Visited Branca in Pittsford and made reservations for the bar area to take advantage of Happy Hour, which is only available in designated sections. From the moment we were seated, the service was very good. Our server/bartender was especially accommodating and even customized my cocktails to suit my taste. The food was equally enjoyable. The calamari was good, although I was disappointed that my favourite part -- the tentacles -- was missing! The eggplant, pizza, and meatballs were all very good and made for a great Happy Hour spread. For cocktails, I definitely enjoyed the Mama Picante much more than the Milan Mule. The Mama Picante had more of the flavour and personality I was looking for. Overall, a very good Happy Hour experience with accommodating service, tasty food, and some excellent cocktails. I'd definitely go back. Saluti. read more

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Tried the wood fired pizza-charred cup pepperoni with hot honey with Chicken Milan. Great combo with Tuscan wine. Capable preparation served in an attractive atmosphere. Fair value read more

My husband and I had a date night here. Never visited before. The staff from hostess to waitress were fantastic. So very friendly. The reason for 3 stars is that for the menu prices I expected top notch Italian food. My meatball was cold and my gnocchi was burned including the red sauce. My husband also stated his dish was blah and lacked flavor. Hoping it was just a bad night for them as I've been to the midtown location and the food was delicious. In this experience I'd recommend going to a different Italian restaurant for the prices for more quality food. read more

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Excellent service. Well laid out menus with variety of choices. Seating choices bar, inside, or high tops overlooking outdoor road area. If you're not in a booth the hard metal seats are not as comfortable as would like. Dinner was amazing. Fish cooked to perfection. Scallops a bit salty. Fair wine pours and pricing, food pricing for market items a bit high. Sports tv on. read more

Branca - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

*The girl at the front desk wasn't cordial at all. *If you're not ordering dinner, you have to squeeze into the bar area or sit in the cold area by the windows on hard, metal seats. *You can only sit in the cushioned booths if you order dinner. The booths were empty. *The server was great, but it seemed like he could have used help. *The fries were good, but I couldn't taste the truffle or the parmesan. *The sodas tasted like tonic water. *The pizza was burned and thin as paper. *The risotto was greasy but good. *The $27 charred octopus appetizer had three, little, tentacles, about 2 inches long. *The atmosphere is very loud, so it's hard to talk when the front room has a lot of people. *Plenty of tight parking. *Dinners start at $34 for the cheapest entree. read more

Branca - Charred Octopus Tentacles (appetizer $27). - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

We had dinner here one night a few years back and it was good, but not as spectacular as we expected. We returned for a happy hour a few months later and we realized that this was going to be our new happy hour spot from now on. Best deals on drinks and small plates for happy hour around hands down. $8-10 cocktails and wines, half priced appetizers, and a good vibe. read more

An empty restaurant and turned two of us down ! Said they needed reservations and the food isn't even good!

great meal! apps were good, drinks were great, happy with the experience! Would come back again read more

Branca - Lasagna - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

Traveling and staying at a local hotel. Ate at the bar.... Bartender was great, had the duck which was excellent. Cool vibe for the restaurant. Parking was limited for the size but for the size of the restaurant. read more

I have visited Branca many times since it opened. I received a $25 gift card after a server accidentally spilled red wine on my white pants and shirt which I had to throw away. After several attempts to use the gift card and being told the system wasn't prepared to accept it due to an update.... tonight I tried to use it again tonight I was told it had already been used. I explained that it had not infact been used yet and was then instructed to call the "third party" who managed the card. Very frustrating and received a very cool reception by the manager when I explained. I am not anxious to return and spend any more money at this establishment. read more

The ricotta gnocchi with braised short rib ragu was delicious. And the brussel sprouts with goat cheese and hot honey are a must have! The restaurant has a nice ambience, the service was great. My meal was smaller than the chicken and seafood dishes others at my table ordered, but it was still a fair sized portion. Would recommend for date night or a nice dinner out with friends. read more

Service was alright. Server was nice. Food was okay. Wasn't impressed with my meal at all. They made the room darker and darker as the night went on. It was weird. read more

