 Dining Out In Rochester, NY
Coffee Resources
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Canaltown Coffee Roasters. 2 locations. 1805 East Ave., Rochester, NY 271-6690 and 6 South Main Street, Pittsford, NY 248-0390.
Why are they never open when I want a cup of coffee? Why is there such a long wait to get a cup of coffee? Why is there never enough seats available? Canaltown is typical of many restaurants and shops in Rochester. They believe the best time to be open is when everyone is at work. By the time us working stiffs get home, have dinner, and decide to go out for coffee, Canaltown is closed (as are all of the shops in Pittsford). If you work at night and have your days free, visit Canaltown. They serve a great cup of coffee and often very good desserts. If you attend a Rochester Philharmonic concert, you will have to leave early to get a table at the Canaltown East Avenue location. If you arrive late, expect to wait half an hour for a table and long time after that for a cup of coffee.
Canaltown raised quite a fuss over Starbucks coming to Pittsford. Perhaps Starbucks will teach Canaltown something about retailing, you have to keep your store open if you want to make money.
If Canaltown is closed, go north on Monroe Ave. to Pittsford plaza. There you will find a Barnes & Noble Bookstore or further north to Twelve Corners to the Starbucks Store.
Barnes & Noble Bookstore. 3349 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY.
I don't drink coffee, especially good (expensive) coffee out of paper cups. When I go to Barnes & Noble I always ask for and get a ceramic mug. The coffee tastes much better served in a ceramic container. The coffee at Barnes & Noble is not as good as Canaltown's. Their desserts are not worth the calories and not even close in quality to Canaltown's, but they are open when you need them, they make coffee quickly, and there is almost always a place to sit. But what a place to sit. Mall food court decor leaves a lot to be desired. Coffee should be served in dark places with black walls. Tables should bask in pools of harsh light. Hey, don't they sell literature. They could do better.
Border's Bookshop. Jay Scutti Plaza South, across from the East side of Marketplace Mall, Henrietta, NY. 292-5900.
If Barnes & Noble has an ugly decor, Border's sets a new standard. After all, they really are owned by K-Mart. The coffee at Borders is better than Barnes & Noble, but not as good as Canaltown's. The desserts are no better than Barnes & Noble's.
Java Joes. 16 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY. 232-5282.
What can I say. Nothing. I've been to Java Joes three times on weekend nights and have never been able to get in the door or find an empty table. They must be good or it may be the musicians. They have live entertainment.
Starbucks
Starbucks are cropping up so fast that it is difficult to maintain an accurate list of local locations. Visit their Web site for directions to the Starbucks near you.
When Starbucks rolled into town and set up shops in every important region local coffee bars quivered in fear. They had a right to. Starbucks stays open when other coffee bars are closed. They sell a uniform product in a wonderfully cozy atmosphere. Those that I have visited were well run, clean, and the employees were courteous and helpful. One employee wiped rain water off of outside tables and chairs so that we could sit outside. The one negative experience I have had was fairly serious. We asked for decaf coffee and got caffeinated instead. That kept us up until the wee hours of the night and ruined our next, work, day. When we complained to corporate headquarters, they said that our complaint was not new and sent us coupons for another cup of coffee. I don't think that a coupon for a cup of coffee is adequate compensation for a lost night of sleep or a ruined day of work. I'm still unhappy about that experience.
Zamar Cafe. Closed late 04. Due to reopen in January 05 under new name.15 E Main Street, Webster, NY 14580. Free WiFi access for customers. MapQuest Map.
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