Veneto Wood Fired Pizza & Pasta

I thought that this is a pretty standard Italian restaurant. We had the gnocchi and the mushroom pizza. Both of which were good, but not outstanding. The pizza was a little heavy. The service was great and it has a great vibe. I also really liked the bar area, so I might come back again just for drinks.

I had a reservation for 7:30 and got there at 7 and they took me in, even though it was Valentine’s Day weekend. We ordered the prusciotto wraps, risotto balls, lobster bisque, and the Bianca pizza. Everything was really good. The Bianca pizza was a tad salty probably from too much prusciotto. The butter that was brought out with the bread was cold and I couldn’t even spread it on the bread.
I’ve been here several times and I love their food and I’ll be definitely be returning.

Guys, they got rid of the diner cups! Hooray for situationally appropriate glassware.
If you’re a fan of cooking shows, go ahead and sit at the counter. You can snuggle up next to your boo’s stool and watch the chefs at work– it’s so fun to watch the pizzas go in and out of the oven.

Was taken here for the first time for an anniversary over a year ago, really want to return soon because I haven’t had a bad meal yet. My only complaint was how noisy the restaurant has been the couple of times I’ve gone but honestly the food and service more than makes up for it. This is a great spot for a date night and being able to see the kitchen is a nice touch atmosphere-​wise. Will definitely be back!

First time here tonight ordered takeout. Appreciative that you offer gluten free pasta however the corn pasta is definitely a cheap way out. I ordered the vodka penne and when I got home and opened it all the pasta was broken apart. It was dry. not enough sauce AND the pasta had a weird corn taste. I highly recommend you switch to 100% brown rice pasta. People with gluten problems usually have issues with corn as well. I’m not sure if I will be back but you will definitely not lose more customers if you switch to brown rice pasta. Sorry

We didn’t have reservations, so we ended up eating at the bar. The waitress was pleasant and we ordered of the special menu and both our entrees were good. We haven’t been there in quite some time but definitely would consider going back.

First off, some of the other earlier reviews mention homemade pasta. I think this has been done away with as nothing I saw on the menu mentioned it and I was unable to get the penne that I saw in the pictures.
My family and I went together we had the arancini and prosciutto wraps along with some salads to start. Then for dinner I had the farfalle with vodka sauce. Everything I ate needed seasoning besides the prosciutto wraps. They do not have fresh grated parmesan either which, for the cost of the dishes, I would expect. Olive Garden has fresh grated parmesan. The bread was cold and so was the butter. The salad needed more dressing, in my opinion. They must have changed the sauce when they did away with the homemade pastas because anyone who says Veneto has the best vodka sauce around is not well versed in the area.
The waitress was very attentive and amiable, the only reason this review is not a 1-​star. But the interior of the restaurant was cramped and very cold, temperature wise. I liked the décor and the view of the street.
All in all there are much better Italian restaurants in Rochester. Maybe the pizza is good but I do not think I will be back to try.

Great service and food! We came as a party of three, and we’re all treated very nicely. The food is a bit pricey, but is definitely delicious! We ordered two pizzas and risotto balls, they were great! I definitely do recommend this restaurant. It is clean and very organized.

I’ve been here a few times and have always had a good meal and experience. I’ve ordered their amazing brick oven pizza. So, this time I decided to order a special and went with the rib-​eye that came with garlic smashed potatoes as the starch and the a mix of green beans and Brussels’ sprouts. The rib-​eye was delicious and cooked a nice medium rare. The vegetables were good too. The sprouts appeared steamed or boiled and I prefer mine pan-​seared, but they were good and my main focus was on the protein anyway. The meal was $ 27. Not too bad, but I feel like it would have been a little less expensive elsewhere. I had a few Founder’s All Day IPA to wash it down.
Nobody in my group ordered a pizza, which was a rarity! Everyone ordered a special or a pasta dish. I tried one of my friends penne with vodka sauce meal and I think that will be my choice next time I go. It was really, really good!
We laughed about being early birds since most of my friends have kids and we were eating at 6:30. Personally, I don’t eat dinner until after 8 – 8:30. At that time the place was about half full. and easy to get a table. However, once we were done and heading out the door at 8:00ish, the place was filled. My suggestion would be to come early or call ahead and make a reservation for a later time.
Our waitress was attentive, quick to make menu suggestions, and readily refilled drinks.

