Polizzi's Rochester

Love this place. Great food and great service.... One suggestion, we ate at the bar, TV on with no sound playing who knows what, but no one was watching....I checked....better to set the TVs to scenes from Italy or an aquarium. That said, very eclectic crowd, young people and older people. We had a fig pizza and wine, both excellent. Service outstanding. Place was packed and we came around 7:30.

There are not enough words to express what an amazing dinner experience we had recently at Polizzi's. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with modern furnishings and soft ambient lighting. The tasteful but understated decor creates a welcoming chill vibe that makes you feel like you want to stay a while. My boyfriend and I were warmly welcomed and seated by the hostess shortly after we arrived. Keep in mind we arrived at 6:30 pm hoping we would be able to score seats at the bar because of the dinner rush. We were very surprised and happy when we were told by the hostess that there was a booth for two available. It was just perfect for our long overdue date night because it provided us with the perfect amount of privacy so we could enjoy our dinner and conversation with minimal interruption. Before I get into the food, I have to show the Polizzi's staff some love. When we arrived we were told that they were short a server and that it may be a bit of a wait. Honestly, I felt the kitchen and wait staff timing was perfect. I thought that the entire staff work well together and everyone pitch in to make sure the customers were happy and had what they needed. Shout out to our server Joe B who is just cool like that. I don't think I saw him pause or slow down the entire time we were there. What I appreciated the most about Joe, even though he was putting in work that night he always had a smile on his face, was attentive and friendly to the customers and staff. Disclaimer: before I get into the food (which was amazing), Polizzi's casual fine dining restaurant, so expected it to be on the pricy side. However, our dinner and the entire experience were priceless and worth every penny. Let's get on to the good stuff...the food...YUM! The homemade Italian bread is wonderful, it was a crunchy texture on the outside and a soft and slightly chewy interior that pairs perfectly with the dipping oil. We started our meal off with drinks and their Grandma Carmella's Minulotti appetizer, which is their wonderful bread that is stuffed with Italian sausage and a generous topping of melted mozzarella. Three words "Yummy Cheesy Goodness". For dinner my boyfriend order the grilled Cod dinner special, the cod was grilled to perfection, it was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. The cod serves with a creamy mushroom sauce, asparagus, and saffron rice. I order the Braised beef short ribs and Truffle Butter Mashed Potatoes. I enjoyed every tender, rich and flavorful bite. The mashed potatoes were creamy perfect sides to round out the dish. Thank you to Tom, Joe, and the team at Polizzi for an amazing evening. We are looking forward to attending your next wine and food pairing events.