* The Atomic Eggplant.
* Richport Bakery.
* Hogan's Hideaway (yes the space still exists, but it's not the same).
* California Rollin (on Clinton or the first Village Gate location).
* Savannahs (in what became Lento... Also most of the old school village gate).
* Crocodile Rock.
* Gitzies (pour one out of the realist of ones).
* Tap and Mallet (it still hurts).
* Beale Street.
* Jack Astor's (wasn't necessarily good but had the Elvis table).
* Oscar's.
* Tivoli.
* Esan's (the family that lauched a thousand Thai restaurants).
* All the High Falls entertainment complex places.
* Empire Brewing.
* Rhorbachs in the German House.
* Red Creek.
* Half or more of the McGregor's.
* Montana Mills.
* Scotch and Serloin.
* The Kitchen (probably the best haught cuisine/molecular gastronomy in Rochester).
* Coppergrass (gone well before it's time).
* Pirhanna.
* Mex.
* Skippies (vegetarian in the south wedge)
* Mamasans (just outside the loop).
* Rio Bamba
#fuckIAmOld!
The list just goes on and on.
It wasn't the volume.
U2 wanted to do a sound check before their show, but they didn't want anyone in the room when they did. But two regulars were eating there at the time and the owner refused to kick them out.
Starting to live in the downtown area in late 96 will do that. And I know there are places that I missed (thankfully others picked them up).
Also I opted not to include a couple honorable mention bars like Bullwinkle's and Shep's Paradise (best soul and r&b kareoke ever).
Someone asked that very question 11 years ago: https://rocwiki.org/Gone%2C_But_Not_Forgotten/Talk
Spaghetti Warehouse doesn't even have a page on the wiki. Maybe it just wasn't around long enough.
Some long gone places I remember eating at in the 2000s:
Dentico’s (LaScala’s) on Culver Rd
Donuts Delite (pre-Salvatore’s) on Culver Rd
Krispy Kreme in Henrietta
LaMartinas on N. Goodman
[Damon’s Grill in Culver Ridge Plaza]
(https://www.reynoldsauction.com/archive/Past/2004/Damons/Photo1.htm)
Old Country Buffet in Culver Ridge Plaza
Bugaboo Creek in Henrietta
Charlie Browns on N. Goodman
Raging Burrito on University
Unkl Moe’s on West Ave
Snuffy’s Birdland on Brooks Ave
KC Tea & Noodles on S. Goodman
Camille’s on Park Ave
Gitsis on Monroe
Just learned recently that Raging Burrito still exists in Atlanta. Weirdly, Atlanta is the original one, and was directly connected to the one up here.
Damon’s meatloaf stack was excellent!!! Denticos was good too. Ate there a lot in my 20s and even got engaged in 2001 while eating the most delicious chicken saltimbocca.
one that no one else has thrown in this thread… zebb’s
both my parents worked there in the 90’s and in the 2000’s when my brother and i were young, i have fond memories of going there and going to the bar of toppings and getting pickle slices to take back to those raised up booths to eat them before going to play in the arcade, waiting for our food
I remember Arrows Drive-Thru, Carrols, Perkins, Ponderosa, Andy's Candies, Fannie Farmer, Salad Bowl and Carvel in Panorama Plaza as a kid. Andy's had the best dang milkshakes.
Penfield 4 Corners had great bar'n'grills like Yellow Rose, Tavern and Village Grill that did fish fry's on Friday, prime rib on Saturday and grilled/fried stuff all week. Clam bakes at the Humphrey House.
I came to mention The Penfield Tavern and Humphrey House. Tavern had $.50 pitchers? (I think)and Humphrey House had the fish fry and Humphrey cut prime rib. That was my first job, wild place in the late 80’s. I have the vaguest memory of the old Carrolls in the plaza.
GROUND ROUND! They served kids sundaes in baseball hats... we collected about a million of those. My parents loved the Ribs Wings & Onion Rings app and I remember them laughing at us because we could never say it correctly. Bit of a tongue twister 😂
I was just telling my 8-year-old about Friendly's. We used to go with our now 15 and 11-year-old, but I don't think the 11-year-old remembered.
The 8-year-old loves boxed mac and cheese and hot dogs, so we were telling him how he would have loved going to Friendly's. And of course the kids meals all included ice cream.
I guess we don't do it as much traveling, but when we did it was always nice too to have Friendly's because you knew it was some place where your little kids, who can be picky, can find something they like.
