Staying Downtown? Here's what to do...

Staying in Downtown Rochester?

Whether you're a health-nut looking for some outdoor exercise, a foodie always looking for the best dining or bars, or a caffeine addict looking for the local hot brew, there are plenty of places in ROC downtown that will fit the bill during your vacation and/or business travels. Make sure to check out Veo, Rochester's bike and scooter share in downtown if you're looking to rent some wheels. While there are way too many places to name concisely in this post, we've restricted the places to thinking like a visitor with limited time to explore a city fully. We hope you get some value out of this post, and if you have feedback, please don't hesitate to leave us a comment.

The Genesee River flows through Downtown Rochester, NY

When it comes to placemaking and most urban planning circles, the quarter-mile distance is used as a guide for walking just about 5 minutes, and a 10 minute walk is equivalent to a half-mile. We'll start with the closest things to do near the Hyatt Regency Rochester, for the reasoning that it’s pretty darn close to the center of Center City, and then branch out from there. We have even included some ideas that, if you're willing to spend a little on an Uber or if you’ve rented a vehicle, you may just find enticing at a short car-ride away.

And just to be clear, these suggestions are all the small, local “business-ey” things to do - because the general public can trip over a Starbucks and many have the 'bucks app to locate one nearby. We should mention here that the Hyatt has a great rooftop space that includes a bar, outdoor seating and fire pits to relax and enjoy amongst the downtown buildings, along with a new jazz lounge called Astor on Main, so make sure to check these out regardless of whether or not you're staying there.

A Word About Safety

Safety is always on our minds when it comes to a city we're not familiar with. No matter what you hear about this city or that city, our downtown is no more/less different than urban centers all across America. You have to be vigilant wherever you go, stay well aware of your surroundings, and when at all possible, venture out with a friends, family, or colleagues.

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Main St. entrance to The Mercantile on Main

Immediate surrounding area:

Food & Drink

1. Astor on Main inside the Hyatt: Jazz-inspired vibe restaurant and bar;

2. Drifters @ the Hilton Garden Inn: 1min walk; Restaurant and bar;

3. The Mercantile on Main: NEW! 3min walk; Food court; coffee & bar; mid-century stylings;

4. DGX: 3min walk; Mini grocery store featuring grab 'n go snacks, groceries, and more; See Facebook;

5. Bar Bantam: 3min walk; Restaurant & bar in one of Roc's iconic hi-rises; Outdoor dining available;

6. Squatchos: 4min walk; All-vegan everything restaurant & take-out featuring pizza, subs, garbage plates, and more;

7. Foodlink Community Cafe: 4min walk; a nonprofit weekday restaurant where guests can pay the suggested price on the menu or what they are able to, you can also pay it forward for someone else’s meal, open Mon-Fri: 11-3;

8. Branca Midtown: 5min walk; Restaurant & bar: Outdoor dining available;

9. He's Chinese and Japanese: 5min walk; Take-out, delivery, and minimal dine-in;

10. Dinosaur BBQ: 6min walk; Restaurant and bar featuring meat, meat, and more meat; take-out and delivery available;

11. Bite Rochester: 6min walk; Restaurant and cafe;

12. Tapas 177: 6min walk; Restaurant and bar;

13. Fifth Frame Brewing: 6min walk; Small, local brewing company;

14. St. Paul Proper: 7min walk; Neighborhood tavern;

15. Pane Vino: 7min walk; Upscale restaurant on the river; outdoor dining available.

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Explore the Area

Take in the 4th floor view | Rochester Central Library

1. Liberty Pole: 4min walk;

2. Parcel 5: 4min walk; public park space;

3. Central Library: 4min walk; Remember those things called books? They can be found here... they also have a beautiful outdoor reading garden if you want a quiet place to sit (grab something from the Foodlink Community Cafe and sit outside!);

4. Promenade/Riverway Trail: 7min walk; get your exercise and fresh air;

5. Roc City Skatepark: 8min walk.

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If the timing is just right...

Students practicing at Hatch Hall | Eastman School of Music

1. Movies with a Downtown View: FREE family-friendly Movies at Parcel 5 with Food Trucks & concessions;

2. Downtown Definitely Events: NEW! See schedule;

3. Penthouse on East: 5min walk; Events can be found here;

4. Rochester International Jazz Fest: annually, end of June - early July. Incredible FREE and ticketed shows;

5. Rochester Fringe Festival: annually in September, FREE and ticketed events;

6. Eastman School of Music: 8min walk; FREE Events from Top World-Class Musical Student Talent, also home to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra;

7. Rochester Red Wings: 4min drive/22min walk; Rochester's Minor League Baseball Team at affordable prices;

8. Rochester Lilac Festival: 7min drive; The Rochester Lilac Festival is the largest free festival of its kind in North America celebrating North America’s largest collection of lilacs.

