The year 2025 brought a new crop of restaurants to Rochester, with the main trend being varied cuisines from the vibrant cultures of Rochester’s immigrant communities, including an influx of halal restaurants.
These are among the new-in-2025 restaurants and eateries worth checking out in 2026. Our rundown emphasizes locally owned establishments making their Rochester debut, rather than chains.
Because people tend to frequent places near their homes, this year’s list is sorted by town.
New restaurants in Brighton NY
Redd Wood opened in March in the former home of Grinnell’s in Brighton. The menu blends American steakhouse fare with a French influence. Surefire bets: a steak, the coq au vin and the pommes aligot (cheesy mashed potatoes). 1690 Monroe Ave. in Brighton; (585) 319-4194, reddwoodroc.com.
Manting House opened at 3423 Winton Place, off of Winton Road in Brighton in the fall. The spacious, upscale Asian fusion restaurant has an emphasis on dim sum and spicy dishes. (585) 239-8182, mantinghouse.com.
New restaurants in East Rochester NY
Salty Girl opened in the Piano Works at 349 W. Commercial St. in East Rochester. The counter service restaurant focuses on clean eating including salads, bowls, protein plates, wraps and smoothies. It also has a small boutique. (585) 203-1997, saltygirlny.com
New restaurants in Fairport and Perinton NY
Bonnie & Clyde opened in February in the Renaissance revival-style bank building in the Village of Fairport. The menu can be described as American seasonal, with various influences from chef/co-owner Greg Johnson’s career as a chef. It has a chef’s table in the former bank vault and a mezzanine that can be booked for private groups. 58 S. Main St. in Fairport; (585) 678-4040, bonnieandclydefairport.com.
New restaurants in Gates NY
The Coterie opened at 777 Spencerport Road in Gates. The American restaurant, which has a full bar, has a following for its burgers, chicken sandwiches and pasta dishes. It recently launched a creative brunch menu that includes chicken & waffle skewers, a biscuit and gravy burrito, vegan pumpkin waffles, a cereal milk martini and more. (585) 363-5000, thecoterierestaurant.com.
New restaurants in Greece NY
Halal Rooster opened at 2882 Dewey Ave. in Greece. The takeout restaurant blends authentic Pakistani cuisine, popular Mediterranean dishes and all-American casual fare. (585) 319-5222, Facebook.
Hot Pot 585, an all-you-can eat hot pot and Korean barbecue restaurant, opened in the former TGI Friday’s space in the food court in The Mall at Greece Ridge. Customers select their proteins, vegetables and sauces from a buffet line and cook them at their tables. Hot pots are simmered in a choice of boiling broths, whereas Korean barbecue is cooked on a grill. (585)978-8959, hotpot585.com.
New restaurants in Henrietta NY
Seoul Sisters Pocha, a cozy restaurant at 3159 S. Winton Road in Henrietta, opened in March. Chaewon Kim, who owns the Korean restaurant Sodam, is the owner. Seoul Sisters originally served different Korean dishes than were served at Sodam. Kim eventually found that running two restaurants was unwieldy, and Seoul Sisters now has a new chef, manager and menu. It serves Southeast Asian fare, including Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes. Some dishes from the original Seoul Sisters menu will be served at Sodam beginning in February. (585) 471-8517, seoulsisterspocha.com.
Halal Bites Charcoal Chicken opened at 1555 E. Henrietta Road in Henrietta in May. The main attraction at the counter service restaurant is two versions of chicken cooked slowly on a rotating spit over charcoal; Shawaya Farooj has flavors from Jordan, while Tikka Farooj has spicier Pakistani flavors. There’s also shawarma, gyros, wings and more. (585) 319-4525, hbites.com.
Jay’s Halal Cuisine, an Afghan counter service restaurant, opened at 3675 West Henrietta Road, Henrietta. The best sellers are halal over-the-rice boxes, kabobs, gyros and bolani. The business got its start serving takeout fare at Henry’s Convenience Market in the North Winton Village. (585) 444-0350, jayshalal.com.
Esans Bistro opened at 200 Park Point Dr. (near RIT) in Henrietta. It offers authentic and contemporary Nigerian dishes, from the popular jollof rice to suya tacos, a fusion dish that nestles marinated, grilled skewers of meat in corn tortillas. (585) 622-9006, esansbistro.com.
New restaurants in Honeoye Falls NY
Grist, a fine dining restaurant, opened at 61 N. Main St. in the historic Lower Mill building in Honeoye Falls. The space is a mixture of rustic and contemporary. The menu emphasizes shared plates. In keeping with its history as a mill, breads and pastries are made in house. Among the standout appetizers is fresh ricotta served with charred house-made focaccia and roasted garlic. (585) 582-6010, gristhf.com.
New restaurants in Irondequoit NY
Crepes N Shakes opened at 738 E. Ridge Road in Irondequoit in June. It offers a large selection of customizable desserts that could have, depending on your preferences, flavors from a variety of cuisines. (407) 664-3851, nyccrepesnshakes.com.
