One of the best coffee places in Rochester, hands down. It's a great place for a variety of situations: meeting friends, studying, grabbing lunch, or just stopping in for a coffee to-go. The service is always very good and friendly. There is free Wi-Fi and plenty of seating with tables. It's a fairly quiet place if you're looking for somewhere to study. The food is very good-highly recommend a salad! They have a wide selection of beverages, bakery items, and a seasonal drink menu that often has cool flavors. It's a very accessible venue with two accessible single-room bathrooms as well. They also have outdoor seating which is great. It's convenient in its location right on South Avenue. There is plenty of street parking around and also a few spots in the lot behind the building. Locally-owned and operated. read more

What a great place! A much need place to work, hang out and meet new people! Love it! I will come here all the time from now on! read more

Equal Grounds Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rochester, New York

Equal Grounds is a well established LGBTQ+ owned business. Beverages and food are in my opinion taste great. Never have is had a bad experience coming to.Equal Grounds. The staff are very friendly and providing exceptional great customer service read more

I've only been here once but I can say that I'll definitely be coming back. I love patronizing small businesses, especially ones like these that stand for good things. The space is larger than I thought it would be from the outside, so there is ample seating. Extensive menu, including food. They also serve healthy smoothies. I ordered an iced latte, which was great. A lot of places put way too much milk in it, diluting the taste of the espresso, but this place got the combination just right. There is also free WiFi, if you make a purchase, and the atmosphere is perfect for catching up with friends or getting some work done. Glad I found this place. read more

Love the ambiance. Ask for less sugar in your chai tea if you don't like sweets. I diluted mine 50:50 and the iced chai tastes amazing. Spacey, I like. read more

I tried this place a few times when working in the area, the service was poor, they made me feel like I had walked into their living room uninvited. The coffee was good, not great. I could not recommend this place. read more

I love this place. Every time we're in Rochester we stop in. The food and drinks are awesome and inexpensive. There's a tonne of room for stuff. Like, we've hung out for hours playing games and getting way too wired on caffeine. Their vanilla chai is fantastic. I adore the atmosphere. It's just a great place, and if I lived closer, I'd probably be there daily read more

The atmosphere was very nice and there was a range of seating options. I enjoyed one of the comfy couches. They also had some outlets available and wifi free with a purchase (you have to ask them for the password). I ordered a lemon cake slice and it was very large yet cheap! It tasted good and had a nice moist and dense consistency, but was probably a larger portion than I should have eaten--you could definitely take home a bit of leftovers to finish off later. I also had a vanilla chai latte and it was very good, though a little sweet for my tastes. Overall, I enjoyed relaxing with my warm drink and some cake and will probably return to try something else on the menu. read more

I visited Equal Grounds twice on a trip to Rochester for research. I found the staff really welcoming and friendly, both first thing in the morning and mid-afternoon. I had both a latte to-go and a flavored coffee to stay. Neither was spectacular, but they got the job done, and the flavored coffee in a mug is a cozy thing to hold on to while getting some work done. I didn't try their food menu, but I did grab a (huge!) slice of chocolate cake, which came with some whipped cream on the side. Definitely recommend grabbing something sweet. All in all, I'd rate this a 3.5/5, but I rounded up for the staff and the vibe. it's a great mellow place to get some work done, though the coffee might not impress a true coffee snob. read more

Two thumbs down. I go out every wednesday night with a group of friends, usually there are fifteen or twenty of us. Several times recently, we have gone to equal grounds, and when we would go to the counter to ask for their wifi password, they would not allow us to have it because only sixteen of the 18 people with us purchased something. We were told "the wifi is not for people who are not paying customers." This same group of friends often goes to Java's, and never has such a problem, Starbucks, never had this problem, Boulder... no problem... Stay away from Equal grounds... they are douche bags. read more

I always feel good when I enter this cozy, little coffee shop. Well-lit, with very friendly staff. Discounts for students and those that bring their own mugs. If you're in the mood for a bite, try one of the warm, buttered croissants with strawberry preserves. With one light, flaky bite you will understand why I love this place. read more

