VICTOR, NY — Like many in the Victor breakfast and brunch crowd, Jill Rizzo-Budd and husband Steve Budd were saddened when the former Chit Chat Café closed in 2019 after 21 years in business.
Now, they’re getting ready to open their version of the popular diner in the same place, but with an updated, more modern vibe. Yes, as passersby have noticed, that includes a farewell to the distinctive yellow and maroon building color.
The husband-and-wife team are readying this iconic locale for the soon-to-open Victor’s Central Perk and Café, their take on the former Chit Chat Café with a theme reminiscent of the Central Perk coffeehouse set on the TV show “Friends.”
Fun, quirky menu items will play off the “Friends” TV show. And the orange couch, a key set piece on the show, is re-created here.
And for good reason.
“It’s central to Victor so why don’t we call it the Central Perk?” Rizzo-Budd said. “The idea kind of popped in there because I think it has familiarity with people,” as did the former Chit Chat Café.
As “Friends” character Chandler Bing might say, could it be any cooler?
“Everybody who has lived in Victor anytime in the last 10 years knew the Chit Chat Café and knew what that was and how good their food was,” Rizzo-Budd said.
Plans for Victor’s Central Perk and Café
Rizzo-Budd opened Allora Salon and Spa in Victor in 2012, which meant that Budd, a mason by trade, tackled the cooking for family meals, like he used to do growing up.
When Shelly’s Village Café — which took over the Chit Chat space after it closed — moved and rebranded as Rylee’s, both heeded “Friends” character Joey Tribbiani’s catchphrase: “How you doing?”
“We just joked around and said if there’s ever a spot that came up in Victor, let’s open our own cafe,” Rizzo-Budd said.
He will handle the cooking while she will take care of the business end of things.
The main dining area and back room, where the orange couch sits, seats about 36. This will be more of a place where customers place orders at the counter and a server will bring it when ready.
There’s no drive-through, but they do have a plan for catering to the work crowd on weekday mornings. Customers will be able to place an order via app or online and then park in a designated spot for pickup of to-go orders.
“We wanted to do that because there’s not a lot of other options to grab your breakfast on your way to work,” Rizzo-Budd said.
What to expect from Victor’s Central Perk and Café
And while the sign out front says coming in summer, their place may open by the end of May.
“We started talking about it and now, here we are,” Budd said.
The plan is to open for breakfast and lunch, Tuesdays to Sundays, with brunch on weekends. Depending on how business is, they may decide to opt for a seven-day operation.
In addition to his take on breakfast sandwiches, chicken waffles, eggs benedict and other breakfast staples, they plan to offer gluten-free and healthy options such as avocado toast and bagels, which will be supplied by SoHo Bagel Café in Greece. They also plan to use Union Place Coffee Roasters for all manner of morning pick-me-ups and are working on a vendor for fresh, homemade bread.
They also plan to make use of other local products and ingredients whenever possible.
“We’re hoping to bring back food reminiscent of the food that used to be at Chit Chat, but with more of an upbeat, modern vibe to the cafe,” Rizzo-Budd said.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New breakfast and lunch restaurant to open in iconic Victor location
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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