Tucked away on a side street off of Park Avenue, Pour Coffee is the iconic hipster hangout. Here you will find a unique, 3rd-wave, artisan coffee shop, or rather, coffee parlor.
While the exterior is reminiscent of popular coffee spots in Brooklyn and Oakland like Blue Bottle, the interior boasts an industrial decor, with exposed low-hanging filament bulbs, simple steel chairs and a sleek, white subway-tile counter. A glance around and you’ll find a couple conversing over cappuccinos, a student studying with espresso and a man catching up on current events, cortado in hand.
Once placing your order, you are not immediately dispensed a pre-brewed concoction of caffeine. The beans used to brew your coffee are freshly ground on the spot (some are also in-house roasted) – resulting in a rich, sharp and flavorful beverage. The baristas truly take pride in their craft; one patron even remarked, “I’ve never seen anyone smile just pouring boiling water.”
Pour’s focus on 3rd wave coffee-making craft (aka the pour over) is only matched by its commitments to local sourcing and community ties; it features bread from Baker Street Bakery, milk sourced from the beloved Pittsford Dairy, sausages from Gansz Farms and sweets from Scratch Bakeshop, the Red Fern and Hedonist Chocolates.
So naturally, I wanted a little bit of everything. I ordered a cortado (which might just be the only one in Rochester) and a Lavender Cardamom Latte accompanied by a Pistachio macaron from Scratch Bake Shop and a dark chocolate salted caramel truffle from Hedonist.
The cortado was served in what resembled an oversized shot glass and was smooth and robust, without any trace of that burnt espresso flavor you put up with at Starbucks. The Lavender Cardamom Latté was a delightful surprise – floral and fragrant with a spicy warmth.
In addition to coffee, Pour offers a selection of beers and wines, largely from New York state. Coffee shop chatter raved about their menu, especially the Waffle Chantey: over-sized and dripping with butter.
Photo by Viola Spahiu
Whether you consider yourself a coffee enthusiast, want to become one or have a desire to support local businesses, Pour is the perfect spot. While a bit more expensive than your average joe joint, the additional dollar is well-spent. The baristas take pride in their product and the process of its creation and are extremely friendly and personable to top it all off.
Address: 23 Somerton St. Rochester, NY 14607
Hours: 7am-7pm Monday, 7 am-10pm Tuesday – Saturday, 8am-6pm Sunday
Pour some more sugar on that: