Root 31

I have only been here once and I would return again if I’m in the area looking for something light to eat. The place is quaint and cozy, beautiful décor. I ordered a sandwich which was delicious. Service was quick. I would definitely recommend if you’re pittsford and looking for a good place for lunch!

Love the salmon on brioche! The portions are a little on the small side, but the flavors work really well together. Their cleanup bins (1 for recyclables, 1 for compost items, 1 just for potato chip bags) are a great touch!

On the plus side, the food is good.
On the minus side, they are absolutely incapable of getting an order right. I’ve been here about a half dozen times and my order has come out wrong all but once.
They are very courteous about remaking the order, and tend to get it right the second time. But this does mean it will take you twice as long to get the food you ordered as you might expect.
A little more infuriatingly, I was there yesterday and mentioned gently to the lady who took my order that this has been a repeated problem and I’ll be grateful if she makes sure my order is transmitted accurately to the kitchen. Her response made it seem like she was annoyed by my request and had no intention of giving it any attention. Then, of course, my order came out wrong.
It’s too bad. As I said, the food is good. But I think I’m done with this place.

I’ve been here 3 times in the last 3 weeks. I got the Cobb salad twice and the blackened chicken sandwich, both were fantastic. It’s nice to have healthy options on my lunch break. Would def. recommend.

My wife saw the facebook page for this restaurant and thought it looked good, especially the beet salad. We are from out of town and went to the Science Museum for a while. We decided to come over for a try. The employees are friendly and welcoming and the order board was easy to read. We selected the best and sweet salad, root 31 burger, petite pizza and butternana. They were delicious! My wife would have liked to have the option of a half-​size salad paired with soup or half-​sandwich. It was too much! The burger was delicious, as were the other items. It was confusing as to what we should do with our plates and refuse. We will definitely return to try a brunch sometime.

Pros: Food is [usually] amazing quality, plentiful & fresh
Cons: service is spotty, and quality is not consistent
I have now been to Root 31 three times and I’ve had three very different experiences.
#1. A summer lunch on the patio with my mom (mid-​July, 2015)
We both ordered the Cobb Salad with grilled chicken and sans egg. We were able to sit on the patio with the beautiful views of Pittsford Plaza. It was sunny, we had an umbrella and ample shade. We had some sort of iced tea that was nice and refreshing. We did wait quite awhile, something that seems consistent with other reviews, but we weren’t in a rush so it didn’t bother us. Also it was very busy there. Finally our salads arrived and… there was no dressing, or blue cheese. So easy fix, right? Wrong. The problem is that they have a very limited staff, and while someone will bring your meal to your table, there is no follow-​up to be sure that everything is fine with your food. On the off-​chance that something is not fine, or if it’s wrong… you have to get back in a huge ordering line, OR stalk around the kitchen window hoping someone will glance your way. OR be that rude and annoying person that announces to the whole area what you need. «Ahem, excuse me… we are missing x, y & z…». Either way, someone brought out the dressing & blue cheese crumbles eventually (still a bit delayed), and finally it was delicious.
#2. Casual breakfast (a Saturday morning in early January, 2016)
This experience was incredible. We both were hankering for an egg sandwich but we wanted something fresh-​without the effort of making one ourselves. This place was the perfect solution. The multi-​grain bread was fantastic, and the scrambled egg were made fresh and it was a huge portion. My boyfriend got home fries on the side and they were beefy, fresh potatoes with just the right amount of spice and a little sauteed onion. Nice and rustic home fries! I saw a girl next to me with a bowl of fresh berries so I decided to add that to my order and it was incredible. It’s not actually on the menu so when I asked for a bowl of fresh fruit, he said «It’s only fresh berries,» however, that was all I wanted. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Not entirely sure how they can be «local» in January, but it was not important. The quality and quantity was well worth the extra $ 2. Bonus for having soy milk at the coffee station… though an almond milk option would be top-​notch. As would organic cane sugar.
#3. Valentine’s Day Brunch (February 14, 2016)
On this very frigid –4 degree Sunday morning, we were excited to know that only a stone’s throw from our house was a place where there was reliably fresh home-​cooked-​quality breakfast. Based on our last experience, we knew we could count on Root 31 to deliver! Also they have a special Brunch menu, separate from the breakfast menu available on their website. I had planned on some fresh-​berry crêpe/​waffle situation, but I was swayed by the classic breakfast of eggs any way, toast, bacon & home fries. I recalled the home fries last time were amazing. My boyfriend opted for a lunch sandwich. One of the perks of this place is that it seems breakfast, lunch and brunch options are all available at the same time! He ordered a side of home fries, because he also enjoyed them on our last visit. We were nervous that the place would be packed, being Valentine’s day, but we were one of about 2 couples in the entire place when we got there. We ordered and were given a number and sat and waited quite awhile considering we were one of the first orders in. Though, the place had started to fill up quite quickly after we sat down.
…Finally our meals were delivered, I’m sorry, were hastily thrown down on our table, with a very sincere, «sorry for the wait, we’re so busy». Considering the amount of time we waited… my eggs were cold, my toast was not very toasted, not buttered, not even warm, and both of our home fries did not even resemble a distant cousin of the ones we ate the last time. Most were inedible because they were so tough and over-​cooked. Not even crunchy, just over-​cooked and hard. Also, cold. My boyfriend enjoyed his sandwich and didn’t have a problem with it. Also, since my toast was so… blah, I thought I would ask for some butter, however, again with the problem with my first visit, the line was so long and there weren’t enough people working.
Coffee was also sub-​par. I walked by someone eating the Fresh-​berry crepes and the waffles, they looks absolutely amazing. Buyer’s remorse. Of course, buyer’s remorse is really rooted in disappointment of your own decision. Had my meal been the incredible quality I expected, I wouldn’t have wished I had opted for the tasty Berry Crepes.
*Other Thoughts*
Sure, I will be back. While I’m incredibly disappointed in our last visit, it is convenient, and it seemed like a fluke. Also, i still want to try those berry crepes. Also, workers not the most personable.

