Fiorella

Fiorella is a casual Italian restaurant located inside the Rochester Public Market at 5 Public Market, Rochester, NY. Opened in August 2015 by Chef Gino Ruggiero and his wife Alison, the restaurant is named after their daughter. Ruggiero trained at culinary school and spent over two decades in professional kitchens — including more than ten years heading the kitchen at 2Vine — before opening his own place. Both owners are Italian American and were drawn to the market's heritage, which was originally established by Italian-American vendors.

Fiorella's menu centers on wood-fired pizza, housemade pasta, and seasonal Italian dishes built around locally sourced produce and meat. The pizza dough is naturally leavened using organic stone-ground flour from New York State mills, mixed only with water and sea salt, and fermented for several days before baking. Signature pies include a classic Margherita, Diavola with spicy salami, and Funghi topped with mixed mushrooms. All pastas are made in-house daily, with options like spaghetti cacio e pepe and a rotating Thursday gnocchi special.

Beyond pizza and pasta, the menu features antipasti such as Rhode Island–style fried calamari with pickled peppers and garlic, along with main plates like sausage with polenta and breaded chicken cutlets. Desserts include house-made gelato and olive oil chocolate cake. On market days, Fiorella serves breakfast sandwiches and breakfast pizza. The restaurant also maintains a rotating list of seasonal wines and local craft beers. The menu changes with the seasons, so repeat visits tend to turn up new dishes.

Fiorella has built its identity around a farm-to-table approach made practical by its Public Market location. The kitchen sources directly from neighboring vendors and local producers, including partnerships with operations like Headwater Food Hub and Smugtown Mushrooms. The naturally leavened, long-fermented pizza dough — made with only three ingredients — has become a signature element of the restaurant since its 2015 opening.

Situated within the Rochester Public Market on Union Street in the North Winton Village area, Fiorella benefits from one of the city's liveliest gathering spots. The market itself hosts hundreds of vendors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, drawing crowds from across the region. Parking is available in the market's large public lot. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday for both lunch and dinner service, making it accessible on market days and beyond. The surrounding neighborhood includes a mix of residential streets and small businesses along North Union Street.