Kerbside pickup
Yes
Branca Midtown in Rochester
Categories
Location on the map
Rochester, Monroe County, New York, US
Service options
No-contact delivery
Yes
Takeaway
Yes
Dine-in
Yes
Delivery
No
Health and safety
Staff wear masks
Yes
Staff get temperature checks
Yes
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Highlights
Great coffee
Yes
Great dessert
Yes
Sport
Yes
Popular for
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible lift
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Offerings
Alcohol
Yes
Beer
Yes
Cocktails
Yes
Coffee
Yes
Comfort food
Yes
Happy-hour drinks
Yes
Happy-hour food
Yes
Healthy options
Yes
Late-night food
Yes
Organic dishes
Yes
Small plates
Yes
Spirits
Yes
Vegetarian options
Yes
Wine
Yes
Dining options
Dinner
Yes
Catering
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Seating
Yes
Amenities
Bar on site
Yes
High chairs
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Wi-Fi
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Romantic
Yes
Upmarket
Yes
Crowd
Family friendly
Yes
Groups
Yes
LGBTQ+ friendly
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Planning
Dinner reservations recommended
Yes
Accepts reservations
Yes
Payments
Debit cards
Yes
Credit cards
Yes
Phone: +1 585-434-5243
Site: http://brancamidtown.com/
Site: http://brancamidtown.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:5–9PM
- Wednesday:5–9PM
- Thursday:5–9PM
- Friday:11:30AM–2PM
- Saturday:5–10PM
- Sunday:Closed
Comments (199)
The atmosphere is really nice and so was the waiter — but the food was mediocre. Besides the fact that there was wayyy too much fat on the steak to my liking, my friend’s chicken entree was subpar & so was the the brussel sprout appetizer. The only mock tail they offer was also blah. At least it’s pretty inside & their olive oil cake is delicious.|Overall, it’s not terrible. You would just think that the food would taste (somewhat) noticeably better for the price you’re paying. And maybe if there isn’t much of difference taste-wise, then at least provide decent portions.
The food here is amaaaazing! Our party ordered several appetizers, which were all exceptional.The calamari being my personal fav. Lil bit on the pricey side but well worth it 💯All of the staff were on point. Cool place.
If you go here and dont order the ricotta app you are not a smart human. I have not seen it in any other restaurants and its to die for. I also had a chicken salad sandwich for lunch and was very impressed! Will eat here again.
Excellent food - delicious! Scallops are incredible in butternut squash and spinach. Rest of the party enjoyed the meatballs, margarita & pepperoni pizza. What a treat!
Wow !! Pretty yummy we made reservations on a Wednesday but didnt need them open space outside and inside! Great fresh yummy pasta and appetizers. Cute space for sure. Not enough bread for the charcuterie board when asked for more we got an additional charge
Had another Wonderful meal and experience last night!! From the moment that our bartender Carey (aka lavender) greatest us and made four perfect cocktails to the amazing pizza app at the bar to the service and our entrees. Seriously one of the best place to eat in Roc!!
Nice restaurant, went for late lunch while in Rochester. Chose this place specifically to try the octopus but was told it wasnt available. Disappointed but tried the other pasta dishes. It was good, I subbed gnocchi for pappardelle. Service was excellent.
The food was pretty good. The meat was not perfectly tender but well cooked (medium rare). The charcuterie board was great. The meat went very well with the cheese options. The wine list was limited but solidly above average quality.
My coworkers and I came here on our lunch break. We came during the lunch hour later in the afternoon so there werent too many people dining in. Its such a modern and comfortable setting. Service and food was very quick! The food was exceptional (I got the Rigatoni), I also got dessert which was also exceptional. Portions are a little small but still filling. Just everything was fantastic and we will be back again.
So so good. Ive been here multiple times now and ha e never had a bad experience. The pepperoni and honey pizza is amazing. Also they do reservations online
Excellent. Fresh, contemporary take on classic Italian cuisine. A bit pricey but absolutely worth the cost. Everything was delicious, well proportioned, nuanced, and very, very fresh (I doubt anything on the menu was not made in-house).
Interior is beautiful. So was our bartender lol. Date night type vibe but I also saw a table of 7 awkward dudes just sitting in silence eating pizza. Must be an esports org or engineering school nearby. Tasty regional brews on tap and a solid selection of whiskeys on display. Calamari is essential. Thin crust or Detroit style pan both tasty options. Didn’t take pictures of the food because as I said earlier Shorty behind the bar got superpowers and I needed rescuing.
I have only been here for lunch, that said the service and food are excellent. We arrived with a group of 4 alittle before lunch and got seated quickly. The server was quick to get us menus and water. She shared the specials and took drink orders quickly as well. We all ordered different salads, soups and sandwiches, everyone found their food to be excellent. The pizza looks great and the lunch menu was well rounded I will have to come back for dinner.
Great food & service for a large group! Cocktails were excellent as well as all the entrees.
Loved it. My daughter took me there for my birthday. I had the 12 oz steak my daughter had the honey pepperoni pizza.. It was delicious... nice and cozy... The service was excellent..💝💝
Amazing food. Loved the lunch menu. I had their version of a ceasar salad but had it topped with fried calamari. It was outstanding. They did not skimp on the calamari. The bread they serve is warm and has a salty garlic crust. The dessert was also fantastic. Looking forward to going back for dinner. My only complaint is that the music is a touch loud for the lunch crowd which makes the the entire restaurant deafening.
The food an service were great. I had a stuffed pork chop special and my sister had the Gemelli. We were there on a Tuesday night and we took a chance on an Italian Cabernet from Garda called Sansonina Evaluna. It was a wonderful find and though we were told they are currently re-making their wine list I hope they keep this one. Well return again over the holidays!
Jed S was our sever he was amazing the food was great I loved the whole experience I cant wait to come back. Next time I have to take pictures
Presentation of food was amazing. Environment was good. Sitting section was beautiful and clean. Staff were nice. Perfect place to had lunch. Services was on top level.
Amazing food! Lots of vegetarian items. Great service for our large party. Overall, a lovely evening!
Cannot say enough good things about Branca. My favorite thing on their menu is their lobster bisque, but I havent had anything I dont like! They are great for small or large groups!
Got right on for dinner at a high top in the bar. Love that the full menu is available at the bar, so not an issue for us. Food was delicious, flavorful and eye appealing.
Food an portions where very overpriced.We had three very small meatballs with red sauce.Very overpriced. More importantly extremely salty to the pointof being unedible. If we werent guests at a birthday gathering would have sent back. Ordered Octopus grilled. It is one of my favorites, however it was overpriced and over grilled and charred or burnt bad.
Adore this place. I am a frequent customer and have never had a dish I didn’t like. The drinks are phenomenal. Some of my favorites are a grapefruit cocktail called By the Sea and the Juice cleanse which is carrot juice and vodka, heavenly combination. Favorite pizza is the Pepperoni and honey *chefs kiss*. Their takeout menu (which they update with new items regularly) is getting me through covid.
Great time,people was pleasant and drinks were delicious.especially lemon drop shots
Ordered one entree over the phone, the tag with lobster crema sauce, I specifically asked for extra sauce because I know the pasta here runs light on sauce. Get home and there is literally NO sauce. Called and left a voice mail and no one has reached out. For $35 spent on pasta for it to be wrong when that was the only thing ordered is unacceptable. Definitely will not make that mistake again.
Was absolutely amazing from the food to our waiter jed. Definitely will be back
Dont go here if you want to hear your dinner companions, floor to ceiling windows and a huge mirror make for deafening noise. Calamari appetizer with spicy sauce was good as were their specialty drinks. A beautiful tender veal chop was ruined by a criminal amount of salt.
One of Rochesters best dining experiences! The menu is fresh and creative, and always perfectly executed. The service is also outstanding. Ive visited pre-COVID and during COVID with outdoor seating... they havent slipped even a little while working to manage through the strict guidelines of COVID-era dining. Try the fresh ricotta with crostini appetizer- big enough to split and share. Branca is relatively new to the Rochester restaurant scene, but will hopefully have real staying power.
Very good food, small menu but must be because they focus on perfecting each item they offer.Loved everything.
I love the vibe of this place. The bar is great. Classy bartenders. They have Miller High Life.Get a refreshing Aperol Spritz and enjoy day drinking. Their drinks are pretty great too (recommend Mother of Dragons).The pizzas are good. The ricotta appetizer is great. The entree food is 4 star value for the price. Ive never had a terrible meal there but never anything that blew me away like 5 star.Lots of good looking people snag drinks here so good to go look at people.
The service we had with the staff was absolutely incredible, we had a great time and they made very enjoyable for out table. The food was superb! And the timing of everything was perfect.
We love to go here. The atmosphere is great with huge open windows looking out on the city. It can be loud as the night goes on, so we tend to eat here on the early side. Love the food and especially the vegetarian entree. It never sounds that special, but it always tastes fantastic. Havent gone wrong with it yet. the only thing that would be nice is if they softened their outdoor seating with more plants. As it is, its pretty bare out there.
Been here a handful of times and the food never disappoints. Highly recommended!
Food was ok. Chicken milanse a bit dry. Lemon sauce was good but not enough. Wedge salad with romain was great. Very loud. Host had mask no other staff that i saw was masked
Ive been trying to get here for months, definitely worth the effort. The Chicken Milanese is special.
