ZZest Culinary Market and Wine Cafe

Nice little spot for lunch. They have lots of cool gourmet things. Cheese, wines, etc. Go here if you want something different. Very cool outdoor patio. I like to stop here when going to the mall. Much nicer than the food court.

There is definitely a large selection of items to try, tapas styled apps and meals… They even have jamon ibberico. Gotta get my hands on that next time. Olive oil app was pleasantly surprising. It came with organic olive oil, blood orange oil and lavender infused oil whhhaaaaa. I wish there was more bread to finish off the app! I love an interesting burger, there’s was smokey a tad gamey and it had what my bf said «the best pickle I’ve ever had” — it was sweet like its been sitting in a banana pepper brine. The Korean tacos are in a soft corn tortilla, filled with shredded pork and pickled vegetables. I wouldn’t say it was Korean, it had more of a shu mai/​dim sum flavor. Had the cock n bull ginger beer for shits and giggles but I pleasantly surprised by how spicy it was. It was a refreshing palate cleanser.
The service was very great. Ambience is typical hipster nonsense. Its great for couples to large groups (coworkers, doctor wives who are just waiting to get smashed mid-​day).

The food at this super cool restaurant was so good, it made me cry. Using fresh, local ingredients when possible, the 3 working chefs create fussy food that doesn’t feel fussy, so you don’t feel so snobby spending that much money. I’d be willing to pay more – it’s totally worth it! Visit the cheese deli before you leave. Can’t wait to return and try the chef’s tasting menu! Alas, I have to wait for a special occasion to justify the cost. But that’s what makes a visit to ZZest even more special – the anticipation!

Nitrogenated white stout on tap. Burger with bacon bits mixed into the ground beef. The outside area is one of the most scenic views due to the river right there. Worth a visit!

So after a long week at work and a full evening of shopping, my wife and I went to Zzest for dessert and snacks. It was getting late in the evening on a Friday, but the dinner crowd had already left. We walked in and asked if we wanted dinner, and when we explained that we were looking for desserts, they grabbed some dessert menus and took us out to the patio. It was end September, so there was a slight chill in the air, but they had the heaters going. I can’t say how much I love the feeling of the hot air mingling with the crisp, cold, pre-​autum air, but it would be safe to say that i would be content to sit there for a very long time. The lighting was spot on. It was the perfect atmosphere to unwind. Our server was attentive and responded promptly to all our requests. He brought over complimentary popcorn. We had the choice of a truffle popcorn or an herbs de provence popcorn. We went with the truffle since my wife doesn’t care for lavender flavor. The truffle falavor was very subtle — it might as well just have been buttered. But for complimentary, oh well. No biggie.
My wife ordered the steamed chocolate pudding with a mango coulie and I had the meyer lemon sabayon with thyme cream. We also split a bottle of san pellegrino and ordered a chef’s choice cheese board. The desserts were heavenly. The mix of lemon and thyme cream was an interesting pairing. I had it before with fish and poultry, but in a dessert it was fabulous. My beef with lemon desserts is that they are often overly sweet. Not this. The lemon was allowed to be tart and instead of sugar to counteract the tartness, the cream and thyme were allowed to compliment it and carry it. The chocolate cake and mango was a great match. The chef brought out our cheese board and explained his selection for the evening. We were treated to a sharp cheddar and a from of camembert called bent river. It was, as explained to us, in the last phase of its aging process before it went bad. My favorite was the bent river. It had a wonderful texture to it and a funky taste that reminded me of a strong cauliflower. The cheeses were served with a pumpkin butter that paired wonderfully with them. We stayed there until almost closing just enjoying the wonderful atmosphere and savoring the food. We were often checked on but never rushed. After tip we spent a little over $ 40, but it was worth it. We can’t wait to go back and have another cheese board and maybe stay for an entire meal.

Never have I been disrespected and ignored by a restaurant in my life like my wife and I were on 9/​26, our wedding anniversary of all days. We walked in at 3:30 and sat ourselves as the sign stated. Not a single other customer was in the place at the time. At least 6 employees made eye contact but not one said a word to us in the 15 minutes before we walked out in complete disgust. Despite the fact that we won’t be back any time in the near future, the times we have been there, the plates left us woefully hungry afterwards. Additionally, Wagyu is not spelled Waygu, and the amount of vegetables on that specific dish was absurdly minimal. Get your heads out of your asses, folks!