Stopped for breakfast before a movie next door. The service was so-​so. The girl working the counter was not very friendly and apparently assumed I knew I had to get my own bottle of water from the cooler. Ordered an egg sandwich with ham, lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayo. The sandwich was big — I split it with my husband — but it was a little bland. Turned out to be a $ 10 breakfast which was a little steep. So, food was ok. Atmosphere was cute and comfortable — it wasn’t very busy. Service was lacking and came off as the stereotypical «Pittsford.»

The chicken Caesar wrap was delicious. Service was great and the restaurant was spotless. Overall, a great experience.

This café is definitely my new go-​to when I want a quick meal that’s fresh and delicious. I’ve been here plenty of times and each time it’s incredible. The turkey wrap on wheat always hits the spot. And paired with the kettle chips? Perfect! I always end up ordering that because it’s just too good. I also recommend the sunny day smoothie as well!

I think that the current 3.5 stars that Root 31 currently has is accurate. I was so excited to hear of a restaurant with great sourcing in a central location. The restaurant itself is cute — great artwork, ambiance, noise level, etc — well updated from Colie’s Café. There is also still a good amount of outdoor seating when the weather is nice.
The menu has a wide variety of options, making it easy for everyone to order.
The disappointment came after ordering. I ordered a sandwich, which was really good. However, dinner took a LONG time to come out, and there weren’t many people in the restaurant. The sandwich bread (I ordered multigrain) was pretty much just super plain, sliced bread that can be picked up at Wegmans. The sides were a bag of chips (not made at Root 31), and a pickle (which was really good, but actually did NOT come out with my meal — I had to ask for it). My husband ordered the BBQ pizza and GREATLY enjoyed it, however. I also had a raspberry smoothie and that was good :)
So, if you decide to check Root 31 out, order something that you know will be 100% made at Root 31, and be prepared to wait awhile for your food.

