You could live your entire life in Rochester and not make it to all the Italian restaurants. The “That’s Italian” section was one of the most popular features on theRefrigerator website. The content on this page was pulled from theRefigerator website before it was taken down. Most of the restaurants have changed hands. Many of the reviews were submitted anonymously. The restaurants are listed here in alphabetical order.
agatina’s 2967 Buffalo Road in Rochester, New York
Agatina’s is out on Buffalo Road near Elmgrove but it is worth the fifteen minute trip. “Italian American Continental Cuisine, Since 1984, One of Rochester’s Best Restaurants” says the matchs I picked up there. The decor is stuck in the eighties. We made the mistake of driving out out there on Saint Patrick’s Day, a Saturday night and they told us it would be a one hour and half wait! We went back on a Friday without reservations and we got seated right away.
The staff seemed young, our waiter in particular, but the food was really great. I ordered “Eggplant Vicenzo”, baked eggplant rolled in a ricotta cheese and I had my choice of two sauces although I can’t remember which one I ordered. My wife had Carbonara, bacon and sausage with pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce with fresh parsley. Both dishes tasted great the next day (which we have found to be a good measure of a restaurant). The wine list had plenty of good bottles to choose from at low prices. We chose Rosemont Cabernet Shiraz.
Carol Acquilano: As Italian cuisine is the fare I most prefer I often ask people which Italian restaurant is their favorite. The response I get from those who have a stronly preferred favorite is always the same, Agatina’s. My husband’s family has been going to Agatina’s for more years than we have been together, which is over 16 years. The service has always been good and the atmoshpere welcoming. The food however is outstanding. Whenever we go we make a point to get more food than we could possibly eat just so there are plenty of leftovers!
antonetta’s 1160 Jay Street, Rochester New Y0rk
Richard Zitrin: I’m a writer (print journalist for 30 years, freelancer last 4 1/2, including two WONDERFUL years telecommuting from my sweet crib on Goodman Street for a crime news dot.com in lower Manhattan – best job of my life), but I’m no reviewer, or I’d do a little somethin’ on Antonetta’s. It’s the best. Da bomb. Go there sometime, write something. Will cost you maybe $5 and change for great food. Love the wall of Sinatra photos. Great people-watching, great food, great service. What’s not to love. Antonetta’s is out Jay Street near Glide. I go once every six weeks at the max, but they treat me as if I’m there everyday. And a lot of their customers are there everyday.
Anonymous: July 2007 Antonetta’s – Crowded at lunch with great people watching. Especially recommend Fridays when Angie makes clam chowder and seafood bisque from scratch. I favor the chowder but a photographer friend swears by the bisque. Ista Topa
antonio’s 2245 Empire Boulevard Webster New York
Antonio’s on Empire Boulevard across from the Sony/Loew’s theater complex used to be called the Doll House when it was a mob hangout. I’ve driven by it hundreds of times but never really noticed it which is hard to believe now that I’ve been there. The front of the building looks like what Disney would do to an Italian Restaurant in one of their theme parks.
We were seated by Antonio. He gave us a choice of waiting twenty minutes to sit in the no smoking section or immediate seating in the smoking section. We chose the smoking section and I asked if “we had to smoke.” Antonio kept a straight face and said, “No, you don’t have to smoke.” We ordered a carafe of Chianti and we tried their lasagna and the eggplant parm. They were OK. There was a soldier in army fatigues at the next table talking on his cell phone for about twenty minutes straight. He was headed off to duty somewhere, swept up in the current military escalation. He left and it was pretty relaxing.
Bacco’s 263 Park Avenue Rochester New York
Martin Edic: Great Italian dishes like Pasta Carbonara and Risotto present a quandary to restaurant chefs because they don’t ‘hold’; they must be cooked to order and served immediately. Carbonara, a melding of bacon, mushrooms, cream and cheese is wonderful if served just blended and hot but turns into a sticky mess if held under a heatlamp or in a steamtable. Risotto is an ephemeral dish of arborio rice slowly braised in stock that requires contant stirring to achieve its trademark creamy consistency. As a result, we seldom see real versions of these dishes on restaurant menus.
Which brings us to Bacco on Park near Goodman , a small restaurant where they seem to have figured out how to deliver these classics in classic form. Crowded, often full of egotistic males and lacking a full bar, Bacco wouldn’t have much to recommend except that the food is true continental Italian in a town where Italian food really means Sicilian-American food with its heavy red sauces and gobs of mozzarella. If you haven’t experienced the light flavor machinations of norhern Italian, I recommend Bacco.
Bellanca’s 4768 Lake Ave, Rochester New York
We started with fried calamari with marina sauce. You can’t describe deep fried squid as “fresh” but it was crispy and tender and the sauce was nicely seasoned with hot peppers. We gobbled it down. I ordered a salad with Italian Dressing and was disappointed with the dressing. Just as my disappointment was registering a man at a table of six across from us sent his salad back saying he didn’t like the dressing. I should have just ordered oil and vinegar because the green stuff was fine. I ate it anyway. My wife ordered Chicken Picatta and it was sensational. The capers make the picatta I ordered Shrimp Scampi and the shrimp were overcooked and a bit dry but the dish had potential because the sauce was creamy, not buttery and full of artichokes. The ambiance in this place is perfect. Nautical Italian. The bar looked like it was doing a good business as well. This is a nice alternative to Mr. Dominics but you can’t beat Dominic’s.
Bellanca’s is the second to the last building on your right as you drive out Lake Avenue toward the lake. They are up high enough to provide a lookout over the parking lots, river and lake. We made reservations on a Friday night just after the Ferry had “temporarily” suspended service but their big dining room was full anyway. Bellanca’s location puts them in direct competition with Mr. Dominic’s and they could probably do a fine business with the overflow from Dominic’s but they have their own thing going. You feel like you are on vacation in this place.
Benucci’s Pittsford Plaza Rochester New York
Great Italian dishes like Pasta Benucci’s, in Pittsford Plaza, is an Italian restaurant with a modern upscale decor. Excellent salads, without a hint of iceberg lettuce and fresh bread with real garlic butter is provided with every meal. The portions are huge. A couple (of humans) can split most of the pasta entrees. With the bread and a salad, the half portion will still leave you stuffed.
Anonymous: Bennucci’s was okay, as far as Italian restaurants go. One thing disturbed me. As an avowed tee-totaler, I always drink soda. As our dinner progressed, my son and I had a few refills. Our dinner companions drank wine. To our displeasure, when we recieved our bill, we found out that soda refills were not free and that we spent more $$ on Coca Cola than on Chianti! Last time we went to Benucci’s!
Anonymous: When I’m forced to choose an Italian restaurant, I always choose Benucci’s or Tuscany’s because they offer more than just “red sauce on pasta.” At Benucci’s, I love the garlic butter and bread, and I can’t resist ordered their Penne Gorgonzola! I just wish it wasn’t so noisy in there.
BOBBY B’s 1292 East Ridge Road Rochester New York
This place used to be Tony Granna’s. Don’t know what happened there. I kind of liked that place. I saw the Bobby B’s Italian Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge sign when I was picking up Italian supplies at Rubino’s. Pasta Villa is right across the street so this section of East Ridge Road is a real Italian enclave.
Brook House 3590 West Ridge Road Rochester New York
It seems the further out Ridge Road West you go, the more Italian it gets. By the time you pass Ridgemont Plaza and Long Pond Road you are in “Red Country.” Red is the sort of short, red headed (rug), congenial owner and host of Red Fedeli’s Brook House Restaurant in the Tops plaza. Say hello to Red if you spot him. He let me take this photo and then joked to someone at the bar that “I would probably put the photo up on the thing” and of course I have.
The Brook House was located in an old house on Ridge Road for 20 years and moved to this great big new place in 1996. The food is not fancy but very good. You won’t find spinach lasagna or alfredo sauces or even a dark beer here, The prices are very reasonable and the place is stocked with old photos, autographed to Red. The one in the center below is from Joe Altobelli. There’s a framed Godfather poster and a giant photo of Al Pacino on the wall as well.