This was our second time here. Our first time was right after they opened and was a little sloppy. Good, but sloppy. The most recent time was amazing. One of the finest culinary experiences Ive had in the area. It wasnt just because the food was perfect (it was), but so was the wait staff. Every employee clearly worked as a team to make the experience flawless.Edit: Food still great. But apparently if you go during the week you dont get bread, and the service falls off a cliff. Foods still great though #complimentsandwich
So, Im a huge dumby and made a reservation for the wrong restaurant! The hostess at Branca Midtown was super accommodating and seated us immediately anyway! The service was incredibly fast! I was eating my entrée not even 10 min after I was seated. The food was delicious- very fresh tasting!
Great food, great atmosphere, good decoration and theme. Servers and bar tenders are very friendly. Portions are small so be sure to get appetizer but everything is very delicious. Been several times and seems consistent so far. Pizzas look very delicious. Great addition to the rochester dinner choices.
Brought an out of town Valentine to dinner for the Valentines Special. Service was EXTREMELY slow for a planned event. Our experience took over 3-hours. It put a damper on my Holiday and ruined my City of Rochester experience for my guest. Cant overstate how disappointed I am, being a downtown resident and putting my faith in this restaurant that I frequent. What a mess. I will not be recommending this restaurant/bar anymore to anyone. Thanks for nothing.
I wish I could give 4.5 out of 5. Called 2 weeks ahead for a party of 8 and was offered a choice of times. Showed up during prime dinner hour on a Saturday and only wait 10 mins to be seated. The atmosphere and staff were very warm and welcoming. The food was outstanding. EVERYONE at the table loved their meals. We ordered ricotta, broccolini salad, calamari for apps and they all were beautifully plated and delicious. Dinner was a variety of plates. We had mussels, steak, monk fish (special), gnocchi, and mushroom cutlets. Everyone loved what they ordered. Drinks were also delightful. You get what you pay for here. Looking forward to going back. Thank you!
Great service, nice veggie options, up to date decor and clean. They accomodated my friends allergy issue nicely and correctly. The steak her guy got was huge and he loved it. We were a table of six and on such a slow night we had zero wait and were served well even though we all ordered dfferent kinds of food. Pizza, pasta, steak, salad, sides and cocktails. Great flow.
Awesome place with great food and staff ! We were a group of 7 and ordered a bunch of different food that was all fantastic! Pizza was on point! Thanks for everything !
The food was absolutely amazing. I recommend this place to anyone who is going out to celebrate or wants a nice date night. I have told my friends who do not live in Rochester about this place and they all want to try it the next time they are in town. If youre lost on an appetizer choice pick the ricotta it was amazing. Lastly, we had amazing service which made everything that much better
Absolutely the best bar tending staff. Friendly, classy, attentive, knowledgeable, and great team atmosphere behind the counter. Food was phenomenal. A great chef in the kitchen. Food-wise, one of top 3 restaurants in this area. The interior is modern, clean and elegant, but many casually dressed customers. Relax. Have great drinks. Have fantastic food.
Very nice location and the tables are not jammed together. Menu was a bit shy of more choices, presentation of meals was nice.
On a night when they werent busy, service was slow. Portion sizes are small, especially for what you expect from an Italian restaurant and the prices they charge. Food was delicious.
The food is pretty amazing here and the service is one of a kind. They have a great menu selection and the service staff are some of the best.
We were just at Branca for a Valentine Dinner. I was finishing up my wine when i was rudely informed that they had another reservation that needed our table. We waited to be seated for our 715p reservation. We spent over $200 for our meal plus paid for drinks at the bar while waiting to be seated. We have been to other restaurants where we waited for our table to be unoccupied. It is very disappointing to think that this was allowed and thought ti be an okay way to treat patrons.
Weve loved the Basin restaurant since they opened, and decided to give Midtown a shot for Valentines Day. Couldnt be happier. Same great service, delicious food and wonderful drinks. Even on a Friday Valentine dinner service. Cant wait to go back!
Im pretty sure Branca is known for their pizzas. But I honestly wasnt super impressed with the one I tried. It was definitely good, but nothing out of ordinary. The broccolini salad however was delicious. Its a great portion and Ive never had anything like it. Would definitely order that plate again. I didnt try any of the pasta, but they looked delicious too
I would like to just send a quick message about our dinner and our experience last night. First of all, our service was incredible . We had a waiter named Jay Jay ( I think) and he was spot on perfect. Super positive attitude and friendly and super polite and very attentive to our needs... The second part of course was the food and it was excellent .... I had the steak and it was perfect and my wifes veal to incredible as well...I just can not say enough good things about your restaurant and we will be back!!!!!PS even the dessert was great ...
I would give this five stars because our meals were amazing but the portions are far too small for what we paid!
The food is pretty great here and the service is top notch. I do recommend giving this place a try when you can. They have a great selection and the prices are affordable.