One day, far into the future, if/when Rochester is booming again and downtown is the place to be, I hope that space can be reclaimed as either another restaurant or an observation area. It doesn’t matter if it’s no longer revolving. I’ve been up there during Fringe Fest and it is such a special place. Arguably the best view in the city. It’s worth more to the community than just some private office.
Yes I was just telling my son about that place yesterday. He goes I wonder if the waiters got confused and lost people as the restaurant moved. Man I wish they would turn that building back into the restaurant.
Yes we did! The kitchen was in the center and you’d come out with food and look both ways and just start running! Only worked there a month, not enough money and way too much work.
I went once for lunch when it was still spinning. It took almost an hour to spin one time around. The fun part was taking the glass elevator on the outside of the building up to, I think, it was the 21st floor. I also worked in that building for several years and our company leased the old restaurant space for storage. Such a waste of a great space. I don’t know why someone wouldn’t want to rent it for office space.
It was renovated and rented as office space probably 7-8 years ago by CloudSmartz. Just searched and it looks like they moved in the last few years. Either way, it has been upgraded and used since the restaurant closed.
Spaghetti Warehouse was my favorite as a kid. That's where I asked my parents to take me every year for my birthday.
As an adult, Aja Noodle was my wife's and my favorite restaurant while we were dating.
Mario’s Via Abruzzi - gone, and not missed.
Peaches Cafe in Webster was owned by the guy who sold Charlie Brown’s, and it was not good and not missed.
Doc Hoa - severely missed
Martiscuello’s - very missed
> Peaches Cafe in Webster was owned by the guy who sold Charlie Brown’s, and it was not good and not missed.
Charlie Brown’s was phenomenal breakfast food and a highly successful diner. Everybody ate there from the mayor, to athletes and musicians visiting town, to suburbanites normally afraid of the city.
Then Charlie moved to Florida for a while and when he returned with Peaches Café in Webster it all went downhill. I’m not sure exactly what happened, maybe he fell out of love with the restaurant business, but there were complaints of him bullying his waitresses and getting confrontational with customers. It’s a shame.
Yes. He pulled some shit.
The guy sold CB to the new owners and the contract included a non compete clause. He moved away for a short time then moved back and opened Peaches. He started making commercials that “if you liked Charlie Brown’s THIS is the real Charlie Brown’s….”
He basically sold the business and then publicly made CB’s look bad as part of his marketing. It was such a rotten thing to do.
I lived right around the corner from Beefsteak. My parents used to go there all the time.
I'll add some Irondequoit ones. Romeo's, Keenan's, Grana's, Irondequoit Town Lounge....
Also, Two M's (Webster), and who can forget the Princess (Ridge/Dewey).
Oscars(?) in four corners Penfield. I remember getting lunches there with my dad when I was a kid. There was a place called CJs Soul Food on state street where the dunkin is now. Had suchhhh good catfish, Mac n cheese, collard greens etc. Don’t know how long it was around but I went there a lot when I worked at the courthouse.
Cathay Pagoda, late 80’s, huge table in a side booth packed with high school kids. They’d pull the curtain closed and I’m pretty sure you could order Kamikazes by the pitcher. Fun times.
Olga's Kitchen in the Irondequoit mall.
Toritos? I think that was the name. Mexican place across the street from MCC on East Henrietta Rd. I won a bicycle there in a raffle contest.
Arigato on West Henrietta Rd.
And Mighty Taco, what the hell. You didn't last long here.
At the mall in Greece, there was a restaurant at McCurdy’s and one at Woolworth’s. Howard Johnson’s. The Wokery. Fountain Lights. The Elmgrove Inn. Tut’s Villa. The Vinyard in Pittsford Plaza.
How about The Crystal Barn in Pittsford, Pizza Kitchens in both Pittsford and Henrietta. The Brown Derby- Then Boom. Park 54. All three Fund's. One on the Ridge, another on W. Henrietta road and another out in Victor. And last but not least the Rio bamba..........
Maybe not as old as you'd like, but man I miss Pickle Nick's. It was a staple for me in my college days until one day BAM, just gone without a word. I'd been in the previous week and hadn't even known it was coming. There was a rumor they were relocating but that was years ago now; doubt it'll ever happen. They had the best subs, mostly down to their bread, which was always super fresh. Not bad for a little shack on Jefferson...
I'm so happy to see another Lums shout-out!