Really GREAT foood! The ambiance is cool, with the open kitchen right in the middle of the room. We ordered aranchini (rice balls) for an appetizer, which were crisp and beautiful on the outside, and warm and mouth watering on the inside with lots of flavor. Also comes with a really BOMB tomato sauce.
For my meal I ordered the alfredo with pancetta and peas… no words. so. good. so. rich. so creamy and delicious. Definitely a *take home half* kind of meal because it’s a rich dish.
So so so good. Also great service; could tell we had a very seasoned waitress. She knew what she was doing and was very attentive and nice.
Also very clean.
Would recommend this place to everyone.

We used to be regulars of Veneto’s especially when they had Aglio & Olio on their menu — it was great but alas that is long gone. Now we might stop here once per year. In nice weather it was fun to sit outside at one of the few tables and watch the East End action.
We visited on a Sunday night following a Fringe Fest show so it was relatively empty though we had a reservation for our group of 8. The service was fine, pretty invisible, in a good way. I ordered the lasagna since it is one thing we don’t bother to make at home. It was pretty darn good. The selection of beer is kind of small given most places these days have extensive menus.
Not being here on a busy Friday or Saturday I did not get to see if their hosts/​hostesses have gotten better at their job — in the past they were often combative and surly when it was crowded. I hope they have hired people more skilled at dealing with the pressure.

Its shocking that a lot of places do not know how to make a good wrap. Where each bite has the same flavor and you aren’t just taking a bite of lettuce. This place knows how to do that and yum. I had the turkey wrap and my mother got the chicken wrap. We were both very pleased with the freshness and the assembly of the wrap. The soup of the day was beef and potato broth which was phenomenal. The beef in the soup was so tender. Totally looking forward to eating the second half of the wrap later.
Our server was very attentive and made sure everything was correct. We sat outside and enjoyed the sun. I will definitely be coming back here again.

I wish I’d known about this place on my previous 7 or 8 trips to Rochester! This place is great! Started with a wonderful unfiltered wheat beer (see picture below). I ordered the Greek pizza and it too, was absolutely on point. Thin, crispy crust… wonderful artichoke, olives, feta cheese. I wish I had another one right now. My two dinner companions ordered different pizzas and we all shared. Everything was great. The space is comfortable and I just love an open kitchen. Go here and have some great, NON-​CHAIN pizza!

Best wood fired pizza in town, best vodka cream sauce we have ever tasted. If you are looking for quality, authentic Italian, this is your place. I can’t wait to go back!

You know when you go out somewhere and look forward to having leftovers for lunch the next day. Well, this is not the place to do that. Somehow, someway I finished that whole GD bowl of homemade penne?! I may deem Veneto as the beholder of my favorite penne vodka in town. The thrown hath been stolen. Hear, hear for Veneto!
When a pasta dish manages to remain light and flavorful, it’s a rare feat. I couldn’t stop eating it. I even stopped halfway through in an attempt to save half the dish for the next day. Nope, I couldn’t resist. I even sopped up the rest of the sauce with their table bread. It’s a delicious balance of cream, tomato and a subtle hint of heat to round out the dish.
This may be one of those places where I’ll go just for my favorite dish. They have wood fired pizzas as well so it’s a good place to go with a group and get things to share.
The space is a nice upgrade to the general vibe of East End and I’m glad it’s survived — Likely due to the care taken to prepare and present each dish with simply good ingredients. All in all, try the penne vodka and get back to me about how life changing it was for you. That’s my Friday tip for you, ROC. Cheers (and wear stretchy pants so you can stuff yourself)!

