We are on a continuous search for great local cafés. This is the gem that sets the bar for…read moreRochester. Very relaxed ambience. Local students working on their laptops. Small families enjoying food. Couples and friends chatting over coffee. They support local businesses. We came on a Saturday afternoon, when students from RIT were given tables to show and sell their art in a non intrusive way. Coffee is really fantastic. I had an Americano, with their Espresso Blend. Roast master told me he does the sourcing, blending and roasting. This one had Ethiopian and Colombian beans. Fabulous blend of earthy and chocolate tones. I bought a pound to prepare with my French Press at hotel and the roaster grinded it to a perfect coarse. Side note: please never drink coffee from those hotel room machines. You can always do better! Come, have a coffee, have lunch, buy beans or ground coffee for your enjoyment at home. This is the type of place that makes café lovers feel right at home, even when traveling.

I grew up in Rochester but have since moved away, and I was sad I didn't find this place sooner -…read moreor you know, when I actually lived and worked in Rochester. On a recent visit to Rochester, one of my friends and I met up at this cool location for a coffee and to catch up. There are options galore for drinks and they're so good. I loved my marshmallow latte. They have options for board games, events they host, and a small corner for small/local artists to share and sell their products. It was so interesting to explore and look around while I caught up with an old friend. Next time I'm in Rochester, I'm definitely coming back.

Great Mocha, had to ask for extra chocolate because it was very watered down but after I did it was…read moreexcellent. If I'm in the area I'll be back for sure. Got a vegan cookie too and it was gross, it just tasted like raw flour.

Went here with a friend to catch up . Drinks were good,…read moreplace had nice vibes , service was good .

Simple and unassuming place but the coffee is as strong as it gets. I checked this place out on…read morerecommendation of my neighbor. My friend and I got here on a Saturday noon after a brunch that literally left a bad taste in our mouths! They make your coffee first and serve it to you before you pay, that's very sweet! I got the egg nog latte but I needed some extra sugar and my friend got a white Christmas latte. We both enjoyed our coffee. I also wanted to buy some coffee beans but I thought I'd do so at a later time. Check it out if you're in the vicinity!

Great coffee. Great service. Just the smell of the place makes it worth the trip. We grabbed some…read morebeans to take back home with us to Ohio. The selection was too good to pass up.

Real shortbread. Real butter. No hype. Not over-sweet, not…read morefussy, not trying to reinvent anything. Just perfectly made, crumbly, rich, and exactly what shortbread is supposed to taste like. This is how it should be done. I ordered the regular and Irish cream flavors. They were delivered to my door very promptly! Thank you!

I've driven by a few times and actually had time to stop in today. Located directly across the…read morestreet from Country Max in a stand alone red house that was converted to commercial space, there is plenty of parking, it is accessible for walkers but there is a small curb to step up, and smells so delicious when you walk in! Maggie greeted me immediately and showed me around. In addition to the shortbread which is kept in a refrigerator case, there are Scottish collectibles, jewelry, and ground coffee for purchase (no whole beans at this time). They make several varieties of shortbread but stock was low (I think due to St Patrick's Day, even though that's Irish, idk). I bought the plain/regular and a Whiskey Pecan. Both were made fresh this week. Under the paper wrapper, the 8 "fingers" are wrapped in plastic for freshness. The cookies were light, not too dry and delicious. I could taste the Whiskey flavor but my hubby said it was barely there. Regardless, we both loved both cookies. I will be going back next week for the cranberry ones. I can't wait!

Good drinks, passable food, minimal human interaction…read more The café was surprisingly spacious. You enter through the ordering area on the right, which opens up to additional seating on the left. Interactions with staff were purely transactional, no small talk or pleasantries, unlike what others have experienced. My drink was ready within a few minutes, while my food took 15. Maple Cinnamon Chai: autumn in a cup. The spices added a cozy warmth to the chai, and the balance of tea to milk was just right. The maple syrup was subtle, leaving a light, sweet aftertaste. Lovely seasonal option. Beechwood Bowl: customizable bowl with your choice of protein, cheese, and sauce. The base comes with two eggs, potatoes, onions, and peppers. I went with sausage, vegan mozzarella, and sriracha mayo. The to-go version came in a paper box with utensils. The portion was on the smaller side, but the potatoes and veggies were well-seasoned and nicely cooked. The eggs were soft but a bit bland. The sausage was finely chopped and on the salty side. The vegan mozzarella added a creamy texture. The sriracha mayo had good flavor, but the drizzle was too light to carry through the whole dish. The standout was the crispy potatoes, everything else was just okay. I wouldn't return for the food, but the drinks were memorable. I'd definitely come back for their coffee or tea.