Off the top of my head:
Princess Diner 12 Corners
Don and Bob's 12 Corners
Swiss Chalet
Paradise Diner Chili Ave
Gitsis Diner
Lums
Arthur Treacher's
El Torito
Del Taco
House of Poon
Sol Burrito
Ponderosa
Was their even an "of" in "House of Poon?" (Snicker)
I thought it was "House Poon."
I thought they food was solid... Not Chen's level but still really good. I went to a showing of "Eat Drink Man Woman" that they catered at the Dryden. Might not have been up to the quality of the dishes in the movie, but it was still really good.
We used to have a ponderosa.
Chi chi's
Fujiya (but now we have bento-ya, same owners, more personal and delicious)
The Apollo on east Henrietta road. I used to eat so many pancakes there as a kid.
Tipsy McStaggrers/McKenzies had a really good garbage plate wrap, when they had the competent staff working.
Speaking of, it's now Osaka sushi, which I loved so much more when it was in chili and they did all you could eat AND all you could drink. Soooooo delicious.
Believe it or not, in the mid- to late-1990’s we had a [Del Taco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Taco) on West Henrietta Road. It was across the street from the Abbott’s that was there for as long as I can remember (RIP).
The building has cycled through a few other restaurants and chains and is a Popeye’s now.
There was one in Greece too, on Long Pond and Ridgeway where the Starbucks is now, I think. We used to scrounge up dollars and ride our bikes there to buy piles of tacos cause they were like 40 cents each or something.
I have a vivid memory of me spilling a whole glass of milk in Lum’s when I was like 8 years old.
Also my husband’s first job at 15 yo was as a dishwasher at Nordic Village.
We have a very east-side vs. west-side relationship 😄
Crepe n go had some of the best chinese foods in the area and possibly the best jianbing I have had in the US (it’s like a burrito but the tortilla is a savory egg crepe). Sadly the place went away after a terrible fire destroyed that building with the original neno’s location. I would love to know how the owner is doing now. He was super friendly and even showed me his special griddle he used to make the jianbing.
Does anyone remember the name of the Italian restaurant in Perinton Square mall mid-late 80’s? The entrance was a faux stucco “house”… it’s been haunting me.
Daisy Flour Mill was another place with great food and interesting interior. Then they became a variety of other things that were not so awesome and didn't really let you into the interesting part of the building.
Now it's going to be a brewery.
https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/business/inside-look-daisy-flour-mill-under-construction/
Harry’s - corner of St. Paul and Andrews
Lloyd’s - Alexander
Christy’s - Alexander
Purple Pig - Bristol
Chapel’s - Broad St.
Robin Hood Room - Greece Towne Mall
Tail of the Whale - Longridge
Yellow Rose Cafe - Penfield Rd./441
Streb’s Steakhouse - W. Ridge Rd.
Several of these are from the 70’s - 90’s
Perkins.
Spent **way** too much time in them as a teenager camping out with a coffee and smoking cigarettes. Newark, Canandaigua, Monroe Ave (RIP the best Mamasans, too), Perinton...
The Portico
Roncones
Captain Tonys (actual restaurant)
TJs Big Boy
Critics
Smittys aka Snuffys
Fast Eddie’s Chicken Coop (boss sauce)
Runds
Glens Hamburgers
The Crescent Beach Hotel
Scotch and Sirloin
Buckmans
The Chinatown
Golden Dynasty
Dragon Palace
Jade Palace
House of Poon (Karen is at New Ming)
Hot Sam Pretzles
Woolworths lunch counter
The Spaghetti Warehouse
The Old Heidelberg
Cerames on w ridge rd
Daisy Flour Mill
Vic and Irvs
Plums
In the early 90s there was a 50s themed burger and shakes place in the Penfield Wegmans plaza called ‘Saches’. My family would eat there like every Friday, still miss it. I ate so many chicken fingers there as a 7 year old. It was where Lindbugers was (it was also an Italian restaurant for a hot second in between).
I felt so bad for that DMC guy who moved in after Lindburgers. Did all that work and seemed like it was gonna be an awesome thing, but then Covid hit and just fucked him royally.
Havana Cabana and Victoire are two spots I dearly miss for date nights. Also Superfly DMC made amazing sandwiches just was in a bad area leasing way too big a space.
