The LocalROC

Directory/Food & Drink

Food & Drink

283 locations in Rochester, NY

Sort:Recent|A–Z

Mario's Via Abruzzi

Just too bland for foodies, methinks. — Been there for wife's corporate party several times...was impressed with service. — Report on their 2006 Wine Spectator award celebration: $25 admission was not deterrent enough for the creepy or the catty. The goods: they did have the status wines, but you need to be gauche to fight to the top of the line at the scheduled uncorking time; 'chocolate fountain' competed for cheesiness with the fromage; live instrumental music was mostly unnoticed by the meat-marketish crowd. Could do a better job keeping the whites chilled with a gathering of this size, but, hey, at least they kept the pyramid of glasses replenished. — I’ve only been to the Monroe Ave location for corporate events and their buffet service is not to be recommended. I have heard on occasion that the food can be good, but most comments I hear are to the contrary. The old East Ave location was always a pretty good choice for a pizza or a ‘red sauce’ pasta dish. — Very overpriced and there is lots better Italian fod to be found, even at chain restaurants. I'm not quite sure how they feel like they can charge so much for meals that are only typical at best. —

Food & Drink

Mario's Pasta and Pizza

'Mario's Pasta and Pizza' was an Italian family restaurant owned and operated by the Daniele family at 1749 East Avenue in Rochester NY, directly across from Wegmans Food Pharmacy. Proprietor Mario Daniele opened its doors in 1979. Sometime around the turn of the millennium, the Daniele family relocated the business to Monroe Avenue near the 590 North interchange, renaming the sprawling establishment, 'Mario's Via Abruzzi'. It closed in 2015, and was succeeded briefly by 'Mario’s Homemade Pasta Kitchen' at the site of the former Bazil - Daniele's son's restaurant - on Empire Boulevard in Webster until it closed it's doors in 2018 when Daniele decided to retire. The site was razed and quickly transformed into a thriving upscale Marina apartment housing complex known as 'The Bellagio'. The Mario's restaurants were a highly respected and much-loved set of culinary establishments that served the Rochester community for nearly half a century.

Food & Drink

Cold Stone Creamery

24 Hrs near Times Square Cold Stone Creamery is an ice cream shop with two locations in Rochester. The first location to open is located next to Pittsford Cinema in Pittsford Plaza. A second location was opened in Towne Center Webster at the corner of Holt Road and Ridge Road. Cold Stone serves ice cream with mix-ins. The server places your choice of ice cream on a cold stone and blends in your choice of mix-ins, such as nuts, candy, etc. Traditional ice cream shop fare such as shakes and sundaes are also served. They also offer a selection of ice cream cakes.

Food & Drink

Campi's

Where sandwich is king. Campi's is a small restaurant in the 19th Ward, just north of the Scottsville Road/390 intersection. They are best known for the massive steak sandwiches called "Bombers." Watching a person eat an entire bomber in a single sitting is a sight to see because the sandwiches are at least a foot in diameter. In addition to the steak sandwiches they have hot and cold subs, wings, plates, burgers and hots, soup, fish fry, pasta dinners, fried chicken dinners, gyros, and cake for dessert. On October 19, 2011, the restaurant was featured on Man v. Food Nation where Adam Richman reports on the Italian Sausage Bomber. A video of this scene has been uploaded to the Travel Channel website.

Food & Drink

Avenue Eatery

Avenue Eatery was RocWiki's Business Spotlight of the Month for March 2013! Avenue Eatery is a tiny restaurant in Monroe Village. They offer healthy meals at affordable prices in an NYC-style atmosphere where customers can order to go or eat at their window counter. They also have a partnership with the Bug Jar wherein you can order food directly from there as well. Avenue Eatery had their grand opening on November 16, 2012. They have a second location in Minneapolis owned by Sammy McDowel. Artistic Food Each Sunday, Avenue Eatery offers a private, gallery-style show of artistic food made by local chefs and foodies. Guests learn directly from the artist how to make the dish and how to present it. (They also get to eat the final product.) Recipes are available to take home, along with a token for participating. Closed in March 2015.

