Georgie’s Bakery and Cafe

I was introduced to this chunk of heaven, before I even moved up here. I worked with a wonderful Cuban woman ans she told me about the sandwich. At the time, Cuban sandwich was all the rage on Long Island and we tried every place. None were right. Usually the wrong bread. I had one at Georgie’s and fell in love. On one of my trips I bought one to eat on the way back to Long Island and asked Georgie to make one as a kit, so it wouldn’t get soggy. Yvonne had it the next day and posted how magical it was and right on the mark. I’ve been spoiled ever since! No other is as good or authentic. Also, same can be said for his quesitos!

WILL BE COMING BACK FOR MORE ASAP!!!
I stopped in today to grab a breakfast sandwich to-​go (bacon, egg & cheese) and in the first bite I was completely hooked. The egg was perfectly cooked (over medium), the italian roll was fresh & fluffy, bacon was thick cut and well done.
Loved seeing all the family photos & news articles up on the wall and reading about the history of the place. The girl who took our order gave us the deets on their famous cuban sandwich… which I can’t wait to come back and try!
Great quality breakfast sammy for a really reasonable price. Looking forward to my next visit!

This review is solely for the Cuban! I had been wanting to try this place for lunch and it did not disappoint! The small sandwich was quite large and couldn’t finish it all. But I wanted to. Tasty tasty and I will be back to try it again!

They’re really not kidding when they say ‘Best Cuban Sandwich in Western New York’. I have been to little Havana in Miami and this sub is on par if not better than the subs I had in Miami!
The magic happens within the pork. It’s just perfectly cooked and flavorful. I got the small the other day and it was still so big I had it for two-​ish meals.
I’ve had their cookies at office parties and they’re buttery and delicious as well. Although, i’m not the biggest fan of cookie platters and I know there is a lot of competition out there and cant compare them fairly.
I’m dying to go back for the plantain steak empanadas– plantain and meat is a dangerously good combination. Until next time Georgie’s keep up the good work!

OMG… We stumbled in on a Saturday morning and scored a take-​out order of arroz con gandules with pork. Whatever Georgie is doing en la cocina, it is MAGICAL. His roast pork makes us cry a little-​tears of joy.

I’ve tried Georgie’s Porgie, his Pudding, and his Pie, and I have to say that out of the three… okay, I can’t back that up. He doesn’t even sell those things. I’m a reasonable man. Get off my case.
I had the «Tripleta» ish sandwich here, known as the Cuban (but in fact, is it Puerto Rican? Not sure in this case) and I was expecting and hoping to absolutely love it, but I honestly didn’t. The price is fantastic, and it’s nice and filling and juicy, which solidifies this place as a solid 4-​star place that everyone in Rochester should probably try.
However compared to the pernil I love at some other places (including El Latino in Rochester), I didn’t think the stuff on this sandwich was great. The ham tasted like lunch meat, and the chicken was forgettable. So while the sandwich as a whole was good, I didn’t think the meat ingredients were top notch, and it wouldn’t get anywhere near my «best tripleta ever» crown which currently belongs to Sazon Criollo over in Buffalo.
But I do think the owners are thorough when it comes to making Tripletas, and they are good. Which is why this place is being renamed Georgie Thoroughgoods.

Ordered a platter of pastries for a party. They were still warm when I picked them up. Deliciously dressed with jams and fillings freshly made. Can’t get enough of the cream filled, too.
These are some seriously nice people.
Thank you!

A Swillburg Gem!!!
Some of my best buddies live in the Swillburg neighborhood, so I often find myself waking up in at their crib Saturday morning after hanging out on a Friday night. From there, I like to mosey over to Georgie’s to grab coffee and a breakfast fresh breakfast sandwich. As if that wasn’t tasty enough, on Saturdays, Georgies makes amazing homemade pernil y arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican style pulled pork and rice with pigeon peas).
I make this dish frequently and Georgies’ version is authentic and delicious (you will also get some chicarrones on top of the pernil which are my favorite). It is marinated before it is slow baked, so the pork is flavorful and delicious. The rice, which I’ve found is often from a box at other places, is homemade and not too salty.
The décor at Georgie’s is casual and home-​y with pictures of Georgie’s family on the walls. Georgie himself is always there, taking orders and baking. All of the employees are really friendly and I usually dine in — reading the paper while I eat my pernil and drink my coffee.
Even if you’re not from the Swillburg, making the trip over to this side of town is totally worth it! Keep up at the awesome work Georgie!!!