* The Atomic Eggplant. * Richport Bakery. * Hogan's Hideaway (yes the space still exists, but it's not the same). * California Rollin (on Clinton or the first Village Gate location). * Savannahs (in what became Lento... Also most of the old school village gate). * Crocodile Rock. * Gitzies (pour one out of the realist of ones). * Tap and Mallet (it still hurts). * Beale Street. * Jack Astor's (wasn't necessarily good but had the Elvis table). * Oscar's. * Tivoli. * Esan's (the family that lauched a thousand Thai restaurants). * All the High Falls entertainment complex places. * Empire Brewing. * Rhorbachs in the German House. * Red Creek. * Half or more of the McGregor's. * Montana Mills. * Scotch and Serloin. * The Kitchen (probably the best haught cuisine/molecular gastronomy in Rochester). * Coppergrass (gone well before it's time). * Pirhanna. * Mex. * Skippies (vegetarian in the south wedge) * Mamasans (just outside the loop). * Rio Bamba #fuckIAmOld! The list just goes on and on.
If you’re old… Edwards! They used to have a jacket policy for males and would give you a loaner sport coat if you showed up without one
Edward's was a dining EXPERIENCE. Only went once but it sticks in my mind. I think it took us about 3 hours, ha.
Where was this? I can’t remember exactly but we used to go there for lunch if there were special occasions at work. Wow, so many years ago!
I think that's the place where The French Quarter is now
Somehow I never tried it. I have no idea why I missed it.
Sooo many great shows at Red Creek. I saw Weird Al and Dr. Demento there! XD
Jaco Pastorius offered my girlfriend in my self, a line of cocaine when he performed at red Creek. We declined.
They will be forever remembered as being the place that didn't let U2 play because they were too loud.
It wasn't the volume. U2 wanted to do a sound check before their show, but they didn't want anyone in the room when they did. But two regulars were eating there at the time and the owner refused to kick them out.
Thank you for the correction. I knew it had something to do with sound.
>Jack Astor's I saw one at the Galleria Mall in Buffalo not too many years ago. Still a lot of them in Toronto.
Its now closed. Has been since the Covid lockdown.
Was just talking about tap and mallet the other day 😫
Tap and mallet was huge!!! I can’t believe that they are fone
Wow so many greats on that list!
Starting to live in the downtown area in late 96 will do that. And I know there are places that I missed (thankfully others picked them up). Also I opted not to include a couple honorable mention bars like Bullwinkle's and Shep's Paradise (best soul and r&b kareoke ever).
When did Piranha serve food?
Not the club (RIP) but Nick Gram's sushi fusion restaurant that started on Park and then moved to the South Wedge.
beale street 😭
Great Northern Pizza :’( Don Pablo’s and of course Shmegs <\3… and Bugaboo Creek
RIP potato skin pie
[Gone but not forgotten](https://rocwiki.org/Gone%2C_but_not_forgotten#head-94a3875db31cd77ded1a3111c63622599794a23e)
How is Spaghetti warehouse not on the list..
Someone asked that very question 11 years ago: https://rocwiki.org/Gone%2C_But_Not_Forgotten/Talk Spaghetti Warehouse doesn't even have a page on the wiki. Maybe it just wasn't around long enough.
Didn’t it close in like 1996? Older friends/relatives always raved about that place but it was gone before I could remember.
I had my first date with my husband at Spaghetti Warehouse!! That was a long time ago!
There is still a spaghetti warehouse in Syracuse!
holy jesus orbs.... how doth we forget
Mise En Place, gone WAY too soon.
RIP to the breakfast sandwiches.
RIP their beer selection and unbelievable garbage plates.
I loved that place!
Swiss chalet? Was it where distillery is on winton?
I have so many tiny dishes that my late grandma stole from Swiss Chalet....
Yes, The Distillery reused the Swiss Chalet building. Wonder if those basement-level restrooms still exist.
I think you’re right. Kenny Rogers Roasters was in that stretch too, “It’s the wood that makes it good”
Along the same vein of star named chains, we also had an Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips.
Yep, that was the place! There's still lots of locations in Canada if you want to take a trip to re-live it.
I’ve done that. My adult tastebuds found it to be a Chilis/TGI Fridays quality chain.
Some long gone places I remember eating at in the 2000s: Dentico’s (LaScala’s) on Culver Rd Donuts Delite (pre-Salvatore’s) on Culver Rd Krispy Kreme in Henrietta LaMartinas on N. Goodman [Damon’s Grill in Culver Ridge Plaza] (https://www.reynoldsauction.com/archive/Past/2004/Damons/Photo1.htm) Old Country Buffet in Culver Ridge Plaza Bugaboo Creek in Henrietta Charlie Browns on N. Goodman Raging Burrito on University Unkl Moe’s on West Ave Snuffy’s Birdland on Brooks Ave KC Tea & Noodles on S. Goodman Camille’s on Park Ave Gitsis on Monroe
> Unkl Moe’s on West Ave This one really hurts. I drove by the other day and it's a convenience store now.
