Chef-driven, wine-list-considered, view-when-the-light-drops. Reservations recommended at all of them; required at three.
The 1807 stagecoach inn on Genesee Street, still the anchor of a Skaneateles weekend. Formal dining room, tavern side with a shorter menu and a fireplace, wraparound front porch that faces the lake across the road. Order the lake perch when it's on. Reserve the porch table two weeks out in July.
Waterfront upscale casual on the village lakefront — the best six-o'clock table in town when the light drops. Seafood-heavy menu, a proper wine list, and a covered deck that runs May through October. Book a week ahead in season; the deck goes first, and the interior tables miss the sunset by half.
The Tuscan farmhouse on West Genesee that most Skaneateles regulars book first — wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, and a wine cellar that surprises out-of-towners. Waitlist runs long on weekends; the bar is first-come and eats the full menu. Half-portions on the pastas if you're staying for tiramisu.
The 1899 landmark on West Genesee, reopened with a serious cocktail program and a small tasting-menu-driven kitchen. The upstairs speakeasy takes reservations separately and pours the best classic cocktails in the village. Save this one for the anniversary or the last night of the trip.