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Food & Drink

277 locations in Rochester, NY

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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

International Importers

International Importers, Long Pond Rd, Greece International Importers was a delicatessen on Long Pond Road. It was replaced by Oriens Cafe in 2009. History: Former description: Don't know much about the history but the owners (presuming because they are always there) are nice and are working all the time. It seems that everyone that’s there when I stop by knows the owners and each other. While I may not know anyone people are easy to chat with when waiting in line at the deli counter (which btw, isn't a long wait). They have a good selection of deli food and other stuff. All at prices that are about 30-40% less than Wegmans. Former Menu: Deli case with a good selection of meats and cheeses Butcher case, homemade sausage, rib eye steaks and more. Fresh bread and rolls from Di Paolo and Petrillo's Fresh made salads like macaroni and potato. Subs, both hot and cold. Canoli! Dried pasta, caned sauce, olives, fresh nuts. Pop and drinks, snacks and chips.

Food & Drink

Hart's Local Grocers

Authentic wagon from original Hart's Groceries. Selection of local products. Hart's Local Grocers was an independent full-service grocery store in the East End. Their stock emphasized local meat, dairy, produce, and baked goods at affordable prices alongside national brands. They also offered prepared foods based on an updated 1940s menu dedicated to local cuisine. The cafe featured a different local coffee each month. Online shopping and delivery were available, as well as pick-up at the store. Arbor Loft, the second floor event space leased by Agathi & Co. The store was named after Hart's Groceries, a longtime Rochester institution. Hart's opened August, 15 2014. Owner Glenn Kellogg is an urban planner originally from Washington, D.C. On March 11 2019, owners announced after a profitable year, they would be closing on March 24, 2019; on March 20 they moved the closing date up to Friday, March 22, due to low inventory. The location was previously Craig Autometrics. Local Brands Carried (Incomplete List) Abbott's Frozen Custard Balsam Bagels CanalTown Coffee Roasters Coffee Connection Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery Eat Me Ice Cream Evoke Healthy Foods Flour City Pasta Genesee Brewing Company Happy Earth Tea Hedonist Artisan Chocolates Pittsford Farms Dairy & Bakery Rohrbach Brewing Company Small World Bakery Stuart's Spices Tea Witch Tea Three Heads Brewing Union Place Coffee Roasters Voula's Greek Sweets Zweigle's Links Hart's Local Grocers to host event space - Democrat and Chronicle (2016-03-22) F.A.T. Episode 10 - Podcast from Food About Town blog (2014-02-06) Grocery founder hopes venture builds community - Rochester Business Journal (2014-01-17)

Food & Drink

Dark Horse Coffee

Company Logo Mall Side Entrance, Dec 2011 Dark Horse Coffeep was RocWiki's Business of the Month for May 2012! Dark Horse Cafe was the official RocWiki Meeting location. Dark Horse Coffee was a cozy lunch spot/coffee bar with tables to eat at and comfy chairs for relaxing. It was located in the Village Gate in the Neighborhood of the Arts and had outdoor seating in the courtyard. They served coffees (all Fair Trade), teas, smoothies, baked goods, and a variety of specialty sandwiches and salads. The business, owned by Bonnie Haley, opened in May 20091 in the Maplewood neighborhood. That location closed and reopened in Village Gate in March of 2011. Closed in 2016. 1June Maplewood Times (PDF)

Food & Drink

Little Caesars Pizza

Little Caesars Pizza is a national chain pizzeria with seven locations in the Rochester area: Chili Avenue in Chili, Lyell Avenue in Greece, Ridge Road in Webster, Cobblestone Court Drive in Victor, Dewey Avenue in Greece, Titus Avenue in Irondequoit, and Monroe Avenue in Rochester. The Little Caesars Dancer Guy on Monroe Avenue The aforementioned individual began his dancing campaign in 2011. The "Little Caesars Dancer Guy," whose real name is Christopher McGuire, was a young man in an orange tee and a fluffy orange wig carrying an arrow-shaped sign advertising the "$5 Hot-N-Ready" special available at the Little Caesar's Monroe location. He was seen most weekdays from 3-9 on the corner of Monroe and Goodman, and occasionally on the corner of Monroe and Alexander, performing a variety of silly dances. During his tenure he became something of a fixture, boasting two Facebook fan pages (now defunct), as well as coverage in the Democrat & Chronicle (article here) and YNN. Alas, he quit his position in early January 2012 due to alleged verbal abuse from his supervisor and is now employed by Texas Blues BBQ. McGuire has also done work for Royal Crown Pawn. A profile of him in City newspaper may be read here.