Food & Drink

Clover Lanes

Clover Lanes was a bowling alley on Monroe Avenue that had been in Rochester since 1957. It was voted "Best Bowling Alley" in City Newspaper's 2005 "Best of Rochester" contest and has won several times previously. They had Wi-Fi access and a nice bar staff (but avoid the mixed drinks). The music was typical bowling alley fare, nothing too grating. There's was a mix of teenagers, families, college aged people, adults, and league bowlers; no one group seems to dominate, which keet it fresh and relaxing. Clover was convenient to the Monroe Ave area, Brighton, and Pittsford. It was probably the closest and best bowling alley choice for people living on the south-east side of the city. On March 31, 2016, Clover Lanes closed to make way for a planned strip mall. The owners announced they would be opening a new bowling alley under another name near Artisan Works in the fall of 2016; the more eclectic Radio Social opened in May, 2017. The Monroe Avenue building stood (mostly) empty until mid-2019, when demolition began to make way for Whole Foods Center. Awards Clover Lanes was voted "Best Bowling Alley" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of' Awards in 2008.1

Food & Drink

Espada Brazilian Steak

Espada Brazilian Steak was Rochester's first and only Brazilian churrascaria. Meals were offered at tiers of all-you-can-eat from $25 to $45 per seat plus drinks. Diners begin by taking a trip to the salad and sides bar, but from then on servers come around to the tables with skewers loaded with meat and pineapple fresh off the grill, placing chosen items right on your plate. Previously located at the Village Gate. The owners of Gate House Cafe opened Espada Brazilian Steak on December 6, 2012. Closed April 3 2016. In 2016, the owners announced they were moving Gate House Cafe into Espada's location and will be opening a new restaurant at the Gate House location.

Food & Drink

I Don't Know

I Don't Know was a Chinese take-out place in the Changing of the Scenes neighborhood. Owner Jessie Dong says the name was inspired by her children's frequent response to what they want for eat. Shortly after she opened in May 2015, the quirky moniker garnered international attention and brought brisk business to the two-person operation. I Don't Know had two tables inside. Most menu items were under $10. Dong previously owned the Golden Port in Greece. Despite the media attention and subsequent burst of customers, the location ultimately did not attract enough business and closed in June 2016. References I Don't Know restaurant busy after international fame and video - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-12-06) Chinese restaurant opens called 'I Don't Know' - Daily Mail (2015-06-03) New Chinese restaurant’s name? I Don’t Know - New York Post (2015-06-03) I Don't Know Chinese Restaurant Opens In Upstate New York - Huffington Post (2015-06-03) I Don't Know Chinese Restaurant Opens - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-06-02) Post and comments on r/funny (May 2015)

Food & Drink

Murphy's Law Irish Pub

Murphy's Law Corner of East and Alexander, March 2010 Murphy's Law Irish Pub is an Irish-themed bar and restaurant on the corner of East Avenue and Alexander Street. It has a balcony level that can be rented for private parties. It opened its doors in March 2009. An Empire Boulevard location opened in the former Southpoint Restaurant and Bar location on February 27, 2017; it closed in December 2019. A Canandaigua location opened during 2018. Awards Murphy's was voted "Best New Bar" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' awards in 2009.1

Food & Drink

Highland Park Diner

Highland Park Diner is a famous diner on the corner of Clinton and Goodman in Swillburg, across Clinton from The Cinema. The American Diner Cookbook and other books feature the Highland Park Diner. The diner is also immortalized in a collectible sculpture by the Danbury Mint. This diner was manufactured by the Orleans Diner company of Albion, NY in the late 1940's. It would have been pre-built in their factory and moved to the site via rail car and truck, which is why diners of this type are always long and narrow. This diner may be the only surviving diner from this manufacturer (they only made 2 or 3 units total). It has always been at this site, although the original name was Dauphin's Superior Diner. The diner closed in 1974, then re-opened in 1976 as an OTB parlor. At this time, most of the diner interior was dismantled and removed. After the OTB closed in 1986, the building was purchased and restored by Bob Malley, who owned it for many years. Several years ago, Bob retired and sold the diner to a new owner. Awards Voted "Best Diner" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' Awards in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2015.1 2 34 Photos

