Mercury Coffee Co. in the South Wedge is Flying High

An iced Chai from Mercury Coffee Co., a relatively new coffee shop in the South Wedge in Rochester, New York.

For many coffee enthusiasts, a local coffee shop is a home away from home. It is a place to socialize, to connect with friends, colleagues, go on a first date, read, study, or just sit back, and vibe with an iced latte, cappuccino, or if you’re me, a flat white with oat milk.

On June 14, 2025, Mercury Coffee Co. opened their doors in the South Wedge neighborhood in the space that formerly housed Coffee Connections, a roastery focused on women’s recovery that still maintains a space at the Marketplace Mall.

A line of coffee lovers wait to order their beverages, as the crew pulls shots, rings up customers, and keeps the momentum going at the newly opened Mercury Coffee Co.

Building their foundation as a pop-up coffee cart, Mercury Coffee Co. spent many months slinging espresso drinks around the city of Rochester, collaborating on events with local businesses, and improving their recipes and latte art throughout the process. For fans, it has been a journey to behold watching this small coffee cart design and build out a sensational space in the South Wedge just off of Gregory Street and South Avenue.

If you visit the shop, the first thing you notice is the tremendous thought and detail that went into the interior design of the space. An emphasis on a mossy green hue is found around every corner, and offers a soothing, vibrant and eye-catching aesthetic to the beholder.

Mercury Coffee Co. uses Intelligentsia Coffee from Chicago, Illinois as their house roast. You can see bags of Intelligentsia coffee sitting beside some cool shop merch.

Mercury Coffee’s logo features an outlined sketch of the Roman god Mercury, a tribute to the 21 foot statue created by J. Guernsey Mitchell in 1881, that stands valiantly above the downtown Rochester skyline atop the Aqueduct Building on Broad Street. For those who have witnessed the statue, it is an iconic landmark, and fitting for a thriving coffee shop that upholds great customer service, and brews high quality drinks.

From pop-up cart to brick and mortar, the founders of Mercury Coffee Co. have proven that the dream of starting a family-owned business can truly become a reality in the city of Rochester. Their drinks are creative, made with a focus on quality, passion, and with an emphasis on community.

A look at Mercury Coffee Co. from the outside on South Avenue.