Anonymous: Brook House: Red sauce on pasta, more red sauce on pasta, even more red sauce on pasta! I can make just as good red sauce on pasta at home, and I’m Irish!
Anonymous: My wife and I have been going to the Brook House for years, ever since it was in the old house. The food has always been great, but of course I always order the same thing (Gnocchi DiBella). No complaints, ever. My wife loves the Sauteed Artichoke Hearts as an appetizer. Whenever Red’s there, he always greets us by name… that shows how much we eat there! Every birthday, anniversary, “special date”… that’s where we go. Call us creatures of habit but we know what we like!
Anonymous: After being a patron of The Brookhouse restaurant for many years, my husband and I just had the worst meal of our lives. Our food was served barely warm, when we metioned this to the serve she immediately took it back. When it was returned to us the meal was no warmer then when she originally brought it to us. I finally was able to get a bus boy to get our waitress I told her that along with my meal still being cold and not very appetizing, I had found a stem from a tomatoe in the sauce. I asked that the meal be removed from the bill as I had no intention of eating it. My husbands dinner while somewhat warmer was not hot as it should have been.
When the waitress returned with our check the check was fr over $31.00. When I was finally able to get a bus boy to again get our waitress I told her I thought she had given us the wrong check. When she returned she apologized and that it was the wrong check, I asked the waitress why I was being charged for a soup and salad I was told that theboss had told her too. I have worked in the restaurant industry on and off for over 20 year and I have never heard of charging a customer for a soup and salad when a customer was unhappy with thier meal. I told the waitress it would be a LONG time before we ever ate there again. We ended up leaving with a bill for almost $25.00 with my husband having a lukewarm plate of pasta.
While this restaurnt used to be a place for a quick, cheap GOOD meal. We used to walk out of there haveing 2 dinners and soda for less than $25.00 with a tip. Now you are lucky if you leave there spending less than $40.00.
Please feell free to share this review with the New Brookhouse “Boss”. I can assure you that had Red been there when we left we would have spoken with him and let it be known how unhappy we were. As it was when we left all of the “Bosses” were busy somewhere else.
Casa D’AMICI 2351 Buffalo Road Rochester New York
We were looking for La Rocca’s off Buffalo Road on Pixley Road and we kept driving right by Pixley Road. There are so many malls and chain restaurants clustered near this intersection that it was impossible to see the road sign. We stopped at a well lit Tim Hortons but it wasn’t open yet. They were just installing the lighting. Further down the road we spotted Casa d’Amici (another Italian restaurant!) and we asked for directions to LaRocca’s. I snapped the photo above and we plan to return here to eat soon.
We spotted an article in the business section of the D&C about Casa D’Amici. If you eat there on Wednesday and bring your receipt to Tinsel Town down the street, you get one free admission to the movies. So we returned to Casa D’Amici in the dead of winter, 2003. The place looked especially cozy through the hand painted signs on the window. Italian American music seeped from the tiny speakers in the ceiling.
They sat us next to the football Christmas tree. In order to get to “About Schmidt” in time we found ourselves seated for dinner in time to take advantage of the Early Bird Special as well. So we had Chicken French and a platter that included eggplant and manicotti and a free glass of wine each. The bread was stale enough to have been sliced at noon but edible. The manicotti was fantastic. I would return for this.
Cava Cori’s 4669 Lake Avenue Rochester New York
Is it enough to review an Italian Restaurant by just looking at the outside of the building? Maybe. We were eating down the street at Mr. Dominic’s and we parked in front of CavaCori’s. They had a Frank Sinatra poster in the window that says “Chairman of the Board”, “I Did It My Way” and their sign says they serve Italian American cuisine. That’s good enough for me. We’ll have to check it out sometime.
Martin Edic: M and I ate there on Labor Day when Dominics was not open. We unexpectedly ran into my brother there- he had had the same idea but settled for Cavacori’s. The service was bad and the food was tasteless. The salad was a few pieces of iceberg, a few garbanzo beans and a chunk of one of those tomatoes that never really ripens. My dish was spaghetti and meatballs, one of my favorites down the road at Mr. Ds. The difference was striking. The sauce had no flavor at all and the meatballs were so bland that I didn’t bother taking my leftovers home. Worst of all, the pasta was overcooked, a cardinal sin to those who like it al dente. Ugh. The atmosphere is pleasant and I thought we might get a plain but good family-type Sicilian American meal but it is obvious to me that no one here gives a damn about the food. To top it all off there was a menu from a restaurant in Rome on the wall that had us drooling before dinner only to be sorely disappointed. Too bad- and I like Sinatra too.
Anonymous: I have been to Cavacori’s and I beg to differ with Refrigerator Editor and Martin.
The sauce was delicious! It tasted like regular home-made sauce – you can even taste the flavor of the meats that they use to flavor the sauce – unlike Mr. Dominic’s – which tastes like doctored-up jarred sauce. The service is also much friendlier at Cavacori’s than Mr. D’s. At Mr. D’s the just want to hurry and get you out of there. I think you should really try Cavacori’s again and then judge.
Anonymous: I will agree with Martin about Cavacori’s. A friend and I went there when the wait at Mr. Dominic’s was too long. We sat for about 20 min. and could not make eye contact with any of the servers. I finally had to verbally ask for service. [they weren’t all that busy]. When the bread came and there was no real butter in the basket, I asked one of the owners [I think] who was nerviously walking around and acting as the bartender also if I could have some real butter. He said “that’s real butter” pointing to a soy product. When I said that’s soy. he said I’ll get some. When he did not return, I asked our waitress, she checked and said they were out of butter. The Red sauce tasted like they had opened a can of tomato sauce [unseasoned] and put it on the pasta. BAD NEWS.
Anonymous: As for cavacori’s review. I beleive it is a great place to go. It has been a family tradition to go there and when you know the owners, waiters, and bartender, they take care of you. You already had a opinion before you walked in considering you are fan of Dominics but do they know you by name? Do they take the time to make your food just how you like it. Are you even italian? Who are you to judge a place you went to once, on one experience. All whining critiques know that.
Carol Acquilano: Wanker atmosphere. I felt like I was in somebody’s basement. Firmest cut of Swordfish in town! The food isn’t nearly as good as Mr. Dominic’k’s but it might be the next best place on the Charlotte strip
Anonymous: April 2006 We began going to Cavacori’s years ago after trying to go to Mr. Dominic’s and not having the time to wait for a table. We were thrilled to be seated right away but since the restaurant had just opened and the dining room was fairly empty, we weren’t sure what the food would be like. Much to our surprise, the food was great! Being Sicilian and Neapolitan descent, I am very picky about Italian food, as are my parents. We went back many times and were always greeted warmly, usually by one of the owners; and the food was very good. Unfortunately, about two years ago the chef passed away and the owners recently retired. We were there about a month ago as we had heard they were under new ownership and thought we’d give it a try. We were very disappointed. The service was terrible and the food non-descript. If they don’t change, I’m sure it will be another restaurant that couldn’t make it. Try Bellanca’s, on the opposite side of the street closer!
to the lake – they’re great!
Cerame’s 3450 Winton Place Rochester New York
t was almost nine and getting dark when we pulled up at Cerame’s in the old Todd Mart Plaza on Winton Road. There wasn’t quite enough light to take the photo above. We were the only ones in the restaurant except for the help. That is usually not a good sign but the waitress was very friendly. We asked if they had any specials and she said, “No.” We pushed a little further and asked if there were any dishes that were particular favorites. She said the Baked Eggplant, Chicken Parm, Veal Parm and Lasagna.
We ordered the Chicken Parm and the Lasagna. The sauce was delicious and different on both dishes. The servings were big enough for a second meal the next day. We had never heard of this place and asked if they had just opened. We found out they used to located the 12 Corners and they had just celebrated their 27th year in business. During the meal I was looking at this picture that hung over the bar. We guessed that he is an Italian mythological figure. We will ask next time. The food here was great.
