through the Finger Lakes. But the Finger Lakes really flourish in the fall, when the air is crisp, the lakeshores offer gorgeous views of changing foliage, fresh apples plop off trees at local orchards, and vineyards spring to life for the autumn harvest.Ī trip to Central New York, and the Finger Lakes in particular, hits the sweet spot between “super active” and “indulgently lazy.” You can book a guided wine tour at your indie B&B or sit around with a gourmet breakfast spread fish for your dinner in the namesake lakes or grab a bite from a pop-up food stand stay on trend with buzzy new arrivals or fall back into the region’s long-time favorite haunts. Lake houses fill in the summer and farmers markets overflow with fresh produce in the spring (the ski slopes of the Catskills still have a lock on winter vacations). While the area has always had its fair share of culinary pride, the recent growth has given the largely rural region a booming food scene to rival West Coast wine destinations. The COVID-19 pandemic kicked the trend into overdrive, shutting down centers of hospitality in major cities nearby and inspiring enterprising food expats to head for Central New York. Chefs, farmers, craft food purveyors, distillers, brewers, and winemakers have flocked to the Finger Lakes for the convenient location, bounty of natural resources, and lower housing and commercial rents. For years, it has also been a regional haven for high-quality vineyards growing riesling, chardonnay, and cabernet franc, making it a go-to spot for NYC residents escaping the city and giving it a not-so-quiet “if you know, you know” reputation among oenophiles.

Packed with restaurants, farmers markets, fishing lakes, and cozy B&Bs, it’s a place where farm-to-table dining is (and has always been) just the status quo. Whether you’re coming from the East Coast, Midwest, or Canada, half a day’s drive will land you in the lush hills of Central New York and the serene region known as the Finger Lakes.

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