Sadly, I am only able to give three stars, not because of the quality of food, ambience, or any massive breakdown on the server’s part. But, last night my mother and I arrived around 6:15pm to an almost empty restaurant. Literally 3 tables were being used inside. We were seated at the kitchen bar, and it was extremely uncomfortable. The chairs were so low that I couldn’t even relax enough to enjoy the experience. We asked to be sat at a table instead because it was really awkward seating, to which they responded all tables were reserved. As we were dining, a few people came in to enjoy their reserved tables, but by the time we left around 7:15−30, there were still over 5 tables that hadn’t even been touched! While the food and friendliness of wait staff were superb, an understanding of the flow of restaurants is detrimental to ensure ALL customers receive the best care. Sorry guys. I’ll give you another chance since your rabbit ragu was to die for, but please consider buying new bar chairs and look into how to effectively book reservations and accommodate walk-​in requests. It is possible! There was really no reason that we couldn’t have been sat at a table and it would have made a world of difference.

It’s probably the best place I have dined so far in Rochester. The atmosphere is nice, waiter was attentive, food was great and great presentation of dishes. I highly recommend this place.
We had cheese place to share — we picked 2 cheese. Very small portions but cheese was tasty.
Lamb tartar — very tasty
I had seared lamb loin which was flavorful, tender and juicy.
My date had wagyu hanger steak. This was also great but I liked my lamb better.
Had meyer lemon sabayon for dessert. It was like a lemon tart. Tangy and delicious with touch of thyme.
I enjoyed dining here. I will defiantly be back!

The ambiance is fab, the service is great. But I don’t always have an exquisite culinary experience here. Some things just don’t quite work for me (bone marrow pizza that tastes like horseradish soaked bread), but some things are great. I did enjoy the fois gras meatballs the one time I had them. Most things that sound good have pork and I just don’t do pork. The ice cream is great but the scoops are a third of the size they should actually be. I will be coming back, hoping I find a favorite dish.

ZZest is a self-​described gem in the city of Rochester and I would very much agree. There is certainly room for improvement but I believe my first experience here was very promising. Reservations on a weekend are essentially mandatory, particularly for larger groups. With a reservation, they seat partial parties which is a nice touch. The interior is very unique for Rochester standards and makes for a very comfortable dinner with friends.
Our party of 9 was able to be seated immediately in a table that was prepared for us ahead of time. While I waited for indecisive people in my party, I was able to snack on complimentary [truffle?] popcorn. Service was overall very quick although one member of our party did not receive their order at all. The waiter realized their mistake and corrected it by expediting the order and providing us with a free dessert — a nice gesture.
I ordered the beef and bacon burger, which placed the bacon directly into the patty. Others at my table ordered the braised hen and homemade fettuccine due to high praise in previous reviews. Overall, I thought it was a tasty but somewhat expensive burger. The portion size was adequate and I left feeling full between the popcorn, burger, and cheese for 5 (highly recommended). I don’t believe the same can be said about the fettuccine and hen, as the consensus was that both plates were overly salty. This seems to be a trend on previous Unilocal reviews and is something they should address.
I think ZZest will certainly be up for a re-​visit. Their success will hopefully draw more attention to the food scene in Rochester and perhaps new restaurateurs. Medcity definitely needs more choices like ZZest!

Great food. Unique cheese and meats. The staff is great and very well versed. They also have a great drink and wine selection. Phenomenal bloody Mary’s!