Great local coffee shop with tasty beverage offerings. I was disappointed however in a recent visit: breakfast sandwich was among the worst I've ever had (burnt croissant and incredibly dry egg -- almost inedible). The server didn't know anything about the sandwich details when asked particulars about where the ingredients come from (actually seemed annoyed by the questions) and clearly took no pride in serving it. Oh well -- still a great place with a positive vibe but will eat breakfast before coming in next time. On the other hand, the latte was excellent. read more

I always feel right at home here. Awesome staff, great ambiance, great drinks, reasonable prices, and super cool location. They have the BEST tea. I never get tea at any coffee house because, lets face it, I make the best tea...but at this place, its the ginger tea...fabulous ginger tea. I would find out where they get it from if I didn't enjoy drinking it here as much as I do. Oh and there is always a dish of water for the doggies, and you can bring your dog with you. Thanks for such a great reliable experience Equal Grounds...you ROCK! read more

Lattes are my preferred form of caffeine and they make great and cheap lattes here. I generally get the mocha but they usually have some great seasonal options as well - especially so if you indulge and get it with the whipped cream. I personally love that they have boardgames as well. I've only gotten food here once and didn't care too much for it (eggplant parm wrap) but the coffee never disappoints!. read more

great atmosphere. good service lots of space. Wi-Fi service. specialty teas and coffee. great place to catch up with friends and even get your homework done. read more

Not really impressed with it at all. The people weren't very friendly either. just wasn't my cup of tea. please try it out for yourself because a lot of people like there. read more

Equal Grounds is a truly wonderful space! Everyone is super friendly, and it is a warm and inviting space to hang out with friends, do a little work, read a book, or host a little event. They have a great selection of loose leaf teas that'll warm your heart even on the coldest Rochester days! read more

I've been here twice so far and really like the atmosphere. Perfect place to grab a cup of coffee and get some work done. Definitely get a slice of cake (love love love their red velvet) read more

So worth the visit, in a nice area near highland park and mt hope cemetery, amazing coffee drinks and tea and amazing people. They have food, ice cream and desserts all quite cheap for the quality. Lots of board games to choose from and books to read. So lucky to live near this place! read more

This is a great local coffee shop that you should be going to daily. The coffee is better than chain coffee places and either comparably priced of cheeper. The guy working was also super nice. I spent a good 5 hours there doing work and drinking coffee and it was a great place to be. Good music (see note bellow) and a laid back atmosphere. The internet was fast and reliable too. There is food; wraps, sandwiches, smoothies, and the like. $6 minimum for credit card. 10% student discount. I am also a huge fan of supporting queer businesses. This is a great community resource for queer people. When I walked in, I saw the Bear Pride flag, the Gay and Lesbian Pride flag, and the Bisexual Pride flag hanging and I felt at home. I hope they get the Leather Pride flag up there too at some point (I love me a good daddy). Queer businesses are few and far between in this world, but when they are around, they usually provide a great organizing resource for creating a more accepting community. As other people have mentioned, straight people are welcome too. Allies are essential in social justice movements. You will feel at home here too. I have found my new study space for when I am in town. addendum not deserving of a real update: I thought this the first time I was here too but the music was pretty good. The music is WAY too loud for a coffee shop. I study the best with loud minimalist house music in my headphones. My headphones had a hard time canceling out the music and it became very distracting. read more

A pretty nice coffee joint in the Wedge. It's focus is on being welcoming to all. They offer everything you'd expect at a coffee shop in this neighborhood: funky people, eclectic art and coffee that has been roasted locally (although in Rochester technically Tim Horton's would fit that bill). It's a good venue for a breakfast event. There is limited parking behind the building though I never use it. I save it for those who need it more. read more

I really love EG-- coffee and company are great. However, the Wifi needs a serious overhaul. It drops so much that it's difficult to do any actual work here. EG need to replace the home router with a business router, I suspect. read more

Really Kind and funny people. I had the house blend coffee it was tasty. I got my coffee to go, but the atmosphere seemed quiet and relaxed and designed well. read more

I got so jealous when I tried my friends chai latte it was like the warmest most wonderful hug in a mug. I'm cheap so I got an iced coffee which is also good but omg that latte. read more

Its the champ! Very LGBT friendly and have awesome mocha drink. Little pricey for small cup but still really good. Comfortable environment to chill and hang out with friends. All various type of people goes there. Comfort zone read more

LOVE this place! The staff is friendly and the service is great. I love going there to write and relax. The food is good if limited, but I love their sodas!! read more

We had the mocha here today,the barista was very busy today. We patiently waited for our drinks, and it was totally worth it. We were pleasantly surprised by the icecream that was melted into our mocha. Please try the mocha it was amazing! We will definitely return . read more

Good coffee and snacks and a b cozy place to relax, study, or chat. Everything a local b coffee shop should be.