I came here on a hot, sweltering day in Manhattan in search of a cold brew to 1) cool me off 2) wake me up after my food coma from lunch. This coffee shop was able to deliver. I loved the taste of my cold brew - it really hit the spot. The taste was very smooth - so delicious!
Excellent for lunch. The bartender is a phenomenal server and incredibly attentive. Our meals came out fast and were excellent in presentation and flavor. I will definitely go back in the future.
Super clean and upscale. But super pricey. Like 16$ for a small pizza pricey. It was good pizza but not 16$ worth in my opinion. A good place to celebrate a life achievement. The overall experience was 25/30.
First, there were a lot of things I liked about Branca: interesting cocktails, an open modern visual atmosphere, and a fresh and delicious food menu. The host and bartender were very attentive to us as well.As for reasons I might not go back: 1. Their tables are decorated with mini Sterno-esque candles that actually affect the smell of the room. I personally did not enjoy this since I am sensitive to smells, but my date didnt mind or notice the smell. 2. My salmon entree was rare in the middle. I asked the server if it was supposed to be served like this, and he said no. He offered no apology, but he did offer to take it back to the kitchen to be cooked more.
They have a great menu and the atmosphere is amazing. I strongly recommend you try this place out if youre in the mood for something amazing.
Metro city feel atmosphere along with hospitable servers, always consistent with food presentation and flavor. Have never been disappointed here!
We haven’t visited downtown in a while. Branca Midtown is a great addition. Loved the decor, lighting, menu, and service. I had the veal osso bucco. It was great! Everyone in our party of eight loved what they ordered. Help with wine was much appreciated. They also have a great bar where we enjoyed their signature cocktails . Looking forward to going back during our next trip to Rochester.
Although our server was running a crazy number of tables everything came out promptly and our drinks were always refilled. The food was excellent, well prepared, tasty and inventive. Ill definitely be back.
My family and I were in town for the Strong museum. After a long day we had a hard time finding a kid friendly restaurant downtown. We walked in very under dressed without a reservation. I expected to be treated poorly as I was wearing jeans an under armor tee and a baseball hat. The hostess could not have been more welcoming. She said she could squeeze us in right away even without a reservation. The food was great and I can’t say enough about the staff. If we are ever back in Rochester we will definitely go back.
The staff is very friendly and everything was served promptly even though it was fairly busy. Everyone in my party had pasta dishes and enjoyed the food very much. The 4 stars is only because the music/atmosphere was quite loud and it made it hard for everyone at my table to hear each other. Everything else made up for it though. We will be returning.
Was here for a work event where they rented out the whole place. So my expierence will be based on no other customers being there. Food was AMAZING and the drinks were so unique and so delicious! Would be here all the time if it was local! Only gave it 4 stars because they only had 4 pizzas out at a time for 30+ people and then took them a bit to get new ones.
High end food - smaller meal sizes with a nice display of food. This isnt a family style restaurant that I would bring my kids to. This is what I would consider a date night restaurant. Most dishes cost around $15-25 and they have a varying selection to choose from. Gluten free pasta is available on request.
This place is gorgeous inside. Very clean. The atmosphere has somewhat of a classy feel. Food and drink options are great. Waiters are professional. I am sure to return and recommend this place to anyone for dinner. Dinner Reservations are recommended.
Best restaurant in Rochester. The pizza is delicious. The pasta is amazing and always fresh. Love that they are doing take out now. Cant wait for them to reopen!
Excellent food, great cocktail list, excellent Italian wines. The staff here is absolutely fantastic. If youre looking for a great Italian meal and paired cocktails or wines, do yourself a favor and check this place out.
I love the food here and their menu is freaking amazing. I strongly recommend trying this place out when you have a chance.
Late night desert, Olive oil cake with blueberries, so yummy. Going back for sure. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Hanging out with my daughters.
The food is simply iincredible. The quality and consistency that I came to love in Bushnells Basin is here at Branca midtown. I was also pleased, and surprised on how a new restaurant could have such an incredible team. Literally everyone we interacted with treated my wife and I as special guests. The restaurant was a delight.
My son , who is opening a business next door, planned a dinner for a birthday celebration for my wife. The meals were fine and service was good. As we were finishing our coffee we were asked to give up our table for people who were waiting. It was embarrassing and left us disappointed in the experience! Felt it was quite rude and an unpleasant ending to an enjoyable dinner.
Visited Branca for the first time last night while family was in town for the holidays. Looking for something low key with great food and well made cocktails and a good wine selection. Branca hit the nail on the head.The charcuterie plate was a great appetizer for 3, and the pickled vegetables were divine.I ordered the carbonara as an entree, and was not disappointed. Most restaurants around here do carbonara as a cream sauce, and I am often left underwhelmed by the dish. But Branca did it right and did it well. Nice chunks of salty pancetta, creamy egg sauce that I dipped the really lovely bread into after the pasta was gone.My boyfriend had the Tagliatelle, and was very impressed by it. My uncle had the turkey meatball appetizer with a side of pasta - the sauce was nice and spicy but not overly so, and the texture of the meatballs was perfect.Not to mention the service is outstanding. I never had an empty water glass throughout the meal, and one of our candles went out on the table and it was immediately replaced with a new one.The design of the space is clean and inviting, open and airy with big windows to look out at downtown. Everything feels and looks well made.Im looking forward to going again to try other dishes and see what the coffee bar has to offer.
