Martusciello’s Bakery

Note… this would be five stars for the bakery itself… however, since they also are a full-​service deli I have to ding ‘em when the dinging is due. Way back when, before we had such an active Unilocal community I was part of a group of reviewers who called themselves the Rochester Foodnet. Not the best of names, but hey, it was an attempt to highlight some of the local establishments. Our fearless leader, Adam Wilcox (who now opines occasionally for the D&C), would pick a restaurant he appreciated and the gang would descend upon it and nosh our way through a consensus. I was knighted the burgerologist… and had the Bleu burger that day at Martusciello’s. As I recall, the burger itself was a handful and quite flavorful, albeit a bit sloppy.
Flash forward to the present. Stopped by today with the duchess to grab a bite. Granted, it was close to 2 PM. Not a peak hour for eating. We were the only folks inside having Lunch (a late one at that, thanks to Bank of Castile. More on that later). Having fond memories of that earlier Rochester Foodnet group lunch, I ordered the Bleu burger and my wife ordered a medium Tuna sub (her go to sammich) and a side of fries. With beverages it came to slightly over $ 20. Not bad, but more expensive than I remembered.
And then the sadness kicked in. First off… the sub came out first, and while the first few bites were tasty, the overall flavor profile was profusely dominated by mayonnaise. Perhaps they added a dollop too much Hellman’s, who knows. The roll itself was, at that time of day, not the freshest, which is odd considering Martusciello’s rep. The next item that came up was the Bleu burger… which tasted like (and felt like) it was left over from the lunch rush and reheated. If it had been made freshly, it would have been juicier, IMHO. Dry and lifeless. Bun itself was not up to par; I’ve had fresher @ Scott’s II! Very sad. The fries came out last and at least they were hot and fresh.
So, it was a let down. I still love their rolls & I highly recommend them. But unless I hear otherwise, I strong recommend folks patronize other sandwich joints. After all, you’re only a few minutes away from Burger Stop, Steve T.‘s & Savastanos (more the Brother’s Pizza later).
(note… while the video review does not seem to be online, the article still exists and, upon reflection, indicates the price of the Bleu burger has almost doubled since then…
)

The BEST place for hamburger buns.
Makes any burger better.
Tender absorbent inside with a sturdy exterior. Not too thick and not crunchy. I don’t like when a rolls crust can scratch the roof of my mouth.
The roll holds juices and sauces well
Also conforms to and holds a lot of meat and condiment without sliding off.
This roll must have been designed by MIT baking engineers :-)
Also must get while there:
COOKIES & CANOLI

Anyone from Rochester knows that this place has the best rolls and sub rolls that you can find!
Not only that, but they absolutely STACK their subs, and at a price that is outrageously reasonable!
Beyond that, they make excellent cookies and other treats, and everything is fresh. Even their pizzas and calzones are to die for! This place is a true gem, and never disappoints!

As a deli, I’d give this place 4 stars. As good as it is, it’s hard for a deli to go much higher. The bread/​dough however, deserves 5 stars. The secret to the best sandwiches you’ve had locally is probably Martusciello’s bread. Thankfully, you can purchase it at a lot of local markets besides just their store. The best part of the bread is the mold. Now I know what you’re thinking… and frankly, that’s a little gross; you may wanna talk to someone about that. But back to the mold thing: how many times have you bought bread and it lasts for a while, forgotten on the counter? That’s because of all the science that’s baked into it. When you buy bread here, the clock is ticking. You have two, three days tops before you have a class experiment in a bag.
At Martusciello’s, when you buy a bag of bread, you’re not just buying the base for a life-​altering meatball sandwich, you’re also getting an allegory about the fragility of life and fleetingness of vanity… in a bag.

I’m obsessed with this place. Ever since I stumbled upon it for a lunch break about a year ago I’ve continued to come back and everything has been wonderful. I’ve tried the Italian sub, personal pizzas, pizza dough, cookies, canoli’s and discounted bread. The best part is that i have so much more to try!
They might have the best Italian sub I have found in Rochester, although Danny’s Favorite is a fierce competitor. But the personal pizzas are all unbelievable and should not be overlooked by the bakery’s casual display of them. You also cant beat their day old bread deals, but come early because they sell out by the end of the day.
The pizza dough is really easy to work with at home and turns out really crispy, thin and airy. I prefer it even to Napa’s dough (they are skimpy with their prices and quantity) and much better than Wegmans dough. I was surprised that the integrity of the dough was as good as the pizza’s they sell in the store if you use it within a few days (without freezing the dough).
It wasn’t until I found the bakery that i realized that many places use their bread. Dogtown hot dog buns, Deli Sandro’s sub shop and I’m sure many more. What makes both those places great is obviously the bread so its no wonder that this is the greatest bakery in Rochester.

