Captain Jim’s
2329 East Main St. | 585-482-3640
facebook.com/cptjimsfish
Captain Jim’s is one of those unassuming hole-in-the-walls where you just know the food has to be great. Mostly a fish market, the shop routinely has a line out the door for its Friday fish fry special. Rightfully so. The fish is a high-quality haddock battered in a divine beer and flour concoction, fried to a perfect golden brown. Its crispy, crunchy shell contrasts perfectly with the flaky, tender fish it envelops. Complement your indulgence with a side of fried smelt.
Finalists: Bill Gray’s | Braddock Bay Inn | Palmer’s Market
Not so fast . . . Tryon City Tavern
2300 East Main Street | 585-654-9122
tryoncity.com
Located just across Main Street from Captain Jim’s in the North Winton Village section of the city, this neighborhood bar specializes in understated, but extremely well-done pub classics. The fish fry is the coup de grace. It’s a massive filet of haddock with a crust that turns the crunch factor up to 11 atop a bed of perfectly cooked battered fries. It doesn’t tread new ground, and it doesn’t try to. A good fish fry is not about innovation, but execution, and the execution at Tryon City is second to none. Combine that with a well-curated beer list and you have all the fixings for a gluttonous Friday evening. — GINO FANELLI