Let’s be clear. This is not a kid-​friendly restaurant. (I hope Unilocal changes that in the more info area). They don’t offer kids favorite beverages, a kids menu and they spice or over salt everything. I wish it were kid friendly. Luckily we moved from a very «foodie» major city and our kids have pretty adventurous taste buds. But I didn’t count the kid factor in to my review. The three stars are for the food, not for the lack of kid friendliness.
Salt. anyone? Who ever throws that much sea salt on every single dish (including pizza) must have some crazy high blood pressure. My burger was over salted, so was the pizza, potatoes… etc. I was pleased they didn’t salt the wine.
Trying too hard? Yes I know you are a hipster foodie place in a not so foodie town and you want to stand out. But don’t make me feel dumb because I don’t know what half the things on the menu are. Just include a brief explanation. Don’t make me ask. I’ve been to great wine and tapas bars and never once didn’t understand the items. Even exotic things. A good restaurant doesn’t need to be so pretentious.
Back under the «trying too hard» heading… simplify. There were just too many flavors and spices and (don’t forget) salt going on to really enjoy the food.
Bottom line… I’ll be back. Well, most likely. On a date night. I will ask them to not add salt and bring my phone so I can google the items on the menu. Pickings are somewhat slim in a city this size, so… ya know, beggars can’t be choosers. But they can still write a Unilocal review.

It’s been four years since I last ate at Zzest but the memory of eating the Riesling pear sorbet by the pint hasn’t left me. On a recent visit back to Rochester, a friend and I stopped in to catch up over a few appetizers and, of course, dessert.
After a minor challenge getting a table, we settled into a small space in the recently remodeled dining room, just across from the bar. Since I was with a frequent diner at Zzest, I deferred to his judgment for the food, aside for the mozzarella app that Unilocalers seem to love.
In addition to the mozzarella with sausage, we ordered the skordalia, beets, and a sausage pizza. The thing that I used to love about Zzest when it first opened was that the dishes had layered flavor combinations that were unexpected at times, but that worked quite well together. It appears as though they’ve not only preserved that concept, but really built upon it. Had I been hungrier, I would’ve tried a couple of other items on that menu that really intrigued me.
As we were winding down this meal, our waitress brought the check without offering us dessert. Maybe they were trying to politely hint that we needed to go since they had a full house that night. But, I wasn’t going anywhere without seeing the ice creams and sorbets. To my delight, the pear sorbet was there! In fact, the waitress said that they’d just gotten that shipment in. It was just as good as I remembered!
The quality of the food at Zzest remains excellent and the renovated dining area offers more seating and a more intimate setting than what was previously there with the market. It was good to see Zzest continuing to thrive.

Food and atmosphere was amazing. We sat outside on patio furniture overlooking the river under trees. My mother had the grass fed burger, sister had pot roast sandwich, nephew had the children’s pasta, and we split the skordalia and ice cream. All was fabulous. I had the tomato soup, and it was a little too spicy but good if you like spicy food.
The loss of star?.. BETH! Worst service! If it wasn’t such a peaceful place I would have walked out… she does not have customer service skills and should not be a waitress, or at least need training. There are blankets available on the patio if you are cold (another great addition about this place!). I asked Beth if I could have one, and she told me to get up and get whichever one I want. So I did. Gave us menus, water cups, and we poured water ourselves. When ordering, we asked what kind of milk they had (for the kid), and she said she doesn’t know, a white one from a cow in the kitchen. She seemed like she hated her job and was annoyed to be here working today taking our orders. When I ordered I asked if I could have the sour cream on the side, and she said they’re not able to do that, either in the soup or none at all. I informed her I was on a strict diet so couldn’t have sour cream but wanted to add a little myself for flavor. She said geez and walked away… I’m sorry that me asking for sour cream on the side is so much work for you…
I was initially going to give this place 3 stars because of Beth, she ruined my mood with her attitude. however the rest of the staff was great. After we ordered, we got switched out for a new server, that we are not disappointed about because he was awesome!!! We would gladly come again and have Adam as our server!!! He earned back a star for her! He should get a raise and train Beth ;) when that happens I would gladly give this place 5 stars!

Wow! What a find! This little hidden gem of a restaurant is as cute as it is creative. Sitting outside on the patio feels like you are sitting outside at a friend’s house and being treated to some of the most exciting culinary creations ever. I recommend highly the mozzarella appetizer. It is amazing! We were there for lunch and I had the meatball soup which was out of this world. Others at the table enjoyed the pot roast sandwich. For dessert, we had the lemon crème brûlée cake which was completely divine. Yes, I said divine! Accompanied by french press coffee and the perfect meal has been had. The entire time we were there, we kept asking why we hadn’t come here for dinner earlier. Oh well — just another reason to come back to Rochester.

