The most surprising thing about my relationship with Cafe Steam is that we've actually reached a…read morestage of mutual understanding where the staff knows exactly which level of 'morning zombie' I am based on how loudly I trip over the doorframe. I have a bit of a love affair with this place. Now, I'm a certified early bird, and by that, I mean I'm usually awake and craving caffeine while the rest of the world is still debating if they actually need to attend that 9:00 AM Zoom call. There is something genuinely therapeutic about being there right as they flip the sign to 'Open,' when the air still smells like freshly ground beans and the sunlight is hitting the dust motes in that perfect, cinematic way. It's the quietest the place ever gets, and I get to witness the staff transitioning from 'sleepy' to 'caffeinated chaos' in real-time. However, I'm also a fan of the 'closing time' vibe. There's a completely different magic to sliding into a booth around 7:00 PM. By then, the energy has shifted from a productive buzz to a sort of cozy, exhausted collective sigh. I'll just camp out for a while, pretending to be very focused on my laptop while actually just people-watching the evening rush. The ambiance is wonderfully casual--think 'industrial chic meets a living room that's slightly too small for its furniture.' Most of the time it's just a pleasant hum, but every so often it hits a tipping point and becomes absolutely hectic. You've got the frantic students cramming for finals, the first-date nerves radiating off a couple in the corner, and a line of people stretching toward the door. It's a beautiful kind of mayhem, really. But let's talk about the real star of the show: the drinks. While I usually rotate through the classics, I am currently in a committed relationship with their seasonal 'Miss Sunshine' creamy lemonade. It sounds like something a toddler would order at a fancy tea party, but trust me, it's a game-changer. It's got this bright, zesty punch of citrus that wakes up your entire soul, but then it's smoothed over with this velvety, creamy finish that makes it feel like a dessert. It's basically a hug in a plastic cup, and I'm fully prepared to be devastated when it leaves the seasonal menu. I will add photo's *later* : )

Always amazing:)…read more Cafe Steam was an essential spot growing up in Rochester. They tie together community with amazing coffees and goodies! I'm so happy to see them expanding and opening new locations as well. I grabbed a summer special drink, and quite enjoyed it! I wish I added a touch more simple syrup, otherwise this was a delightful and bright summer drink! The interior is always cozy, and consistently one of the best spots in Rochester. The baristas are always kind, and make drinks SUPER quick!

Nice little coffee shop in Rochester. They have a drive-through, and the service was good. We…read moreordered cappuccinos, and they were tasty.

Cute coffee shop with lots of seating right in the heart of downtown Rochester! They have a lot of…read morefun syrup options too. My iced espresso with almond milk and SF salted caramel was super tasty.

I stopped here for coffee bc it was between my hotel and the place my kid was doing stuff…read more OMG if I had to live in Rochester, I would say yes because of this spot. I bought two minis and a black coffee and sat here for an hour and it was just perfection. I bought two of the larger donuts to go and we didnt eat them until the next day and 24 hours later and I could have eaten both all by myself no shame. There's a good amount of seating and I thought the parking was fine.

Parlor Doughnuts has such a welcoming and well-designed space. Being located inside a brewery gives…read moreit a really unique, laid-back vibe. There's a nice seating and lounge area where you can actually sit and enjoy your drinks and food. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and you can tell they care about the experience. They were out of one flavor we wanted but made it fresh for us, which was such a great touch. The doughnuts are the standout. They have a large selection, including seasonal options, and they're more of a croissant-doughnut hybrid. Light, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth. We were lucky enough to get one warm and it completely took it to another level. The peanut butter chocolate was crazy good. Perfectly topped with amazing flavor, definitely one of the best we tried. Such a fun spot with unique doughnuts, great service, and a cozy place to enjoy it all.