My new favorite restaurant in Rochester. Absolutely delicious food, amazing and classy service, beautiful atmosphere. I will definitely be back many times. They went the extra mile with service especially, I appreciated it all.
The bartenders are so HOT and work with poise. They always execute and are creative with their craft. The bar happy hour is what brought me in! I tried their pina prosecco (WOW). Along with just plain regular prosecco following this. Ordered the ricotta ($6) A STEAL (WORTH IT ORDER ONE/OR TWO) comes with crusty bread and prosciutto. This is enough for one person- two if you dont eat much.
Fantastic food, friendly staff. Small dining room prevents it from getting to loud. Staff however seem uniformed about wine inventory that never seems to have more than one bottle of a type.
My family will never go back there again. Rude waiters and I had to chase them down to pay them. We had to keep asking for things we never got. I just wanted to get out of there. They get no stars i my book.😡😡
Tried this place out for the first time and the service is some of the best. And they have a great menu selection too.
We had been to Branca in Bushnells Basin and had liked it. We didnt care much for this version. Loud talking, loud music, aesthetically dull, tiny portions--one small tentacle and some leaf stuff for an $18 octopus appetizer, 15 bucks for a freakin basic old-fashioned, and unexciting food. We thought we were going for Italian food, and knew the experience wouldnt be homey like Mr. Dominics or Antonettis. We expected something like Fiorellas or Rocco. But this didnt feel or taste Italian, and it certainly didnt have an Italian or Italian-American vibe. My wife and friends did like their small pasta entrees and I was impressed by the stereo sound in the mens room, even if the music sucked.
The bartenders are so HOT and work with poise. They always execute and are creative with their craft. The bar happy hour is what brought me in! I tried their pina prosecco (WOW). Along with just plain regular prosecco following this. Ordered the ricotta ($6) A STEAL (WORTH IT ORDER ONE/OR TWO) comes with crusty bread and prosciutto. This is enough for one person- two if you dont eat much.
One of my favorite spots in the city. Abby is the friendliest face youll ever see behind a bar. Josh and Jenna are building a mega successful empire here in Rochester and I love all of their spots. I always feel welcomed and the pizza here is straight up amazing.
Ordered Ceaser Salad with Grilled chicken. Small portion of salad, no bread brought to table and we did not even get a refill on our water. Bill came out to $41.00. Very dissapointing. I will never go again. I think is over rated. Do not waste your money.
$160.00 for 3 Model beers ,1 shot of vodka and a plate of over cooked chicken that was full of salt. Never go to that dumpster hole again.
Very modern restaurant with a traditional fare. We were a party of 20 and had the private room. I arrived early with a small group to enjoy a few drinks at the bar. Bartender Nate was extremely personable and professional. Had a great memory as to what we ordered even with a full counter of patrons. Not too many choices of wine if youre a sommelier bit the bar choices were good. The brick oven pizza was an added plus to the bar area as you can watch the pizzas being made as you drink. The buffalo wings and plate of cheese and meat are a must at the bar.At dinner we had the grilled octopus - tender and delicious with beets and baby carrots, fried calamari - tender and tasty, the special pizza of the day with carbanaro sauce, fried egg and arugula - delicious and must have, funghi fritti - fried variety of mushrooms that were breaded and fried, crustini bread with home made ricotta and pine nuts also creamy and light.The main meals at my table were pasta carbonara which was a bit watery but the home made pasta was amazing. The pasta portions are just right so of youre a big eater you would need a couple of appetizers. The ribeye was a meat eaters dream cooked to a charbroiled perfection. The powerhouse steak was good but it was more of a presentation so of youre hungry go with the ribeye. I had the veal Milanese which was perfectly fried topped with arugula, capers and mushrooms. Simply delicious. We ordered the following sides to share : brussel sprouts, tender and tasty, french fries with truffle oil - good but too soggy for me , I will ask for well.done fries next time. The broccolini was not bitter at all. We also had the blanca risotto which was very bland. We topped off the dinner with desserts. The zeppoles were not true NYC San Genarro feast style zeppoles but were more of a fried sugared donut which was served warm with chocolate and raspberry sauces. Yummy. The flourless chocolate cake is a must for chocolate lovers. The open cannoli was served in three fried shells topped with cannoli cream. Light and sweet.All in all the food was good, portions of pasta are small for a hearty eater. Pizza is a must.Great atmosphere. Music was a bit on the loud side limiting our conversations.I intend to visit again to taste other menu items.