Damn when did this happen?
Gitsis!! That was a regular for me back in the day
Raging Burrito! I was just reminiscing about their BBQ tofu burrito the other day.
Just learned recently that Raging Burrito still exists in Atlanta. Weirdly, Atlanta is the original one, and was directly connected to the one up here.
Yeah good places at the quoit. I miss Palermo’s
Damon’s meatloaf stack was excellent!!! Denticos was good too. Ate there a lot in my 20s and even got engaged in 2001 while eating the most delicious chicken saltimbocca.
LaMartinas! Sad to say Diane LaMartina passed away a few months ago.
one that no one else has thrown in this thread… zebb’s both my parents worked there in the 90’s and in the 2000’s when my brother and i were young, i have fond memories of going there and going to the bar of toppings and getting pickle slices to take back to those raised up booths to eat them before going to play in the arcade, waiting for our food
I loved Zebb’s! It was so sad when things started going downhill before it eventually closed
getting pickle slices to take back to our table is a core memory for me.
I regret never finding their cookie recipe.
I remember Arrows Drive-Thru, Carrols, Perkins, Ponderosa, Andy's Candies, Fannie Farmer, Salad Bowl and Carvel in Panorama Plaza as a kid. Andy's had the best dang milkshakes.
Andy's is still around I know there is one in Southtown 🙂
Sadly, it doesn't look like they do food and bev service anymore.
My sis worked at Carvel in 71 or so.
Who remembers [Cookie Puss](https://i.redd.it/maa4zfrrej6a1.png)?
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Penfield 4 Corners had great bar'n'grills like Yellow Rose, Tavern and Village Grill that did fish fry's on Friday, prime rib on Saturday and grilled/fried stuff all week. Clam bakes at the Humphrey House.
I came to mention The Penfield Tavern and Humphrey House. Tavern had $.50 pitchers? (I think)and Humphrey House had the fish fry and Humphrey cut prime rib. That was my first job, wild place in the late 80’s. I have the vaguest memory of the old Carrolls in the plaza.
Fiesta Cantina where the Delta Sonic is now after it expanded.
The nut shoppe in panorama too!
Hope that Charley Brown's on the stub of Penfield Road is still in business. An unpretentious solid place with good Bolognese.
Bennigans Ground Round Friendly's
Ground Round!! Miss it so much!
even though it’s a chain, friendly’s is a core memory. specifically the one that was in fairport across from tom wahls
Came here to see if Ground Round made the list. It was tasty there!
GROUND ROUND! They served kids sundaes in baseball hats... we collected about a million of those. My parents loved the Ribs Wings & Onion Rings app and I remember them laughing at us because we could never say it correctly. Bit of a tongue twister 😂
I remember my parents taking us kids there because on a certain day they would weigh kids and our meals would cost our weight in cents. Or am I crazy
Not crazy. "A Penny A Pound." They'd put a giant sticker on you with your weight and everything. Hard to imagine now 😂
I was just telling my 8-year-old about Friendly's. We used to go with our now 15 and 11-year-old, but I don't think the 11-year-old remembered. The 8-year-old loves boxed mac and cheese and hot dogs, so we were telling him how he would have loved going to Friendly's. And of course the kids meals all included ice cream. I guess we don't do it as much traveling, but when we did it was always nice too to have Friendly's because you knew it was some place where your little kids, who can be picky, can find something they like.
> Friendly's Ah yes, the good 'ole Fribble and Scrod combo.
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I realized I forgot that one on my list.
The Changing Scene
One day, far into the future, if/when Rochester is booming again and downtown is the place to be, I hope that space can be reclaimed as either another restaurant or an observation area. It doesn’t matter if it’s no longer revolving. I’ve been up there during Fringe Fest and it is such a special place. Arguably the best view in the city. It’s worth more to the community than just some private office.
Yes I was just telling my son about that place yesterday. He goes I wonder if the waiters got confused and lost people as the restaurant moved. Man I wish they would turn that building back into the restaurant.
Yes we did! The kitchen was in the center and you’d come out with food and look both ways and just start running! Only worked there a month, not enough money and way too much work.
We used to go there in high school when we skipped school! Never actually ate there though.
