One of the most frequent questions that I’m asked is where to go out for lunch. “Nobody is open for lunch anymore,” people say. And while it’s true that many restaurants cut back on lunch hours during COVID and never fully restored them, there are still many good options for lunch. In fact, once I started researching this story, it was a major challenge to narrow the list to 50.
Generally, the folks I hear from aren’t looking for three-martini lunches, but rather a place where they can connect with someone for an hour or so in a pleasant environment.
Here are the criteria I used:
But even after a decade covering Rochester’s food scene, I haven’t visited every restaurant in the area. Did I miss your favorite? Send me an email at tracys@gannett.com and tell me what’s great about it. I’ll consider it for future stories and perhaps even pay it a visit.
Lunch restaurants in Rochester with parking
Public Provisions, 45 Rochester Public Market, is a casual restaurant and bar as well as home base to the esteemed Flour City Bread Co. The lunch menu includes seasonal sandwiches, salads and a smash burger. On Thursdays it fires up its wood smoker outside and cooks Neopolitan-style wood-fired pizzas. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and serves brunch Sunday.
Fiorella, 5 Rochester Public Market, is a casual Italian restaurant that has a local, seasonal focus. It is beloved for its artisanal pizzas and its chicken cutlet; lunchtime also brings sandwiches, house-made pastas and seasonal specials. It is open for lunch Wednesday through Saturday.
The Arnett Cafe is a cozy longtime restaurant at 332 Arnett Blvd. in the 19th Ward. It serves Southern comfort food such as chicken and waffles, catfish and shrimp and grits. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Tavos Antojitos y Tequila, 425 Merchants Road in North Winton Village, serves authentic Mexican fare, much of it drawing from owner Gabe Guevara’s former family restaurant, El Rincón Mexicana in Sodus, Wayne County. It has a bar, roomy dining room and a patio with picnic tables. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday.
REDD, at 24 Winthrop St., tucked back behind The Little Theatre, is an upscale restaurant with a globally inspired menu and wood-fired pizzas. In 2024, it was among the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year. Its outdoor space, tucked away from busy downtown streets, is idyllic during the summer. It is open for lunch on Friday only.
Wildflour, at 620 N. Winton Road in North Winton Village, is a cozy Italian restaurant with a concise menu of Sicilian-style pizza, pasta and sandwiches. Save room for its homemade soft-serve ice cream. It has a small dining room with rotating display of artwork and outdoor tables. It is open for lunch Thursday through Sunday.
Rocky’s, an unassuming Italian restaurant at 190 Jay St., has been quietly serving straightforward Italian-American fare for the past 75 years. Know that if you go on Thursday, which is homemade ravioli day, you’ll likely have a wait for a table and for food. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday and accepts cash only.
Strangebird, 62 Marshall St., is a large, bustling brewery that serves up tasty bar fare including wood-fired pizzas, a smash burger, a chicken sandwich and salads. It is open for lunch Thursday through Monday; order food at a window in the back of the space.
Chuys Taqueria is a family-owned, counter-service Mexican restaurant at 1754 Mt. Hope Ave., up the road from College Town. It serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortillas and bowls, with fillings such as birria, carne asada and al pastor. Sauces are homemade. It has a bright dining room and its own parking lot. It is open for lunch every day but Sunday.
Park Avenue Paninoteca originally was a cozy shop and deli on Park Avenue; it is now located at 230 Monroe Ave. The full-service restaurant and bar focuses on Italian fare; its mainstay is its namesake panini. It is open for lunch daily.
Swan Market, 231 Parsells Ave., is a Rochester treasure that’s been around for more than 80 years. It’s a cozy meat market, but from Wednesday through Saturday you can lunch on classic German fare at communal tables. Parking is mostly on the street but it usually isn’t too difficult to find a spot.
The Silver Iguana, 663 N. Winton Road, is a cozy, casual restaurant that also has a popular outdoor patio. The Tex-Mex menu includes 13 tacos, voted Best Tacos in Rochester in the Democrat and Chronicle’s 2025 poll, as well as many Mexican standards. It is a popular destination for its special on Taco Tuesdays. It is open for lunch weekdays and for brunch on weekends.
Sobrinos, 1456 N. Clinton Ave., serves a combination of Puerto Rican and Dominican fare. Among its best sellers are empanadas, pernil (pork), stew ribs, fried pork, mofongo and chicken noodle soup. Depending on the day, you may find traditionally prepared hog maws, pigs feet and tripe. Its dining area can seat up to 48 people. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday.
Mr. Dominic’s at the Lake, 4699 Lake Ave., is a fantastically popular restaurant that has been a fixture in the Charlotte area since 1976; the building dates back to 1900. The menu has Italian-American favorites and servings are hearty. It’s a cozy, congenial place inside, and in the summer you can sit on the porch and take in the lake air. It serves lunch Thursday and Friday.
Lunch restaurants in Rochester with limited parking (street/garage)
These are restaurants with limited parking. If you live or work nearby, or have plenty of time for lunch, these restaurants could be good choices. If you are driving, searching for parking could eat up some of your lunch hour.