We got Drift Dough donuts by way of Old Abe's Coffee, and they were great! The raised donuts are…read moreunfortunately not vegan (I have an egg allergy, so I'm always on the lookout for vegan baked goods), but the cake donuts are, and they had a fun lineup of flavors when my husband and I visited. One thing to note is that the address for Drift Dough isn't the address for Old Abe's Coffee, and I am not sure if that's an address for the bakery or something, but all signs pointed towards the donut shop being inside Old Abe's, so that's where we went. I got the ube donut (the purple one), and as someone originally from Hawaii, it was really great to see ube flavor is making it out to the Midwest now! The flavor is not super strong in the donut, so if you haven't had ube before, I think this would be a nice, mild introduction. My husband got the raised Tiramisu donut, and while he liked it, it's definitely bigger than the cake donuts and was a bit too much donut and frosting for him, but your mileage may vary (I like to think my stomach has a special compartment just for donuts, because it always seems that way, LOL). We got a nice cold brew with oat milk to wash the donuts down, and we will definitely be back next time we're in town!

I will admit, I don't eat doughnuts often, but when I have the craving, this is my favorite spot. I…read morelove the large variety that, in my experience, are always fresh. You will always feel welcomed here and that you're appreciated as a customer.

Soooo basically don't come here if youre tryna lose weight jk they have soups and salad and healthy…read morestuff but I always get the goodddsss but this food was absolutely good golly holy moly. Service was fast and w a smile. I LOVE THIS PLACE

I am in Rochester almost every month and just discovered this spot. I stopped in for a light…read morebreakfast grabbed an everything bagel and potatoes. Both while simple were so delicious I went back for lunch and grabbed a cookie and chicken salad sandwich on a Crossiant and fries. The cookie was amazing soft perfectly sweet a great afternoon treat. I will say the chicken salad was too dry and the croissant was also dry so I ended up just eating the fries and chicken part. While the chicken salad was a bit of a let down everything else was delicious plus staff was friendly you order at the counter then grab a table, and tons of tables in the diner. They also roast their own coffee so the entire place smelt great!

"You can't refuse a request from a dying man." (Abe "Fish" Vigoda as Sal Tessio)…read more "I'm not dead yet!" (Abe Vigoda as himself, addressing rumors.) This super trippy coffee shop kills it harder than Abe in "The Godfather" when it comes to delivering the goods! Heavenly vegan donuts, that is. Wait...wrong Abe? My sister and I are not vegans, but we stopped here for breakfast several days in a row on our way to the Mayo Clinic earlier this year purely out of curiosity. It was really helpful in the ordering process to see the various pretty donuts labelled and strung above the counter. We purchased almost all the flavors to bring to the hospital for our family to try, and the consensus was that the ube and the plum lime were possibly the most delicious donuts we've had anywhere! Honestly! Other outstanding flavors included the tiramisu, the banana stand, and the blueberry crumble. As delightful as the donuts were, I was disappointed in my drink orders. I could only get through a few sips of both my dirty chai latte and the Almond Joy coffee. Old Abe gives some hardcore psychedelic vibes to the point that I wondered if a hallucinogen had been slipped into my coffee before heading into the ladies' room. 1,000 cats hissing at you from the walls will cause you to question your sanity! The rest of the décor was just as wild, from THE Minnesota Prince to an apocalyptic Godzilla declaring that the end was near. The question "1880's stage actor assassin or the bear" might apply in the polka dot room, so it's best to sit facing out with your back against a wall...regardless of which Abe the shop is named after. If the apocalypse, John Wilkes Booth, wildlife, the Chief of the Waponis, or the mob takes me out to sleep with the fishes, and I come back in my next life as the leader of a subversive cult, I'll have to revisit the book room of this shop to view their anarchist primers. Also, I'm sending these donuts to McConaughey as a bribe. He's a fan of Lincolns, so maybe he'll do an Old Abe commercial where he contemplates the meaning of life while noshing on a ube donut. Penny for your thoughts?

I finally decided to stop in after so many recommendations from my fellow peers, and I must say I…read morewas extremely disappointed. There was an older gentleman at the display case, probably the owner, and a few younger gals working. After entering the store, we were greeted by no one, just quick stares. When ready to order, it took more than ten minutes to be acknowledged, bummer. The coffee was okay at best, but the donuts were amazing! Probably the best in Rochester. We sat downstairs, but we've heard the staff tell other customers that there were saying upstairs. After finding a seat and people watching, we noticed that the staff were much more attentive to other customers. It's hard to not feel like this was a race-based issue, esp being the only minorities in the shop. Either or, I guess it was an experience, I don't plan on visiting again. I'll stick to Cafe Aqui-- they've got great coffee, delicious snacks, wonderful staff and a welcoming atmosphere.

