Supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses is easy in Rochester!
From coffee shops and bookstores to restaurants and spas, ROC is a place where you can show love to LGBTQ+ business owners all year long.
Here are a few spots to have on your radar.
Specializing in delicious American cuisine, Crisp serves seasonally inspired, modern comfort food, with a southern influence, sophisticated cocktails & local beers. You can find them in the South Wedge area to check them out for yourself!
Located right in the South Wedge, Angelina's features a rotating wine and cocktail list, seasonal eats, and a cozy yet elevated atmosphere.
Founded in November 2023, Dice Versa is Rochester's only board game lounge. With tons of old and new board games; delicious food options; a wide range of cocktails, mocktails, beer, and cider; and more.
Hedonist Artisan Chocolate and Ice Cream
Since opening it's doors in 2007, Hedonist Artisan Chocolate and Ice Cream has been providing delicious sweet treats to the Rochester community. Founder Jennifer Posey has a passion for hand-crafting small batch confections using old world techniques, carefully sourced ingredients, and refined packaging.
Since 2005, OFC has been creating unique, beloved, and high caliber theatre productions under the direction of Eric Vaughn Johnson. With shows ranging from professional musicals to community theatre, there's something for everyone at OFC. Be sure to also check out the Old Farm Cafe, a theatrical dining experience.
Looking to be pampered? Ape + Canary is a can't-miss salon and spa in Rochester. With luxurious spa treatments in a calming, upscale, and trendy environment, you'll be a regular in no time.
Trillium Health provides compassionate, judgement-free, and affordable healthcare to everyone. They are also a presenting sponsor of the Rochester Pride Parade & Festival which takes place at South Ave and Highland Park every July.
ImageOut is Rochester's beloved LGBTQ+ film festival. Dating back to 1993 when the The Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival was established, ImageOut has grown into a series of annual events including the ImageOut Fall Film Festival and various Pride film screenings.
Rochester's Lilac Library is home to the largest publicly available LGBTQIA+ library collection of its kind in New York State. The library houses more than 10,000 items spanning from fiction and rare books to biographies and a complete physical run of The Empty Closet, New York States Oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper.
This indie bookstore features literature for all ages, trinkets, toys, tarot cards, zines, stationery, poetry, various weekly events, and everything in between. If you're craving a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, the Unreliable Narrator is for you!
Yellow Warbler Books is a queer bookstore dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices and connecting readers with stories that matter. With fiction reads, non-fiction finds, a used book section, a mini food pantry, and more, Yellow Warbler has what you're looking for.
Nestled within North Winton Village, this queer owned coffee shop specializes in must-try vegan goodies. With a wide offering of always changing coffees and teas to try, Clownboy is a great place to get your caffeine fix in ROC.
This cafe and coffee shop can be found right on South Ave and places inclusivity and diversity at the heart of all they do. Each cup of coffee served invites individuals from all walks of life to come together, share stories, and build lasting relationships.
Named to resonate with Rochester's "Flower City" moniker, Flora is a bar and event space that reflects the pride and spirit of the Rochester LGBTQ+ community. This spot offers dance nights, curated DJs, and performances that bring the community together.
Since 2019, Roar has operated under the goal of creating a unique and safe place for the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Roar offers trivia, karaoke, painting classes, spin classes, happy hours, dinner shows, brunches, live bands, comedy, and club nights featuring local and guest DJ's and drag performers from across the country.
Formerly The Bachelor Forum, this iconic spot is the oldest queer bar in Western NY. The Bachelor Forum first opened it's doors in 1973 at a location on East Main St before moving to it's current location on University Ave in 1989. After temporarily closing back in January 2026 to implement a full reorganization and rebrand, Forum 73 opened it's doors and welcomed the community back this past June.
A newer addition to the Neighborhood of the Arts, Pretty Apothecary is a boutique shop offering unique vintage finds and thoughtfully curated pieces. This charming shop prioritizes craftsmanship, quality, and sustainability in all they do.
This queer-owned vintage clothing and gift shop offers everything from unique fashion finds to die-for jewelry. Staple Vintage focuses on providing gender and size-inclusive vintage finds, ensuring that there is something for everyone in the shop.
This local chocolate shop was founded by Lindsay Tarnoff, Karla Carey, and Allison Zukoski. The founders were brought together by a passion for chocolate, community, and sustainability.
Located on Joseph Ave, the Avenue Blackbox Theatre is a safe, bold, creative Queer-space highlighting art and content created by artists of color, youth, and collaborators that have been historically marginalized.
Authentic Mexican cuisine from the Pacific coast in Jalisco, Mexico served up in Rochester's North Winton Village.
Gallery Salon, now located at 1 Public Market Row in Rochester’s Public Market, is a hair and nail salon, art gallery, and vintage shop.
Custom-crafted fashion made for every body. Celebrating gender fluidity and the queer community.
Serving Rochester for over 20 years, Edibles specializes in delicious American cuisine and must-try cocktails in a beautiful and atmospheric space.
We in Rochester are so lucky to be apart of such a diverse community full of unique LGBTQ+ businesses to support all year long. This is just the tip of the iceberg! Find more queer owned spots on Rochester LGBTQ+ Together's Business Directory here.
Have a favorite business that we missed? Please feel free to let us know by reaching out to us at Info@visitrochester.com!