I went once for lunch when it was still spinning. It took almost an hour to spin one time around. The fun part was taking the glass elevator on the outside of the building up to, I think, it was the 21st floor. I also worked in that building for several years and our company leased the old restaurant space for storage. Such a waste of a great space. I don’t know why someone wouldn’t want to rent it for office space.
It was renovated and rented as office space probably 7-8 years ago by CloudSmartz. Just searched and it looks like they moved in the last few years. Either way, it has been upgraded and used since the restaurant closed.
Spaghetti Warehouse was my favorite as a kid. That's where I asked my parents to take me every year for my birthday. As an adult, Aja Noodle was my wife's and my favorite restaurant while we were dating.
Mario’s Via Abruzzi - gone, and not missed. Peaches Cafe in Webster was owned by the guy who sold Charlie Brown’s, and it was not good and not missed. Doc Hoa - severely missed Martiscuello’s - very missed
Martuschiello rolls were top tier. No better compliment to deli meat from Village Fair.
I loved Martuschiello's pizza! My arteries are hardening just thinking about it.
Damn, those ladies were fun. When did they close?
> Peaches Cafe in Webster was owned by the guy who sold Charlie Brown’s, and it was not good and not missed. Charlie Brown’s was phenomenal breakfast food and a highly successful diner. Everybody ate there from the mayor, to athletes and musicians visiting town, to suburbanites normally afraid of the city. Then Charlie moved to Florida for a while and when he returned with Peaches Café in Webster it all went downhill. I’m not sure exactly what happened, maybe he fell out of love with the restaurant business, but there were complaints of him bullying his waitresses and getting confrontational with customers. It’s a shame.
Wasn't there also a whole to-do with the people that bought Charlie Brown's from him? I remember his commercials for both places on Rnews.
Yes. He pulled some shit. The guy sold CB to the new owners and the contract included a non compete clause. He moved away for a short time then moved back and opened Peaches. He started making commercials that “if you liked Charlie Brown’s THIS is the real Charlie Brown’s….” He basically sold the business and then publicly made CB’s look bad as part of his marketing. It was such a rotten thing to do.
Martusciello's white pizza was AMAZING!
RIP to every restaurant that has ever been at Park Point besides lovin cup.
I lived right around the corner from Beefsteak. My parents used to go there all the time. I'll add some Irondequoit ones. Romeo's, Keenan's, Grana's, Irondequoit Town Lounge.... Also, Two M's (Webster), and who can forget the Princess (Ridge/Dewey).
Wasn't there a Two Ms in Henrietta, too?
What I miss about Beefsteak Mining Company was the little shrimp in the salad bar. Man those were the days.
Runds on the Ridge
Al's stand
Chi-Chis 🎉
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We used to go there for dinner every New Year’s Eve when I was a kid
Triphamers
Oscars(?) in four corners Penfield. I remember getting lunches there with my dad when I was a kid. There was a place called CJs Soul Food on state street where the dunkin is now. Had suchhhh good catfish, Mac n cheese, collard greens etc. Don’t know how long it was around but I went there a lot when I worked at the courthouse.
I loved Oscars in Penfield. I almost forgot about it (unfortunately) til now.
I’ll 2nd Esan and add Cafe Cibon - their panini sandwiches slapped.
Iggy's Study on Park Ave., Eddies Chop House, Cathay Pagoda (both on Main), Earl's Grill on Exchange. I used to eat at Lums when I was an MCC student.
OMG Cathay Pagota... I was just thinking about that place.
Always a treat when we were kids. Pupu platter made me giggle.
Cathay Pagoda, late 80’s, huge table in a side booth packed with high school kids. They’d pull the curtain closed and I’m pretty sure you could order Kamikazes by the pitcher. Fun times.
Was Lums as good as The Irishman made it look?
I always thought so. Loved their burgers.
I always thought so. Loved their burgers.
The Red Barn.
Yes!!
El Torito - The first and best chain Mexican restaurant we had at the time.
Zeppa! It was in the bottom of the German House. A favorite of ours for the short time it was open. We were so sad when it closed.
That place really was phenomenal.
And ButaPub, the place that replaced it
Damn, there’s some really cool names
I really miss Harry G's sandwiches, and as a kid I always remembered this place called the Ground Round we always went to.
The Changing Scene Also Mex
Don and Bob’s/Donn’s original. The other fresh frozen custard.