Patron Saint is a swanky steakhouse at 260 E. Broad St. in downtown Rochester. It serves craft cocktails and its menu brings classics along with plenty of indulgences. It is open for lunch on Friday only.
Branca Midtown is an upscale, contemporary Italian restaurant and craft cocktail bar that looks out onto Parcel 5. It has outdoor seating in the summer. At 280 E. Broad St., it is open for lunch Wednesday and Thursday.
Farmhouse Table Midtown Cafe is housed in the glass-and-steel structure at 90 S. Clinton Ave. next to Innovation Square. It serves a concise menu of mostly sandwiches and salads. It is open for lunch weekdays and brunch on the weekend.
Chick’n Out, at 37 Charlotte St., is a casual restaurant and full bar that serves fried chicken sandwiches and tenders alongside homemade Southern-style sides. Its Friday fish fry was voted best in Rochester in 2023. It is open for lunch Monday, Friday and Sunday.
Bar Bantam is a bar and restaurant housed in the lobby of The Metropolitan at One S. Clinton Ave., a striking building formerly known as Chase Tower. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday.
AM:fm coffee cocktails vinyl, at 45 Euclid St. near Parcel 5, is a coffee shop that serves sandwiches, mac and cheese and specials. It is open for lunch daily.
Foodlink Community Café, in the Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building ,115 South Ave. downtown, is staffed by the nonprofit’s culinary apprentices. The menu includes sandwiches, salads, flatbread pizzas, soups and more. There’s a seating area inside and a pleasant courtyard behind the building. It is open for lunch Monday through Thursday.
Ludwigs Center Stage Cafe, 25 Gibbs St. near the Eastman Theatre, serves sandwiches alongside interesting nibbles like homemade pickles and gingered carrots. It has daily pasta, soup and sandwich specials. There’s seating inside and out. It serves lunch Monday through Friday.
Orange Glory Cafe is a casual lunchtime spot at 480 E. Main St., kitty-corner from the Eastman Theatre. Its best sellers are chicken salad sandwich, as well as an assortment of chunky, hearty veggie burgers, served on a whole grain roll. For dessert get a chocolate chip, macadamia nut and coconut cookie. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday.
Founders Cafe is a coffee shop and cafe in The Academy Building at 13 S. Fitzhugh St., in a historic section of downtown Rochester. Lunchtime brings homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and panini. It has seating inside and on a pleasant patio. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday.
Ardor Park Artisanal Pizza, 117 Park Ave., cooks only in a wood-fired oven. The menu centers on pizzas made with a thin crust and baked to a slight char, as well as small plates suitable for sharing. Try the spinach artichoke dip and the smoked kielbasa pizza. It is open for lunch Monday, Thursday and Friday and for brunch on the weekends.
Sinbad’s Mediterranean Cuisine has been a popular destination at 719 Park Ave. for more than 30 years. Its Lebanese menu is extensive: salads, pastas, pitas (toasted and untoasted), kabobs and lots more more. The dining room is cozy and its patio is a popular destination in the summer. It is open for lunch daily.
People’s Choice Kitchen, 575 Brooks Ave., has been serving the 19th Ward for more than 20 years. The casual restaurant serves Caribbean comfort food such as jerk chicken, mac and cheese, curry chicken, oxtails, collard greens, yams and jerk chicken salad. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, and accepts cash only.
Crisp Rochester, 819 S Clinton Ave. in the South Wedge, is known for its cocktails and casual menu that gives nods to the South. I can’t resist its billionaire bacon. It is open for lunch Thursday through Saturday, and serves brunch Sunday and Monday.
Where to go for lunch in suburban Rochester
Seoul Drop is a casual counter-service Korean restaurant in Brighton’s Lac de Ville Plaza at 1900 S. Clinton Ave. The casual counter-service restaurant serves rice bowls, bibimbap, loaded fries, japchae and more. It also has fun desserts such as jiggly animal-shaped panna cotta. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday.
Carmen’s Cooking, 1855 Monroe Ave. in Brighton’s 12 Corners area, serves Puerto Rican fare. Among its best sellers are The C-Cubed sandwich, Carmen’s take on a Cuban, as well as its pernil sandwich. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday. Park near Monroe Avenue or park in back and enter through the door to the right of the “boutique” sign.
Leo’s Bakery and Deli, 101 Despatch Drive in East Rochester, has a busy cafe that serves sandwiches, subs and panini. Try the ham and turkey club panini. A jumbo cookie is free with each full-size sub or panini. It is open for lunch daily.
Rustic Taco, 30 Fairport Village Landing, is a casual full-service restaurant that focuses on creative tacos. Its most popular creation is its Craft Cheeseburger Taco, with ground beef, Kolsch cheese sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, chipotle aioli and sour cream, double wrapped in a crunchy and soft sell. It has seating inside and on its sunken patio. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Donnelly’s Public House, 1 Water St. in Fairport, is a longtime neighborhood pub in the village of Fairport. The menu has a large selection of straightforward bar fare. It is open for lunch daily. Public parking is across the street.
