Best Barista: Rory Van Grol (Ugly Duck)

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Ugly Duck Coffee owner Rory Van Grol slings espresso. - PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN
Ugly Duck Coffee owner Rory Van Grol slings espresso.

Rory Van Grol (Ugly Duck Coffee)
89 Charlotte St.
uglyduckcoffee.com

A hardcore punk vocalist-turned caffeine purveyor, Rory Van Grol is one of those seminal Rochester characters that makes the city special, and is as much a conversationalist as he is a barista. Walk into Ugly Duck on any day of the week and you’re likely to find Van Grol toiling away among the steam valves wearing a big, jovial grin. Get him talking about coffee or stories from the local music scene and you have a surefire way to kill a few hours.

Finalists: DeeDee Krupkin (Ugly Duck Coffee) | Angelina Viglione (Fuego) | Devan Colucci (Fuego)

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Best Bouncer: Lori Lippa (ROAR)

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Best of Rochester

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Best Trivia Night: ROAR

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Best of Rochester

Best Music Festival: Rochester International Jazz Festival

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, which promises 325 shows spread across nine stages.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Instrumentalist: Herb Smith

Trumpeter Herb Smith is as affable as he is stylistically versatile.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Museum: Strong Museum of Play

Many people think of museums as stodgy institutions where touching exhibits is off-limits and fun goes to die. The Strong National Museum of Play is the opposite.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Live Music Venue (Small): The Bug Jar

Most live music fans in Rochester have a fond memory of the Bug Jar. Part live-music venue, part quasi-punk bar, the Bug Jar is a local gem.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Movie Theater: The Little

The Little Theatre is no mere art deco movie house, it's a beloved icon of Rochester's East End that has stood for more than 90 years.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Live Music Venue (Large): CMAC

The large outdoor venues are where the most enticing summer shows are found, and CMAC is the best of them.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Band (Original): Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Blues Artist or Group: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Jazz Artist or Group: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Solo Musician: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Vocalist: Danielle Ponder

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she won five “Best of Rochester” categories.

Jan 1, 2023

It’s easy to make the case that R&B-soul artist Danielle Ponder won 2022 — and not just because she took five different “” categories.
Best of Rochester

Best Country Artist or Group: Zac Brown Tribute Band

Live-music lovers know exactly what they’re getting with this good-vibin’ septet devoted to interpreting the songs of the Zac Brown Band.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Dance Company: Garth Fagan Dance

The world-renowned dance company is known for captivating audiences with dazzling choreography.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Folk Artist or Group: The Honey Smugglers

You can call The Honey Smugglers an Americana band, or even a jamgrass group. CITY readers call the sextet Rochester’s best folk group.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Hip-Hop Artist or Group: Moses Rockwell

Moses Rockwell's songs are observational. If he has an odd conversation or experience, he mines it for comedy and rhymes it in a song.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Mural or Public Art: Murals at MLK Jr. Memorial Park

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park is a year-round artistic backdrop with the vibrant Roc Paint Division murals

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best Media Outlet (Other Than Us, Of Course):13 WHAM

WHAM-TV (Channel 13) has been the dominant local news affiliate for the better part of 40 years.

Jan 1, 2023
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: The winners . . .

This year, some 10,349 discerning CITY readers cast 426,656 votes to determine the Best of Rochester winners across 110 categories. Here, we present the top picks of the people, places, and things that make Rochester home.

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Arts & Entertainment

Nightlife, music, theater, and art, CITY readers know them by heart . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Food & Drink

Hankering for burgers, baked goods, or beer? CITY readers come here . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Recreation

From first dates to dancing and shooting stick to shooting hoops, CITY readers have the scoop . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Goods & Services

Whether you're looking for flowers, a haircut, or that special gift for a four-legged friend, CITY readers recommend . . .

Oct 1, 2021
Best of Rochester

Best of Rochester: Who we are

They rise above the crowd, they make CITY readers proud . . .

Oct 1, 2021