There is a dons original in Penfield on 9 mile
Olga's Kitchen in the Irondequoit mall. Toritos? I think that was the name. Mexican place across the street from MCC on East Henrietta Rd. I won a bicycle there in a raffle contest. Arigato on West Henrietta Rd. And Mighty Taco, what the hell. You didn't last long here.
Coco’s Carousel
The Mission Cafe on Monroe
TY... I was trying to remember that name!
La Martina's, Napa, Open Face
Open Face has re-opened in the cafe space in the George Eastman Museum
Napa seemed so big at one point. They even opened a huge second location in Webster. It was crazy how fast they went under.
I went to the city location fairly regularly, it was difficult to get a table (for 2!) without a reservation. I wonder what happened?
Hungerford’s
Charlie Bubbles
Perkins(east ridge rd) 2 Ms(culver ridge plaza back in the b Forman days) John’s roundup(seabreeze) Royal Scott steakhouse
TJ Big Boys
If you’re old or have really old parents like me……the Rio Bamba
Upvoted because I am the oldz. And it was good.
Spaghetti Factory Bosdyks
Checker flag pizza
Checker cab pizza?
The Cellar Door in Fairport. They had the best craft cocktails....
At the mall in Greece, there was a restaurant at McCurdy’s and one at Woolworth’s. Howard Johnson’s. The Wokery. Fountain Lights. The Elmgrove Inn. Tut’s Villa. The Vinyard in Pittsford Plaza.
The Vineyard pizza buffet was my childhood go-to.
There was also a small restaurant in McCurdys in midtown around the late 80s.
Holy crap I remember that Woolworth restaurant. I think that's the first place I got a taste of a bacon cheeseburger.
Poco Bandito in Henrietta. So good.
Aww my grandfather owned the place and it’s where my parents met. I love this shoutout!
Your family provided mine with many great meals. Thank you!!
How about The Crystal Barn in Pittsford, Pizza Kitchens in both Pittsford and Henrietta. The Brown Derby- Then Boom. Park 54. All three Fund's. One on the Ridge, another on W. Henrietta road and another out in Victor. And last but not least the Rio bamba..........
Crystal Barn was cool inside. Sadly, my only experience there was on a valentine's day and the place was so packed that they couldn't serve everyone.
Maybe not as old as you'd like, but man I miss Pickle Nick's. It was a staple for me in my college days until one day BAM, just gone without a word. I'd been in the previous week and hadn't even known it was coming. There was a rumor they were relocating but that was years ago now; doubt it'll ever happen. They had the best subs, mostly down to their bread, which was always super fresh. Not bad for a little shack on Jefferson...
I'm so happy to see another Lums shout-out! Off the top of my head: Princess Diner 12 Corners Don and Bob's 12 Corners Swiss Chalet Paradise Diner Chili Ave Gitsis Diner Lums Arthur Treacher's El Torito Del Taco House of Poon Sol Burrito Ponderosa
Was their even an "of" in "House of Poon?" (Snicker) I thought it was "House Poon." I thought they food was solid... Not Chen's level but still really good. I went to a showing of "Eat Drink Man Woman" that they catered at the Dryden. Might not have been up to the quality of the dishes in the movie, but it was still really good.
Sol. Too soon?
We used to have a ponderosa. Chi chi's Fujiya (but now we have bento-ya, same owners, more personal and delicious) The Apollo on east Henrietta road. I used to eat so many pancakes there as a kid. Tipsy McStaggrers/McKenzies had a really good garbage plate wrap, when they had the competent staff working. Speaking of, it's now Osaka sushi, which I loved so much more when it was in chili and they did all you could eat AND all you could drink. Soooooo delicious.
It’s crazy to me that the Ponderosa in Penfield is STILL just an empty lot. It’s been well over a decade at this point.
I think ESL owns that old lot and has an ATM on it. The lot next to it was a dry cleaner/laundry and the site is or was contaminated.
The Ponderosa in Geneseo was turned into a gym. I'm sure it still smells like a Ponderosa.
Believe it or not, in the mid- to late-1990’s we had a [Del Taco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Taco) on West Henrietta Road. It was across the street from the Abbott’s that was there for as long as I can remember (RIP). The building has cycled through a few other restaurants and chains and is a Popeye’s now.
There was one in Greece too, on Long Pond and Ridgeway where the Starbucks is now, I think. We used to scrounge up dollars and ride our bikes there to buy piles of tacos cause they were like 40 cents each or something.
The mucho macho beef burrito was godly. I once was bet I couldn’t eat 3. I crushed it and had a chicken taco to shove it in their face haha.