My fiancé ordered online for lunch online for the both of us. After driving to go pick it up, I was told the order wasn’t received yet. After 5 minutes it was received and they said it would be about 15 minutes for our order to be ready. 45 minutes later I was still waiting. Turns out someone else had placed an order with the same name and thinking it was a repeat of ours, canceled our order. the manager was apologetic and gave me free coffee coupons while I waited. After getting my order and taking it home to my fiancé so we could eat we were highly disappointed. The wrap literally fell apart when I picked it up and my fiancé’s taco was just tossed together and thrown into the to go box. We took it back and were refunded, but will never go back

Decided to come in for a quick bite after a trip to Michael’s.
Welcoming atmosphere and a menu full of choices. Salad, soup, pizza even tacos.
I went with a roast beef wrap that they were able to customize to my liking (havarti cheese instead of provolone.)
It came with crunchy kettle chips and a really yummy, homemade (I think) pickle!
My only complaint is that I felt it took a little long to get just a wrap, but it coulda just been the hanger.
I’ll be back to try more. :)

Root 31 takes the quality food, fast approach. It’s order-​at-​the-​counter and they have a wide mix of things that appeal to a lot of folks. Pizza, burgers, veggie options, salads, wraps, etc. Plus, gluten free options. I went for the R31 burger, which is char grilled. It’s cooked all the way through, yet remains juicy. I added havarti on top and it comes with lettuce and tomato, plus chips and a pickle on the side. Basic, but it was decent and filled me up.
Others to try:
— Breakfast sandwich on brioche with sausage or bacon — both are delish
— Veggie sandwich on ciabatta
The space is simple, quality fast food, which I think is ideal for the Pittsford Plaza experience. I will come here when I’m running around doing my shopping and need to grab something quick, but tasty.
There’s a space in the back for seating that I like, that feels less like a chain/​quick bite dining experience. There’s a circular room with a round table plus a couple larger tables with booth seating and chairs. It felt cozy so I enjoyed eating in there.
They also are one of the first local restaurants to feature Impact Earth compost and recycling for their garbages. I admire them for taking a step toward conservation with that approach to reducing what we throw in the landfill.

The other reviews and pictures made his place look/​sound like a nice little café type place. Maybe with some unique food and a nice atmosphere.
Not really. It is just your standard soup/​salad/​sandwich place (and some pizza and Mexican food), standard décor, nothing really special. Felt like a chain-​restaurant, but not sure it is. Essentially it is Panera with a different menu and décor (although my wife’s response to that comment was «meh, I would have rather gone to Panera.»)
The food was just okay, service was fine, cashier did not know much about the menu. There are not a ton of decent food options in the Pittsford Plaza, this would have been nice addition… Oh well.

Great place! Really good food, friendly service, nice atmosphere. I wish I lived closer so I could come here more often!

I visited for the first time today and I was impressed. I like the new décor and layout of the space (as opposed to the previous café, Colie’s). I ordered the Roast Turkey hot sandwich on a brioche bun and it was delicious! The aioli they used was the best part. I would recommend getting a ciabatta bun or otherwise sturdier bread, though, because the brioche was just too soft to hold all of the ingredients together. The service was fairly quick during the lunch rush hour. I’ll definitely be coming back to Root 31.

Great menu, great food! Clean as a whistle — lots of seating both inside & out. On a corner in the plaza with windows on two sides if you like to people watch. There is a cozy back room with cool décor. It’s all good — we will be back!

After one meal here, I’ll say the menu seems to be extremely similar to its predecessor (Colie’s Café), but the main difference is the food isn’t as good. The wrap I had was nothing I couldn’t have made at home and it really wasn’t impressive. The side was a sad pile of Lays chips that made me miss the chips and salsa Colie’s would give you. Something I do like, however, is their variety of nice bottled drinks! It’s also super awesome that they compost. Since this place just opened I’ll take this experience with a grain of salt and update the review if I come back and see a change in quality. 3 stars.

It’s a new restaurant, so I don’t want to be too critical. I think people should come and make up their own minds.
The food itself was not terrible. I ordered a chicken caesar sandwich. Overall it was OK, but it didn’t really taste like caesar. Maybe the dressing was Mayo mixed with a little lemon juice, but it didn’t have consistency (quite thick) nor the taste of Caesar dressing.
The pickle that came with the sandwich was pretty good, tasted homemade (or at least didn’t taste like it came from a can).
My sense is is that this is reinvention of Collie’s Café (which itself was a reinvention of the café that existed in the same location before that). The menu is essentially the same as Collie’s (soups, sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, smoothies, etc.), but it’s possible that new recipes were created for Root 31. The chicken caesar sandwich I had did not taste like the version I used to order at Collie’s.

So glad this place has opened. Good menu, plenty of healthy delicious options. My meal was served quickly and was a generous portion. Clean, calm atmosphere. Will be returning w friends.