Over the last few years, travel shows like “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” have tried to educate the public that sometimes some of the tastiest food you’ll ever have is from a street cart in Singapore, or is served at a small café in Malaysia. It’s with that spirit of […]
Restaurant News
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Revamped sports bar opens in Corn Hill
If you walk into The Exchange at Corn Hill (251 Exchange Boulevard) thinking it will just be a take on Nathaniel’s Pub, the former occupant, only with new ownership, you would be mistaken. The space has undergone extensive renovations; managing partner Jeff Limuti is confident “you wouldn’t even recognize it.” Limuti — who also owns […]
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Rochester Cocktail Revival returns for its third year
This is the third year of the Rochester Cocktail Revival, a week of tastings, seminars, and parties celebrating the vibrant cocktail scene in Rochester. Chuck Cerankosky, co-owner of Good Luck and Cure, and Joe Fee of Fee Brothers, along with other Rochester bar and restaurant owners came up with the idea of the Revival in […]
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CoreLife Eatery makes clean eating simple
If you’re trying to follow a special diet, whether it’s Paleo, Weight Watchers, macrobiotic, microbiotic, symbiotic (okay, the last two aren’t real diet plans) going out to eat is a challenge. When ordering you might as well just say, “Can you strip this entrée of anything that gives it flavor?” The partners at CoreLife Eatery […]
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Brown Hound opens Memorial Art Gallery location
Trish Aser was doing the farm-to-table concept before we even started calling it “farm-to-table.” She opened the Brown Hound Bistro in 2005 in a small, century-old Bristol house, and began sourcing all of her ingredients locally, taking advantage of the many farms and businesses in the area. The restaurant was a success and the whole […]
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Jim’s Restaurant reopens on Main
When news came that Jim’s Restaurant would be shutting down in order to make room for Aldi, a supermarket chain, the popular diner’s regulars were shocked. Campaigns to save the restaurant popped up on social media and local news outlets covered the emotional last day. Elena Knapp has owned Jim’s for 14 years; she started […]
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Renovated gastropub opens in North Winton Village
After three months of renovations, the Blossom Road Pub has opened at 198 North Winton Road at the location formerly occupied by Winton Bar & Grill. Co-owners Drew Nye, Marcus Lenear, Maurice Kusminsky, and Max Gordon took over the spot and did all of the renovations themselves. Nye and Kusminsky own Roam Café on Park […]
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Program is shaping chefs and raising restaurateurs
High school students working in restaurants typically bus tables, mop floors, or wash dishes. And with a little more experience, some may go on to become waiters or act as hosts, but few have the chance to go beyond entry-level positions. The Rochester Youth Culinary Experience aims to change that. RYCE (pronounced “rice”) is a […]
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Shh … Scofflaw speakeasy opens on Monroe Avenue
In the 1920’s and 1930’s, the historic building at 3001 Monroe Avenue was rumored to have been a brothel and speakeasy, long before the days of People’s Pottery and Pittsford Wegmans. The building was built in 1820 and later served as the location for the Spring House restaurant for many years. When Katherine Mott and […]
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Burgers, beers, and (arcade) battles at The Playhouse/Swillburger
As anyone who has opened a business knows, the best-laid plans often go awry. This held true for Brian Van Etten and Jeff Ching, co-owners of The Playhouse/Swillburger (820 South Clinton Avenue). “We’ve both opened restaurants. We thought we had anticipated all the pitfalls and delays. We spent two years planning this,” says Van Etten. […]
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Full cider house opens on University Avenue
The last few years have seen the rapid expansion of the craft beer market, and a similar trend has begun with hard ciders. Supermarkets like Wegmans and smaller businesses such as Nathaniel Corner Store now carry a wide selection of ciders — and most bars and restaurants have at least one cider available. Patrick Jaouen […]
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Wood-fired pizza comes to Merchants neighborhood
The space at 564 Merchants Road has seen its fair share of turnover the last few years — Luna Piena Bistro to Merchant’s Pasta House, then Porcini Bar & Bistro. New owners Steve Costanza and Donna DiMarzo — who has been in the business of wood-fired pizzas for 15 years — opened Merchants Wood Fired […]
