Mr. Dominic's at the Lake

Mr. Dominic's at the Lake is a family-run Italian restaurant at 4699 Lake Avenue in Rochester's Charlotte neighborhood, situated near the Port of Rochester and Lake Ontario Beach Park. The restaurant has been serving the Rochester area since the mid-1970s, making it a longstanding fixture in a community known for its lakefront character. A second location, Mr. Dominic's on Main, later opened in Fairport inside the renovated Green Lantern Inn, but the original Charlotte spot continues to operate with many of the same staff who have been preparing the kitchen's recipes since the restaurant's early years.

The dinner menu spans a broad range of Italian-American fare, organized into categories that include antipasto, homemade pasta, chicken and veal (pollo e vitello), seafood (pesce), and steak (bistecca). Standout sections include:

• Homemade pastas such as gnocchi, lasagna, ravioli, and manicotti
• Chicken and veal preparations including Marsala, Parmigiana, Scampi, and cutlets
• A seafood selection featuring shrimp, scallops, and fish entrées
• Angus steaks, braciole, and pork chops under the bistecca heading

A lunch menu offers sandwiches, burgers, salads, and smaller pasta portions. Friday fish fry is a weekly staple — the haddock is prepared with lemon, butter, and wine sauce and served alongside pasta, potatoes, salad, or vegetables. The kitchen has maintained its approach of cooking homemade sauces, pastas, and veal dishes from recipes handed down through the family.

Mr. Dominic's at the Lake is known for its multi-decade presence in the Charlotte neighborhood and its patio dining with views overlooking Lake Ontario Park and the Port of Rochester. The restaurant operates both a bar area and a dining room, giving guests a choice between casual and sit-down settings. Its Friday fish fry draws a regular crowd, and the kitchen's long-tenured staff reflects a consistency that has kept the restaurant running at the same location for roughly fifty years.

The restaurant sits on Lake Avenue in Charlotte, one of Rochester's northernmost neighborhoods, where the Genesee River meets Lake Ontario. The area around the Port of Rochester includes Lake Ontario Beach Park and the Charlotte Pier, making Mr. Dominic's a convenient stop for visitors spending time along the lakefront. The patio offers views of the park and port. Charlotte has a distinct small-town feel within the city, with a cluster of shops and eateries along Lake Avenue leading toward the lake.