Bonnie and Clyde is a modern fine dining restaurant housed in the 1924-built Fairport National Bank and Trust Co. building at 58 S. Main St. in the village of Fairport. The fare is seasonal; expect small plates, salads and entrées. It is open for lunch Thursday and Friday.
Tandoor of India is an Indian restaurant with locations at 376 Jefferson Road in Henrietta and in Perinton Square Mall at 6720 Pittsford-Palmyra Road in Perinton. It is especially popular for its extensive lunch buffet, served from Monday through Saturday.
Levantine’s, 750 Elmgrove Road in Gates, is a casual counter-service restaurant serves Middle Eastern comfort food, including gluten-free and vegan options. Its menu is inspired by the food of Damascus, Syria. All of the dishes use zabihah halal ingredients. Save room for its baklava. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Cotoletta ― that’s Italian for “cutlet” ― is a casual restaurant at 440 Elmridge Center Drive, off West Ridge Road in Greece. It highlights sandwiches based on large chicken cutlets, as well as thick square pizzas, pasta dishes, salads and appetizers. Indoors has a retro feel and it has patio seating as well. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Bozza Pasta, 462 Elmridge Center Drive, off West Ridge Road in Greece, is a lunch eatery set in the midst of a shop that offers pastas, sauces and other sundries. Pasta dishes are made to order; choose from a chef-designed dish, or select your own pasta, sauce and protein. It is open for lunch Monday through Saturday.
Sodam is a Korean restaurant at 900 Jefferson Road in the Genesee Valley Regional Market in Henrietta. It has operated in its spare, inconspicuous spot tucked behind Lori’s Natural Foods for going on 20 years now. It is open for lunch Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Dosiiroc Cafe,1225 Jefferson Road in Henrietta, serves scratch-made home-style Korean cooking. It is named for divided Korean lunch boxes, similar to Japanese bento boxes, which are among the offerings. Popular dishes include marinated grilled meats, rice dishes and boneless Korean fried chicken. The bright dining room has seating for 40. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Blue Barn Cidery, 918 Manitou Road, Hilton, has a roomy tasting room with a scratch kitchen that serves an appealing menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and burgers. A kids menu and gluten-free options are available. The large seating area opens to a sweeping back lawn. It is open for lunch Wednesday through Saturday.
Polska Chata, 32 Vinedale Ave., just off East Ridge Road in Irondequoit, is a former house with a small deli and market downstairs and a restaurant upstairs. It specializes in Polish fare such as pierogi, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, meats and sausages. It has an excellent fish fry on Fridays. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
Anatolia Mediterranean Grill, 4671 Culver Road in Irondequoit, is a Turkish restaurant that offers lunchtime specials like wraps and sandwiches filled with gyro meat, falafel, chicken, lamb and burgers. You may dine in its striking dining room but in the summer it’s fun to sit on its lawn and take in lake vibes and the sounds of Seabreeze across the street. It is open for lunch daily.
Rosey’s Italian Cafe, 2133 Five Mile Line Road in Penfield, is a cozy local favorite that serves classic Italian fare as well as sandwich versions of classic dishes like chicken Parmesan. It offers fish fries on Fridays. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday.
The Five Mile Cafe, 2084 Five Mile Line Road in Penfield, is a charming spot that serves familiar salads, sandwiches and burgers for lunch. It has seating indoors and outdoors on its porch. It is open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday.
Bar Bill Tavern, 1129 Empire Blvd. in Penfield, is the Rochester-area outpost of a popular bar in Buffalo. The busy establishment serves bar fare including chicken wings, beef on weck, personal pizzas and more. It is open for lunch daily.
Simply Crêpes is a casual restaurant at 7 Schoen Place in Pittsford; 1229 Bay Road in Penfield and 101 S. Main St. in Canandaigua. Crêpes are a highlight but the menu also includes salads, burgers and sandwiches. Each location has its own vibe but they all offer dining inside and out. They are open for lunch every day but Tuesday.
Basha Mediterranean Eatery, 2900 Monroe Ave. in Pittsford, is a Lebanese restaurant that serves choose-your-own salads and grain bowls, as well as pitas, pastas, pitzas and entrées. It is open for lunch daily.
Adelita’s Mexican Cocina & Tequila is a locally owned full-service restaurant with locations in Pittsford Plaza at 3349 Monroe Ave. and in Eastview Mall in Victor, Ontario County, near Macy’s. The menu is extensive and includes complementary warm tortilla chips and an especially tasty salsa. Both are housed in spruced-up former chain restaurants. They are open for lunch daily, and offer lunch specials Monday through Friday.
Mama Lor’s Cafe has two locations in Webster, one at 1319 Lake Road and the other at 1891 Ridge Road. It is a go-to place for comfort fare like burgers, house-made pastrami and fish fry (served daily), but also offers lighter fare like sandwiches and wraps. Lunch is served daily at both locations.
Tracy Schuhmacher is food and drink reporter. She welcomes suggestions for additional lunch restaurants at tracys@gannett.com. Be sure to include why that restaurant is special, such as your favorite dish.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Where to eat lunch in Rochester: 50+ must-try local restaurants
Reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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