While we were out Christmas shopping, we decided to stop in here for another meal and lo and behold, it was mobbed! We ordered Lemon Chicken and Chicken Parm which were both good and enough to bring home. Only down side was the not entirely baked potato but they were really busy and I was too full to eat it anyway. The little round herb potatoes were great though.
CIPRIANI’s 155 Pattonwood Rochester New York
dandrea’s 1713 Lyell Avenue Rochester New York
Carol Acquilano: The food is mediocre, but the weekend dinner crowd is colorful when John Tieri plays his accordion with his accompaniment on guitar, Pat. Together they rock-the-house with Italian tunes and love songs. A regular group of folks is often there, with percussion instruments and might even get up and sing a tune.
davinci’s 1550 West Ridge Road Rochester New York
I was dropping my wife off at the Rochester Athletic Club’s Greece location. It’s a “women only” club and she was taking a yoga class that started around noon. This Italian restaurant was already open and they were hosting some sort of shower or something because I watched several groups of women carrying gift packages into this place. It was way too early for Italian food so we will have check back with this place.
From their website: “As Rochester dining becomes more mainstream and less altruistic, the type of class that is prevalent within the walls of Davinci’s has all but disappeared from the dining community. “
Anonymous: Service was horrible. Restaurant was busy but we were seated in a quiet section – which leads me to beleive they forgot about us being seated there. We waited 20 minutes for our menu’s to be brought to us. Once our order was taken our appetizers were brought out about 1 hour later. I took a bite out of the greens and beans and began chewing on something strange – it was a long thin blonde braided strand. It took another 30 minutes for a manager to come see us – and all she said was “I am sorry this was not to your liking. It is not our policy to refund anything…” Then the waitress started arguing with us! I eat out all the time and have never experienced anything as low class as this experience.
I learned that this Davinci’s is now owned by the former chef at Marios whereas the DaVinci’s in Henrietta (now closed) and the Davinci’s in Penfield are owned by the same man.
davinci’s 2851 Henrietta Road Rochester New York
I was out at Southtown Beverage (which as far as I can tell is the only reason to go to Henrietta) and there was DaVinci’s Italian Ristorante, “Now Open.” And it was, open in the middle of the afternoon. The big parking lot was empty though, except for my car. Guess the employees park out back. I felt as though I had to shoot quick to get this photo before someone came out to confiscate my disc or something. I stopped back in 2004 and they were definitely closed this time.
There are three Davinci Ristorantes in Rochester. The owner of this place also owns Davinci Ristorante in Penfield which is still open. And the former chef at Mario’s owns the Davinci Ristorante out on West Ridge Road.
In 2006 and there was big “For Lease” sign on this place.
davinci’s 2200 Penfield Road Rochester New York
And there is a Perticone portrait of Davinci (I’m guessing) on the wall near the bar. We asked our server what people especially liked out here and she recommended the Chicken Saltimbocca (pretty good) and Pork Bracioli (it was some tough stuff). The Chicken Escarole soup we had as a starter was delicious.
This Davinci’s Ristorante is on Penfield Road in a strip mall at 250. There was a Davinci’s in Henrietta that was owned by the same guy they have given up the ghost. And there is a Davinci’s out on Ridge Road West that is owned by the former chef at Mario’s. They pulled out all the stops with the decor here. A local artist painted murals on the walls.
Kathleen Doell: The veal French was very good there but the restaurant has been sold and is now Napa Gino’s – haven’t been there yet-
dentico’s 2270 Culver Road Rochester New York
The gay couple that lives around the corner told us that this place was “fabulous” so we had to check it out. It was a beautiful, snowy night but very slippery so there was hardly anyone out. You have to ignore the sign shown to the right because if you turn to the right, as we did because we were there to eat, you will be met with another sign that says “Please Use Other Door”. It was very comfortable inside and the bar looked cozy. We had a nice salad and eggplant and lasagna. We split a a half carafe of cabernet wine that was also very nice.
diperna’s 3259 Winton Road South Rochester New York
My brother knew we were doing this Italian round up and he suggested that we meet him at DiPerna’s for lunch. He told us it was in the Todd Mart Plaza (now called “The Plaza At Todd Mart”). So we pulled in and walked up and down the newly facelifted strip mall looking for an Italian restaurant. There was a Chinese restaurant and an Indian restaurant and then this place called the Big Mini. It is, in fact, DiPerna’s Market Cafe and they have an Italian market connected to the restaurant which really is a Cafe.
We picked up some sauce and some olives in the market on the way out. This is the perfect spot for a warm Italian lunch on cold day.
DOMENICO’S RISORANTE 3024 East Henrietta Road Rochester New York
Bob Mahoney: A former co-worker and I get together about once a year for lunch. We’re both in the same office complex in Henrietta, and I thought I knew most of the restaurants out there at this point. He suggested Domenico’s, and I had never heard of it, even though it was only a short distance from our offices. The owner is supposedly a brother to the owner of Fratelli’s in Lakeville.
It’s a nice place, unassuming in decor and atmosphere. It was a Friday, but the dining room was surprisingly quiet. According to my friend, it’s often that way at lunchtime. They had a buffet special with three or four items like ziti, eggplant parm, and gnocchi’s. I usually shy away from buffets, but I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprized. Everything was excellent and I stuffed myself. The fresh warm bread with the plate of olive oil for dipping was superb. A reasonable bill topped off a great lunch.
Anonymous: Domenico’s Ristorante is the best Italian restarant in the city! The sauce, the bread,the homemade gnocchi’s and ravioli’s, the Tortellini alla Giuseppe are all out of this world! It is a bit decieveing from the appearance of the outside of the building but the inside has a very classy dining atmosphere.They also have an excellent Sunday Brunch which has a lot of food for an affordable price.
I think that if they keep up the good work they will be the next to get crowned “Best Restarant in Rochester” award. They get my vote!
FIORAVANTI’S On THE LAKE 4671 Culver Road Rochester New York
Fioravanti’s seems to be a family run place. If it is, it is a big family. And they are very attentive. I was outside taking this picture as we approached the building and the staff was very alarmed. When we sat down, our server asked if we we were the ones taking pictures and I said yes. She said, “the owner wants to talk to you”. He never did. I think he was too busy in the kitchen There were people waiting in line to be seated. They don’t have liquor license and it seems to be working in their favor. They are one of the last buildings on the left on Culver Road as you head out to the lake. They have only been open a year now but they are firmly established.
Valentines Day No Reservations
Brought a bottle of Spanish Rioja $1 corkage fee
Had one of the specials
Homemade stuffed raviolis Three to a plate with freash tasting Marinera Sauce with big chunks of tomatoes. Stuffed with Artichoke, roasted red peppers and Ricotta cheese.
Anonymous: We ate at Fioravanti’s On the Lake for the first time and we were very happy. The food was delicious and the portions were very generous. My wife had the veal French and I had the Lasagna. We both loved our meals. It is BYO so make sure to bring a nice bottle of wine with you and they will be glad to open it and serve it for you. We will return soon.
Something happened to Fiorivanti’s and the this same location became Osteria for a short amount of time.
Fratelli’S 2995 Route 15 Avon New York
Fratelli’s is in the same building where Callahan’s was for forty years, at the 390 South, Lakeville exit. They kept the green and stuck the boot up the front. We were out driving and we stopped on a Saturday night without reservations. We were told we would have a 45 minute wait but it lasted an hour and a half. Not a problem out here. Everyone was very friendly and the bar was full of distractions, mainly people watching and gambling. There were Quickdraw cards at the tables and flickering monitors everywhere.
HENRY B ‘S 84 Fall Street Seneca Falls New York
We were driving back from Philadelphia and were about thirty five minutes from Rochester when we stopped in Seneca Falls for dinner. Henry B’s is right on the Main Street and may be the only place to go for dinner in these parts because they were busy. We didn’t have reservations but they squeezed us in.