New restaurants in Mendon NY
Mendon Brunch on the Brook, a breakfast eatery, opened at 6 Victor Mendon Road in Mendon. The casual restaurant makes most everything from scratch. Its best seller is French toast, made with thick slices of homemade cinnamon swirl bread; if you’re hungry try the steak and eggs. It has seating at a counter and in a cozy dining room. (585) 497-7005, mendononthebrook.com
New restaurants in Penfield NY
Two Asian restaurants opened in BayTowne Plaza at 1900 Empire Blvd. (the expansive plaza is in Penfield even though it has a Webster zip code). Get Thai’d Up serves traditional Thai food. (585) 446-0048, getthaidup.com. Sendu serves an Asian fusion fare including crispy sushi tacos, which use crispy nori as the shell. The restaurant has a modern look and a full bar. (585) 347-4173, senduff.com
The popular Mexican restaurant Old Pueblo Grill also opened a location in Baytowne Plaza. Called Old Pueblo Grill Cantina, it is the first location to offer table service and liquor. The setup is unique in that it has its own food truck, dating back to its days as WhichCraft. Although Old Pueblo Grill has added a prep kitchen to the back of the space, the majority of the menu is cooked on the truck. (585) 446-0212, oldpueblogrillroc.com.
Mamitas Mexican Cuisine, a cozy Mexican restaurant, opened at 1778 Penfield Road in the former home of Guacamole Tacos and Margaritas. It serves familiar Mexican fare; taco Tuesdays feature freshly made tacos made with a nixtamalization process. (585) 267-7182, Instagram.
New restaurants in Pittsford NY
JBC Rice Noodles & Ramen opened at 14 S. Main St. in in the Village of Pittsford. It is the fourth location of the restaurant, but it’s the first with table service, a full bar and an outdoor patio. It offers large bowls of authentic soups, loaded with rice noodles as well as a choice of protein and various garnishes. You may choose from five broths ranging from mild to spicy. (585) 203-1220, jbcrmny.com.
Georgio’s Pizza opened in the space previously occupied by Pizza Stop in Pittsford Plaza. The restaurant serves New York-style pizzas by the pie and by the slice. A gluten-friendly 12-inch cauliflower crust is available. It also serves traditional and boneless chicken wings as well as a variety of fried appetizers and a selection of seven salads. (585) 851-0770, georgiospizzaroc.com.
New restaurants in Rochester NY
Shell, a fine dining restaurant, opened in a former police station garage at 50 Pleasant St. The focal point is a central bar; it also has an intimate dining room. The menu is seasonal and beautifully presented. A signature dish is the lobster roll, served on pillowy rolls that are buttered and grilled, filled with lobster tossed in a tarragon aioli and topped with pickled shallots and beluga caviar. (585) 351-8335, shell-restaurant.com.
Rev BBQ Outpost, a new lunch restaurant, opened in the former Huther Brothers Saw manufacturing plant. The menu encompasses a variety of barbecue traditions; smash burgers are also a highlight. Want barbecue for dinner, maybe with some booze? Head to Rev BBQ, which used to be known as The Revelry. Both are at 1290 University Ave. in Rochester; (585) 340-6454, rev-bbq.com/rev-outpost.
Halal Spot opened at 655 Monroe Ave. in May. The bright, casual eatery serves halal platters, gyros, burgers, subs, wraps and lots more. (585) 564-4343, Instagram.
Halla Kabab opened at 647 Park Ave. The small restaurant serves traditional Middle Eastern fare including kababs grilled over an open flame, freshly baked bread, falafel, burgers and sides. (585) 319-3548, hallakabab.com.
Morning and Meat Restaurant opened at 489 South Ave. in the South Wedge. It serves Mediterranean cuisine including falafel, shawarma wraps, chicken over rice and more. (585) 340-6758, morningandmeat.com.
Zoe’s Haitian Restaurant opened at 141 State St. in October, bringing the flavors and hospitality of Haiti to downtown Rochester. It serves different specials each day; Fridays bring oxtails and an oxtail sandwich. (585) 319-5063, Facebook.
Sagra Italia, which comprises a full bar, espresso bar and counter-service Italian restaurant, opened at 155 St. Paul St. in downtown Rochester. The menu includes homemade pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, salads and sides. (585) 268-1010, sagraitalia.net.
Mala Magic opened at 53 Celebration Dr. in College Town in July. It specializes in malatang, a Sichuan hot pot that’s a street food in China. You can choose your own broth, proteins, veggies and noodles, which are priced based on weight. A self-service sauce station lets you customize the spice level. (585) 730-4002, mala-magic.com.
Ponce Es Ponce Restaurant, a Puerto Rican restaurant, opened at 699 South Clinton Ave. at the corner of Gregory Street. The name is a phrase that reflects the civic pride of the city of Ponce, which is known for its museums, architecture and food scene. It serves traditional Puerto Rican fare including sandwiches. (585) 957-1482, Facebook.
New restaurants in Victor NY
Yaayah’s Kitchen, which offers Afro-fusion cuisine, opened at 7 E. Main St. earlier this year but has closed that location. Owner Philomena NyarkoDade, who hails from Ghana, is in the process of moving the business to 67 East Main Street in Victor. It is slated to open in late December. (336) 210-1834, yaayahskitchen.com.
Ramsey’s at Champion Hills opened at the Champion Hills Country Club, 675 Championship Drive, Victor. It serves pub fare and comfort food including burgers, a plate, wraps, salads, entrees and more. (585) 924-8383, championhillsgolf.com/ramseys/.
New restaurants in Webster NY
Himalayan Kitchen Indian & Nepali Flavors opened at 1075 Ridge Road in Webster. It serves Indian dishes, Hakka (migrant Han Chinese) cuisine and Nepalese food. Think curries, spicy dishes, Tandoori preparations, momos (savory filled dumplings), rice dishes, vegetarian options and more. (585) 545-4018, himalayankitchenwebster.com.
Tracy Schuhmacher has been food and drink reporter for the D&C for the past 10 years. Notice an eatery open or close near you? Email her at TracyS@Gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 30+ notable new restaurants to check out in 2026. See the list
Reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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