The stop
Garbage Plate at Nick Tahou Hots, 320 W. Main St., Rochester, N.Y.
What makes it special
Nick Tahou Hots has been serving varieties of its garbage plate since its introduction as "hots and potatoes" in 1918.
The name Garbage Plate took form in the 1980s when a strong college costumer base did not know what to call it. They started to ask for plates of garbage. Initially strongly contested the name stuck, and the modern garbage plate was born.
The original included cold beans, home fries, two hot dogs, mustard, onions and meat hot sauce. Today, numerous combinations exist, including a veggie burger. The standard includes macaroni salad, home fries, two cheese burgers, chopped onions, mustard and their proprietary meat hot sauce.
3 things the locals know
1. The restaurant is located in an old train station on the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad. The original location was torn down for construction of I-490.
2. The meat hot sauce is built for flavor, not to burn your mouth.
3. There is a large parking lot in the back with an entrance.
Hours
Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