Food & Drink

On The Rocks

On The Rocks was a bar on Mt. Hope Ave. & (near) Raleigh Street. It was across from Wendy's, and very close to Strong Memorial Hospital and the University of Rochester. It was replaced by Sheridan's Pub in 2010. The long and short of it: regular beers, mix of working class guys, rugby players, students. great food, friendly staff, great owner. It is difficult to describe On The Rocks or to pin it down to just one type of place with a specific typical patron. On the one hand you have your blue collar working class Joe who enjoys a cold, cheap beer or 6 (Labatt and Yuengling are on tap) after work, before he drives home towards Henrietta. At the same time you'll see a few 30 yr old buddies sharing a pitcher, playing some darts, and watching something on the big screen. Also, being the closest bar to Strong, the occasional Med Student group will wander in since they all live in the neighborhood. Still, being a main sponsor of the UofR men's rugby club, some contingent of that organization will be present almost any night of the week. Occasionally, one of the rugby players will guest bartend, in which event all hell breaks lose as the bar is full of college students (not the Alexander Street type though, more so the fun loving alcoholics). If you are hoping to run into some ladies at OTR expect to be looking for either some near middle aged nurses from Strong, or any other woman who is just past her prime, but at the same time will spark a conversation with anyone and is usually loud and hilarious after a few drinks. The owner, Nick, is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and he'll learn your name within a few visits, just realize that when he tells you "Oh yeah, we are doing something for the ........... (what ever organization you are in) we'll set up some food, drink specials, you show your card blah blah." that this will never happen, though I think he truly wants it to. Great man right there. The bartenders, aside from guest bartenders, are always female and very nice and talkative. Its easy to become a regular. In terms of food, On The Rocks has amazing wings, pretty much as well made as they can be. The also have their own version of a garbage plate called a "land-fill plate" which is certainly satisfying. Anything else fried is tasty, including the homemade potato chips called "saratoga chips." And if you show up often enough, Nick might just give you some for free.

Food & Drink

La Casa Restaurant

La Casa Restaurant is a Mexican restaurant in the South Wedge. They serve brunch on Sundays. Outdoor seating available. La Casa opened on February 25, 2013. It was co-founded by the owners of La Placita Mexican and Lyjha Wilton of Wilton Enterprises and Boulder Coffee Company. Controversy In May of 2014, the La Placita people filed a lawsuit against Lyjha Wilton. It alleges that he had approached them as an investor and promised to turn the restaurant over to them, but instead maintained ownership and forced them out after the business became popular and they were detained for immigration violations. 1 Wilton has countered by saying that they refused to uphold their end of the agreement, left the business voluntarily, and refused to enter mediation in an attempt resolve the matter, instead deciding to sue. He also alleges they misled him by saying they were in this country legally. The couple faces possible deportation in July.2 Photo Gallery Admin note: This page has been locked for editing.

Food & Drink

CanalTown Coffee Roasters

CanalTown Coffee Roasters is a coffee shop in the city on East Avenue, in the strip mall across from Wegmans in Culver/University/East. It is owned by "Master Roaster" Peter Pelletier, who has over 20 years of experience in roasting and buying. Canaltown was created when Peter moved back home to Rochester from North Carolina where he worked at his father-in-law's coffee shop. His love for importing and roasting coffee led him to create Canaltown. Canaltown prides itself on importing and selling high quality roasted coffee. Canaltown offers several unique categories of roasted coffee to its customers both in-store and on their website. These unique categories include, African, Blended, Central and South America, Dark Roast, Decaf, Espresso, Flavored, Organic, and South Pacific. Most of Canaltown's roasted coffee beans can be purchased online at the Canaltown website. In addition to roasted coffee, sandwiches are also a popular item on the menu at Canaltown. Also, frequent open mic events held on-site help make Canaltown a relaxing environment for music entertainment and enjoying a cup of coffee.

Food & Drink

Aladdin's Natural Eatery

Monroe Ave Location 2-2008 Aladdin's Schoen Place location in Pittsford Restaurants : Lebanese Food : http://www.aladdinsonline.com Aladdin's Natural Eatery is a local Mediterranean restaurant. The Pittsford location is a great cheap place to eat overlooking the canal. Pretty good for parents with kids, too - they bring crayons to the table, and have a kids menu that is a happy mix of yum and healthy. Aladdin's Natural Eatery offers a diverse menu of natural* cuisine. They use no sulfites or preservatives of any kind. Only fresh vegetables and meats. Entres include: MOUSSAKA, PASTITSIO and MELANZAGNA and are $8.75 Pastas include: AGLIO OLIO, PIGNOLIA and CON FAGIOLI. Prices range from $8.50 to $9.50 Appetizers include: SPANAKOPITA, Falafel and Sautéed Spinach and range in price from $4.95 to $6.25 Reservations are recommended for parties of six or more. Take-out service is available. Beer and wine are served. New menu as of August 2008. Aladdin's was awarded the Democrat & Chronicle's Rochester's Choice Award for "Mediterranean" in 2007.1

Food & Drink

Monks' Bread

Monks' Bread is a local Rochester region bread produced by the monks in the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, NY, near Geneseo and Mount Morris. Monks Bread is sold at the Abbey store and in Wegmans and other outlets. It may be ordered online for nation-wide delivery, at the Monks Bread Online Store "When the monks arrived from The Abbey of Gethsemani in the spring of 1951, Br. Sylvester began baking a wholesome, old fashioned loaf of bread for the community and a few guests. Before long guests and visitors were asking to purchase this unique loaf. To respond to the demand for bread, now known as Monks' Bread, it was decided to incorporate a small bakery in the new abbey the monks were building. By the spring of 1956 things had progressed to where a large modern bakery was set in operation. Today that bakery, continually upgraded and improved, is still in operation producing several varieties of Monks' Bread including white, whole wheat, multigrain, raisin, sunflower bran and genesee rye as well as seasonal specialty breads and some other baked goods." 1 See Abbey of the Genesee for details on the Abbey, their local store and Monks' Bread. 1Abbey Website

Food & Drink