Java's Cafe — Restaurant in City of Rochester

Best coffee shop in the greater Rochester area, and among my favorite in the country.

Java's is, in the very best possible way, a throw back to the bohemian coffee shops of the 1990s, when Americans began to rediscover that coffee can taste good, that gathering spots like cafes are great venues for amicable socializing without the need for alcohol, and that rubbing elbows with, and sharing a coffee with every facet of a neighborhood is the best way to get to know a place. Javas is also reminiscent of Parisian and Roman coffee houses, and their American facsimiles like the famous Cafe Trieste of San Francisco.

Javas coffee -they roast they own beans- is fantastic, and they offer delicious sandwiches, and a constantly rotating array of delectable treats, including some extremely high quality vegan sweets. Their hot cocoa is excellent. Unlike many contemporary coffee shops, Javas offers real ceramic mugs if you're staying for your coffee fix, meaning better tasting drinks. This is also gratifying given the urgent need to reduce single use plastics and containers.

On your first visit, be prepared to be stupefied and overwhelmed by the spectacular and varied permanent collection of art -portraiture being the focus of the collection- that adorns every surface, from floor to ceiling, including parts of the ceiling itself, and even the giant windows. Those windows open onto Gibbs Street, adjacent to the renowned Eastman School of Music and its Eastman Theatre.

The patronage of so many professional musicians and their students, means that music is always in the air. In fact, Javas hosts musicians most weekends for soothing sets of jazz or classical music. The cafe does have a sound system, which plays the baristas favorite tunes -everything from drum and bass, to hip hop, to jazz, and indie rock.

The staff are always pleasant, and have a great report with each other and with their customers and regulars.

Javas offers free high speed wifi, and has a moderate number of outlets for those working on laptops or charging phones.

I could go on praising Javas all day long, but I need to go get a cup of coffee...

Oh, before I go, I should note that while they do have bathrooms, but they are not accessible to those with mobility challenges, and even to the rest of us, the long steep staircase leading downstairs are a bit treacherous. However, to break up your trip to and from the bathroom, you can play a few rounds of billiards on the pool table while you're in...

I cannot recommend Java’s ENOUGH. As a college student who struggles a lot to stay focused on work, I find this place to be such a great environment for studying and hanging out alike! The art is beautiful, the staff is absolutely amazing and friendly, the drink options are unique and not super overpriced (very worth the money), the pastries and treats are delicious, and the patrons are super kind and oftentimes regulars! The options are all delicious, and there is such a wide variety! Definitely things for everyone!!

There’s this kinda unspoken comfort with other people because so often, there are just other students sitting around and studying for hours, so many people will just get up to order a coffee or use the restroom and just leave their things out at their table because they know the other patrons have their back! It’s such a great environment, and so accepting.

They also are serious about mask wearing during COVID-19, and as someone with an immune system problem but also with difficulty studying in my dorm, I feel safe and respected by the baristas and the other patrons.

Like I said, I cannot recommend Java’s enough! I will be transferring colleges this upcoming semester, and I am GENUINELY VERY SAD because I will miss Java’s so much. It truly is probably one of the places in Rochester and during my time in college that I’ll miss most. What a lovely space to feel welcome, heard, respected, and for a delicious cup...

I came in for my usual Kashmiri chai. I hadn't been in for a while and noticed some new staff. I brought a friend along after attending an event downtown. My chai tasted like lukewarm milk with barely any flavor. My friend was also dissatisfied and decided to go up to the counter and ask for a redo. The man at the counter told her that she actually wanted a classic Kashmiri chai. He made her a new one, and she came back. I was confused because there was only one Kashmiri chai on the menu. When I went up to the counter, he avoided me. I requested to speak with him, but he told the associate that she could handle me. I told her that I also wanted a redo since my friend had received the correct order with her redo. He yelled at me aggressively and said, "No, you'll have to pay for another one." I replied, "You don't have to be such a pompous jerk about it. Maybe if you handled it appropriately, I actually would pay for it. The employee stated “it's too bad you're not getting one” aggressively. He made the girl feel uncomfortable, so I told them I was good and left my original drink unfinished on the counter. I told them I didn't even want to pay for another one. Quite frankly we won’t be returning unless management encourages the employee to issue an apology to me for this occurrence. I felt harassed and belittled in front of a group of people and it...