They only serve puerto rican food at 10 am until theyre out on saturdays, the chicken and rice and beans are so good though!

Absolute MUST! You wouldn’t expect much from the outside, or the inside really, but this place has the best food in Rochester! Saturdays they do a special chicken/​pork with rice and beans. Got the chicken and it was an incredible dish. Recently got their famous cuban and was not disappointed! Silly of me to eat an entire sandwich in one sitting, but definitely going back for a large to keep half for later! Street parking is always available right out front, and while I was there it appeared they had a visit from an electrical company wondering about a late bill… never really busy, so lets help keep this place running!

I am giving this rating based only on the Cuban sandwich. I love it.
Someone did mention it’s not traditional, I couln’t tell you, but I can tell you it is a great sandwich. Ranked @ # 1 along with the Cuban @ Cheesecake factory no less!
Try it, try both and compare… maybe we can build a rivalry like that of Pat’s and Gino’s the Philly cheesesteak kings, it would be good for Rochester.

I miss the panaderias of my youth.
In PR we have panaderias, where you can get bread and basics (like milk and cofffee), pastires, and cold cuts. But also where you can get sandwiches made with their bread and café con leche. They are everywhere and they are extremely convenient and offer really good stuff. Better than having to go to the supermarket for just bread and milk. And the perfect place for a quick lunch.
Cuban sandwiches are a staple in those places, and some of those places even offer other traditional dishes for lunch (rice and peas, chicken, beef stew).
Georgie’s is the closest to that that we have in Rochester. They have pastries (that range from really good to just OK), Cuban Sandwiches (That are good, the best in Rochester), and some basic lunch items (rice and peas with roast pork, fried chicken on Wednesdays).
I ordered the Cuban with no bread (avoiding carbs), and it was OK. Their roast pork is very flavorful, and the had heat up the ham too. My only issue is that it had too much cheese, instead of a slice of cheese, it was like a giant chunk of swiss cheese.
My friends had the Cuban, and it looked good, with home made bread. However I have an issue with it, the bread was not pressed. Cuban Sandwiches are pressed! Still the fillings were good and my half Cuban friend was happy with the meal.
The prices are great, and the service is friendly. I’ve had their fried chicken before, and it’s really good.
Although they have some misses, I give them 4 stars because their roast pork is great (which is why so few people can make a decent Cuban sandwich) and their rice and peas is tasty. Also, that fried chicken!

Georgie’s is a classic case of don’t judge a book by its cover.
The Cuban sandwich here is a must. My favorite is with mayo, mustard and a side of Georgie’s hot sauce. The homemade bread and the flavorful meats really make this sandwich. You just don’t find a place like this any more.
Make sure to save room for dessert, as the cookies and pastries are amazing.
You can tell by the quality of the food that a lot of love and care goes into the preparation.

I wish I could give a better review. I’m sure for those who like lettuce, mayo, turkey and onions on a Cuban this place is fine BUT it is not a traditional Cuban. I don’t understand the need to change ingredients unless you’re elevating a dish. This does not do that. I ate a Cuban here in the past but was disappointed by the non-​traditional formulation. I went back based on an article that indicated that they did in fact have a traditional sandwich and got the mayo, onions, etc. I wish someone in Rochester made a real Cuban.
However, Georgie’s Puerto Rican baked goods including quesitos are very good and the saving grace of the place. Their Italian bread is also pretty good. It’s crusty on the outside and soft and light on the inside. On my next visit, I will order a meal with yellow rice. I grew up with the real thing 3 or 4 nights a week. I hope they don’t disappoint.