Enjoyable dinner at Branca. Seated by emergency exit to new enclosed patio which was fine except hostesses kept using the door as a shortcut back to the host stand and we would get a blast of 15 degree air each time. Not going to ding them a star for that but could be avoided by walking back around. Both meals were delicious, well prepared, delivered in the right amount of time. Servers were attentive and friendly. read more

Branca - Frutti di Mare - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

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I like this Branca location best. It's a nice atmosphere but also not too elite fancy. For me I enjoyed the variety of appetizers better than my entree but it was all pretty good too. The pasta had a different texture from what I'm used to but I think it was the sauce. Also our server was very nice and attentive. read more

Branca - a bowl of pasta and bread on a table - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

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Branca is branc as hell! Yes i just made up the word "branc"' it means "bonza" which is Aussie for "dang as hell" which is slang American English for "this place rocks!" Yea, when u come into branca get yourself a bomb drink, a nice clean pie, maybe some frites or other mezza and of course the connolies! I can't wait to come back! Had a fantastic experience! read more

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The service was very good and timely. We felt the offerings were a little over priced. I had the "seared" lasagna, and I was disappointed. Maybe being of Italian heritage, I've been spoiled with life long, wonderful food. If you have a desire for traditional lasagna, don't order this, it's not "traditional". It's just aligned, one inch pasta noodles. The main room was a little loud, being an early Saturday evening. read more

Had dinner there last nite, four adults. Not too crowed but busy. I ordered a salmon dish, mine was the last meal served, not all at the same time, but 5 mins after everyone else @ the table. My food was obviously microwaved., As it was steaming hot on the outside and frozen on the inside still. By the time, they decided to do something about it, everyone else had finished their meals. Their kitchen has no control of the product coming onto the floor. Avoid anything other than pizza & drinks here..... read more

The welcome was warm and friendly, our waitress was gracious and explained the special in great detail. The ambiance is casual, not too noisy and the lighting is just fine. Unfortunately the food is nothing to write home about, it is okay, but nothing extraordinary. The beet salad was fine, the pizza was tasty with plenty of fresh toppings, the pasta dish was small and tasteless, the seafood dish came out "cold" it was sent back and came back rubbery and slightly warmer, it obviously had been microwaved. I probably will go back, but with all the really fine Italian restaurant in the area I won't be in a hurry to return to Brancato!! read more

I am perplexed by some of the reviews...we're from out of state and visit during the summers. We've been a total of five times (last year and this year) and I've always been super impressed. Our service has always been perfect and the food is VERY good! During our last visit we had the Burrata with roasted veggies (SO much food! Could easily be a meal!), my husband had the linguine with lobster tails (so damn good!) and I had the Funghi pizza. I normally don't order pizza, but anything with mushrooms, goat cheese AND truffle oil? Done. It was freaking exquisite! Such an amazing balance of strong flavors...the proportions were perfect and I had a party in my mouth! We love sitting at the bar, but it was full when we got there, so we sat at a table. Our service was wonderful, but next time we'll try to get there early enough for a bar seat...it looked lively and fun! And for the person irked about people at the bar being near them and breathing on them? It's a bar area...crowded and fun, and we would have loved it! read more

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Under new ownership. My friends were in town and wanted to grab dinner. There aren't many restaurants that are open on a Monday. It was easy to make a reservation, can be done online or over the phone. I left voicemail to change our reservations, I couldn't do it online since we had a big group. I called to confirm everything and no one had gotten the voicemail, it was eventually sorted. The menu is on a QR code. My friends and I ordered a bottle of wine and several appetizers. The frito misto was nice and light and the lightly flowered vegetables were done nicely. I really enjoyed the dipping sauce. We also ordered the margherita and funghi pizza. I like the magherita pizza over the funghi pizza, I personally do not like goat cheese. I love that its made in a brick oven. We did not get a a pizza spatula with either of our pizzas. Since Valentine's Day was the previous day, we were still allowed to order from the special menu. Half of my group ordered the steak and scallop Valentine's Day special. Two of the steaks were cooked wrong, it was suppose to be medium but it was cooked medium well. I ordered a shrimp scampi pasta, it was good, just a tad rich. Overall, my friends and I had a great time at Branca and enjoyed the atmosphere. read more