This is the second time I’ve come here and the food is just delicious and so fresh. The arancini of the day is always a hit! And the pastas and pizzas are all made fresh.
We got the risotto of the day with chicken, mushrooms, spinach, roasted peppers, and a garlic cream sauce which was pretty tasty but could’ve been a little more flavorful. The gnocchi with marinara as well as the gnocchi with pesto cream sauce were both amazing. My parents enjoyed both the chicken parm and the eggplant parm — they were HUGE! Definitely shareable. All of the portions were quite generous, so I would certainly recommend sharing, especially if you are having an appetizer or pizza as well.
We didn’t try dessert either time we went, but they’re all homemade. I love the ambiance and look of this place — lots of exposed brick and pretty floors. They have some outdoor tables too. Love it!

VODKA SAUCE will change your life… that is all you need to know
You can thank me later

I was in town for business and had dinner here earlier this week with a colleague who was also from out of town. Veneto was close to our hotel so we decided to give it a try since reviews looked decent, and we were too tired to go too far.
I had the pasta that was on special. The pasta was fresh rather than dried, which earned some points right off the bat! The chicken was good, as were the vegetables that came with it. The white wine cream sauce could have used a bit more… something…I don’t know maybe some more garlic, fresh herbs… something…it was a good dish, but nothing I’d hurry back for. I’m thinking the pizzas are the way to go here. They looked great, but I knew I’d have leftovers if I ordered one of those, and since I was heading to more meetings the next day, wouldn’t be able to put the leftovers to use!
The wine list was short but decent. Service was good, and on a Monday night the place was not crowded.

I used to go to Veneto back when it was a young and up and coming restaurant. One of my friends that’s a very picky eater, loved the place, so we would go often when we were hanging out.
But, alas, he moved far away, and the fact that parking in that area is hard to find most days, meant, that I rarely visit this place anymore.
When I went this time, now that my friend came for a visit, I felt that time hasn’t been too kind to Veneto. The whole pizza in a brick oven has become quite common in Rochester, and theirs although not bad, it’s not spectacular enough to be on the top of my list.
Their pasta dishes seem to have become more standard too, so it’s not that exciting. Although the pasta dish I had (Venetian Chicken) had an incredible sauce and delicious vegetables, the chicken I got was a rather dry and tasteless piece of grilled chicken breast.
Their beer and wine selection is OK, again nothing to write home about.
Then there was the service, we barely go any attention in a restaurant that had some tables going, but it wasn’t completely slammed. The waitress forgot our requests a few times, things like plates and the wine I ordered. That really convinced my traveling friend that it may be a good idea to go somewhere else when he comes to visit.

Great wood fired pizza. Passable everything else.
Good location downtown. Street parking which I can usually find nearby otherwise there’s a paid parking lot right next to it. Outdoor seating which is a good plus when the weather is good.
The place isn’t too big but I’ve never had difficulty finding seating even without a reservation. The kitchen area is right in front of the bar and you can see them make the pizza which is cool. The décor has an earthy/​wooden feel which is nice.
I’ve been here a few times and tried a few things. I’ve discovered that all the pizzas are quite well done and taste delicious no matter which one you end up getting. The salads are hit or miss. I’ve had a delicious Greek salad but a very mediocre grilled chicken salad here as well. Same goes for the soups. You get the daily special soup and that’s your only option. While the broccoli cheddar soup was just what my taste buds craved (though not as hot as I would have liked — temperature wise), the 12 bean soup was just okay. The Bruschetta is decent and I would order it again.
Do try the tri-​berry pudding for dessert. It was surprisingly very good.
The servers have been very helpful and pleasant every time I’ve dined here. Prices are reasonable and I believe maybe a little cheaper than other wood fired pizza places. They offer gluten free pizza and pasta and allow substitutions which is a plus.
All in all a nice cozy place for a casual dinner with a nice atmosphere. Three stars because of plenty of room for improvement in most menu items other than the pizza. Will come again.