Daniel Nielsen has a plan to put on one of the biggest music festivals Rochester has ever seen. The first step of this plan is Photo City (543 Atlantic Avenue), the music and comedy venue that officially re-opened under his sole ownership on January 14. Nielsen wants to use Photo City as a platform to […]
Chow Hound
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Think spring
Even though it may not seem that way — especially after Stella wreaked havoc on our city last week — spring is technically here. The snow may still crunch under our feet, but the intoxicating smell of French fries and gravy will soon be in the air as Le Petit Poutine starts the engines of […]
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Tucker’s celebrates New York State
Kurt Oechsle is celebrating everything New York State at his establishment, Tucker’s Diner/Bakery (303 Macedon Center Road, Fairport), which opened in January. Everything from the eggs to the vegetables and meats are coming from farms in New York, provided by Headwater Food Hub. “I’ve been trained to use local and seasonal — the best ingredients,” […]
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Catching up with RYCE
Last March, CITY wrote about the Rochester Youth Culinary Experience program and its vision to open a fully functioning restaurant, run completely by East High School students, in Village Gate. On February 2, that vision became a reality. RYCE (pronounced “rice”) opened in the space between Salena’s Mexican Restaurant and Nox Cocktail Lounge, and is […]
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A shot of Sambuca
When Massimo Albano and his partners, Fausto Albano and Stephen Dimassimo, were looking for a location for the casual counterpart to their successful East Rochester Italian eatery, Lemoncello, they didn’t have to look farther than across the street. After renovating the space to create more of a gastropub atmosphere, while using similar textures to their […]
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All roads lead to Village Gate
Ever since The Gate House moved into the former location of Espada Brazilian Steak last Fourth of July weekend, there has been a void in Village Gate. Kristen Flores-Fratto, the owner of The Gate House, knew another restaurant could flourish in the large, visible location at the end of the courtyard. Flores-Fratto and her husband, […]
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Branca breaks bread in midtown
If you’ve ever worked downtown, you know that options for grabbing something to eat are limited. If you’re looking for a drink after work with your co-workers, the choices are even fewer. And while there are plans (and many construction vehicles) in place to breathe new life into downtown, it’s hard to picture what it […]
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The Lounge offers the full experience
Joseph Cipolla, owner and executive chef of The Kitchen and now The Lounge, says he and his team “want to create the whole night out.” “I like to create things that relate to my own life,” Cipolla says. “My wife and I get all dressed up for a night out, and when dinner is over […]
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JB’s Smokehouse makes barbecue its own way
It’s simple: Bill Schnupp is cooking the food he likes to eat. Schnupp, along with partner Justin Washington, opened JB’s Smokehouse (211 Main Street, East Rochester) in June, with a menu that has all of the meats you’d expect from a quality barbecue joint — cooked in a style that isn’t quite Texas BBQ nor […]
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Former Wafel Cart owner opens The Waffle Factory
Listening to Nick Musson talk about the path that led him to opening The Waffle Factory (30 North Avenue, Webster) will give you wanderlust. Musson graduated from Webster Schroeder High School, went on to study in Greece — Musson is Greek and Belgian — worked on both US coasts, ran a successful local food cart, […]
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Penny pinching provisions
Some of us are starting to feel the panic of the holiday season — especially when it comes to the balance of our bank accounts. A few of the things I am especially thankful for around the holidays include my Amazon Prime subscription (free two-day shipping is a necessity for all procrastinators out there) and […]
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Cedar Mediterranean opens on Monroe Ave
There’s something glorious about freshly baked bread. Biting into a still-warm slice; feeling the steam as you bring it to your mouth. The smell … it’s good stuff. All of the bread is baked to order at Elia and Ghada Ghanatios’ newest venture, Cedar Mediterranean Restaurant (746 Monroe Avenue). The couple has been in the […]