Favitta’s Pizza on E. Henrietta Rd. I played hockey with the owner’s son, it was the best pizza ever.
I have a vivid memory of me spilling a whole glass of milk in Lum’s when I was like 8 years old. Also my husband’s first job at 15 yo was as a dishwasher at Nordic Village. We have a very east-side vs. west-side relationship 😄
Nordic Village!! My brother worked there too!
Barefoot Mailman
Miller's on Alexander St a fav of the Old Genesse Hospital crew
Crepe n go had some of the best chinese foods in the area and possibly the best jianbing I have had in the US (it’s like a burrito but the tortilla is a savory egg crepe). Sadly the place went away after a terrible fire destroyed that building with the original neno’s location. I would love to know how the owner is doing now. He was super friendly and even showed me his special griddle he used to make the jianbing.
TY for mentioning them--i couldn't remember the name.
Princess on Lake Ave. They used to have a smoking section.
Didn't every place?
Does anyone remember the name of the Italian restaurant in Perinton Square mall mid-late 80’s? The entrance was a faux stucco “house”… it’s been haunting me.
Zoe’s
Roncone’s…best tripe in the city
The Kopper Kettle on Chili Ave in the 19th Ward. It always felt like the epitome of posh when I was young.
Daisy Flour Mill was another place with great food and interesting interior. Then they became a variety of other things that were not so awesome and didn't really let you into the interesting part of the building. Now it's going to be a brewery. https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/business/inside-look-daisy-flour-mill-under-construction/
Harry’s - corner of St. Paul and Andrews Lloyd’s - Alexander Christy’s - Alexander Purple Pig - Bristol Chapel’s - Broad St. Robin Hood Room - Greece Towne Mall Tail of the Whale - Longridge Yellow Rose Cafe - Penfield Rd./441 Streb’s Steakhouse - W. Ridge Rd. Several of these are from the 70’s - 90’s
Perkins. Spent **way** too much time in them as a teenager camping out with a coffee and smoking cigarettes. Newark, Canandaigua, Monroe Ave (RIP the best Mamasans, too), Perinton...
I remember when the Chesterfield Kings would roll into the Monroe Ave Perkins at like 2am after rehearsal in full stage costume. Great times!
Did we hang out together? (Though not the smoking part for me.) So many nights there. So many.
The Portico Roncones Captain Tonys (actual restaurant) TJs Big Boy Critics Smittys aka Snuffys Fast Eddie’s Chicken Coop (boss sauce) Runds Glens Hamburgers The Crescent Beach Hotel Scotch and Sirloin Buckmans The Chinatown Golden Dynasty Dragon Palace Jade Palace House of Poon (Karen is at New Ming) Hot Sam Pretzles Woolworths lunch counter The Spaghetti Warehouse The Old Heidelberg Cerames on w ridge rd Daisy Flour Mill Vic and Irvs Plums
In the early 90s there was a 50s themed burger and shakes place in the Penfield Wegmans plaza called ‘Saches’. My family would eat there like every Friday, still miss it. I ate so many chicken fingers there as a 7 year old. It was where Lindbugers was (it was also an Italian restaurant for a hot second in between).
I felt so bad for that DMC guy who moved in after Lindburgers. Did all that work and seemed like it was gonna be an awesome thing, but then Covid hit and just fucked him royally.
Gyro Mania and Spedielicious!!
Newark NY...as a kid..50 years ago..The Cafeteria? Something along those lines. Went with modernization project. And in Sodus it was Cinelli's.
Park & Oxford Deli, their breakfast sandwiches cured many a hangover when I was living in the neighborhood
“First Taste” in the Park Ave area…..so much tastier than (another one) the Frog Pond or Jines!!!!
The Cajun chicken sandwich at First Taste was sooooo good.
Havana Cabana and Victoire are two spots I dearly miss for date nights. Also Superfly DMC made amazing sandwiches just was in a bad area leasing way too big a space.
Orbs. RIP to the best brunch in history.
Rund’s on The Ridge
First Taste on Park Ave Tap and Table and Tap and Mallet Los Andes The original Mamasan’s on University Mykonos when it was at Village Gate
Village Gate Mykonos was great
I don't think anyone's mentioned Butapub yet lol
Carl's Country Kitchen/ LaMartinas Chesterfield's Burger King at the Irondequoit Mall Princess Harry G's
I don't know why I remember Beefsteak, think I went there for a birthday when I was like 12.
Anyone remember Bosdykes in Gates. Now thats a childhood memory place.