My first visit to Branca's won't be my last. 10 friends and family gathered there Friday night (6/19/26) to celebrate my wife's 70th birthday. Parking was a bit tricky b/c of the first night of the Jazz Festival crowd but I learned after entering the restaurant that valet parking was available. Approaching the address from Court St side never revealed the option to have my car parked for me. I definitely advise the complimentary service. Once in the restaurant revealed a lively bar and lovely general seating. Acoustics were a bit loud but not a major issue. Our long table was ready and preset as was the menu. Our server Marissa delivered friendly, efficient and totally professional service throughout the evening and we were there for over two hours. I sampled meatball, calamari and assorted cheese tray appetizers. All were delivered warm and tasted delicious! My salmon was the best I've ever sampled with its sweet potato puree glaze. Reports back on the gnocchis and Chicken Milanese were equally impressive. I have no problem recommending this dining experience to others looking for a big city atmosphere without the big city attitude and prices. I'm anxious to visit Branca's Bushnell Basin location in the near future! read more

Went to Branca Midtown Saturday night with my girlfriend and had a really good experience. The vibe is one of the best parts -- lively, modern, and just a fun atmosphere for a night out. We started with the calamari, which was easily a 10/10. For mains, we got the gnocchi (8.5/10) and the saffron linguine (7/10). The linguine was a bit too spicy for her, but the seafood itself was cooked really well. Service was great -- super friendly and always on top of refilling our water without us needing to ask. Overall, a really solid spot with great energy. I'd definitely come back. p.s. they have complimentary valet parking for its guests read more

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Our server was friendly, attentive, and knew her way around the menu. She offered a great recommendation, to get the stuffed peppers over the fazzoletti pasta when I was in between ordering one or the other. The stuffed peppers were delicious. The cheese sauce on top, divine. And the drinks were solid too. I enjoyed the Campo Rosso. Lastly, there's complimentary valet parking! read more

Branca Midtown - Calamari Dinner - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Branca has this trendy, upscale vibe that is fun for a place that is well-known for pizza. The midtown plaza location is very centrally located, and there's a parking garage basically directly underneath it. The outdoor seating is very nice, especially in the early evening during golden hour. Service was good. The pizza came out pretty quickly and was pretty good. The crust didn't have much flavor and was a nice chewy texture, while the toppings stole the show. read more

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Food was delicious, company was even better. The service was prompt, friendly and efficient. The ambiance felt cozy but not too homelike. My only downside was the noise. I wish they had some sound buffers. I will still be going back for dinner again. Maybe request a table in the back? read more

Branca Midtown - Chocolate dome - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

An elevated Italian bistro experience. Wonderful craft cocktails with witty names and imaginative ingredients. Good selection of salads, pastas and pizzas, and also some fish meat, dishes, great urban location, and professional service. read more

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Our family recently dined here as a larger party for my mom's birthday. We requested more space to accommodate a larger party and also an area with more room. The GM emailed me personally and had everything set up. We were fortunate enough to have the same server, Dhalia, and the service was excellent. There were no problems adding additional guests the day of. Most of our party enjoyed their food. Most importantly my mom had a memorable birthday celebration. read more

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We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Branca Midtown. The service was timely and accommodating. Each course was delicious. Our server was very knowledgeable regarding my questions around gluten-free options. We split the Smoked Beet Wedge salad to start. The flavor profile was well balanced. I enjoyed the.Fazzoletti with gluten-free penne. The person I was dining with enjoyed the Chicken Milanese. Note: They do not offer a grilled chicken option at dinner so I was unable to substitute that protein in that option. I was surprised by this as most restaurants have this option for breaded chicken dishes as a substitute. The Jazz Fest featured cocktail menu was a fun addition. The space is open and bright. Even though it was busy noise levels were low. They have a wonderful bar area to enjoy as well as outdoor seating. I would highly recommend reserving your table ahead of time. Pay close attention to the different seating options. We will definitely be back! read more

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Made a reservation for 7:15 on a Friday and we were seated immediately upon arrival. Everything on the menu looked delicious so we had pizza and pasta to share. The margharita pizza had excellent char and cheese and was my favorite with the pepperoni with hot honey a close second. I also had the orichette which was missing a little something, but still tasty. I also ordered the NA espresso martini which was the perfect blend of espresso and mixer. Another plus here is the free valet! A Great spot for an upscale dinner with friends read more