Branca is an anchor right in the heart of ROCs downtown. The service and hospitality are top-notch, and the menu offers something for everyone -- from the fanciest foodie to the one who just wants some good Italian comfort food. As well, the cocktail program is fantastic (the Negroni is a house staple, and for those who like their booze less boozy, try the Juice Cleanse!) and its a great venue for both a happy hour or a four-course dinner.
An appealing menu with delicious results. The bar and wait staff are very knowledgeable for accompanying drink orders!
One of the best panini sandwiches Ive had in a VERY long time. Coffee was excellent. Host staff was excellent. Our waitress was quite rude, but I would definitely go again!
Food was delicious and the ambiance was right. A bit over priced for what you get but tasty enough I Will be back.
Our thanks to Chelsea and her staff for providing a memorable evening during our daughter Kristines and fiance, Angel, wedding reception on Saturday, July 28 2018. The hors doeuvres and dinner, overall presentation, coupled with exceptional service provided by the the staff was outstanding. Also the ambiance of Branca and the downtown setting was truly amazing and beyond our expectations. Thanks again, Chelsea!
My first time at Branca was to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary! Such a wonderful experience! We had the ricotta appetizer - OMG it was delicious. Made fresh daily and served with this crusty, slightly salty bread-perfect. I would eat this as a meal. But we didnt stop there. I had the Loose Lips cocktail which is a play on a whisky sour. I really loved this drink and would order it again and again. For dinner we had the short rib ragu tagliatelle and my husband had the cavatelli. Only downside was the cavatelli was they didnt cavatelli, they used a different pasta. We were there very early (5pm) so it was strange they ran out so quickly. However, my husband did say the dish was excellent regardless. We had flourless chocolate torte and Italian fried dough- both wonderful. And the cappuccino had a thick and creamy creama on top.
Branca is my go-to place for a night out with the girls. The wood fired pepperoni pizza with honey is great! I also love the summer cocktail with avocado and I’m not an avocado gal.
Its on the pricey side. Portions are small. the items on the menu seem to be very hit or miss. Definitely skip the garlic bread, its mediocre and not worth the price, the gnocchi were amazing the carbonara, not so much.
We had pizza and bratta appetizer. Both were very good. Odd choice of music playing in background during Saturday dinner hour. Would consider returning.
The ricotta is excellent, and a must-have. The only thing that I can take exception to is the fact that you have to BEG for more crostini, which I dont understand. Multiple times weve gone with 3+ people and still only gotten 4 pieces of bread to spread it on, when there is easily 12 or 16 pieces worth of cheese. Its a stupid little thing, but then again so is wasting your waiters time each trip they have to make back to the kitchen.
Not very good food for the price.
This was a real treat. The bartenders took great pride in their cocktails and the food was great. We ate outside and while sometimes outside tables get forgotten, the service was 5 star too.
$13.00 for a half of glass of Knob Creek and club soda was outrageous. Brucettia with heritage cherry tomatoes and pesto was yummy even with the broiler char. Should have stopped at the app. House vinigrette was inedible and service was.... suboptimal.
They make some of the best pasty ever and Im so happy with the service their staff provided too. I highly recommend you bring the entire family too.
Place was honestly pretty dope, i ordered a pizza with the best red sauce Ive ever had on a pizza, I need the recipe
The pepperoni honey pizza is to die for!! A little pricey for what Rochester might be used to but perfect for a date night or catching up with friends over a good drink. The vibes are really cool!
Food and location was good; service started great, but evolved into not so great. Server wasnt attentive and seemed too busy to check back in with us at any point in our meal. Over all this place was alright, but probably wont go back for dine in. A little disappointed.
The service is exceptional. The pizza is the best on town. The host is awesome! He needs his own restaurant.
Convenient location, tasty chicken and grain bowl, and a perfectly done burger from local McCanns meat. Did think the prices were on the spendy side for lunch, however.
Fun, trendy bar and restaurant in downtown area. Had nice wine with apps of calamari and also ricotta with charred bread. Super service and will be back.
I only came here for a beer but the place looks pretty nice. I have had some good cocktails too. I will post something on the food if I decide to eat here.
Good food and stylish place!
Im very particular about Italian food having grown up in an Italian American household, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the gnocchi with meat ragu that I had. Very tasty and well prepared.
Best Food.Best Presentation.Perfect Hygiene.Exquisite Service.
Both Brancas are great, downtown is more hip and has a more of a cocktail scene. Cool location, indoor and outdoor seating! Get the ricotta!
We had a party of seven and everyone enjoyed their meals. The food was delicious! Our server Andrew was wonderful.
The pizza was very good. Starters were overpriced. 5 stars for the meal. 3 stars for the starters and the price. 4 star average.