I ate here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised… Actually I wasn’t surprised at all because I’ve heard nothing but good things about this place. We got an Italian sub which was very bready. I didn’t mind because I love bread, but it did make it difficult to discern whether or not the meat was the best it could be. What I could taste was tasty, though. I also got a cheese danish. This is probably more of a personal preference rather than the product being bad, but I prefer my cheese filling to be made from cream cheese (which is sacrilegious, I know). It’s what I grew up with and what I prefer. The pastry dough was soft, flaky, and just the right amount of sweet. On our way out the door we grabbed a baklava, and thank heavens we did. This was the highlight of the trip. How can a pastry be moist, crunchy, flaky, and soft all at the same time? It’s mind boggling, but who cares because it was delicious. I would definitely come back just for the baklava.

Haven’t reviewed Martusciello’s yet — criminal! If you’re looking for the best Calzone in Rochester, you’ve found it. The meatball calzone here is legendary. Absolutely delicious meatballs, extra mozzarella, MASSIVE in size (good for 2 people), homemade marinara sauce and very soft doughy shell. Most calzones have a chewy outer dough. Not these. And for only $ 6.50 a pop, it’s one of the best steals in town. The cookie selection is sweet. The almond cookies are great. Cannolis are ok – I always hate when cannolis are pre-​filled because the shells turn slightly moist. Ask them to fill yours to order. Don’t miss this Rochester institution.

Once again, Unilocal comes through when traveling. We stopped here with 2 little ones after the Strong Museum, and their eyes lit up when the saw the display cases full of pastries, cookies and cakes. We ordered a meatball calzone and an assorted cold cut sub to share, both of which were very good. The sub was loaded with high quality meats, and we had plenty to take home for later. Of course, we also ordered tiramisu, and a black and white sprinkle cookie. Everything was delicious, and a special thanks to the staff who were friendly and helpful.

I sold my Viola and my Clarinet, and bought a Cello with the money. It was buy one, get one, so then I had two. I gave both of them to this store in return for food so now they have My-​two-​cellos.
What to get: Chicken Parm Sandwich.
What else: Anything at all.
I can’t believe Jello is so expensive these days. I’m sick of this marked-​up Jello.
It’s not the best bakery in the world, but it provides the amazing rolls for a lot of the best Rochester eateries, subs, sandwiches and the like. It is the «Costanzo’s» (Buffalo) of Rochester. In the store itself, it’s a sea of options and deliciousness, and is usually very busy, but has places to sit if you’d like to order and dine in. They have all kinds of Italian foods and goodies such as calzones. There’s a large sandwich menu and tons of treats. Everything is good quality and there is a truly enormous variety. Truly enormous like my thingy. Which wasn’t enormous enough for my ex gf apparently who left me for someone even more well-​endowed, but that’s life. My ex boyfriends on the other hand, have never complained. Then again, they are exs.
I do love Kangaroos and Wallabies. There’s just something so adorable about this «Marsupial Fellows.»
I was told to come to this bakery years ago by a stunning Rochesterianonianite girl named Alexis. She’s so tall and so beautiful, and in that regard looks nothing at all like a Chicken Parm sandwich from Martusciello’s. However the Parm tastes exquisite. I’m not going to say it tastes better than Alexis because I wouldn’t know. I’m not that lucky unfortunately. They say it’s better to be lucky than god. But Martusciello’s disagrees, because their sandwich is not lucky… it’s just f*cking good. But you, on the other hand, will be lucky if you come here and try it.
So the bottom line is that Martusciello’s is Rochester’s most beloved bakery, and if you eat a delicious sandwich on a hard roll anywhere in the 585, the chances are the bread came from here. So come to the wellspring and add some pounds to your waistline. The food is worth it.
And what do you call escorts and gigolos down in Atlanta who look for business on the public transport system down there (named MARTA)? «MARTA Sellers.» Of course.

Blast from the past. I have not eaten here in over 10 years. It has not lost a step. In fact it may of gotten better. I am not sure that there is a sub shop in NYS that puts more meat on their Sub. Bread is best around and if there is any room for desert the Canoli is a can’t miss!

Wow — be sure to get to this place.
This place is awesome.
Servings are huge.
Stopped in while in town for youth hockey tournament. Bread is simply great. Some of, if not the best bread I have ever had.
Portions are huge as I said. Cold cut subs are Loaded with meat.
On top of that they have a huge assortment of Italian baked goods, breads, etc…
Small medium large or torpedo.
Small to medium is plenty for average person. If you want to stuff yourself or have leftovers go for large or torpedo.
Bread was even good the next day on leftover turkey sub.

Could there be a better sub roll? I’m certain there isn’t. The best sandwiches/​subs in ROC come on a Martusciello’s roll and that’s all that you need to know. *drops mic*
Truthfully, most people are on the same page about this. I don’t know what bakery sorcery is going on back there but it’s divine. It’s the perfect amount of golden crust on the outside, but ever so subtle like a perfect golden marshmallow that is a puff of doughy air when you bite into it. It’s great as a toasted sub or as is. I typically opt for a classic turkey sub or assorted Italian. Here the deli meat is cut thick. You for sure are getting your money’s worth. I ordered a medium and barely made it through half before I gave up and took the rest home.
They also have a ton of other options like mini pizza/​calzones and several Italian cookies to choose from. This place was jamming with takeout orders for lunch, but we waited no more than 5 – 10 min for all our food.
I recently visited and noticed some construction, which made it look like they’re expanding.
Whether you’re in the area or not, it’s a must visit. Grab lunch and a pack of rolls to go.

