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 […]
Dining News
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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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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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Pub 235 has some shoes to fill
Having grown up in Webster, I felt a pang of sadness and nostalgia when I heard the news in 2014 that Hank’s Ice Cream and Grill had closed — some places you just expect to always be there. Needless to say, when Pub 235 opened its doors in the old Hank’s location at 235 North […]
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Drifting through downtown
For those that might only go downtown at night for concerts or other events, it can be easy to forget that there is life in the area during the day, before it empties out after all the nine-to-fivers go home. Drifters L.B. is a new restaurant located inside the recently opened Hilton Garden Inn (155 […]
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Cooking what you love
Ashley Swan-Abramson, chef at Roux (688 Park Avenue), loves the versatility of French cooking. “French food is influenced by so many different regions and you can do so much with it,” she says. “I love doing new twists on classic interpretations.” Swan-Abramson’s mother, Robin Banister, owns Roux, and her sister, Paulina Swan, is the bar […]
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The late night nosh
When it comes to late-night food options in Rochester, your choices are typically limited to whether you want cheeseburgers or hot dogs on your garbage plate. Monroe Kabob (201 Monroe Avenue) is offering something different for those looking for the late-night nosh. Monroe Kabob is also open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, however, […]
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A taste of France in the East End
Vive Bistro and Bakery wants to make vegan food more inviting for the uninitiated. “We find if we refer to our menu as plant-based, it’s a lot less scary for people,” Nick Lemesis says with a laugh. Lemesis is co-owner of Vive Bistro and Bakery (130 East Avenue), a new French-inspired vegan restaurant in the […]
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CHOW HOUND: Old-school in a new space
Cinelli’s Pizza Ristorante (840 Long Pond Road) moved into its space in the new plaza next to Bryant & Stratton College on January 20. “We literally built this place from the ground up; there was a dirt floor,” says co-owner Franca Cinelli. Franca, along with her husband, John, and her son, Tom, are all owners […]
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CHOW HOUND: An edible renaissance
The story behind the new restaurant Mamma Lucia reads like a romantic-comedy script. Boy meets girl in high school, date, but eventually break up and lose touch. They reconnect 20 years later, get married, and open a restaurant together. This is the story of Senada and Orhan Pehlivanovic and Mamma Lucia, which opened in the […]
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CHOW HOUND: Nerding out
Approaching Nox Craft Cocktails & Comfort Food in Village Gate, you may think you need a password to enter. The impressive, dungeonesque doorway has eye-level panels that can be opened from the inside to snoop on who is outside. When my friend and I stepped inside on our visit, she immediately gasped, “Oh my goodness, […]
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CHOW HOUND: A culinary combination
Thanks to Hollywood gossip magazines, we now have words like Brangelina and Kimye in our lexicon. Megan Rattray and Shawn Hoock have embraced the combination trend and used it to name their new restaurant, Shmeg’s (3027 Buffalo Road, Gates). If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, right? Rattray and Hoock met while both working at […]
