Café Aquí — Restaurant in Rochester

2024 Update: I really wanted this to be the area hangout by Saint Mary’s a year ago. It’s very accessible to all mobility levels and ages, a wide assortment of seats at the cafe and throughout the greenhouse. It even has the perfect level of background noise where you can still talk but not hear your neighbor. It’s a gorgeous coffeehouse.

The recent counter staff have been…I’ll call it “brisk” with me. Fine for east cost but not what I’d expect here in Rochester 🤷‍♀️ The food and drink are just dismal though. I waited a whole year hoping it was just opening issues but I can’t justify it anymore. Drinks are from powders or low quality syrups but priced at a premium. Sizing is not meeting price expectations. (Not just me- I overhear others comment on the pricing as well). Whenever I have been in, you get a choice between 2 made-from-box tasting baked goods.

I hurts me that I can’t suggest this as a meeting spot for anything outside of a business meeting or social media. Please hire someone to revamp the menu for the summer. Please.

——-last years review: I enjoyed visiting. Aqui is providing exactly what is promised: a seat-down coffee break where you can meet a friend, escape from busy St.Mary’s, or just enjoy a good coffee while shopping —all served by truly friendly staff.

I also want to point out that the current setup is easily accessible for anyone with mobility issues. No steps, large doors (main garden doors are automatic I believe). The counter is bar height so not friendly to everyone, but the staff interacted easily with the short child next to me and was willing to hand the items down.

The food is clearly handcrafted if limited and Aqui has a very useful mini-coffee option breakdown menu that I think is a great idea, executed well. It would be nice to have one item on the menu if I was really hunger (like a sandwich and chips equivalent). This might be because Aqui is brand-new though.

My only other issue is the outdoor seating- it has some absolutely fantastic potential but a little uncomfortable with the clear view of shoppers/main entrance.

The bristo tables are set along the far wall are great to meet a friend. A personal preference would have a few more plants between outdoor couch/table (great for a group!) and the entrance so more of the patio feel.

I look forward to visiting again in the future in a few weeks and seeing if Cafe Aqui becomes the local coffee shop this area of...

Addendum to this review to address Cafe Aqui’s reply/uninformed assumption: I specifically seek out specialty coffee shops to try where I live and travel (which to date, spans 45 states and 8 countries), I own two espresso machines at home (a Flair 58 and a Terra Kaffe) three coffee devices (an aeropress, percolator, pour over, and French press), and order beans from all over the country/world—because espresso/coffee is, unfortunately/fortunately something I deeply admire. I’ve been to this establishment more than a few times hoping the coffee preparation was a fluke (the pricing/sizing is not a fluke nor is it standard, typical, or justified—for a “speciality”—or otherwise coffee shop). This background/experience informed my review, and my assessment won’t be a surprise to anyone who is familiar with/prefers specialty coffee shops/good espresso and refuses to “buy-in” to overpricing.

Original Review: Price point is too high for the quantity and quality. A “small” is 8oz and a “large” is a 12oz (there is no “medium” option) but the prices don’t reflect this skewed size-system. An 8oz latte (no flavor) is $5.25 (the cost of what 12 oz would normally be) and a 12oz latte (no flavor) is $6.00 (what a 16oz may normally be but even $6 is on the higher side for a 16oz unflavored drink). You’d think an Americano would be less expensive/cost-saving given its water and espresso but it’s not—8 oz is $3.00/12oz is $4.25 (again, misaligned with a typical sizing system). The drinks are often too hot to drink/hold and taste burnt if you do not get a sweetened/flavored beverage.

Beautiful ambiance aside (the plants are lovely) I cannot reconcile the price inflation by drink size and quality of the coffee. It’s really disappointing to see another local business take advantage of the Mayo-Rochester population through exorbitant pricing and for that I would not go back nor...

One word- Yum! Our coffee was the maple cappuccino. Couldn’t have been more perfect. The chocolate chip cookies were still warm and the lemon cone was delicious too. It’s a quiet cafe with lots of individual work areas. Large are at the window to enjoy. The store itself is full of beautiful things for the holidays or your home garden, depending on the time of year. It’s currently fall- so Christmas trees, seed packets for winter seed sowing and birdseed, flower pots and bird feeders are in abundance. In the newly added on green house, your heart will find more than a few plants you need to take home. Everything is healthy and a higher quality then the grocery store plants to say the least. Plus you have experts to tell you how to care for them. The restrooms were clean, and close to the greenhouse area. The customer service at the cafe was extremely helpful and personable. They offered suggestions and explained menu options which influenced our choice, leaving us very happy trying something new. They open early and close in the evening. Can’t...