Cafe Sasso

Cafe Sasso is a coffee-and-cocktail cafe at 739 Park Ave in Rochester, NY, occupying a space with deep roots in the neighborhood's independent coffee scene. The cafe opened in 2015 after spouses Jessica Stroud and Peter Sapia purchased the former Boulder Coffee Co. location on Park Avenue. Both had years of experience working at that same shop — Stroud managed Boulder Coffee locations for nine years, and Sapia served as store manager at the Park Avenue spot for five. The name "Sasso" is Italian for "stone," a nod to the business that came before. The couple redesigned the interior with a 1930s Art Deco aesthetic, creating a space that blends vintage warmth with a neighborhood-cafe feel.

Cafe Sasso serves espresso drinks, specialty lattes, and a full cocktail menu — the location holds a liquor license — alongside pastries, baked goods, and an all-day food menu. Specific food options include breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and salads, with gluten-free choices available. The drink program extends beyond standard coffeehouse fare into craft cocktails served both hot and cold, with a rotating selection of house-created signature beverages. Vegan options are also on the menu. The cafe is open seven days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM.

Cafe Sasso is known for its Art Deco interior, which features a fireplace, cozy seating, and rotating displays of work by local artists — a tradition carried over from the space's previous life as Boulder Coffee. The cafe also maintains a sizable outdoor patio with roughly 24 seats, making it a gathering spot along Park Avenue during warmer months. Thursday open mic nights have been part of the cafe's programming since its early days.

Cafe Sasso sits along the Park Avenue corridor in Rochester's 14607 neighborhood, a walkable stretch known for independent shops, restaurants, and an active arts community. The block is part of the Park Avenue Merchants Association district, which hosts the popular Park Avenue Summer Art Festival each year. The cafe's approximately 1,500-square-foot space includes 48 interior seats and a patio facing Park Avenue, putting it in the middle of the neighborhood's foot traffic. Street parking is available along Park Avenue and surrounding side streets.