Food & Drink in Brighton

The Pittsford Grill's chefs dress a menu of American steakhouse dishes in gourmet garnishes to promenade with a wide variety of wine selections. The Strip ($22) is 12 ounces of USDA Choice lack Angus strip steak slathered in gorgonzola cream—or your choice of four other sauces—that when allied with a half-pound of king-crab legs ($15), governs a formidable land-and-sea dynasty, impregnable by tofu rivals. The dry-rubbed salmon, dappled with avocado and lime mousse ($19), pairs well with a side of wild-mushroom risotto and a glass of citrus-tinged Rex Goliath pinot grigio ($6). The Artichokes French ($13+) reads a bedtime story to spinach and artichokes snuggled under a blanket of lemon-butter wine sauce in a bed of angel-hair pasta.

Bruegger's bagels are culled from fresh, wholesome ingredients and then kettle-boiled in the New York tradition, resulting in chewy centers with crisp outer crusts. Awaken your taste buds with a savory combination such as the asiago-parmesan bagel smothered with olive-pimiento cream cheese ($0.99 for bagel only, $2.29 with cream cheese). Or prove yourself to be a sweetie by adopting a family of six carb circles and washing them up and behind the ears in a tub of garden-veggie cream cheese ($7.89). Bruegger's deli menu is flanked by an array of breakfast sandwiches ($2.99–$6.79) and lunch fare; bury thoughts of the snarky snooze button with the spinach-and-cheddar-omelette sandwich, or defuse your lunchtime hunger siren with a signature sandwich ($5.69–$6.99) such as the herby turkey or roma roast beef.

With more than 125 menu options ranging from breakfast fare to steak and seafood dinners, the Duchess Restaurant delights tongue buds of all dispositions and meal preferences. Breakfast cravers can sate growling bellies from dawn until eternal darkness with a three-egg vegetarian omelette, sidled up to toast and jelly ($5.99), a saccharine stack of pancakes ($3.99), or corned-beef hash, accompanied by the savory trills of eggs and toast ($6.69). Dinner and lunch munchers can opt for burgers, melts, and club sandwiches, as well as sporkfuls of home-style favorites such as meatloaf ($8.99) and center-cut pork chops ($10.99). The Duchess also offers menu options for kids, who can whet wee appetites with a grilled cheese and fries ($2.99), and diners aged 60 and over, who can chomp down on senior-centric portions and a choice of delectable sides.

Chef Anthony Dapice exercises three decades of culinary experience to pay homage to the tastes of France, Italy, Asia, Greece, and the United States’ many culinary regions. The menu spins a kaleidoscope of garden salads, including a French country salad ($7). A turkey-mango quesadilla allows the Thanksgiving favorite to take a tropical vacation on a ciabatta-panini raft ($7), and articulate dinner pangs speak their longing for the homemade lasagna ($15) or the roasted, gingered Atlantic salmon ($17). Marbleized walls, gleaming wood floors, and framed artwork are grounded by a warm but stern fireplace.

With Floridian décor that warms diners and karaoke singers on cold winter nights, Sanibel Cottage offers hungry loungers an eclectic menu that brims with savory steaks, fresh seafood, tempting appetizers, and palate-pleasing pasta. Patrons who crave formality and order can head to the dining room, which is surrounded by fish-related décor that brings to mind a grandparent's eclectic summer home. There they can nosh on delicacies such as the New York strip steak smothered in gorgonzola shallot butter ($25) or the shrimp scampi soaked in white-wine-butter sauce ($17). Other scrumptious seafood options include the Sanibel oysters topped with cheesy breadcrumbs and gulf shrimp (six for $18.95) and the simmering steamed clams (six for $6.95). Sanibel Cottage is also a laid-back tavern, where an acoustic guitar virtuoso nestled among potted palms plunks out tunes while big-screen TVs broadcast the Super Bowl of Saxophone Shot-Putting over the heads of seated diners sampling the tavern's late-night menu.

When Nord Brue and Mike Dressell began perfecting their bagel recipe with the help of a professional NYC bagel maker in 1983, the bagel was still an anomaly in the food world—it was geographically and culturally still isolated in New York City. Fueled by a desire to change that, the duo opened up the first Bruegger's deli with the hope of eventually introducing the rest of the country to the bagel. Brue and Dressell have since realized their dream, sharing their distinctive recipes and culinary traditions at 300 locations spread across 26 states. To this day, they oven-bake their centerless bread rolls every morning and afternoon, populating counter displays that also brim with daily made breads, Vermont cream cheese, and custom-roasted coffee.

Executive Chef Phillip Smith and his network of chefs still use the original five-ingredient recipe for their dough, which they shape into more than 20 bagel varieties. Because they draw from each region's local recipes and from dialogue and Pictionary games with local consumers, certain menu items may vary from store to store across the country. The bagels are often served with Bruegger's eclectic cream cheeses such as bacon scallion or pumpkin, or as sandwiches with meats, cheeses, and veggies often sourced from local or organic produce. Coffe gets just as much attention, with house blends of 100% arabica coffee.