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BRANCA is a really nice addition to the Midtown Italian scene. First off, shoutout to being able to book a table on Resy, which is especially clutch if want to use your Amex card benefits! Booking was easy and smooth. The ambience is lovely. Big, open space with plenty of seating, a lively but not chaotic vibe, and a genuinely nice bar that makes you want to arrive early just for a drink and then accidentally stay all night. Service was a little slow, but honestly it was a busy shift and didn't feel neglectful, just popular-restaurant problems. Food-wise, overall very good. We started with the charred broccolini. It definitely has a pronounced charred flavor that might be an acquired taste, but I actually liked it a lot. Nice crunch, bold flavor, and not boring green vegetable energy. Always nice to find ways to elevate vegetables! We also had a pizza from their daily specials. Very cheesy, wood-fired, and with a great crust. For mains, we ordered the gnocchi and rigatoni. Both had excellent sauces, but the gnocchi really stood out. That sauce was doing the most, in a very good way. We added a side of chicken cutlets, which were well seasoned and nicely cooked, though they could've used a touch more salt. Still solid, about a 7/10. To be fair, Rochester has a lot of Italian restaurants, and chicken cutlets are a highly competitive menu item. Overall, good food, pleasant atmosphere, and a slightly pricier menu, but honestly not much different from Tony D's or Lucano these days. Italian restaurants everywhere seem to be slowly inching their prices up, so this felt pretty on par. Would definitely go back, especially for the gnocchi, pizza specials, and a drink at the bar read more

Food was alright. Service was a lot quicker than the 1st time I was there. And good overall atmosphere for a casual dinner or a group dinner. read more

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We've only visited Branca midtown once for a Valentine's Day menu and they did not disappoint. Our meal was amazing and the wine they had on the menu complemented everything nicely. The only negative of the night I could say was the fact that we were one of the first people sat and they put us at a high top by the bar which was louder and less comfortable than the dining room. The newly added free valet is a great touch because the area can be less than ideal for parking overall when it's a busy night for all of the businesses around. We will for sure return to Branca! read more

Disappointed The clam dip did not have the WOW factor as in the past and the Caesar salad was nicely dressing but lacked flavor. Service was nicely paced. Drinks were fine read more

Fantastic pasta, portion was huge! Great service - our server was a delight. Worked very well for an intimate business dinner I hosted.

Appetizer was delish. Ricotta with crostinis. The meatballs were pure salt. We saw our waitress two times total. They took approximately 15-20 minutes to ring us up after leaving g the check. The strip looked okay. read more

Amazing ambience, and service Make sure to reserve in advance The food is phenomenal Definitely worth the price read more

I have been here twice for business lunches. It has been fairly busy both times. The food is pretty good. They used to have a sandwich that I loved. It was off the menu this time so I got a pizza. The pizzas are big and we shared them. I don't prefer a thin crust, but it was fine. They are pretty good at getting you in and out on your lunch hour. I'd definitely go again, and I'm sure I will. read more

Perhaps I am the odd person out here but I was very underwhelmed after all the hype and reviews. While the atmosphere was ok, it was nothing special. A reservation @ 730 was on point, however....the atmosphere was very loud and we all found we had to speak up just to be heard. Seated immediately, as soon as the drinks were ordered we were asked to select our meal choices. Our drinks came timely but the food appeared less than five mins. later. Forget socializing and enjoying a cocktail...it felt like "here is your hat, what's your hurry"? mentality. The ceasar salad was very wet and soaking with dressing, the pizza cold and nothing special. We left the building at 8:12pm not even an hour after we entered. If you like the fast service, good for you but when I am dropping the kind of $$$ we got charged, I expect a leisurely time to enjoy and not feel rushed. Nothing special comes to mind. Save your hard earned $ and go elsewhere. This place offers very little. PS- a vegan friend was charged over $30 for a small bowl of pasta and a great deal of peas tossed with a light olive oil. I am sorry but I could and would NOT ever bother again. Less than impressed. read more

