From the same restaurant group that created Native Eatery in Rochester, NY and Label 7 in Pittsford, NY, Mueller Restaurant Group has introduced a new, sustainable eatery located right next to locally-owned fitness center, M/Body Fitness. The restaurant is open to the public, so you don't need to attend a fitness class to stop in. What I liked best about The Market Cold Press & Eatery was how central it was and easy to get to. For those of us who live in the city center, parking can be an issue. Unlike Native Eatery's location which might have more limited parking or Label 7 which is a little more out of the way, The Market is located at the corner of University and Culver where there is plenty of parking for all of the shops there and less city traffic, to boot. As my friend and I made our way out on a cold, rainy night, we were comforted at the door by the cozy atmosphere of the cafe. The design was heavily based on a combination of brick, wood, and black accent pieces, with really cute earthenware dishes.
I was invited to get a first bite at an all vegan-based menu sampling. My friend who came with me is lactose-intolerant and he was pleasantly delighted at all of the offerings The Market had that were dairy-free. In addition, during the menu sampling, The Market teamed up with new winery Living Roots, located just across the street, to pair some wines for the evening. Living Roots chose some of the wines they offer that are noted to pair well with a lot of foods. I was most excited about trying the Grenache paired with food. I sampled it once in their red wine flight when I visited their winery a couple months prior. The flavor of the wine went well with the overall salty, savory food as it had a nice mixture of berry, earthy, and herbal notes.
In terms of the spread, The Market offered samples of a few different menu items. There was a bowl of their "Heart Healthy Caesar Salad", a garden-fresh tomato-based bruschetta and delicious artisan crostini, and tortilla chips and a homemade vegan nacho cheese dip. There were a couple of complete stand-out items that blew everything out of the water for me. The first were their breakfast "Energy Balls" made from oats, peanut butter, coconut, chia, maple syrup, vanilla, and flax. Lately, I have been on an insane maple kick this season. Pumpkin spice out, maple IN. Maple beer, maple donuts, and now: maple "Energy Balls". I need to figure out how to make these at home otherwise I'll be stopping in way too often for these. Luckily you can snag one of them for $1.75!
Finally, the showstopper of the night was the "Spinach Artichoke 'Dilla" which also was completely vegan, including the crema. The Market used a similar, cheesy nutritional yeast and cashew cream base as the nacho cheese dip. They also used a tomato wrap as the tortilla that gave the whole thing such a rich, umami flavor that made you do a double-take that there, in fact, wasn't any dairy involved whatsoever. It really hit all the right cheesy cravings I had. Out of all of the Living Roots wine pairings, I would say their Dry Riesling really brought out the taste of the fresh spinach and gave it those extra punch of flavors.
Overall, when I return I am 100% ordering a plate of those quesadillas with a dessert of a few "Energy Balls". I was so excited to attend this tasting as I am loving the idea of eating more plant-based foods which are super heart-healthy. The Market Cold Press & Eatery is definitely a good contender within Rochester's growing vegan food scene and I am living for it. Absolutely fantastic quick-service breakfast or lunch spot - especially after a morning workout at M/Body! The Market is located at 1048 University Avenue, and is open Monday through Friday until 1pm and Saturdays until noon. Thank you for reading my restaurant review, keep an eye out for more articles like this by following my Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for post updates!
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