Food & Drink

1872 Cafe

(Nov. 2012) Interior photo from The Rochesteriat. Used with permission. The 1872 Cafe is a cafe and coffeehouse in the Susan B. Anthony/COTS neighborhoods. It is part of the Voter's Block Community development, located on the site where Susan B. Anthony and fifteen other women attempted to vote illegally in 1872, hence the names. The cafe opened on August 18, 2012 in commemoration of the 92nd anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The interior features two murals depicting trailblazing women such as Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and Hillary Clinton, as well as newspaper clippings on the passage of the 19th Amendment. The 1872 Cafe was originally sponsored by Spiritus Christi Church as the anchor of Voter's Block and a gathering place for the community. It also helped raise funds for the church's Outreach Ministries to the Poor.1 The cafe closed on March 15, 2015 but reopened August 18, 2015 under the ownership of Sam Fantauzzo, who also owns Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizzeria. The date was chosen as the same date the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. Fantauzzo sold the cafe to Paul Gersonia in 2019. Links 1872 Cafe: Modern coffee shop where Susan B. Anthony cast illegal ballot in Rochester - NewYorkUpstate.com (2016-02-19) Cafe 1872 reopens as test site for new pizza concept - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-08-18) 1872 Cafe has new owner, menu - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-08-13) Voters Block Community, 1872 Cafe ribbon-cutting set for Thursday - Rochester Business Journal (2012-09-19) Cafe Pays Tribute to Susan B. Anthony - Rochester Business Journal (2012-08-28)

Food & Drink

Black Button Distilling

Delicious bourbon! Barrel-aged whiskey! All spirits are from local NY grains, bottled, labeled, hand-numbered and aged right here in Rochester. Black Button Distilling is Rochester's first legal craft distillery since Prohibition. They have a tasting bar that is open to the public serving cocktails and offering the opportunity to shop for bottles, apparel and merchandise. The distillery is available for private parties and group visits which makes for a unique setting to entertain friends, family and coworkers. Previously located in the Market District, then moved to Culver University East section of the city in 2023. Black Button produces various vodkas, gins, whiskeys and moonshines from New York grains. Black Button drinks may also be found at various bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in the City of Rochester and the surrounding area. See the website for a complete list. Black Button opened December 21, 2013. They opened a second cocktail room/bottle shop in downtown Buffalo in the spring of 2017. In July 2025 they closed for financial reasons and only stayed distributed existing stock. In September 2025, an investor came in as a new partner and they will be starting production again and retain existing staff. The tasting room on University Avenue will remain closed for now. Awards Voted "Best Regional Distillery" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' Awards in 2015.1 Links Regulation Changes Birth Distillery Renaissance - Democrat and Chronicle (2013-09-2) A Young Entrepreneur with a Passion for Distilling - Arkets Media (2013-10-11) The New Face in Town: Black Button Distilling - Just One Dram (2013-10-19) Black Button Distilling: sneak peak inside this crafty production - The Rochesteriat (2013-12-13)

Food & Drink

REOC B-Stro

REOC B-Stro is a small cafe in the Manhattan Square Park Neighborhood run by the College at Brockport's Rochester Education Opportunity Center. The restaurant teaches students baking and cooking, as well as knife skills, sanitation, and purchasing. The daily menu at REOC B-Stro consists of such basics as burgers, salads, soup, pizza, wings, and macaroni and cheese. The $7 daily specials are more elaborate and can be viewed on their website. The bistro opened in September 2012. REOC also runs cosmetology and barbering programs in the same building.

Food & Drink

Corner Bakery Cafe

Pittsford Corner Bakery Cafe is a fast casual chain based in Dallas, TX. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as catering. Corner Bakery used to have two locations in the Rochester area. Their Pittsford spot is in a former Blockbuster Video and opened on August 15, 2011. The second was in College Town and opened in December 2014 but closed in March 20161. That location had sidewalk seating. The Pittsford location closed in August 2016. Old Photos - Defunct College Town Location

Food & Drink

Happy Earth Tea

Happy Earth Tea is a local organic tea brand. Their tea room and retail location in the South Wedge was originally called Leaf Tea Bar. They were founded in 2011 by Niraj Lama, a native of India, and his wife Mary Boland. On February 1. 2018 a second retail location without a tea tasting bar was opened in Eastview Mall, but closed within a year. Happy Tea products may be also purchased at the following local retailers: Joe Bean Lori's Natural Foods One World Goods The Red Fern Union Place Coffee Roasters Online shopping is also available. They formerly had a studio in the Hungerford Building, then moved to 650 South Avenue. They opened their current location in July 2021.

Food & Drink