Introduction to Western NY experience:…read more Another out of town Yelp review for alphabet series representing the letter N for N is for New City Cafe & Roastery. Last April 2024, we had gone on 2 trips, which is highly unusual. Rochester, NY was a planned trip, and the M is for Moxie 33 in Virginia was an unplanned trip 2 weeks later. There was a Total Solar Eclipse across America on April 8, 2024, which was the catalyst for my friends doing a love ceremony in the groom's birth city of Rochester and us going there in the first place. Rochester had its pluses & minuses like any place, but one of the pluses was a couple of the great local businesses we tried including Chai Guy & New City Cafe. Also, the day after the solar eclipse we enjoyed the close proximity to Niagara Falls & Buffalo. The day after that on Wednesday, April 10 was our last day staying Rochester before hitting the road later in the afternoon to get back to Maryland, which we visited New City Cafe around midday. Also, interestingly, my girlfriend & I got back from a Canada trip in early June 2025, which included overnights in Niagara Falls, ON, Toronto, & Syracuse, NY and stopping in Buffalo on way, Kingston, ON on northern route on way to Syracuse, & the Finger Lakes area after leaving Syracuse, but we ended up avoiding Rochester this time around. New City Cafe Experience: A group of us from our trip ate brunch & coffee here around lunchtime on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The staff was friendly, and the egg breakfast sandwich I got was delicious and big portion as was the Matcha Latte. My g/f & I had to go back to the Chai Guy for a Chai since we enjoyed so much the morning before; so we split the Matcha Latte. One friend in the group got their Kombucha, which he let me try, but the flavor wasn't my cup of tea, but it was still a good quality. We sat on a long bench which accommodating for our large group. The place was well decorated with various local Rochester flair. As it turns out, this was a non-profit, church ministry to help people in the local community with jobs and to serve the community with friendly customer service, providing great food/drink, & a community gathering place. We didn't know about this as a church ministry as we were just picking a brunch place within close proximity to where a lot of the people's AirBnB as they just checked out, but that's kind of cool. If I'm ever in Rochester again, I'd definitely consider coming back to New City Cafe.

I first sampled their coffee at a Yelp Event and it was full of flavor and absolutely delicious. I…read morewent back and got some Pecan Sticky Bun coffee and again for Christmas gifts for my bosses. Today my daughter and I returned to pick up some Espresso and Colombian for birthday gifts. We learned how Ink Wtr got its name, and also found out they're vendors on campus where I work.... this is going to be a serious, yet wonderful First World problem. We also found out you can order and pay online and arrange pick up times. Be sure to get good directions, as it's in a warehouse setting and a bit tricky to locate at first. I HIGHLY recommend you check them out!

From the owner: "Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination to produce…read moreworks to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. At Ink Wtr, art is our passion and we want you to enjoy the beauty and emotion we create in every cup. Whether you express yourself with painting, tattoos, or the perfect cup of coffee, we think it should be shared with the community. So grab a friend, or a stranger, and admire something beautiful over a cup of Ink Wtr, we think you'll love our Ink!"

I had the best peppermint mocha of my entire 50 years of life. Simply amazing . I can't wait to try…read morethe fish on Friday

The food was of good quality; however, it was quite expensive. We paid $7.29 for a small bowl of…read moregrits with cheese, which felt overpriced. While I understand that pricing is at the discretion of the establishment, I will not be returning as a customer.

Very unique pumpkin latte! We came here on a Saturday, and there was already quite a line. The…read morebaristas take their time making drinks, and it's a casual spot. There's a few wooden tables scattered around with a corner of the shop dedicated to packaging up your own beans.

Cozy and inviting coffee shop with all the essentials in the Public Market. Latte, cappuccino,…read morechai, multiple flavors of drip coffee and more. Definitely busy on a sunny Saturday but the line moved quickly. I had a small latte with sugar free caramel and it was great. I didn't see a food menu but from other Yelp photos it looks like they have great breakfast sandwiches. Cash only!

The ambiance was industrial and somewhat hidden along the side of a large commercial looking…read morebuilding with a warehouse feel from the outside. There is parking out front if you drive along the side of the building past other businesses. The quality of the beans seems incredible, which is why I stopped in. Being a strong enthusiast of coffee, collecting beans in my travels around the country and the world to enjoy at my home, I have been in many coffee shops and to many roasters over the years. One of my favorite parts is connecting with others who also have a passion and appreciate the product. However, that is where my dissatisfaction lies for this business. My greeting was terse and my enthusiastic inquiries about the various beans was met with disengaged and pretentious replies that all of the beans were great. I realize this and that is why I was visiting. Despite multiple attempts to engage in conversation to learn more about the taste characteristics and growing regions, I continued to be met with dismissive comments or silence. Maybe I did not appear to be knowledgeable but I left feeling that I was not worthwhile to the staff member who was working when I visited. I would not return to give business when such poor service was provided during my visit. There are many specialty roasters in the country and world from whom I can enjoy both excellent beans and excellent service.

This is a review for the NEW Joe Bean on Blossom Road (which is fully open for business), not the…read moreformer location on University (which is no longer open). I liked Joe Bean on the one occasion I got to visit their former location on University Avenue, and in some respects, I think this move is a nice change for them. They have way more space, and it feels like a great place that could host events relating to the production and tasting of coffee - not to mention, much more parking! The new facility features nice large windows, a sunny morning vibe, beautiful decor, a great selection of really appealing coffees, snacks, bags of coffee for home use, and lots of cheery plants. I had a latte with oat milk and Ethiopia Misty Valley coffee, for $5. The latte and my friend's Americano took a good while to be prepared (the two staff working told us apologetically and nicely that they only had one machine to do all the work of supporting the many people present that day), but when it was done, it was absolutely worth it. A latte of this quality is the true reason you go to a place like Joe Bean as opposed to Starbucks. This is what the movement of really high-level coffee experience should really be all about. I cannot compare it to any other latte I've had in Rochester. This alone puts Joe Bean as the best coffee in town in my opinion - Ugly Duck, Glen Edith, Fuego, Coffee Connection, etc., I'm looking at you! Thank you to Joe Bean for staying open and providing a great experience. If you are reading this as a prospective customer, I highly recommend you go check it out!