It is a very comfortable, bare brick wall, tin ceiling, old New York kind of place. Our server explained that they were a family style restaurant and they encouraged sharing. There were three of us and one of us was my mother-in-law. She suggested sharing a big steak. We delicately maneuvered the choices in the direction of shrimp and chicken and then settled on
Pasta e Pollo – Chunks of roasted chicken breast in a shiitake mushroom, Marsala sauce with Parmigiano Reggiano over rigatoni – $23.95
Gambaretti alla Siciliano – Jumbo shrimp, pan seared with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion, currants & pine nuts, served with braised greens – $28.95
The portions were huge and easily made a second meal the next night. They dishes were distinctive We started with a Lobster Bisque soup special that was served in an acorn squash. It was out of this world. I ordered the
Insalata di Casa* – European cucumbers, tomatoes & olives over a bed of crisp iceberg lettuce served with a house vinaigrette – $9.00
The salad was simple, fresh and delicious. The marinated olives tranported me to Europe or at least as far as Rubinos. Work up an appetite on the way out here. This is a friendly, fun pace with great food.
Joe’s Mendon House corner of 251 & 64 Mendon New York
Anonymous: October 2007 Friends & fellow lovers of italian cuisine: Guiseppe himself now runs Joe’s Mendon House near the corner of 251 & 64 in Mendon. Terrific ambiance and spectacular food. Robust and flavorful red sauce and creative pasta dishes, many of which are combined with meats. Cozy bar and multiple dining rooms, all nestled in a 100+ year old building in the quaint Mendon corners area.
La Martina’s 1250 N. Goodman Street Rochester New York
La Martina’s is on Goodman near Baush and Lomb and the main entrance is on the side of the building (shown above). It is a really comfortable restaurant, so comfortable that it almost seemed like we had walked into a home and interrupted a private party. We ordered a glass of Chianti and found ourselves eavesdropping because the handful of people that were eating here were talking so loudly. The conversation was mostly about the unusually cold winter.
Billy Joel was on the sound system and then a bunch of commercials. It turned out to be WARM 101.3. We ordered Chicken French with Artichokes. It came on a bed of mushrooms and escarole. It was fantastic. We had enough left over to have the same meal the following day.On the way out the door, the woman who either manages this place or owns it was doing a fashion show for the small group of people left. She was pulling clothes from a big shopping bag and holding them up to her rather large frame. There were $7 blouses and $5 sweat shirts and $9 dress tops. The whole bag cast $54 or something. They were from a store in Culver Ridge Plaza.
La Rocca’s 250 Pixley Road Rochester New York
LaRocca’s, on Pxley Road in Gates, looks like a strip club or a teen center from the road. It doubles as a party house so that explains the festiveness.
In the foyer they had a pink Santa statue and a pink angel next to a tiny fake tree. And there was a small picture of two people in a frame. It looked like memorial to two people who died but we’re guessing they are the owners, Cindy and John LaRocca. The little sign read, “Please Do Not Touch or Allow Children to Sit on Platform. Thank You.”
The first waiter we had told us we would have two servers this night because they were having an office Christmas party at the next table in a half hour and it was going to take two people to keep up with them. So we placed our order with one guy and the other one brought our food. They looked alike (20 – 21, short hair but wet look, and maroon shirts with a back tie) and I kept getting them confused. We were there one minute before six so we qualified for their Early Bird Special. My eggplant was tough. Our Early Bird Special entitled us to dessert so we each ordered the vanilla ice cream with frozen strawberries. They had espresso so we ordered some. That was our table, above.
PattyPerevich: October 2007 You need to update your site. LaRocca’s is now Calabria. I am going there for lunch and will give you my review…. Also DaVincci’s I believe, only has the Greece location. The Penfield location was taken over by another Italian restaurant – maybe Nappa Gino’s??? Not sure what happened to the Henrietta location.
Lucano’s 1815 East Avenue Rochester New York
Right next door to Canaltown Coffee on East Avenue, this place used to be another great Italian Restaurant called the “Best Of Italy. ” The decor is late Jack Greco. We ordered one of the specials-a veal smothered in roasted garlic. The cut of meat was incredibly tender and tasty. Lucano’s is run by a husband-wife team and the chef is a woman. They greet you in Italian and really care about the food and the service. Both came over to our table to check on how our meals were. This place is a little pricey but worth it.
Third visit: We took my parents here for one of their birthdays (even though they’re not Italian food fans, but we figured it’s not really a spaghetti and meatballs place). It wasn’t as magical as our second visit. We ordered the veal but it wasn’t as good a cut of meat or as flavorful as our second visit. We also ordered Penne Pasta which was probably the dish we had the first time. Just not very interesting. Maybe the key is to go with the specials?
Our fourth visit was the best yet. The restaurant was full on a Wednesday night. Same chef. I ordered the Manicotti special and my wife ordered a salmon and shrimp combo. Both were fantastic. Tom Gollisano was holding court in the back room and laughing heartily.
Fifth time was heavenly. As we stood in the doorway, waiting to be seated, we spotted the chef, Silvana Formoso. We asked her what she recommended and she suggested a tasting menu. We could pick the price and tell the server which kind of things to stay away from. We had three courses and each was superb. The waitress told us that “Sylvia did not go to chef school but just loves cooking and throwing things together in the kitchen.” This place just keeps getting better.
Lucia’s Supper Club Olean new York
Many years ago we found a book of matches from Lucia’s Supper Club, a restaurant in Olean, New York. I don’t remember where we found them but they made an impression. We wrote a song about Lucia’s as we imagined it. If it was a supper club, there surely was more to it than the food, so we came up with a fictional band that took the stage after dinner. We recorded a song, “Lucia’s Supper Club,” for the album “It’s Different Out There” I did a drawing for the cover of the lp picturing what we imagined Lucia’s Supper Club looked like.
In 2002, on my birthday, we decided to track the place down. We weren’t even sure where Olean was but thought it was closer to Rochester than it turned out to be. The restaurant was still in business but it was not as glamorous as we had pictured it. We had dinner there and when the waitress pronounced the name of the place she said “Loo-chia’s” instead of “Loo-cha’s”. Oh well, too late for that detail.
More on the legend of Lucia’s Supper Club here.
John Rastello: February2007 Thank you for visiting Lucia’s Supper Club, and doing the review… My wife and I lived in Olean from May, 1976 through May 1977 during our 1st year of marriage… Lucia’s was always the place to go for a special meal… On request they would make spaghetti in burnt garlic butter…. it was the deal…. Been back in Long Beach, CA for the last 30 years…. hope to return some day…
MAMA ROSA’S 1733 Norton Street Rochester new York
We met Cheryl Laurro, who used to own Godiva’s but has moved to Wisconsin, at Mama Rosa’s when she was in town for Christmas. We had about twenty in our party so the service was slow. The atmosphere was very comfortable though and the accordion player was great. I had “Penne with Eggplant.” It had olives and capers in the sauce and was delicious. We had beans and greens as an appetizer and it was fabulous.
Rosanne Rivers tells us that Sheriff Meloni thinks Mama Rosa’s is one of the best Italian restaurants in Rochester.
Marilyn Armstrong: Just recently (2011) visited Momma Rosa restaurante.. The food was divine. Ordered Veal Marsala over angel hair pasta. The rolls and salad I understand are a staple were great. The wait staff and bus girls were smiling all the time and were very personable..A well kept secret.
Manetti’s Parkway Plaza Canandaigua new York
Carol Acquilano: Manetti’s is in Canandiagua, just outside of Rochester. My husband and I both really liked it. They have a full salad bar (with pizza) that was included with the price of the meal. I thought it was a good value. A cheery atmosphere with nice servers, and a very good meal! Not on the lake.
Mario’s ABRUZZI 2740 Monroe Avenue Rochester new York
The Refrigerator editor writes: Mario’s has bowls of mints everywhere, even in the bathroom. You can fill your pockets with them while no one is looking. While we were eatting, the hostees brought fresh yellow roses over to our tabe and gave on to my wife and my mother in law. She said they were giving roses to all the pretty ladies. Mario’s family is from the Abruzzi region of northern Italy and the decor here is over the top Italian. He used to own the place on East Avenue where Roncone’s East is now. He has gone hog wild out here and to make sure the dining room is full he has a big van, the Mario’s shuttle (that doubles as a snow plow), that rounds up hotel guests and takes them here, just off 490 East at Monroe Avenue.