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I bought an expensive gift card for my parents who were highly disappointed in Branca. Seems fancy from the outside, but they were greeted by a hostess wearing short shorts. Then, their food was minuscule and overly expensive! Never again. read more

Wonderful service by our waitress, Lauren! Checked on us actively and kept us updated on our food. Started with the ricotta crostini which came with a whole roasted garlic which you could spread on the bread with the ricotta. Never seen that outside of Instagram before which was a nice touch! I ordered the seafood special with mussels, shrimp and scallops in a white wine sauce which was great. My sister got the rigatoni which was sooo good. I don't personally like mushrooms but would get that in the future. My brother in law got the gnocchi which I didn't try but he said was very good! read more

Branca - Seafood special - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

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Great happy hour! Love the arancini, ceasar salad and calamari along with a glass of the Pacifico chardonnay. Ambience is warm and cozy. Highly recommend making a reservation. It's popular. read more

Our server Daniel was GREAT! We had a change to talk to him and find out the day he served us was his 3rd day of working at Branca. He brought the food quick and completed everything we wished. Shoutout to Daniel! The ambiance felt so comforting. The food was delicious as well! read more

A very relaxing delicious dinner was exactly what we needed and got at Branca. We had a reservation & were seated immediately. Our waitress was amazing - thorough and very attentive. Excellent cosmopolitan. Delicious corn chowder garnished with shrimp. Wedge salad had the perfect amount of dressing. Caesar salad was tasty. And the seared scallops with pea puree was exceptional. Perfect serving portions. It was a bit pricey but well worth it. We'll be back! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised with this cozy place. I was in a party of 6 (it was a ladies family dinner so I apologize in advanced I did not take many photos as I was enjoying being in the moment) and we were seated outside under a big tent. It had just downpoured but the table and seats were dry, and the patio is nicely protected by big bushes to give some privacy from the busy road on the other side. We ordered a bunch of appetizers to start: Ricotta with crostini and roasted garlic, the antipasto board, and garlic bread. The ricotta with roasted garlic on the crostini literally changed my life. I could Pinterest all I want but I don't think I'll ever get a perfectly roasted head of garlic the way they did it here. The antipasto bird had a cranberry cheddar cheese, a red wine cheese and Gorgonzola cheese and I forget the 3 meats but I know one was prosciutto! Also it included olives, a (what we think) roasted red pepper spread, and spicy brined vegetables. The garlic bread tasted fresh and delicious also! For meals, I ordered the Pinzatura di Vespa, which is a fancy way to say pepperoni pizza with honey. SO GOOD. The spiciness of the cherry pepper purée mixed with the slight sweetness of honey created a fantastic party for my tastebuds! I also had a side of asparagus, it was delicious but not sure if I'd pay $10 again for a few spears. The ladies ordered the lasagna (looked different than your usual lasagna but my aunt and cousin said it was phenomenal), Gnocchi (super flavorful and delicious) and then a field greens salad, which is was good. All in all, this is definitely a date night / girls night / special occasion type of place, but I would definitely come back because there are many more items on the menu I'd like to try. And I'm still dreaming of that ricotta with roasted garlic! read more

Branca - Pinzatura Di Vespa Pizza - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

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Pizzas that is gluten free so good! Toppings excellent quality. Salads very good and large enough to share as appetizer. Could use another gf pasta instead of penne! Frequent diners shy away seeking diversity! Also y y y 3$ up charge for gf pasta! 8$ add on chicken and still 3$ more for gf. Totally unacceptable ! Celiac disease should Not be monetarily punished! Upscale Italian dishes very good . Will return hoping for fairness in pricing. read more

This is an Italian family restaurant that looks like it caters to a younger crowd: individuals, couples and young families, not with children. There is parking next to the building and a full bar. The service was attentive but not overwhelming. The portions are generous. We split our dinner between the two of us and left full but not OMG what did I just eat! We started with the meatballs in sauce. I thought they were a touch heavy, like more breadcrumbs in the recipe would have been an improvement. The taste was there in the meat and it was served in a tomato sauce with a dollop of ricotta cheese which was perfect. I cannot say enough about the linguine with lobster tails and light creamy lemon sauce. The tails were perfectly cooked and the meat was tender and juicy. The chopped salad was dressed with a light vinaigrette and very filling. We will return. read more

