Avvino

Avvino is a contemporary American restaurant located at 2541 Monroe Avenue in the Brighton neighborhood of Rochester, NY. Opened in 2013, the restaurant is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Executive Chef Tim Caschette and Sommelier Janine Wasley. The name draws from "avvinare," the European wine service tradition of priming a glass before pouring — a fitting nod to the restaurant's deep investment in its beverage program. Chef Caschette, who previously worked at Good Luck in Rochester, brings Italian and French influences to a menu built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

Avvino serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with a menu that shifts based on ingredient availability from local farms and purveyors. The dinner lineup spans several categories:

• House-made pastas such as spinach cavatelli with pistachio pesto, potato gnocchi with lamb bolognese, and saffron fettuccine with rock shrimp
• Starters including charred octopus, ceviche, and lobster roll on saffron focaccia
• Entrées ranging from Faroe Island salmon and braised pork shank to duck breast, filet mignon, and a vegetarian nine-gem korma
• A dessert selection featuring almond cake, rhubarb tart, and doughnut bread pudding

Janine Wasley oversees the beverage program, which includes roughly 200 wine selections and a cocktail list that rotates with the seasons. The restaurant also offers a kids menu and accommodates private events.

Avvino has built its identity around a fiercely seasonal kitchen that relies on relationships with local farmers and purveyors in the Finger Lakes region. The restaurant offers three distinct dining spaces — the Main Dining Room, Meyer's Den, and a seasonal patio — giving guests options for different occasions. The couple also operates La Bola, a sister restaurant on East Main Street in downtown Rochester, and their travel experiences abroad directly inform the evolving dishes and drink pairings at Avvino.

Avvino sits along the Monroe Avenue corridor in Brighton, a busy stretch just east of Rochester's city line in the 14618 ZIP code. The area is home to a dense mix of independent restaurants and shops, making it a natural dining destination in the eastern suburbs. Street parking is available along Monroe Avenue. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00 to 9:00 PM and Friday through Saturday from 5:00 to 10:00 PM, with Sunday and Monday reserved for private events.