The politcal signs out front during election time were all Democratic. Inside there are photos of Geraldo Rivera, Mayor Bill Johnson, Bill Doyle, Dan Rather, Martha Stewart (2x), George Stephanopolis, Tom Golisano (we spotted him in person over at Lucanno’s), Hillary Clinton, Pataki and Mario with “Mr. Italian Food”, Luciano Pavarotti. I had lamb and it was fantastic. I like their bread dipping oil. My mother in law told our server that, “I’ve never been particularly fond of Italian food but this was delicious.”
Michelina’s 2700 West Henrietta Road Rochester New York
We headed out here on a Friday night without reservations. The small place was crowded but we were seated immediately. It used to be a Mexican restaurant and it seemed very familiar inside. The back room is very comfortable with booths against the walls and and a row of tables down the middle. The service was friendly and fast. We were hungary so we got right down to business. I ordered Stuffed Pork Braciole and my wife ordered Chicken Piccata. They serve the salad “family style” and there is no choice of dressing. They put a big bowl on the table and you help yourself. It came with a simple oil and vinegar dressing and there was enough salad for me to have two big helpings. The entrees were great and the Italian instrumental accordion music on the sound system was just right.
Anonymous: Michelina’s Italian Restaurant on West Henrietta Road. A well-kept secret. Small, with not a lot of tables, but the food is outstanding. We’ve been going there for at least the past 5 years, because of the consistently high quality of their food.
Mr. Dominic’s 4699 Lake Avenue Rochester New York
The twenty minute drive down Lake Avenue from the city to the lake is always interesting. Actually, you never leave the city since Lake Avenue is the city all the way. Mr. Dominic’s is “At The Lake” as the sign out front says. The sign also says, “The Home of Pasta In The Cup” but I have no idea what that means. Inside you’ll see Mad magazine style signs like “Beware of Pickpockets and Loose Women” and “No Service Will Be Provided To Anyone On A Horse. There is a sign over the bar that reads, “The Problem with eating Italian food is three days later you’re hungary again”. There is also a poster of the Sopranos in the dining where someone has put Mr. Dominic’s head on one of the bodies. The little tvs with the sound off are a nice touch in the dining room. Mr. Dominic himself might seat you. You can’t miss him. His profile is on on the menu. My favorite visual though, is the poster in the Men’s Room. We have eaten here many times and our favorite dishes are are Manicotti Elizabeth (with mushrooms and extra cheese) and Chicken Fred.
Mr. Sam’s 3349 Monroe Avenue Rochester New York
Frank Semmens: Nobody cooks like Sam Gagliano, owner and principal chef of Mr. Sam’s, located at Pittsford Plaza, 3349 Monroe Avenue, next to Firestone Tire and across from Barnes & Noble. This restaurant/diner has some of the tastiest Italian-American food you’re going to find in the county. It’s basic, but good! All sauces are homemade and the food is always fresh and cooked to order. I’ve gone there 20, maybe 30 times in the past year alone. It’s a great place for lunch, but you’d better get there on the early side, say 11:45 am or else it’s a wait. There’s only room for about 50 people at a time, including a few community stools at the counter.
There’s a variety of food although the slant is definitely towards Italian. I’ve had at least three varieties of subs, homemade meatball with mozzarella & red sauce, fresh eggplant supreme with all of the goodies, peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc., and breaded veal cutlet. My good friend Jack seems to always order the hot frittata egg sub that includes everything mentioned above and also pepperoni and spinach. It’s enough for two people.
I like the greens and beans appetizer that’s sautéed in olive oil and garlic. There’s fresh soup made daily, and during the cold season he makes a chili that’s as good as any I’ve tasted in the area. The salads are fresh and crisp with a variety of chopped vegetables. There are so many different dishes that I don’t know how he does it with such a small staff: breaded raviolis, pasta a la carte, buffalo wings, thick burgers, cold & hot subs, tuna melt, Reuben, charbroiled Santa Fe chicken, club sandwiches, several hot egg subs, chicken cutlet parmigiana, baked manicotti, stuffed shells, homemade lasagna, pizzas, and on Fridays, a fish fry to die for. I’m not a dessert person so I can’t comment on that, although it looks like standard fare, definitely not your Phillips European selection, but enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. Prices are very reasonable. If you can’t fill up on ten bucks worth of food, you’re probably eating too much.
Above all, it’s the service that brings me back. The waiter and waitresses are friendly, attentive and accommodating. Mr. Sam’s is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Give it a try. You’ll probably see me there.
Travis Anderson: Based on what I read here, my wife and I went to Mr. Sam’s in Pittsford Plaza in the hopes of finding a non-chain Italian restaurant experience. We found a restaurant that obviously is popular, as proven by the consistent flow of patrons, and one that had large portions and tasty food. Unfortunately, the service bordered on awful, and was probably bad enough that we won’t return. Looking for a place to go? Try Antonetta’s on Jay Street.
Nick’s Sea breeze Inn 4581 Culver Road Rochester New York
Nick’s menu claims to have the best lasagna in town. I don’t know about that, but he has the best collection of photo memorabilia. My father told me about this place and he pronounces Italian with a long “I”. Nick used to work at Club 86 in Geneva, New York. The Three Suns’ photo in the upper left hand corner is autographed “To Nick, a very wonderful guy. Thanks for everthing. The Three Suns”. I don’t know if Nick was an entertainer but he did do an imitation of my dad. We ate at a table under pictures of Elvis and Larry Hagman with a woman (shown below).
Maureen Outlaw: After golfing 18 holes today, M and I were tired, hungry, and ready to sit down and eat a nice meal . We wanted to find a decent restaurant near home with no waiting in crowded smoky bar areas. Well, we FOUND IT ! NICK’S SEA BREEZE INN – right across from Sea Breeze Amusement park.
I’ve driven by this place a million times but have never checked it out. I’d call NICK’S “the best kept secret of Irondequoit “. The service was exceptional – we sat right down, even though the dining room was lively with a large group of some bowling league winners celebrating their “end of season” trophy ceremony . We felt like a part of the scene. Their prizes were funny.
The owner, (I assume that was Nick) treated us like gold. He seated us, checked on our meal, and was very friendly without being too invasive. M had a Prime Rib and I had the manicotti- both were excellent. The manicotti here is the type that is made with crepes instead of the pasta. Very light and it hit the spot ! Best of all, the bill came to only $35-ish for those dinners and a glass of Chianti each. You Must Go there! I told Nick we’d be back.
Sheron Dixon: Just had lunch at Nick’s on Wed. His lunch menu is the best kept secret in town. You already know what’s on his anti pasto salad bar – all the usual plus lots of things you can’t find on other salad bars.
For $7.95 (used to be $6.95) this is what you get for lunch. The whole salad bar plus homemade soup (his are the best), hot, buttered garlic bread and four hot entres to choose from (all you can eat).
Wednesday, in addition to the salad bar and the bread, the hot entres included baked ziti, meatballs and sauce, beans and greens and chicken french. The soup was minestrone. $7.95!
Northside 311 North Washington East Rochester New York
Someone first told us about the Northside in the mid seventies. The restaurant didn’t take reservations so we would hang around the crowded bar for an hour or so before being seated and always found it worth the wait. We found other Italian spots closer to our home and hadn’t been back there in years.
We went last Saturday at about 8PM and there was no wait but it was still crowded. It looked all different. The entrance was not near the bar anymore so we were disoriented. There was a new section with booths and the bar was hard to get to. Maybe they had a fire or something. The place is huge with four dining areas.