One of the stronger restaurants in town. Emphasis on modern italian but with decent selection. Always enjoyed every meal.
Nice addition to downtown,good food & service 🍕 🍷
This place is great for the whole family. Theres something for everybody and everything taste amazing too.
So delicious and a beautifully designed interior. The bar is big and welcoming. A posh dining experience that was much needed in midtown Rochester.
The pasta here is amazing and the service is one of a kind. I highly recommend you try them out and bring the family with you.
Beautiful, stylish place. Great bar and drinks. A definite downtown stop! Great service and the food is even better. Highly recommend!
A Superb Branca offering of Lobster Pappardelle (handmade) along with a mushroom oven fired pizza (delicately charred) in an attention to detail- retro modern space has put this as a happy hour or dinner center city favorite .
One of my favorite places to go. Great food, service and atmosphere. Get the grilled octopus if its still an app.
Beautifully decorated modern Italian tasted place. Lunch menu is a small compared to dinner but taste and service were good.
Nice food. Good ambient. Only challenge is parking is not very convenient. But still, I definitely would go back.
We went with a large group, some people had very good food, some had just average food. Cool location, and fun vibe. The bar food was good.
Branca is top notch. Perfect place for a private event, dinner and lunch. The staff, ambiance, and food are always amazing. Everything is on point every time we have gone there.
The ambiance and the service is great.. but the food and drinks are okish.
Excellent service! Spectacular food. Great location.
Awesome bar, atmosphere and food!!!
Went last night at 9 and was amazed at the lack of service at the bar and the extremely slow food service. Felt like the place just opened last week. An hour wait for 2 pizzas and 4 salads. Really?
The octopus had a great crispy texture, not chewy at all. Interesting cocktails too. Ive never had wasabi in a drink.
High quality, modern elegant dining. A true proper meal.
Delicious food and great atmosphere!
Excellent menu, wonderfully friendly staff, and the drinks and meals were among some of the best Ive had. Will be back soon.
This is our go to date spot! Food is always good, bartenders are fun and attentive
The staff was pleasant and the service was good. The food was decent but a bit overpriced. We wont be going back because it was TOO LOUD.
Great food, great atmosphere! Highly recommend the ricotta.
Management ensured employee issues were dealt with on the spot. I appreciate that level of customer service.
Great downtown spot / space to coffee-work-drink-eat / well curated cocktail list that brings game and revelry to your night / tasty dishes for sharing and sizeable entrees / friendly and attentive staff / endless HOT fresh bread and scallion butter that is fan-tastic / espresso
Best Pasta carbonara in town. Made with eggs just like in Italy. Not fake Alfredo sauce like in other restaurans. And the deserts are sooooooo goooddd.
Great atmosphere and pizza, however I would recommend making a reservation on any popular outing night.
Entrees came out cold. Most of the female waitresses were wearing leggings, so I got to eat dinner staring at ass cracks. Even my boyfriend made a comment saying it was disturbing.
Wonderful, Food is amazing, my steak was done perfectly! Staff is really friendly.
Fantastic drink and food menu.Upscale decor and aesthetic. Great for a special date.
Great dining experience
Everything I have gotten so far has been pretty good. The charred octopus was fantastic, the drinks all great as well
Great vibe! Interesting mix of custom beverages. And, excellent meatballs appetizer! Ill be back.
Randy was a cool as guy. Made our first time a great experience! Thanks Randy. We will be back soon with more people!
Everything we had for dinner was excellent, as was the service. Their bread is some of the best Ive had.
Awesome. Had another amazing meal. My mother-in-law and I enjoyed the Scalloos done to perfection.
Very well made cocktails. Savory entrees were perfectly proportioned. Glad we came here.
Service and atmosphere was great. Food not so great.
Terrific wood fired pizza and excellent drinks.
New restaurant in the business district - upscale in comparison to other local restaurants. Delicious food and reasonable prices.
NIce bar area. Food was excellent. Nice decor. Service was a tad slow, but not an issue.
Can’t beat this place! Best bread in the world. Pizza is killer. Cocktails are art and amazing.
Nice spot, nice food - refined and yet simple. Some lighter fare would be appreciated. Hope the downtown efforts succeed.
Great new place for dining. The food was very good. The restaurant is very scenic
Outstanding dining experience. Food was amazing and the staff were really accommodating.
Drinks are well done. The food looked wonderful. I did not eat.
The the service was great the food was wonderful and the employees were very kind and the atmosphere was very enjoyable
Very good, Pizza was very good, Bisk was fantastic, Wasnt overpriced, Great Staff. Very polite.
The bartenders and wait staff were unreal nice and attentive. The food was grub
Our experience was wonderful .I called ahead and requested a particular spot ,and as faith would have it . We got our spot and the was delicious.
Food is absolutely amazing & tasty. Customer service is outstanding (:
Great food and drinks! Staff very nice!! Will go back and bring friends!!