I just picked up a Cuban sandwich from Georgie’s for lunch. After reading all these favorable reviews on Unilocal,I was excited about finally trying this sandwich. Even with all the hype, I was not disappointed. It was simply delicious. I made sure to wash my hands after devouring the sandwich, but i’m sure there is still sandwich grease all over my face. It’s part of the experience, so I don’t mind.
I don’t have a good means of comparison since I’ve only had Cuban sandwiches maybe twice in the past. Their sandwich was a lot bigger and juicier than the ones i’ve had before. They use traditional ingredients such as glazed ham, roasted pork, melted swiss cheese on fresh bread. In addition, they include turkey, onions, lettuce and mayonnaise. Noticeably absent was any mustard. I ordered a large sandwich and that was probably a bad idea for lunch. I’m a big eater and found myself satisfied after eating half of it. Not wanting to experience a cold Cuban sandwich (even though i’m sure it would still be delicious), I found the Adam Richman within me and finished off the remaining half.
What strikes me about this sandwich is its simplicity. There are no special sauces, just quality ingredients. The unadulterated tastes of the meat, bread and cheese come together harmoniously. The same can be said for the textures: warm melt in your mouth deli meats, tender pork, gooey cheese and crispy pickles. The preparation of the deli meats reminds me of Firehouse, where they steam their meats until becoming soft, succulent and warm. While I cannot guarantee this is actually what they do, it sure tastes that way.
The restaurant itself has a mom-​and-​pop feel and is modest in appearance. The service was friendly and the sandwich was made swiftly. There is a small dining area if you choose to dine-​in. I did not really take a good look at the other items on the menu, but i’ll be sure to come back just based on my sole Cuban sandwich experience. It is already dangerously close to overtaking Whatta-​Banh Mi as my favorite sandwich in town. This is another Rochester gem that more people (especially for those sandwich lovers) should know about.

Georgie’s is a great lunch spot. One of a kind. Try the BBQ chicken, or anything that he has on special. Their hot sauce has a very unique taste and is really fresh. Beef and banana empanada? Yes. excellent treat.
The infamous Cuban sandwich… Well, here is my comparison on a broader scale: Chinese food in America is (for the most part) different than Chinese food in (the gigantic country) of China. Don’t get me wrong, I love American-​Chinese food. And I love this sandwich.
Anyway, it is hard to really call this a Cuban besides the fact that it has pickles, pork, and ham. A Cuban sandwich (popularized in Miami, where you’d be surprised to meet somebody who isnt Cuban) is pretty different.
This is pretty much identical to what you get in every restaurant in Miami:
Not trying to be a food-​nazi here and am not even slandering this sandwich in the least. I mean, what else is he going to call it on the menu?
I love Georgie’s Cuban sandwich and will return again and again. Enjoy!

I stopped by Georgie’s last weekend after reading the positive reviews here on Unilocal and having had their bread on a banh mi over at Vinh Hao, hoping to find a great Cuban sandwich. Although I would prefer something a little more restrained with the contents this was one tasty sandwich. I requested mine to not have mayo, onions, and lettuce and put some mustard on instead to try and cut through the richness of the roast pork, ham, turkey and cheese.
Make no mistake, this is a rich flavor bomb of meat and cheese that will fill you up even with their «small» size. All the meat in the sandwich was cooked very well and the roast pork that was the majority of the meat was salty and tender and something to be aspired to. The mustard helped a little bit along with the pickles to cut through the fatty meats. I enjoyed the taste of the bread but it could barely stand up to the juices that flowed out of my sandwich which would be my only real complaint with the whole experience.
They also had a good selection of breads available for purchase and a small dining room if you wanted to sit in and eat. Definitely recommended if you want to fill up your gut and treat your taste buds to some real meaty goodness!

This is the real deal people. This cubano sandwich is f$&ing amazing! The bakery doesnt look like much from the inside or the outside — and there are a slew of regulars there who may appear somewhat… unsavory — but hang tight because the cuban is just the opposite ;) one bite of that roast pork, ham, vinegary pickles with drippy mayo sliding down your chin and you’ll be swinging open that screen door for more…