ZZest is updated! No more of the Zzest market (that’s moved downtown to make way for more restaurant space).
I have eaten here a few times. While there are a couple of places in Rochester that I would say have better food, Zzest takes the cake when it comes to unique dishes. They always have curious and interesting mixes of flavors. I tend to prefer getting the chef’s tasting menu so I can try a taste of several different things. I’m never disappointed when I come here.
The price is on the high side – a little over $ 100 for dinner and drinks for two – but it’s a good place to go every once in a while for special occasions.

Stopped by yesterday for an appetizer and a beverage. This place has had a remodel and I really love the interior. The market is gone and they now have a very cool looking bar with cow hides and filament lighting so the décor is warm, inviting, and very cool. I ordered the cheese plate for 10.00 and it is chef’s choice no problems for this cheese lover. The teeny tiny pieces of cheese that were on there were almost laughable. Two little chunks that were approximately the size of a silver dollar. I ordered a bread board also but the server forgot so I did not get to have that. My Y2 wine was delicious but I think was around 12.00 for the glass –this is not a budget friendly option but a nice place to hang with a friend and indulge. Weird foods on the menu for the adventurous!

We are locals, but just got around to trying Zzest last night for my birthday dinner. We were highly impressed! The ambiance is great — cozy but not cramped, eclectic design, hipster vibe, upscale but comfortable feel. Prices were appropriate, I thought, and our entire bill for two people (including 4 drinks, cheese and charcuterie plate, chef’s surprise 3-​course dinner with added wine pairing, pheasant breast dinner, and French press coffee) was $ 133.
We were seated right away at the bar which was completely fine because the chairs up there are SO comfy! Drinks came very quickly and were good — we had the White Lady and Minnesota Mule. Started with a 3 for 17 cheese and charcuterie board and let the deli dudes choose our 2 cheeses and 1 meat. Ended up with speck for the meat, midnight moon goat cheese, and a buffalo mozzarella — all were AMAZING and the midnight moon was possibly one of the best cheeses I’ve ever had. I can’t remember what they said the jam/​sauce was — sage something — but it was also surprisingly fantastic.
Since it was my birthday I decided I should get a queen’s meal and went for the «adventurous chef tasting» with 3 surprise courses and I also added on the wine pairing. Best decision ever! Talk about a phenomenal birthday meal — course #1 was seared marlin with a hummus sauce, #2 was a lamb tagliatelle pasta that was TO DIE FOR, and #3 was a chocolate miso soufflé-​like dessert with fresh fruit and a yummy sauce. I’m actually not a big wine person, but I liked the first wine with the fish, the red with the lamb was just okay, and I did not like the dessert wine that was thick and I believe had maple syrup or something in it — a bit too weird for me, but like I said, I’m not a big wine person. My husband had the pheasant breast and thought it was good but it was hard to compare with my chef’s feast going on right beside him, lol. We ended with the French roast coffee which was amazing and a fitting end to a memorable meal.
Thank you everyone at Zzest — I LOVED my birthday meal! :) We will definitely be back soon, especially this summer to check out the patio.

ZZest is one of our top 2 favorite places to dine in Rochester. The food is great — especially the Chef’s tasting menu (good for adventurous eaters!) They have a unique drink menu and we are almost always more than pleased w/​our experience. Additionally, the patio in the summer is great.
Besides dining at Zzest, we often pop in a few times a month to buy a baguette (from a bakery in Brooklyn) and cheese. Their cheese selection is phenomenal for a town like Rochester. Sure, there are some pricey options, but what do you expect? Sometimes good cheese is expensive.
So, why not 5 stars? The food in the café is relatively reasonably priced, and again, I don’t shy away from spending top dollar on quality cheese. But, in my opinion, everything else in the shop is either a tad (or way) overpriced. I suppose I’d give them 4.5 stars if I could…
This obviously doesn’t keep my from going to Zzest often, but does keep me from giving them a perfect review.
Oh, plan to make reservations if you’re wanting to go for dinner, especially on a weekend night.

Spent two nights in Rochester and enjoyed the patio both nights. It was like dining on your friend’s back porch — if your friend is a gourmet chef who has the best ingredients. Wait staff was friendly and helpful, and the chef came out with each course to explain and answer any questions. The pizza was the best ever and the cheese plate selections were superb.