Very good, but very expensive!! Doesnt quite justify the prices with the portions. But it is good.
Delicious! A great view from the main dining room of Rochester landmark structures.
If you can afford it, the best Italian dining experience Ive ever had is right here.
Great food great atmosphere friendly staff.
Service was good... drinks were fresh ... food and service good. Only complaint was parking.
Great location in the heart of Rochester. No more need to leave the city to get amazing food.
Nice atmosphere! Good food! Upscale prices$$$
Nice place, solid cocktails
Fabulous menu...great setting in the heart of downtown. Great patio, too!
Food was very good. Nice atmosphere. Definitely recommend.
Love the atmosphere, food is solid and service is always friendly and attentive.
Cool place in the heart of downtown. Good food, great, select, wine list.
My favorite restaurant in rochester. Great food. And great ambiance
The food and the atmosphere are spectacular!
Awesome! Great drinks, variety in menu and great ambiance.
Great food and service nice to have good options downtown.
Good food, good service. Music too loud for business or lunch.
Good menu, great food, good prices, good beer.
Great for lunch and dinner but they also have a to die for pizza!
Private.party. did awesome job!!! Great food!!! Great service!!!!
Great vibe. Salty bread is a must (Pane DAglio). Friendly service.
BAD customer service. Had a big group and the service was really bad. Waiter didnt even want to take a picture of the group.
Very interesting food selection, the staff is terrific.
The place is really nice but the beer is really expensive.
The food was fantastic!
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for Branca Midtown 2023:
Review №1
2022-05-07After getting turned down by a few other places, since we were a group of 11, Branca was ready to give us a reservation. We are so glad we went here because the food, service and atmosphere were 5/5. Everything was so delicious, our waitress McKenna was a sweetheart and so professional, she made sure our dining experience was outstanding. I highly recommend this place.
Review №2
2022-05-27Great service, but Caesar salads were bland and they said I couldnt add raw onion to it. 🙄🙄🙄broccolini salad and beet salad were very good. Steaks were very bland and blah, the mushrooms were the best part of that plate. Pasta was okay, but chicken milanese was very good. Will not be going back.
Review №3
2022-04-16Service and food here was top notch. Super professional, attentive and knowledgeable. Drinks were creative and well balanced and the food was amazing! Cant wait to go back!
Review №4
2022-01-30Got dinner here while in town from Syracuse and this was easily the best Italian restaurant I have been to in New York State. We ate the pepperoni and honey pizza for an appetizer and the gnocchi Bolognese and cavatelli with duck (pictured) for our entrees. All of the food came out fairly quickly. Everything tasted great and portions were perfectly sized - not so big that I felt gluttonous but still big enough to leave me feeling full and satisfied. We also ordered from the bar a glass of wine and The Kramer: a neat new take on the classic cosmopolitan. The restaurant itself was chic but welcoming and warm, especially on a cold Rochester Saturday night. All of the staff who served us were friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to please. Id also recommend getting the olive oil cake for dessert. Im excited to eat here again!
Review №5
2021-07-10Branca really is Amazing! We went tonight for a birthday and were blown away! The atmosphere was inviting, we were seated immediately for our reservation and greeted cheerfully by Reed!The drinks we ordered were made so well and tasted delicious!We ordered two apps, the Caesar salad and Burrata. Both were amazing, the Caesar was light and crisp! For dinner we got the gnocchi and pepperoni and honey pizza! Both were outstanding!Reed was attentive and so kind! He even made the birthday special with some delicious gelato!We were so impressed all around! Thank you for making the night great!
Review №6
2021-07-29Such an amazing dinner! This was the first time dining there and I had a great experience! The rosé was very strawberry-forward and the food was hands-down delicious.
Review №7
2022-03-02Server Meghan set the tone of our evening with her friendly, prompt, and diligent attention to detail and excellent service!Branca is a beautiful space in an awesome location. The food is Italian cuisine and it is done so very well. Fresh ingredients prepared with elegance and style.Highly recommend Branca Midtown. And Meghan.
Review №8
2022-03-12Delicious cocktails and good food, the resturant and bar is beautiful and the service was great too!
Review №9
2022-05-15A lovely restaurant. The pizza and the Chicken Milanese did not disappoint. It was pretty easy to park near the restaurant even on graduation weekend. The staff were very attentive. It was a little loud the last time I went, but it was the graduation weekend for several local universities, so the restaurant was busier than usual.
Review №10
2022-03-08Nice atmosphere, staff was friendly and attentive. Food is slightly overpriced for small portions, but everything was cooked to perfection. The ricotta with bread appetizer was to die for. Parking is awful but that is to be expected with the location in downtown Rochester. Overall, not a bad place, would I go again?… probably not. There are much better places with better location, prices and portions within the surrounding areas.