Rochester

Abundance Cooperative Market

Owned by two thousand locals who've invested in this cooperative, the market is open to anyone who wants to buy their groceries from a community oriented and democratically controlled business. They moved to the new location on South Ave in 2017.

Daily 8AM-8PM

Abyssinia

Probably the oldest Ethiopian restaurant in Rochester, Abyssinia remains a beloved favorite. The menu is simple but the quality is excellent. The injera flatbread is particularly well regarded.

Tue-Thu 11AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun 11AM-9PM·$20-25. University of Rochester students get a 15% discount

Amore

Wegmans replaced their old East Avenue store—the only one left in the city proper—with a brand new one, even carving out space along the crowded East Ave for this new restaurant. Amore serves up Italian classics—made mostly with Wegmans-brand ingredients—in a peaceful and casually elegant atmosphere. It's isolated from the rest of the store, so don't worry about dodging shopping carts or dealing with the noise of the grocery.

Mon-Sat 5PM-9PM·$20-35

Andy's Candies

One of three very good local chocolatiers, Andy's Candies has been distributing sweets since 1917. The original Hudson Avenue location is only a factory now; to buy chocolates, head to this retail location in Greece (or the second location at Eastview Mall in Victor).

Mon-Sat 11AM-5PM

Archimage

Great gift shop with an eclectic selection. They sell children's toys, cards, jewelry, incense, stones, musical instruments, chimes, housewares, unconventional clothing items, and more. All at a variety of price points; it's not all cheap kitsch and it's not all pricey luxury. Well worth a stop in to browse, if nothing else.

Mon-Fri 11AM-7PM, Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-5PM; closed holidays

Artisan Works

A non-profit organization housed in a huge warehouse, Artisan Works comprises a labyrinth of hallways and levels where every square inch is covered with art in all media (but mostly painting and sculpture). Everything is for sale. The gallery provides studio space to dozens of artists, some of whom may be working when you visit, and all of whom are happy to chat about what they're making. Also within is the Triangle Theater, a 30-seat movie theater which features films by student and local filmmakers.

Fri-Sun noon-5PM·Adults $15, students/seniors $10, under 5 free

Atlas Eats Kitchen and Bake Shop

While the Bake Shop offers light sandwich fare and breakfast dishes, the real attraction here for foodies is their Edible Atlas dinner series. Every two weeks, the kitchen selects a whole new cuisine to present to intrepid diners, be it Mexican, Korean, Greek, or anything else the chefs can think of. The menu is set in advance; all you have to choose is your beverage. You'll want to get reservations, though, as the restaurant offers only 18 seats for each dinner (one on Friday and one on Saturday). If you can't get a seat, try the takeout version (though you'll need a reservations for that, too).

Bake Shop: Fri Sat 10AM-8PM; Brunch: Fri Sat 10AM-2PM; Edible Atlas: Fri Sat 6:30PM·Brunch $10-16; Edible Atlas $68 (takeout $35)

Auditorium Theatre

Rochester Broadway Theatre League

Housed in an historic Masonic temple building, the Auditorium Theatre is Rochester's Broadway roadhouse; the Rochester Broadway Theatre League brings to town several touring productions each year. The theater is aging and acoustically imperfect, but it's due for extensive renovations soon (now that RBTL owns the whole building), and it's the only area theater with the space to put on the big shows. Other concerts and performances dot the schedule throughout the year; see the web site for upcoming events.

Avvino

An understated facade on busy Monroe Avenue belies the lively and slightly quirky atmosphere inside. (Check out the 18,000 pennies lining the floor of the lobby.) The food and service are top-notch, and the menu changes seasonally to incorporate local ingredients as much as possible. Mostly American fare with some Italian influences, like house-made pasta.

Tue-Thu 5PM-9PM, Fri Sat 5PM-10PM·$30-50

Beers of the World

A huge selection of both macro and micro brews from all over the world, plus home-brewing supplies. Also has a large display filled with good cigars. Word to the wise: the owners are quite stand-offish, especially to first time customers and some of the beers are not that fresh. Watch out for dust! Another store is in Batavia.

Mon-Sat 10AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-4PM

Bill Gray's Port of Rochester

Inside the Port of Rochester terminal building. No Abbott's since there's a separate Abbott's in the same building.

Daily 11AM-9PM

Bill Gray's at the Skyliner Diner

This location is housed in the tiny 1950s-type Skyliner Diner, long and narrow like a train car. The diner is in turn located inside the Strong National Museum of Play. Museum admission is now required to get to the restaurant, which sits near the carousel in what was once the entrance lobby.

Sat-Thu 11AM-4:30PM, Fri 11AM-7:30PM

Black Button Distilling

Black Button uses local ingredients to make corn whiskey, wheat vodka, and gin at their distillery. Tours and a tasting bar are the amenities available for visitors.

Tue noon-6PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-8PM

Blackfriars Theatre

Blackfriars Theatre is a mid-sized professional theatre that has entertained audiences since the 1950s, providing a local showcase for actors and actresses, theater artists and technicians who have chosen to make Rochester their home. They're performance space on East Main is near the Auditorium Center.