The owners must be grandparents now because there was this goofy Easter display near the pay phone. They have always had a golf motif going and that is still in place. We sat under a a photo of Jack Nicholas. Someone named “No Nox” started this business in 1949 and they call their place the “Home of Traditional Italian Cuisine”. It is not fussy. The “Specials” menu had a big grease spot on it and the regular, plastic encased menu looked like someone had left a burning cigarette on it. We asked the waitress if the chicken escarole soup was good and she said, “Everything here is good.” We ordered it and a green salad for starters. The soup had pastina (tiny pasta) in it and it was delicious. The house Italian dressing was very tasty. The bread was so so.
We ordered a carafe of Chianti and decided to split an order of Fettuccini Alfredo and the Chicken Fresca. Both dishes were fantastic and there was plenty for the next day’s meal.
Anonymous: I was at the Northside last week and found it darling. The owner is a great guy who is very personable and the bartender too, he was great. The food was excellent. I had chicken Cacciatori with Penne pasta on the side bread and Kendal Jackson Cabernet. My Fiance had the Italian seafood dish she had to take it home there was so much food. Let me tell you I’m 100% Italian from Long Island and this place is great for the price.
Palladio Hyatt Hotel Main Street Rochester New york
Chef Armando Arcando says “Choose from bowtie, fettuccine, penne or spaghetti pasta. Mix with vodka, alfredo orpesto sauce. Sprinkle with assorted ingredients and top it off with a meat.”
Palladio, in the Hyatt Hotel downtown, is a mix and match kind of place. For the kids. We ate here with my brother’s family when they were in town. They had a room on the 16th floor and we met here.
Our server was a good sport. There were a lot of us and some some tired kids. That was my shrimp pasta dish in his hand. It was pretty good.
PANE VINO RISTORANTE 175 North Water Street Rochester New york
Ben M.: Pane Vino is a hidden gem tucked away on Water St. in downtown Rochester. Behind the pulsating clubs of the St. Paul Quarter, Pane Vino appears beside a courtyard overlooking the Genesee River and Kodak tower, where outdoor dining is sublime in the warmer months. Have valet park your car and enter into an elegant bar, then walk into the rustic/modern dining room with exposed brick, fireplace, and a view of the western skyline. The view is especially beautiful during sunset. The occasional train passing by adds a hint of Rochester’s industrial heritage to the scene.
The wine list is great, and almost every wine can be ordered by the glass. The prices are also very reasonable. This is one of the most romantic places to enjoy a glass of cabernet.
Now, the food. The flavors are bold, especially in meat dishes. The chicken dishes, such as Pollo Asparagi, have wonderfully tender slices of chicken breast with brightly flavored sun-dried tomatoes. Veal Lombarda, equally tender, has a deep mushroom sauce. All of Pane Vino’s sauces are powerful, if not heavy handed. Penne Vodka is always a good choice, not too creamy. It’s the kind of Italian that is meant to enliven your tastebuds, similar to Portobello. In my last few visits it seems that the portion size has gotten a bit smaller. Consider this when deciding to order appetizers, such as the fried calamari, which has a very light batter that doesn’t overpower the calamari. With entree and appetizer prices as moderate as they are, this is a good investment.
PAPA JOE’S ITALIAN EATERY 485 Spencerport Road Rochester New york
Anonymous: An old bank converted to a restaurant! Makes for a dynamite drive up window when ordering food to go! The food is excellent. I personally think one of the best features is that all items on the menu can be ordered as a “full” order or “half” order, allowing you to try a couple entrees at once, if you like.
Chris ZF: October 207 Pappa joes is awesome great food great prices big portions.I have been there at least 20 times and the food is always great.Myolnly complaint you better call early no matter what day or you will have quit a wait even for pick up.
PASGHETTI’S 211 North Main Street East Rochester New york
We scored a couple of $25 gift certificates to Pasghetti’s and found it in the old world setting of downtown East Rochester. I apologize for the ridiculously out of focus photo (above) but it is important to convey the nicely designed, contemporary exterior of this place. Sandwiched between rows of 100 year old brick buildings on what surely must have been a thriving Main Street in another era it is now almost a dead end down by the tracks.
My wife and I had fifty bucks to spend so we ordered a nice, reasonably priced bottle of Italian red and started with pasta e fagioli (or “Pasta Fasul” as it is known in the US.) and a salad, which we shared. In the words of the immortal Dean Martin, “When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool (another spelling), that’s amore”. As many times as I have heard that song, I had no idea what Pasta Fazul was. It is a soup with beans and pasta in a pork broth and it was just delicious. I miss Dean.
For our entrees, we ordered Pasgetti Cacciatore which was chicken sauteed with sausage, mushrooms and peppers. I would go back, not even look at the menu and order this again. It was a man’s meal and a half. I took a good bit home. My wife enjoyed the Chicken Picatta, which is not offered everywhere and as far as I can tell is Chicken French with the addition of capers to add an edge to the French toast-like batter. My wife is still trying to find a Chicken Picatta that was as good as Lucia’s Supper Club.
Pasta Andiamo 144 W. Commercial Street East Rochester New york
Dan Deutsch from Freetime Magazine told us Pasta Andiamo was the best Italian restaurant in the city, But he warned us they didn’t take reservations. They don’t have a liquor license either. So we drove out there on a Thursday night with a bottle of Spanish Rioja and walked in. There are only nine or ten tables and they were all full of happy customers. We stood around for about twenty minutes and then left for Tony Granas.
Charlene Sudore: I agree with Dan Deutsch of Freetime that Pasta Andiamo is the best Italian Restaurant in Rochester. You simply need to go back there and WAIT to be served if they are busy. My husband I ate there in February 2005 the food is fabulous. The owner Barb waits on you personally. Bringing your own bottle of wine is a refreshing change of pace, not to mention a lot cheaper when the final bill comes. They also give Italian cooking classes on Monday nights when the restaurant is closed with Chef Lou, I took the class in March 2005 it was fun and informative. So grab a bottle of wine and head over to Pasta Andiamo for a memorable meal!
Anonymous: July 2006 Pasta Andiamo in East Rochester: Nothing seemed to ring true from the reviews on here. Back to Antonetta’s!
Pasta Andiamo 144 W. Commercial Street East Rochester New york
We finally came to the mountain. Since we started this column people have been telling us to check out Guido’s Pasta Villa. They have a point. My Beans and Greens with Gnocchi entree (pictured to the lower left) was out of this world. The house wine was very nice, the service was friendly without being fussy. This is a comfortable place, Just don’t try going in the front door. It looks like the entrance and apparently they have had some confusion judging by the size of the type they used for the word “entrance” on the back door. The lime ice below was right on and I especially liked the look of the check.
Steve Piotrowski: It’s a little house next to a car place. More people were speaking italian than anything else which usually means the foods pretty good or there’s a convention in town. The menu has a couple of wine suggestions for most of the entrees . I find that very helpful.so anyways i ate there once and the food was great. I plan to go back for more soon. Arreviderci baby!
PAULINO’S ITALIANO CLASSICO 35 South Washington Street Rochester New york
“We Love To Cook And We Cook With Love”
Jimmy Paulino is the chef and Tony Paulino is the host. OK? Paulino’s Italiano Classico is the citadel of Italian restaurants in Rochester. Located in a historic Landmark Mansion, it was the home of the first Mayor of Rochester, Jonathon Child. This place is really beautiful. They describe it as casual but you’d fell like a slob in everyday days here.
The service was more than attentive. We started with a nice bottle of Banfi Chianti and an order of Pancetta Scallops – pan seared jumbo sea scallops wrapped in pancetta served in a Mediterranean oyster sauce for 9.95. This was fantastic. The bread they served was from Martusciello’s. You know that is the best Italian bread in the city. And the dipping oil was made with with sun dried tomato pesto. We tried to pace ourselves.
Our salad was called Pane Insalata with organic mixed greens tossed in balsamic vinaigrette with grape tomatoes, mandarin orange segments, olives, almonds served over provolone crostini. Delicious! The space between the salad and entree course was punctuated with a palette cleanser of Italian Ice in Champagne. For entrees we ordered Pagini and Chicken over fettuccini and Lobster Raviolis. Both very nice.