Last time I went, I gave Branca 3 stars. One of the reasons for the average review was being given stale bread. Today there was no bread. What kind of Italian meal (lasagna!) doesn't benefit from a nice piece of bread to dip in the sauce?! When you get there, there are bread plates at EVERY place setting, just waiting to be used. Not a single piece of bread appears anywhere. The lasagna is supposed to be made with bolognese, which is a meat sauce. Bolognese is usually very tasty. The lasagna today was bland and very meatless. Additionally, it was charred so much that two entire edges tasted like charcoal. It was way overdone. After today, I will not be returning. read more

I was hesitant to go to Branca after reading some of their negative reviews, and after seeing their health score. But I saw chicken Milanese on the menu and that's one of my favorites, so I had to try it out. Our table was very very close to the table next to ours. Thank goodness the music was so loud, I could barely hear my husband speak, so at least we didn't hear our neighbors. I'm estimating 20 inches between the side of my head to my neighbor's head. Almost uncomfortable. That being said the music was a tad bit loud for such a small place. Both of us wished we had a salt shaker at the table, and I don't often use salt. The chicken Milanese wasn't bad, it was just lacking flavor. A squeeze of lemon would have done wonders, or a little more dressing. I couldn't taste the dressing honestly. The oil with the bread was somewhat tasty but the ratio of oil to herbs was off. All I wished for besides a salt shaker was a drink napkin. (Yes, I could have asked for salt, lemon, drink napkin.) Our waitress was kind and attentive. I'm not in a hurry to go back, but I wouldn't tell anyone else not to check it out. read more

The food was delicious, the place was clean, and the ambiance was very welcoming. The server was very informative and answered all the questions I had. She recommended the stuffed branzini and it was amazing. Seriously, the leek cream sauce was something out of a dream. This place is great for a date night or a small get together with friends. Highly recommended. read more

Pretty overpriced pizza imo. I live in nyc and am a regular at some of the best pizza places in the city (rubirosa, lucali, etc). I can get an entire pizza pie from one of those places for less than $30, and the pies are about three times as big as the pie that I was served in branca the other night for $23. The branca pizza was great but overpriced given the location. Branca should keep the prices where they are but double or even triple the size of the pie read more

The Branca in Bushnell's Basin (Pittsford) is a favorite of mine. Grilled octopus, homemade ricotta platter, Caesar salad with rotating anchovy preparation (recommended), and "bee-sting" type pizza are staples for me, although pasta dishes are fresh and excellent. read more

Service was great. Waiter was kind and fast. Calamari and bread were both good. However, there were some downfalls. I got the expresso martini and it was the worst I've ever had. It tasted like vodka poured into a cup of coffee. We also sent back both entrees. The margarita pizza had zero flavor, tasted doughy, & it was so floppy. We also got a chicken dish with 0 seasoning. The pizza tasted like jarred sauce was used and the chicken tasted like boiled water. Also cannot believe the prices on the items for the portion size! read more

With new ownership recently taking over my girlfriend and I wanted to come check out Branca in the Basin for a date night. To say we walked away impressed would be an understatement. We started with the Amazing Grains Garlic Bread which was perfectly toasted and was a great way to start an amazing meal. My gf had the Seared Lasanga and was absolutely blown away by the taste and portion size (Had to take about half home). I had the Chicken Burrata and it was phenomenal as well, the Chicken was perfectly cooked. The server was attentive and the new owner offered a personal touch by stopping by our table and thanking us for coming in. We will certainly be back as the menu has multiple options we want to try. Highly recommend! read more

Branca - Chicken Burrata - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

This salad is FOURTEEN DOLLARS. What??? It's robbery. Just insane. "prosciutto" is bacon bits. Never again. You can get a better salad at Wendy's. read more