Restaurant is very simple and clean but is in a great location! Recommend to dine outside on their patio if you get the chance when the weather is lovely! Service was great! Staff is very knowledgeable about the menu and makes great recommendations! The food was great, only got to take a couple of photos before we started devouring. Pizzas are delicious, the Pepperoni Honey is a big fave! Goes great with some drinks. Chicken Milanese was a great portion and didn't feel so heavy. One of their drinks, The Cleanse, is super delicious! Literally taste like candy with some nutrients. Great place for lunch and dinner and a place to share with friends. read more

Branca Midtown - Chicken Milanese - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

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What I like is this place is a great place to meet friends or have a chic romantic evening. The location is wonderful, in the Midtown Plaza shopping center, and the atmosphere is wonderful. It's worth checking the menu in advance if you want to choose something you like. But the atmosphere makes up for these minor flaws. read more

This upscale sophisticated restaurant located in the Midtown Downtown Rochester offers a variety of Italian options. Our large group tried the appetizers, salads, pastas and pizzas. I had the Charred Broccolini Salad $14. It was chopped in smaller pieces with a variety of ingredients. It was very flavorful, healthy and delicious. Our server was very friendly and efficient. read more

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The food was great and fast service! I will be back there pretty soon. Keep up the great work.

Very limited Menu. I think pizza is probably the best thing to order. I had the Cod with an order of butternut squash - both very dry. Very loud - unable to carry on a conversation without yelling. We would not ever go back again. read more

I had sky high expectations for Branca and they fell short. The Pizza wasn't what I hoped it would be. It looked much better than it tasted. We also tried the honey pepperoni pizza and it was mediocre, I could barely taste the honey. Which is why I was so disappointed because everyone raves about that dish. Cocktails are good here. The music is a little loud and night clubby. Service is always pretty good and fast. Overall it's a good spot, but nothing I would rave about. Pizza reputation is a bit overrated in my opin. read more

Branca Midtown - Margarita Dinner and Gnocchi Dinner - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

Extremely beautiful and welcoming. Cute and Chic! The food was amazing, the steak just melts right in your mouth. The dishes had wonderful flavors and amazing price. Definitely recommend, reservations is best. Will be going back again! read more

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We visited about a year after they first opened and it was a lovely visit. Great ambiance, Smokey cocktails, lovely decor and waitstaff was attentive but not overly. Looking forward to returning! read more

Normally when I leave reviews, I love to leave pictures... this place was so good, I couldn't resist eating right away and completely forgot to. This is by far the best quality dinner my partner and I have had in the Rochester area in a long time. I had the gnocchi (add italian sausage) and he had the Orecchiette. Both dishes had spectacular flavor, the perfect balance of spicy and savory, and you could tell the team there puts time and attention into each dish they push out of their kitchen. If you're looking for an upscale-casual date night destination in the heart of ROC, this place is THE spot! read more

Food was all so delicious. We had the most amazing waitress who helped with all our questions and pick the tastiest meals! Manager even stopped and chatted with us. This is definitely a place to get a casual drink or sit down for a nice meal. read more

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I love this downtown location and it's design fits well the very modern direction downtown Rochester is taking. The restaurant is an open floor dining and bar experience. High ceilings and the seating is well spaced. Our server, Rebecca made me and my niece feel very welcome. She right away told of the nightly specials and, she asked something I've never heard a server ask, "Do you have any allergies?" Love the thoughtfulness of it. (We did btw) I ordered the Pesto pizza and it was delicious! A nice amount of burrato and basil pesto sauce with artichokes, cheese with a sprinkling of pine nuts. My niece had the Smoked Crab Dip appetizer ( smoked blue crab, mascarpone, bread crumbs and panuzzo) which she loved! For her entree she had the Pepperoni & Honey pizza. This consisted of mozzarella, red pepper, cup and char pepperoni, San Marzano tomato and honey. She said it was really very good, she almost ate the whole pie! For dessert we shredded the plate of Zeppole (fried dough) and it's three tasting sauces (custard creme, tart cherry/rasberry sauce and chocolate). I had a cup of coffee which was freshly and hot. I also had a separate order to go and that was the Sausage pizza (garlic oil, caramelized onions, fontina, provolone and mozzarella cheeses with salsa verde). My husband said it was good. A compliment as hes supper picky about pizza! Overall, we had a wonderful dining experience starting with our lovely server, Rebecca, along with her thoughtfulness, took a minute from her busyness to take several pictures for us, to the ambiance of Branca and finally a nod to our great meal. We will definitely be coming back again! read more

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First time at Branca and won't return anytime soon. The good. Our servers were very friendly and we loved the atmosphere. The food, not so much. The meatballs had way too much salt. My wife's rigatoni was so spicy it was barely edible. My entree was the spinach pasta...incredibly bland. Very disappointing. read more

Was good, big bowl though calamari was good. Good service. Pretty good lighting. Kinda in a weird area would probably be nice in the summer.

