What’s Happening in Roc
Rochester Guide
Founded in September 2024, by Eric Nagle, AM:FM Coffee, Cocktails, Vinyl brought premium espresso drinks, unique and exquisite pour overs, and a scratch kitchen to the city. What should be noted is that the shop makes some delicious breakfast sandwiches, savory and filling breakfast burritos, gourmet breakfast burgers, and other brunch items like Lemon Blueberry Pancakes and Espresso Glazed French Toast. They are an exciting place to have around downtown which makes their two-year anniversary worth celebrating!
For those visiting from out of town, or locals traveling to Downtown Rochester who are tired of dealing with parking or prefer alternative options for exploring a city, there is one mode of transportation that shines bright above traveling by car. I’m talking about the Veo Micromobility, a fully electric scooter.
To try Veo use promo code: 5IXGNBN in the Veo app. You’ll receive $5 for free for your first ride.
The Roc Holiday Village is a wonderful seasonal experience where families, friends, locals, and tourists gather to listen to live jazz bands and sing along to holiday carols, ice skate, eat foods from local and regional vendors, sit by warm and cozy fire-pits, shop for goods made by local artisans, and cozy up inside warm winter igloos. It is a wintery holiday village that you can spend hours at, and even visit several times throughout the month beginning Friday, November 27 to Sunday, December 20, 2026.
After moving to Toronto to pursue a career in the culinary world, Chef Raju Thapa began his journey at The Host, a white-linen table service restaurant where he honed his craft for decades and worked his way up to head chef. In 2016, Thapa opened his own restaurant in Toronto called, Amma Roti House, and after making a move to the Rochester region, opened Rosie Nepalese & Indian Cuisine in 2023 which brought an outstanding offering of authentic and traditional South Asian flavors to the city.
From Downtown Rochester, @kindredfare is roughly a 50-minute drive. Between this excellent restaurant, and the numerous wineries around Seneca Lake, a day trip to Geneva is worthwhile. There you can immerse yourself into one of the greatest wine regions in the United States, and satisfy the senses at a lovely establishment that offers an elevated dining experience.
The Talman Building that stands today at 25 E. Main St was once home to The North Star, an anti-slavery publication by Frederick Douglass that ran from 1847 to 1851. It was also a site on the Underground Railroad, an honorable site worth stopping by for a glance and a moment of reverence.
Often times, I hear talk of various gourmet food scenes, and one always gets left out of the conversation. Rochester, New York has one of the best gourmet food and drink scenes in the entire nation. However, it unfortunately often falls under the radar for cities recognized as gourmet food cities.
Here is Rochester, New York’s late-night food scene. The city has numerous fantastic restaurants and to-go spots that cater to the night owls around the city, serving up dishes until the early morning. Rochester, New York has a good late-night food scene, you just need to know where to go!
On July 23, WXXI hosted an event at one of its television studios and transformed it into an intimate gathering space for Caribbean Currents: A Rochester Film Experience, a fundraiser supporting Farrin, a Jamaican coming-of-age film that explores themes of migration, identity, belonging, and the difficult choices that shape who we become.
The 2026 Filipino Festival drew hundreds of families, friends, artists, dancers, performers, karaoke singers, cultural pageant winners, vendors, and a community of people coming together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines.
Hosted on June 6, Flower Fest was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Rochester’s iconic city logo. However, for those of us who attended, it became a celebration of a historic space with new life. In my view, it became a reminder of what happens when the city gives one of its most historic spaces the attention it deserves, and crowds turn out to embrace the experience.