Boulder Coffee Company

An independently owned coffee shop with regular live music. Their web page lists upcoming acts. Drinks and snacks are typical coffee shop prices. Free WiFi on the premises.

Mon-Thu 7AM-11PM, Fri 7AM-midnight, Sat 8AM-midnight, Sun 8AM-11PM

Buffalo Bills Training Camp

football

The closest the Rochester area gets to major-league team sports is the Bills' annual summer training camp, held since 2000 in northern Pittsford. There's lots to do besides just watch practices, too; you can participate in interactive games, peruse the merchandise, or try to get some autographs. You can get a lot closer to the players here than at the stadium in Orchard Park!

Late Jul - late Aug·Free (parking shuttle $1)

Bug Jar

The walls display various works of art created by local artists, and the stage area/dance floor has an entire roomful of furniture arranged on the ceiling. Drink specials and live entertainment are featured here nightly, presenting popular local and national musical artists.

CRISP

Texas-tinged upscale comfort food in an ultra-relaxed atmosphere.

Thu-Sat 11:30AM-10PM, Sun Mon 11AM-9PM·$25-50

California Rollin'

If less traditional, more experimental/Western, sushi sounds interesting to you, pay a visit to this excellent sushi restaurant and bar. A special each day of the week; the best values for your buck are the Wednesday $27 all-you-can-eat maki rolls and the Sunday 3-for-$23 deals.

Mon-Wed 5PM-9PM, Thu 4PM-10PM Fri Sat 1PM-10PM, Sun Noon-8PM·$10-30

Campi's

This tiny joint northeast of the airport was once featured on Adam Richman's Man vs. Food Nation, and they focused on Campi's signature dish, the massive Steak Bomber. Take a huge pile of sliced chuck, top it with caramelized onions and other veggies, add Rochester's meaty hot sauce, and put it all on a circular toasted roll twelve inches (30 cm) in diameter.

Mon-Sat 11AM-8PM

Century Liquor and Wines

In the highly regarded Pittsford Plaza, Century Liquor has a very large selection of wine and liquor, including vintage. Receives tour buses from the nearby vineyard- and winery-laden Finger Lakes, which is the second largest wine producing area in the U.S.

Mon-Sat 9AM-9PM, Sun 10AM-6PM

Char Steak and Lounge

The Strathallan's signature restaurant is one of the finest dining options in Rochester. Upscale American entrees and steaks in a contemporary lounge setting. Breakfast is quite a bit more conventional to cater to overnight guests.

Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6AM-10AM, Sat Sun 7AM-11AM; Lunch: daily noon-2PM; Dinner: Mon-Sat 5PM-10PM, Sun 5PM-9PM·Lunch $20+, Dinner $35+

Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse

The oldest remaining lighthouse on Lake Ontario sits high above the Rochester harbor, and visitors can climb to the top of it to see the light, the lens – and the view. Now if, when you get to the lighthouse, you wonder where the shore is, it's half a mile (almost a kilometer) northeast. That's how much land has been added to the northern shore of New York since the lighthouse was built in 1822. The museum inside the keeper's house has a lot of displays on Rochester's harbor history.

May-Oct: Fri-Sun 1-5PM; other times by appointment·Adults $5; ages 5-17 $2; under 5 free

Cheesy Eddie's

Quite simply, Cheesy Eddie's makes great cheesecakes in a variety of flavors. In addition, their carrot cakes are widely considered the best in the area by a wide margin—deliciously moist with a perfectly balanced cream cheese frosting. Or try the Delights: two cookies sandwiching a dollop of cream cheese frosting.

Tue-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat 9AM-2PM (earlier close in winter)

Cheesy Eddie's (Henrietta)

This outlet location near Palmer's Market and Lori's Natural Foods is more convenient for south-siders.

Tue-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-3PM (earlier close in winter)

Cheshire

This speakeasy-style bar serves up classic pre-Prohibition cocktails and inventive newly crafted ones with a sophisticated style.

Mon-Thu 5PM-11PM, Fri Sat 5PM-midnight·$12 (every drink)

Clubhouse Fun Center - Greece

The Greece location has three scenic courses. There's also a batting cage outside.

Clubhouse Fun Center - Henrietta

Henrietta's location has two courses and a go-kart track outside.

Cobb's Hill Reservoir Park

Cobb's Hill provides a great panoramic view of downtown. Located on the corner of Culver and Monroe, it is an easy walk from the cafes on Park Ave. Large duck pond, baseball diamond, tennis courts and a nice (although steep) trail to the top of the hill, where the reservoir is located. A path popular with runners circles the reservoir. Adjacent to Washington Grove, 26 acres of old-growth Oak–Hickory forest right in the middle of the city.

Comedy @ the Carlson

The only dedicated comedy club in Rochester at the moment, tucked in behind Radio Social in an old manufacturing facility. Strong lineup of comedians, including occasional well-known national figures.