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Just down the road:

Inside artwork and seating | Fuego Coffee Roasters

1. Fuego Coffee Roasters: 8min walk; one of our city's best cafes;

2. Native Rochester: 8min walk; restaurant and bar; great outdoor patio overlooking Washington Square;

3. Java's Cafe: 8min walk; great people watching and outdoor seating;

4. Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe: 8min walk; open weekdays 9am-4pm;

5. Temple Bar and Grille: 8min walk;

6. The Vesper: 8min walk; Restaurant and bar; limited outdoor seating with a view of the Roc City Skatepark;

7. Side Bar: 8min walk; food, cocktails, outdoor patio;

8. Geva Theatre: 9min walk; Regional Theatre; food and drinks available;

9. The Little Theatre: 11min walk; great independent and foreign films;

10. Strong Museum of Play: 12min walk; Toy, Doll, Game Museum, Butterfly Garden, and much more!

Recommended via a long walk, Veo*, and/or Uber

1. Swiftwater Brewing: 3min drive/23min walk; local craft brewery;

2. John's Tex Mex: 3min drive/20min walk; 

3. Genesee Brew House: 3min drive/14min walk; Rochester's Brewery since 1878; outdoor seating overlooking the Falls;

4. Rochester Beer Park: 3min drive; 22min walk; tons of beers on tap;

5. The Playhouse/Swillburger: 4min drive; 27min walk; burgers, tater tots, pin ball games, and arcade;

6. Memorial Art Gallery; 5min drive; 23min walk; journey through more than 5,000 years of world art;

7. Rochester Public Market: 6min drive/30min walk; local vendors selling their best goods; you'll find nearby: Cure, Velvet Belly, Ziggy’s, Rohrbach Brewing Company, Bitter Honey, Katboocha, Fiorella, Juan & Maria's, Elements on Railroad, and warehouse127;

8. Highland Park: 6min drive; take a walk, picnic in the park;

9. Eastman Museum: 8min drive; Cameras and Film? See the historical roots in George Eastman's mansion/turned museum; bonus: the Dryden Theatre showcases unique film screenings old and new;

10. Activities on the Genesee River: 9min drive/20min bike ride; canoes, kayaks, and more;

11. Black Button Distilling: 9min drive; Rochester's first grain-to-glass craft distillery to open since the prohibition era;

12. Radio Social: 10min drive; bowling, ping pong, skeeball, and more games, 2 different restaurant concepts and a couple of bars;

13. Wegmans: Want to experience the BEST grocery store in the world? Wegmans flagship store is right here in Rochester in a suburb called Pittsford, 10min drive/less than 7miles - you'll also find Trader Joe's within walking distance to Wegmans.

*Veo - electric scooters and e-bikes (website)

Popular City Neighborhoods to check out:

Iced Matcha Rose Latte | Winter Swan Coffee

1. Corn Hill: approximately 14min walk; the City's oldest residential neighborhood; take a walk on the promenade, find Flight Wine Bar, 809 Sports Bar, & more;

2. South Wedge: approximately 4min drive; find Lux Lounge, Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, Happy Earth Tea & Equal Grounds. Shop at AXOM Home, Little Button Craft, Aldaskellar Wine, Marilla’s Mindful Supplies, and so much more;

3. East End: 15min walk; find Swan Dive, Ox and Stone, The Daily Refresher, Axes and Ales, Locals Only, Brass Bar & Lounge and more;

4. The north end of Pearl-Meigs-Monroe: 16min walk; find The Owl House, Strangebird Brewery, Rocco, Marshall Street Bar & Grill, Nine Spot Brewing and more;

5. Park Avenue: 5min drive; find Apogee Wine Bar, Jines, Parkleigh, ROAM Cafe, The Mad Hatter, The Red Fern, Half Pint Pub, Magnolia's, Stever's Candies, Charlie’s Frog Pond, Furoshiki, Roux, Vern's, Dorado, Sinbad's, Pearson’s Market & Cafe, Cafe Sasso and a so much more;

6. Neighborhood of the Arts, aka, "NOTA": approximately 5min drive; find Memorial Art Gallery, Salena's, Good Luck, Bachelor Forum, Melo Coffee & Kitchen, Lento, The Gate House, Three Heads Brewing, Old Pueblo Grill, Winter Swan Coffee, Petit Poutinerie, Fiamma Centro, Nosh, Scratch Bakeshop, The Revelry, and Muller's Cider House.

Still looking for more? Check out the Newest Downtown Neighborhood, the Neighborhood of Play, approximately 13min walk; find Strong Museum of Play, the new Hampton Inn and Suites, with Lila’s just inside the lobby/entrance; Nerdvana Rochester; Fattey Beer Company; and the Skylark Lounge.

Did we miss anything? Send an email to: president@rocwashingtonsqare.org and we’ll be glad to add the information to our post. Thanks!