Rochester is a sandwich lover’s paradise.
Dibella’s and Pellegrino’s have traditional subs on lock-​down. Lee’s and Whatta are both making banh mi that is on par with Vietnamese sandwich places in much larger cities. Open Face and Mise En Place are cranking-​out classy sandwiches made with artisanal /​gourmet ingredients right next door from each other, Dogtown serves the best hot dog (technically a sandwich, I think) anywhere, and do I even need to mention that damn pulled pork sandwich at Dinosaur?
Add the Cubano at Georgie’s Bakery to the mix and it’s clear that we’re living in a city that knows a thing or two about slapping some ingredients in between two pieces of bread and calling it a meal.
James M. and I came to Georgie’s today after he insisted that I had to try the Cubano. An established skeptic of positive restaurant reviews in the City Newspaper, I was intrigued by Mr. Leach’s recent review of Georgie’s, yet reluctant to spend my hard-​earned cash on an unknown sandwich, when I knew I could get stellar sandwiches from a half-​dozen places within a one-​mile radius of my apartment.
Knowing today also happened to be Wednesday, the one day of the week that Georgie’s makes fried chicken, I decided that it was as good as any to sample what this little eatery had to offer.
First, the fried chicken. As it currently stands, Rochester doesn’t really have a place to hang its chicken hat. Sure, there might be a soul food place or two that no one has been to on the other side of the city, and that place in Webster has been getting a lot of positive attention lately, but in all honesty, are you willing to drive more than a few minutes for fried chicken? Hell, if I have more than sixty seconds to think about ordering fried chicken, I usually don’t order it because of I’m afraid of having a heart attack.
Today, I just walked in and ordered, and I must say, Georgie’s serves up some damn good fried chicken. While it’s not the best I’ve ever had and I would have preferred more seasoning on the chicken itself, when combined with homemade hot sauce and heaping portions of beans and rice and macaroni salad, it makes for a pretty satisfying meal for only about 7 bucks. The batter was perfectly light and crisp, and there was so little grease that I didn’t even have to wash my hands afterward. There were no soggy lumps of batter under the skin or sheets of batter falling off as soon as I bit into the chicken. The chicken was golden brown, scorching hot, and brilliantly moist.
Texturally, it was perfect.
The beans and rice were well-​seasoned and did not clump together in a giant mass, like they tend to do when I cook them at home. The amount of mayo in the macaroni salad was not overwhelming, and hard-​boiled eggs added a nice fluffiness and depth that is missing in mayo-​only mac salads. The habanero peppers in the accompanying vinegar-​based hot sauce provided a nice kick to anything fortunate enough to receive a splashing.
Now for the Cubano.
As many of you know from my banh mi reviews, I’m a firm believer that despite being considered by many as a mere vessel designed to hold the REAL stars of the show, the modest roll can make or break a sandwich. It can be too crusty, too stale, too thick, too thin, or it may succumb to the moisture of the ingredients and disintegrate as soon as you pick it up.
At Georgie’s there is no question as to the freshness and quality of the bread. Georgie’s is primarily a BAKERY that also happens to serve amazing sandwiches. Without bread, there would be no Georgie’s. What makes this place truly special, however, is that even though they could put any old cold cuts on their delicious bread and it would still make for a good sandwich, Georgie’s refuses to drift into the land of mediocrity and has chosen to include house roasted pork on their signature Cubano.
The interplay of ingredients transforms a straight forward combination of foods into a magical food masterpiece that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. From the crispy pork to the salty ham to the gooey cheese to the tart pickles to the creamy mayo-​based condiment to the oven fresh bread, there is nothing in this sandwich that seems out of place. Sprinkle on a little bit of hot sauce and you’ve got one of the best sandwiches out there.
As for the service, both the woman and the man working there were cheerful, generous, and accommodating. They checked-​in with us several times to make sure we were satisfied and thanked us for our business on the way out. The dining room was small, but clean and despite the high volume of take-​out orders, we only had to wait about 5 minutes for our meals to arrive.
I give this place, and the Cubano in particular, my highest recommendation.

I visited Georgie’s today for lunch to evaluate their claim of «Best Cuban Sandwich in Rochester.» After inhaling my sandwich I must agree.
Georgie’s version of the famous cuban consists of heaping piles of succulent roast pork, topped with thinly sliced turkey, ham and melted cheese served on a freshly baked roll and dressed with lettuce, mayo and pickles. I don’t think the traditional version is served with turkey and I’m pretty sure mustard is used rather than mayo, but this sandwich is absolutely amazing. I was really impressed by how well seasoned and moist the pork was, and their made in house roll blew me away.
Georgie’s is the definition of a small family owned shop. Georgie personally served our meal and later returned to ask how we enjoyed it and to tell us about his weekend specials. He was on a first name basis with most of the dining room. This is one of those places where you happily pay the bill. It feels good to support a quality local business like Georgie’s.