In an era of fast-disappearing indie coffee shops, Equal Grounds stands its ground, demonstrating that a non-chain cafe can hold its own and then some. Well managed, EG is homey with an artistic atmosphere. A combination of funky furnishings and edgy wall art give the place a distinctly urbane feel - as does the largely young clientele. Comfortable sofas and chairs, shelves packed with books and board games and gentle lighting make it warm and welcoming. EG offers a nice selection of light luncheon items as well as sweets. The coffee is ok. The staff are attentive and engaging. They have their own parking lot as well. I live over 100 miles away, but always make a bee-line for Equal Grounds whenever I'm in town. Give this place a shot, then add an espresso shot into your cup! Great place. read more

Absolutely love this place! The music is always great! It truly is a community coffee shop. The second you walk in the door you'll feel a sense of belonging. Wednesday nights get a bit loud, which is cool if you like loud but it can get crowded as well! Love their open mic nights and poetry slams! The chicken wrap grilled is the best with ginger and peppermint. read more

Good coffee and an unexpectedly good sandwich for a coffee shop! I love that you can start a tab for days when you need to camp out and do a few hours worth of work. There was plenty of space and yet it also felt very cozy. read more

Their breakfast egg sandwiches are great, as was the mocha. We also got their chicken salad (salad with chicken on it, not the kind made from chicken with mayo and other stuff), and it was simple but good. The banana nut muffin, though, was gross. (If that were the only thing I got here, the place would have gotten maybe 2 stars - it tasted like chemicals/made in a factory, and was overly sweet. Yuck.) read more

Equal Grounds Coffee House - Open mic comedy night - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rochester, New York

We went there on a Saturday afternoon and had an Americano coffee and a masala tea. pleasant atmosphere. The studious patrons did not mind the laughter coming from our table. very comfortable. I I look forward to going back read more

It was larger on the inside than I expected. Plenty of space to sit and do work. Stopped by during lunch hour and grabbed a latte to go. Prices were pretty reasonable as well. read more

Great enviroment, Good food but OK customer service. We were treated by a gentleman that was not friendly at all and basically refused to give us the student discount. We recieved our food, ate, cleaned up after ourselves and left. We most likely won't return. read more

Great coffee and a friendly staff. Just wish they had non Christmas music this time of year.

Green apple smoothie is good but thick like a milkshake. They have a fun selection of games which is always nice. The ambiance is very relaxed. I had a mocha which was very sweet but delicious. I will defiantly be back :) read more

I really wanted to like this place. It's cute, eclectic vibe remind me of a sweet cafe in San Francisco. Since I am working in Rochester for the next couple of days, I wanted to find a little cafe to make home base. The food was average, coffee was good, but service was terrible. I don't expect every single person in customer service to be amazingly cheery and personable. However, I do expect that the person taking my money doesn't act like he's working in one of the seven layers of hell. I understand that everyone has their own ish to deal with, but we didn't do anything to personally wrong the barista so please don't take it out on the customers. I would have sympathy if it were really busy, but it was egregiously slow and his outwardly annoyed attitude was unpalatable--to put it nicely. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and asked how his day was going. He said it would be better once he got off. Welp, if that's not a convo killer, I don't know what is. I tried. read more

Decent coffee, decent environment and good service, but definitely a place that needs some renovation, better interior, new furniture and a more conversation provoking spacing. It's quite common to see some university student take up large tables for doing homework all by themselves... the furniture needs to be changed to accommodate more people and provoke interaction between people, also maybe place single seat tables by the window so that people in their laptops wouldn't take up most of the space using large full size tables. read more

Plenty of room to sit, delicious cookies, good coffee, and a great atmosphere! The employees are awesome, making everything quickly and talking with you about cool stuff. It was my first time going there this weekend and I definitely plan on going back! read more