We heard that this place was the old Edwaards at the end of their run. We bought a couple of these gift cards and we still have $29 left on one. I hope they stay in business long enough for us to cash it in. Mark Danials, who sings opera as he waits tables at 2 Vine, sings here on his off nights. You will feel like you are in a movie.
Perlo’s 202 N. Washington Street East Rochester New york
On the corner of Walnut and Washington in East Rochester and right across the street from the citadel of Italian food, the Northside, Perlos is located right where Giuseppe’s was. Giuseppe’s was fantastic. Don’t know what happened to that one. Donna Perlo who used to own the Water Street Grill downtown now owns this place. She has decorated the dining room with pictures of her family going back many generations.
The food here was very good. The service was a little shakey though. We heard the loudest kitchen collision we have ever heard when one of the servers knocked a full tray to the floor with the swinging kitchen door. We ordered lasagna (two orders) and Chicken Faggio.
Margaret Streeter: I ate at Perlo’s this evening and the Milk-fed Veal over greens. I have to say that it was the most delicious meal I have had in a long time. I would highly recommend it!
La Piaza 260 Park Avenue Rochester New york
La Piazza was right across the street from Bacco’s on Park Avenue. Last time I drove by it had changed hands. This restaurant struck me as the closest to an authentic Italian restaurant (a restaurant in Italy) of any of the places on this list. “Close to authentic” as in the way you get to a foreign country and it’s not quite the way you pictured it. This place is trendy, stylish and still comfortable. There were quite a few young people gathered around the bar who all seemed to know each other.
We had a shrimp dish that was very light and nicely seasoned, not at all a run of the mill Itailian dish. And the salad came a sun dried tomatoe sauce artfully adorning the edge of the plate. Great presentation, as they say. The chef came out to see if everything was ok and we gave him two thumbs up.
POLLIMINI’S 26 Lake Shore Drive Canandiagua New york
Anonymous: Pollimini’s faces the top of Canandiagua Lake and they have very good
meals. Service can be slow, but we are always with a gang. I think this used to be the old Carruso’s where we took our dates for dinner before the high school prom. They didn’t check id or anything. I don’t rememember much about the food.
POMODORO’S 1290 University Avenue Rochester New york
We showed up at Pomodoro’s with another couple at about 7 o’clock on a Friday night and found a parking spot back by the railroad tracks. As we walked toward the door we noticed some guy wrestling with a tree. It looked like he tried to squeeze into a parking spot with his oversize SUV and may have scraped a tree branch. So he was trying to break the branch off the tree but it was too green or he just wasn’t strong enough or something because he was really struggling, and the four of us were drawn in.
It took some real effort not to say anything or just laugh because this guy was pissed. We got in the door and the guy came in behind us. I was all prepared to say “So, you had a little run in with a tree out there?” but he didn’t look like he had any sense of humor. We were told that it would be about a half an hour before we would be able to be seated. We went to the bar and they were playing this soft sophisticated Kenny G type Muzak and we lost our appetites and left.
Anonymous: July, 2007 My husband and I had dinner at Pomodoros last night for the first time and had a wonderful experiance. From the relaxed european atmosphere to the friendly but not overdone timely service to the great tasting food, we were pleasantly surprised. We loved the roasted garlic and warm bread served at every table. We watched as the manager paid personal attention to the patio tables and diners. We would recommend Pomodoros to any couple looking to get away for a relaxed dining experiance.
PORTOBELLO’S 2171 W. Henrietta Rochester New york
We had a really nice meal here about a year before we started doing this Italian roundup. The place was busy and full of healthy looking people. I remember that. It seemed like they were all in the know. Portabello’s Yellow Pages’ ad reads, “Contemporary Italian Cuisine as found in the Italy of Today”.
We made reservations for a Friday night on the weekend of our anniversary. Portobello Ristorante is located on Mount Hope Avenue in the middle of what what is about the only residential stretch left. It is not so far out that you are in the dreaded Henrietta. It may actually be in Brighton. This place used to be painted white but it is now green. I liked the white better. And before the white it was a Scandinavian smorgasbord restaurant called “Wunders”.
That is a Porsche and Mercedes parked out front. It wasn’t all that crowded inside. Our waitress recommended a bottle of Coppola 2002 Claret that was very nice. Their ad said Chef Luis Vasquez was back but Tomas from Chile was in the kitchen the night we were there. Our waitress told us that Tony and Paula Vitale who used to own this place had split up. Tony was now running the new Italian restaurant in the old Water Street Grill. And Paula runs this place. Her paintings are on the wall.
We started wit Insalata Trecolore and aan Insalata Arugata. I took a phot of them because they were presented so nicely. As entrees we ordered Tilapia and Shrimp San Remo pan seared with basilwith green imported olives and garlic sauce. My wife ordered Linguini Shrimp with Sun Dried Tomatoes and onions. The shrimp was suteed in garlic white wine sauce and topped with goat cheese. The food was great
Tony: Rad site! But one comment from an “Italian-American” how could you NOT have Portobello’s on the restaurant directory, they are one of the BEST restaurants in Rochester!
PROIETTIS’S 980 Ridge Road East Webster New york
I love the logo. I remember this place from high school. It was like a teenage bar at the time. It is a really fine restaurant now. Don’t think they even have a bar any more. We ate here with my mother-in-law and she ordered Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli. My wife ordered Chicken Antonio, French style with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and mozzarella over linguini. And I ordered a fish special. The three dishes were all distinctive and exceptional. What a surprise. Maybe Webster is where life is worth living after all.
I have never seen their catering truck on the road but I hardly ever get out to Webster. They might just park it near their restaurant for the signage visability. Can you imagine this thing parked in your driveway around dinner time?
Whitey Proietti: Hello Fridge-man, Thanks for the good review, but please check out our new web site for updated info, and pictures. That catering truck as been replaced with a new truck, and this is the correct spelling of Proietti’s. If you haven’t been in for dinner lately, reply to this e-mail and I’ll send you a free dinner for 2.
RIZZI’S 411 Merchants Road Rochester New york
So the logo and decor are stuck in the early eighties. This place is lucky to have survived that long. They are on Merchants Road near Jersey Street. I don’t really like it inside but I love it out on the patio. Rizzi’s is in my neighborhood so it’s about time I got it up on the site. The food here is really good and not too heavy. Their greens and beans are the best. I often order it as a main course. And their salads are fresh. A carafe of their house red with friends while the sun goes down on their deck and you’ll remember why you live in Rochester.
ROCco’S 165 Monre Avenue RochesteR New york
We have eaten at Rocco’s many times. We especially like eating out back when the wether is warm. It is simply the best Italian restaurant in Rochester, New York. Mark Cupolo, the chef and owner, owned Victor Grilling Company for ten years before opening Rocco’s on upper Monroe Avenue. Rocco’s is named after my former dentist, Mark’s father, Rocco Cupolo.
ROCKY’S 190 Jay Street RochesteR New york
You have got to love Rocky’s. They have been in this same building on Jay Street for over fifty years, The food here is very simple and cheap. They were out of the gnochi the night we were there so we ordered the homemade raviolli. The atmosphere is very casual and the walls are full of old Rochester photos and local advertising pieces. That’s a Rochester Amerks sticker on the window of the door in the photo below.
If you have gotten in the habit of charging everything and not carrying cash, you’ll be washing some dishes here.
Romeo’s 2194 Hudson Avenue RochesteR New york
Anonymous: Romeo’s, at hudson-titus in irondequoit. Large menu, good food.
Anonymous: July 2006 The absolute best chicken french I have ever ate.
RONCONE’S (original) 232 Lyell Avenue RochesteR New york
RONCONE’S (EAST) 1749 East Avenue RochesteR New york
When Mario’s opened Via Abrruzzi in Pittsford Roncone’s opened their second location in Mario’s old spot here on East Avenue near Winton. People say the sauce is better at Roncone’s old location on Lyell Avenue but our waitress says “It’s the same sauce.” Their eggplant parmesan is tops. They have a map of Italy on their menus and they have “Neat Seats” in the bathroom.
