Who makes the best Garbage Plate in Rochester? (Poll)

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- As the saying goes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" and in Rochester, the Garbage Plate is a prize of the Flower City.

The plate layers macaroni salad, home fries, French fries or baked beans with your choice of protein—red hots, white hots and hamburgers are most common— all topped with mustard, chopped onions and meaty hot sauce.

The origins of the delicious plate dates back to 1918, when Alexander Tahou opened Hots and Potatoes, according Linda Stradley, author of What's Cooking America.

His son, Nick Tahou, later took over the restaurant. In the 1980s, college students began asking for "plates of garbage", which led to the Garbage Plate, a name Nick Tahou later trademarked.

While Nick Tahou's is the only restaurant serving official Garbage Plates, dozens of Rochester-area restaurants serve their version of the disheveled delicacy.

Dogtown:

Last year, the Pearl-Meigs-Monroe hot spot was named one of the ten best hot dog joints in the country.

Their 18 varieties of hot dogs cover a wide spectrum of cuisines, from the "Irish Setter," topped with corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese, to the "Fido Castro," topped with bacon, coleslaw, melted Swiss cheese, brown mustard and a dill pickle.

At Dogtown, the plates are called "Junkyard Dog Plates" and come topped with the usual suspects—hamburgers, cheeseburgers, white hots, red hots and sausages.

Vegetarians are in luck, as Dogtown also offers a full menu of meat-free options that come topped with veggie chili instead of the usual Dogtown sauce.

Steve T Hots & Potatoes:

Steve T's is actually in the town of Gates, but it's well worth the drive for one of their "Famous Plates." The restaurant had been a Nick Tahou's location until Steve Tahou took over the restaurant in 1997 and renamed it in homage to the original family name.

Garbage Plates are the perfect drunk food and Steve T's is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it an ideal stop after a night out on the town.

Nick Tahou Hots:

The one that started it all. Nick Tahou's was first and many think it's still the best. It was voted best Rochester plate in 2015 by the Rochester City Newspaper (Dogtown was a runner-up.).

In addition to the current Steve T's restaurant, Nick Tahou's ran a restaurant in Henrietta from 2010 to 2014.

The Gate House:

Because in Rochester, even fine dining restaurants want to get in on the Garbage Plate game. Instead of split red or white hots, "The Gate Plate" comes with a half-pound burger topped with Cheddar cheese. Garlic rosemary fries take the place of home fries and the traditional mayonnaise-laden macaroni salad has been replaced with a lighter pasta salad with vegetables(!).

Whose plate stands above the rest? Vote in our unscientific poll. Is your favorite not listed? Leave your nomination in the comments below.

Note: Online polls conducted on NewYorkUpstate.com are non-scientific and their results should not be considered an accurate reflection of public opinion.

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