Fusion food is fun. Homemade pasta is delicious. Door Dash is convenient. But sometimes you have to just have classic Italian food made well — in an intimate dining experience. Rocco at 165 Monroe Ave. is a place that is often recommended.
A coffee klatch in Brighton was talking about favorite Rochester restaurants recently, and Rocco was quickly mentioned.
“Oh my god, the charred bread! You have to try the charred bread with ricotta.” “Rocco is a dining experience that wouldn’t be out of place in New York City.” “Quality.”
So I went with a group. Here’s what we experienced.
Osteria Rocco on Monroe Avenue a small, cozy place for dinner
We made an early reservation on a week night. Everything was seamless. We were shown to a horseshoe booth in the back. The small number of dining tables and the seats at the bar were filling up. It is a lovely place, but what you wear doesn’t have to be formal.
Our waiter was knowledgeable — he had worked in the kitchen in the past — and gregarious. Drinks were ordered and came out quickly. No complaints there. Of course, we were going to try the recommended charred bread. It was surrounded a generous hill of house-made ricotta.