Branca - a salad in a plastic container - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsford, New York

I've been debating adding this review, but it has to be done. And I am really hoping it is taken in the spirit it is intended: for there to be improvements made. I've been a HUGE fan of Branca since they opened in Bushnells. I used to go once a week for lunch, and several times a month for dinner; I would always celebrate my birthday there, and I brought friends and family many times for special occasions. We always always always enjoyed the food. But with the newer Branca Basin and Bitter Honey restaurants (which are part of the same restaurant group) opening, it feels like this suburban outpost is declining. Portions are small, lunch service has been reduced to Fridays only, and prices have really gone up for what you get. Despite this, the restaurant is usually packed, but I am not sure I will be one of those filling a seat much longer. My most recent experiences have been during Friday lunches. Three weeks ago we had a party of 4 and sat outside. It took 20 min before a server appeared to take our order; another 30 min for food to arrive; long periods in between without water filled or beverages; we ordered dessert and that took another 30 min. All together, with a reservation, it took us an hour and 45 min from seating to leaving. This is the kind of time those of us who work and try to enjoy a quality meal during the lunch hour cannot afford. The food was still pretty good, but the limited lunch menu meant we all got either pizza or salad. And we still had to wait for such a long time for such simple dishes. And I have to say I am not a fan of spending almost $30 for salad and a drink when service is that slow. That particular day was also nice outside, and there were about 4 tables of people eating outside, plus most of the interior tables were full. There appeared to be one server, the bartender who was helping, and the hostess who was also helping. All of the staff were running around crazy; very friendly and apologetic, but obviously understaffed; and I'm guessing the kitchen was too based on the slow delivery of our orders. Two weeks ago we went for lunch again, this time with a party of 6, hoping the previous week had been a fluke service-wise. We sat inside this time, and again, most of the tables were full. Same exact service situation, and this time one of the servers was rude when we asked for menus after we had already been seated 15 minutes without them. Again, food quality was good and we all enjoyed, but the stress of trying to get the attention of the wait staff, to get our drinks, then our bills, pay our bills, get change (this took 20 minutes for the one person who paid cash!) means we will not be back again for lunch. Working out in Victor, Branca has always been my go-to for spot-on delicious, hand crafted, fresh food, for lunches and dinners in the area. But now I feel they are just letting the lack of staff and slow service kill the whole experience. I am hopeful that once Branca Midtown and Bitter Honey hit their strides, some attention will be paid to Branca Basin again, and there will be a return to the 'old Branca' I knew and loved. read more

Went to dinner and sat at a small table. we ordered a glass of wine each at $12. Our wine came and it was about 2 ounces in each glass. Food was mediocre. At the next table was a couple,the lady ordered white wine. The waitress came over with the bottle and poured almost a full glass. We left minimum tip and left. obvious to other's customers. Never returning read more

Came in on a Friday at 6 to sit at the bar and get a drink and app with my boyfriend. Five minutes after sitting down, some lady was hanging on my chair! I wiggled it to my bf and she stood up! Ha! There were people breathing up our backs and it was very uncomfortable, so I moved my chair and they eventually left. Our bartender was busy and clearly overwhelmed, but also not very friendly. She took our drink order and we looked over menu. As she was preparing our drinks my bf said, 'we're ready to order' and she came back with, 'I'll take your order when I finish your drinks'. And then took the lady hanging off my chair order while we waited. Kinda not to kewl. Good thing I had a gift certificate. We decided on the calamari appetizer and to split the lobster rossitto. Calamari was good, came with banana peppers, could have been a little more crispy, but I sadly ate the whole thing! Ha, with help of course. The lobster risotto was ok, a bit too al' Dante and crunchy, the peas were ok too. The server knew we were sharing it and did not have it plated separately. Ugh. Frustrating. This place tries to be upscale, but it's kinda not. I wouldn't eat here again. Our service was not worth the food. Bon appetite' read more

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Pretty average restaurant. Not at all comparable with the excellent Branca Midtown. The charcuterie plate was mid, I think the pre-made platter at Wegmans is better. Chicken entree was decent, the polenta it came with was pretty good. read more