Ambiance of the restaurant was different with a mixture of some guests dressed up and others in sweatpants. The food was decent. Tried the calamari that was unseasoned but was decent in portion size. The Chicken Milanese was a 3.5/5. The mushroom pizza was 5/5. Service was slower, if you're looking for a quick bite to eat, this is not the restaurant. Overall, restaurant was average. I can see it as being a good place to meet up with coworkers for drinks and food after work. read more

Branca Midtown - Chicken Milanese - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

The ambiance was great. It was very elegant, clean, staff were polite and our waiter was so nice. Today is my birthday and at the end of the meal he brought me vanilla ice cream with a candle. However the food was extremely disappointing. We started with the ricotta and crostini. The ricotta had no flavor and tasted like plain cream cheese. It would have been so much better if it was seasoned. Even if it was just blended with garlic. I wanted to try the meatballs because I'm half Sicilian and they were just ok. Not much flavor to them at all. My boyfriend got the ribeye. It was a big size but it wasn't cooked the way he asked, it was seasoned very little so that was just ok. The purée spinach underneath was disgusting. I love spinach but that was not good at all. I got the Chicken Milanese. I don't know if the oil they fried it in was bad or the breading was stale but I took 4 bites and couldn't get past the horrible taste. We definitely won't be coming back. The 2 stars was for our wonderful waiter and the ambiance. read more

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Love the food. From start to finish dinner was amazing. Staff were extremely friendly. Great spot for a nice romantic dinner.

I seriously loved this hip and pretty little spot. We came in last minute with no reservation and were able to sit at the bar. Service from the bartender was excellent, as were the cocktails, the wine selection, and the truly excellent food. Would love to come back and definitely want to check out their sister restaurant that's opening across the way. Manager checked in on us a couple of times as well. Great service and overall experience read more

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The food was delicious traditional Italian. I got the spicy rigatoni and it was delicious. It took a little bit to get the food but expected since it was busy. Appetizers were delicious, drinks amazing. The cutest place ever:) read more

We tried Branca Midtown for the first time yesterday where we had booked the private dining room for a retirement party. This is a great idea if you're looking for a smaller place to gather with a group of friends and have some privacy. We were able to use pocket doors to close our room off from the rest of the restaurant which was probably good as we were loud! Having never been it was a bit tricky to find - GPS takes you to 280 Broad St. which is a high-rise building and you walk through the lobby if you would glance to your left about halfway down you will see Branch but there is not clear signage inside the lobby anywhere Beautiful marble bar it was quiet when we arrived but by the time we left it was very busy throughout the bar and restaurant. Decent amount of outdoor seating although construction is going on right next to you. The food was pretty good although the pizza was very salty and the Caesar salad had a very strong anchovy flavor. Loved the shaved brussels sprouts salad would love to know more about what was in that - our hostess had pre-ordered everything so we never did see a menu to check ingredients. Not much in the way of options for anyone who is gluten free- maybe they are more accommodating if you're not part of a private function but when a member of our party inquired there wasn't really anything offered for her. Cocktails were fabulous! read more

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Nice restaurant in midtown with views of the city and park. Had a client meeting here and ordered the brocollini salad with grilled shrimp which was tasty. Main dish was a pepperoni pizza with honey which I have never heard of or tried before. It was really a good balance with the spiciness of the pepperoni and sweetness of the honey . read more

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This place had quick and helpful servers! And this ricotta dip was absolutely fantastic!! Been thinking about this dip all week and will be going back to get more. read more

Branca Midtown - Pizza Near Me - Rochester, New York

The food was outstanding, and the service was outstanding as well friendly, clean, and a nice environment. Great for celebration, dinner and anniversary, or just over all in general. I recommend making a reservation of course. read more

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