The best bread around. Each time I come visit family in Rochester I stop in. Love the subs and love the small pizza. Friendly staff as well.

We tried the Philly steak sub — LOVE the bread but the meat was tasteless and greasy. Ham and Swiss was very good, full of meat and cheese and decent deal.
The best thing here is def the Garlic bread which is a full loaf (and we also have cheese on it) — roasted garlic and comes with a side of sauce and blue cheese for only 4.99. You gotta try it. It reheats well.
Easy to call ahead and pick-​up

Best bread, great pizza, great subs, fantastic prices! I recommend going to this place!

Their small sub is no joke! Their bread is amazing, but that’s not the only thing that makes the sub. They don’t skimp on the meat. It’s so packed that I can’t squeeze and chomp on it — I have to roll up my sleeves and take segmented bites. Extra napkins please!
They offer all types of deli choices and toppings for subs as well as pasta and pastry selections. Also, they have a seating area for dine-​ins. The staff is fast and even though there may be a crowd, I’m in and out within ten minutes, the additional five on me figuring out what I want.
The parking lot is small and the traffic during lunch is a betch. Good luck taking a left out of the lot with Wegmans across the street. Even so, this place is worth the road rage. Stay calm and your palate will smile on. Bön appetit!

I was first introduced to Martusciello’s while working for an accounting firm downtown. A co-​worker insisted that we head over to the west side to go to a bakery for lunch. While I wondered why we would drive out to Lyell Ave just for lunch, I decided to take his advice.
What I was presented with was the most delicious sandwich ever. The bread was crunchy on the outside, yet soft inside. It was packed full of meat, cheese and fixins, yet was cheaper than anything I had been used to buying for lunch during the day. Ever since that first bite, I’ve looked forward to those trips to the other side of the river, and I regularly bring others to spread the word of Martusciello’s…

I grew up in Rochester and I remember there were (and probably still are) many wonderful bakeries here. As an adult, I have been all over the country and found other great bakeries in some cities and few to none in others.
While each of the good bakeries has it’s own unique style and flavor and many are just as good as Martisciello’s, none are better!
Now that I am back in Rochester, I really enjoy their bread and rolls and stop in as often as I can.
But what really does it for me is the friendliness and courtesy of the staff. They always greet you with a smile and when you walk up to the counter at least one of them will stop what they are doing and take care of you instantly.
I just wish other businesses in Rochester would take a lesson in customer service from the Martusciello family and staff.

Best bread in all of rochester and the best sub I’ve ever had. I can tell if a restaurant purchases their dinner rolls from here because their that good and that unique tasting

Martusciello’s is the best possible combination of great food, huge portions, and very reasonable prices.
The steak torpedo (or bomber, as they usually call it) is gigantic. Seriously, no exaggeration: gigantic. It takes two standard takeout containers stuffed full to house this bad boy. I have a big appetite, and it would be a stretch to consider eating one of these on my own. It’s not only huge, buts it’s delicious as well. The steak is flavorful, not shaved rib-​eye or anything, but definitely a nice quality steak. The toppings are always good, with fresh sliced lettuce and tomato if you opt for it. I also suggest getting a side of their meat sauce to dump on there as well! There are a lot of options for toppings, condiments, and cheese. The onion rings are very crispy and delicious, the calzones are also very good and stuffed with fillings.
As far as their desserts go, they all look delicious, but I can only comment on the rum balls and the cannoli. Both are very good, the cannoli filling has a great texture — it’s dense without being overwhelmingly sweet and rich, but I think I would give the cannoli championship to Etna’s right down the street. I will try some more of their sweets in the future.
The bread and rolls are very good, I get rolls here when I take food in for the supervisors who report to me at work, and they always say they are the best. I have to say that one time (and just once) they were a bit undercooked — fully baked, but just a little doughy. The bread and rolls are also VERY reasonable. I think a bag of six rolls is $ 2.00 still! They also usually have a selection of day old things marked down even more!

Best. Bread. Ever.
Martusciellos has of the best bread and rolls you will find in Rochester! Their Italian bead is crusty on the outside, but soft on the inside, perfect mix for sopping up Sunday sauce!
Aside from having the best bread, they have a simple, but killer take out menu! I definitely recommend their Philly steak subs! If you would like to feed a small village, definitely get the bomber, but if not, then a small or medium will be more then enough! I usually switch out the Swiss cheese for mozz or provolone, but no matter what way your order this torpedo of amazingness, you will love it!
If you want to maximize your carb intake for the day, then I strongly suggest you go into Martusciellos in the morning, just after the bread is hot and fresh out of the oven!