I was passing through Rochester and needed a coffee break! This place has a free parking lot but…read moreplenty more free street parking. At first I was confused because it seemed to be a plant store, but they are located inside the store to the far left when you walk in! The staff here was really wonderful! I had questions and they were happy to answer! I decided to try their spring fling latte which had rhubarb and a thyme cold foam. Yes you read that right. It was an almost savory cold foam. While I give them props for stepping out of the box with this coffee, this just wasn't my favorite. My friend got a chai drink and that was very tasty!! This place has SO many cute items inside and around as well! I would definitely come back and just try something different! The vibes here are bright and so cute! This is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area!

This is a great little breakfast/brunch spot in downtown Rochester. I met a friend there for Coffee…read moreand also got a delicious breakfast sandwich. There was a decent line, but the staff moved people through quickly, and overall the service was great. The coffee is quite good, and they have a selection of pastries as well.

This coffee shop building is so cute! It looks like a trendy shop you'd see in L.A.! It is drive up…read moreonly and lucky for me, there was no line when I arrived! The girls that took my order when I visited were so energetic and friendly! They quickly made my drinks and sent me on my way. The lattes were overly sweet (and I like a sweet coffee) but lacked a rich coffee flavor. My drink reminded me of a gas station coffee that had a bunch of over the counter syrups pumped in. There are so many wonderful coffee shops in the world, but I'd skip this one if I was ever in the area again.

I wanted to like this place. This was just my experience. The server stated that there wasn't a way…read moreto combine fruits due to it being a syrup. I got this and tried to order a large size but was told I couldn't. However, on the DoorDash app, you can order a large for $1.40 more. The medium costs almost $9. When it's not fresh, I don't think the price is worth it. This is a drive through. There isn't a place to sit. I'd be willing to try the coffees.

A friend highly recommended Forager Cafe, which is why I went there with high expectations. Hmmmm,…read morehow can I say this....I was disappointed. I ordered their black and tan beer. A tasty choice (check out the photo). Then I asked for a reuben sandwich with a side of fries. I really liked the two-tone rye bread. There was modest amount of corned beef. Notice I didn't say 'generous.' The kraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing were a solid compliment. BUT the fries.... Check out the photo and look at the fries. These were double dunked in oil, greasy and sogged out, slightly charred, and meh tasting. I looked over at another patron's plate of food and saw her fries looked perfect. Golden, single dunk in oil, and crisp. Can I add a sad face emoji here? I called over the bartender and had him look at my fries, then look at the other patron's, and tell me the difference. He saw what I saw. I told him what was wrong with mine and asked why. He apologized and said he'd take 50% off my food bill. I saw him go back to the kitchen and have a conversation about my fries, which I appreciated. He didn't blow me off and let the kitchen know they dropped the ball. I've eaten at a lot of places from dives to fine dining, and I think the sign of good eatery is one that can excel at the basics.....like french fries. Plus, when you have your "A" staff working in the kitchen, but your staff sends out subpar fries to a customer...what does that say about the kitchen staff and leadership? Will I go back? Not sure, but there other places I've eaten at in Rochester that are consistently good. If I ever have family or friends in town and we go out to eat, we're not going to Forager Cafe.

We met some friends here for supper on Friday evening and were seated right away. Our server was…read morefriendly, attentive, made some good suggestions. The food was good, fresh and tasty. My only complaint was the size of the side salad that I ordered with my burger. It was by far the smallest side salad that I have received at any food establishment. In fact, I honestly thought it was a joke. Overall, the service was amazing the food was good. There was live entertainment there that evening and the performance was good, however when the volume is such that you cannot have a conversation with the people at your table, it's a bit too loud. I must be turning into my parents.