Sole-Mio Route 104 East RochesteR New york
There’s a Century 21 “For Sale” sign out in front of Sole Mio. I love the name of this place. It ‘s on Route 104, on the south side, as you head east out of Rochester. I hope someone brings it back to life.
The Best of Italy 1815 East Avenue RochesteR New york
Italian TV is always on inside “Best Of Italy.” You can buy Italian specialties here or sit dow to eat. The tables are to the right of the store pictured below. You can bring your own bottle of wine if you wanted. They have one of the world’s best dark beers, “Moretti ” -La Rossa Birra, Doppla Malta. I imagine if you were walking down a small street in an Italian city the size of Rochester and you were hungry, you could walk into a place exactly like this.
TONY GRANNA’S 1292 East Ridge Road RochesteR New york
This place was directly across the street from Pasta Villa on East Ridge Road. It was in a sort of mini Italian plaza with Rubino’s Italian deli. Tony Grana’s has a nice house Chianti and the shrimp pasta dish I had was delicious. On Thursday nights they have what they call a “jazz” band play in this pink corner. I put jazz in quotes because that is how the slac cker busboy described the music. He said people come to dance and you don’t often see people dance to jazz.
La Trattoria D’Abruzzo 1770 East Ridge Road RochesteR New york
Achilles Forgione, an artist with a studio on Mount Hope, told us that Rochester didn’t use to have many Italian restaurants because the Rochester Italians ate at home and couldn’t really afford to eat out. That has all changed, of course. He recommended this place but couldn’t remember the name. He described the location.
We stopped in after cross country skiing in Durrand Eastman Park. It was a Friday night and we didn’t have reservations. They were able to seat us but the place was packed. It is a very cozy room with salmon colored walls and a non working fireplace. They seem to have their own faithful crowd of regulars and we could easily become some of them
This place is right there on East Ridge near Culver but it was really tough to find. We drove by it twice before zeroing in. The building is really an old house and it is turned to the side and it sits behind another house. If you’re lucky you’ll see the Italian Flag flying out front. Or you could pretend you were going through the drive through window at Popeye’s and you would be right next to La Trattoria. It is on a short street that leads to a cluster of stores. It is not actually on East Ridge. I’m trying to help you find it because I highly recommend it.
We were there in the middle of winter but the patio looks comfortable. The soup of the day was a chicken brooth, eggdrop, escarole combination that was divine. We ordered a nice $15 bottle of Montepulciano and two chicken dishes. The Pollo Cora was prepared with asparagus and shrimp in a Marsella sauce. The Pollo d’Abruzzo had mushrooms, procuttio and canellini beans. The plates were deliberatlely mismatched. The service was friendly and professional. This could be our favorite place in the whole batch. We will have to return.
TRE GRAZIE 85 Main Street Brockport New york
Frank Petronio: Considering our area’s large Italian-American population, good Italian food
should be easy to find, right? With that hope in mind, we decided to try Tre
Grazie, Brockport’s only Italian restaurant.
Located on a second floor loft above Mainstreet, between the Strand Movie
Theater and the LiftBridge Bookshop, Tre Grazie has a pleasantly restored
Victorian charm. The prices are a bit high for Italian – most items were
between $10-16 ala carte. The waitress wobbled a bit on her platforms but
we’re sure that she is an old pro by now.
The bottom line is that the food mainly consists of Garlic liberally applied
over every dish. I like garlic but for our meal it was used in quantity
sufficient to ignite the nearby gas fireplace. I lost a crucial promotion
due to my bad breath. Our sex life was curtailed for about a week as our
systems digested the cloves.
I don’t remember what we ordered – it was overwhelmed by the garlic. Tre
Grazie hides their cooking behind a mountain of cloves that will empty your
wallet and leave you with a long-lasting, somewhat obnoxious memory of your
meal.
Brockport does have a few good alternatives – classic diner fare at Mythos
and the Brockport Diner – but good Italian in a sit-down, nicer atmosphere
is still best left to the city.
Tuscany’s Italian Trattoria 2255 East Ridge Road RochesteR New york
We were at an art opening at the Pyramid and Eric Bellman told us about Tuscany’s. It’s in Culver Ridge Plaza which is on the way up now after Forman’s, Penney’s and even Burlington Coat Factory bailed out. They put fresh garlic in their butter and whip it (pictured below). The food is “contemporary Italian” and light but with big portions – plenty for a second meal in the doggie bag. The little guy (above) sits on the counter and sort of guards the place. This place feels like a chain. It is owned by the same people who own Vesuvio’s. A woman came to our door selling a coupon book to Tuscany’s and we bought one so we will be eating here on and off for the next year to make our money back.
We had really good Ceaser’s Salad and a really nice Fried Ravioli appetizer that was stuffed with sausage, ricotta cheese and roasted tomatoes in tomato sauce. We ordered a carafe of Chianti and they served us a nice Castello Dalbola. I ordered Shrimp Basilica with artichokes,sun dried tomatoes and pesto cream sauce over pasta and my wife ordered Scampi Alla Tuscane with plum tomatoes, spinich and artichikes in a white white sauce over pasts. Both were pretty good.
The kitchen is open to the big dining room and the chefs spend a lot of time poking at the big fireplace. Tuscany’s has their own thing going when it comes to interior decoration. When you look up at the ceiling it appears someone has blasted a hole through the tiles exposing the structural beams.
VENETO’S 318 East Avenue RochesteR New york
People kept telling us how great this place is. They recently moved to a bigger location on East Avenue and we finally stopped by. Veneto features wood fired pizza and food from the Veneto region in northern Italy. We started with some red wine by the glass, Sanglovese Famese from Italy.
The place is beautiful. It has plenty of Old World Rochester charm and an open kitchen. This was early Friday evening and we were lucky to get a table. The folks standing at the counter in the picture above arrived right behind us and they were stuck here for awhile before being seated. There was a considerable line at the dooor when left so it looks like reservations are a must on the weekends. They are open for lunch as well.
The short menu includes insalta and pasts dishes as well as the pies. The wood fired pizzas are low, as in thin crispy crust, and piled with all sorts of grilled vegetables and meat. It’s nouveau pizza not Nino’s. We chose “Rustica” with pomoodoro sauce, sausage, onion and mozzarella and “Bilo Basil” with infused sliced chicken, artichoke hearts, tomato, mozzarella and fresh basil. They were fresh and fantastic. We headed out for the evening with some energy!
VENEZIA 1930 East Ridge Road RochesteR New york
I’ve driven by this place thousands of times and never noticed the sign. They are on East Ridge Road near Culver Road. We got a coupon in the mail and decided to check it out for lunch. We got here about 12:30 and couldn’t get in the door. They were closed even though the coupon and the sign on the door said they open. I guessed they changed their hours.
We gave it another chance and showed up for dinner and were seated under the Mona Lisa. The place was very comfortable and most of the patrons were regulars. We ordered “Pasta Mediterranea”, lasagna and a bottle of cabernet. Both dishes were delicious.
The waitress was especially nice and acted like this was a four star restaurant . But the coolest thing about was just how comfortable this place is, almost funky. This one comes highly recommended when you want to relax.
2006 update: This place went Hungarian for a while in 2005 and they are now closed.
VESUVIO’S – University Avenue RochesteR New york
Axgetc: I am a little disturbed that there is no review of Vesuvio’s in the Italian section. Personally, my fav Italian restaurant in Rochester. Ciao.
Jciesla: Vesuvio’s is really unassuming. It honestly doesn’t look like much! I’m surprised I found it in time to make reservations for my Junior Prom. Yes, I am referring to that high school tradition. And I also went there to eat dinner for my Senior Ball. Had the same thing twice (Fettacinni Alfredo or however you spell it). Two guys playing an accordian and guitar stopped by our table. We didn’t know what to do other than smile nervously and pray they would go away. Awesome date place.
Update 2002:
Sadly, Vesuvio’s is no longer. The place is a now a Spanish-South American Restaurant named “Los Andes” and we had some delicious paella there.
Update 2004:
Los Andes is no longer. The space is available. How about a nice Italian restaurant?
