The Garbage Plate. It’s the quintessential staple of Rochester, NY. You know what it is, I know what it is, but not everyone has the privilege of being initiated. For those who may not be aware, it is a glorious assortment of food piled together in a manner that is somehow discordant and harmonious at the same time. It is traditionally composed of macaroni salad, home fries, two cheeseburgers (or hot dogs), meat hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, and onions. Each layer is essential to the dish, however, it can be tailored more specifically to your individual taste. For instance, I never get mustard on mine.

Well over half the restaurants in Rochester have at least some sort of variation of the Garbage Plate, but the very first one came from Nick Tahoe Hots way back in 1918. It was originally known as “Hots and Potatoes” however, changed its namesake when Rochester’s heavy population of college students began referring to it as “a plate with all that garbage on it”. Eventually, in 1992 Nick Tahoe’s officially trademarked the name “Garbage Plate”.

Though Nick Tahoe’s is the first plate, that doesn’t necessarily make it the best. The title of “Best Garbage Plate” is highly subjective, and Rochestarians have been passionately waging war over it for years. My own personal favorite hails from Dogtown on Monroe Ave. For me, the meat hot sauce is the most integral part of a plate, and there’s just something about Dogtown’s that really speaks to me. People who really have an affinity for macaroni salad, though, might disagree, and that’s totally fine. There are countless amazing variations of the dish worth trying. Some other top-tier options include Charlie’s, Steve T’s, Southwedge, Fairport Hots, and many many more. I highly recommend trying as many as you can. After all, if variety is the spice of life, then the Garbage Plate is certainly a ripe platform for it.