St. Paul Quarter

Overview

Though sometimes considered a part of downtown Rochester, the St. Paul Quarter has an energy and lifeblood all its own.

Centering on St. Paul Street, this neighborhood is a mix of eateries, dance clubs and bars, many with a Latin twist. And don’t forget about the Water Street Music Hall, which touts itself as the largest club concert hall in the city.

By day, the St. Paul Quarter attracts a wide range of visitors, including many students heading to the SUNY Brockport Metro Center. An extension of Brockport’s main campus, the MetroCenter offers hundreds of courses, many on nights and weekends to accommodate working adults. From criminal justice to health science to psychology, there are many options for students.

With lots of entertainment options, the St. Paul Quarter is a fun place to spend a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night out with your friends. You can stay at one location all night long or just as easily hit up multiple spots throughout the Quarter.

Eat & Drink

The St. Paul Quarter is often referred to as one of Rochester’s hippest nighttime destinations. With a nice selection of bars and clubs, it’s certainly no surprise. Whether you’re looking for a nice dinner or a place to dance the night away, check out some of these hotspots.

Tapas 177

This little tapas bar (tapas are Spanish snacks often served as appetizers alongside alcohol), has evolved into a full-fledged restaurant, bar and lounge. This two-level St. Paul hotspot offers up an enticing, exotic menu, which changes weekly. In the upstairs bar, enjoy a martini, which (at least according to their website) are as big as the day is long. But wait, that’s not all. Tapas also offers free salsa lessons on Thursday nights and live music every Friday, among other nights.
177 St. Paul St.
262-2090

Table Seven Bistro & Lounge

This New York City-style bar offers much more than just food and drinks. After 10 p.m. they change direction completely, becoming a full-fledged dance club! Enjoy the DJs on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays or opt for karaoke on Wednesdays.
187 St. Paul St.
454-6330

Pane Vino

This Italian restaurant on Water Street, offers cozy dining overlooking the Genesee River. We’ve heard a lot of people proclaim that this is one of the best restaurants in the city, but it can be a bit pricey for us college students on a budget. Dinner entrées start around $15 and can go upwards of $25. There are some cheaper options, especially with the pasta dishes, but if you really want great food at a great price, try lunch at Pane Vino. It’s most of the same choices, just on a lunch scale. Sounds good, right?
175 N. Water St.
232-6090

L J’s II Jamaican Cuisine

This Jamaican paradise features a juice bar, ice cream, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and much more. If you’re in the city, you’re in luck — they’ll deliver anywhere for orders of $9 or more. If you’re all the way out in the ’burbs, you’ll have to order a bit more — they won’t deliver for orders under $25, sorry!
38 St. Paul St.
232-5420

Shop & Spend

Nightlife is a large part of the St. Paul Quarter, but it isn’t the only part. Check out some of these specialty shops.

Gevus Clothing

At Gevus, your clothes become the canvas. Local artists who specialize in airbrushing can turn your T-shirt, jeans, sneakers or pretty much anything into a work of art. Make your Nikes pop with splashes of color. Or, surprise that special someone with a graffiti-esque photo of them on the front of your shirt. Prices definitely vary based on what you’re looking to have done, but it’s certainly a fun way to make a statement with what you wear.

48 St. Paul St.
232-2525

Full Moon Vista Bike and Sport

This specialty bike shop offers the best in bikes and coffee. Yes, coffee — there’s a shop upstairs offering tasty beverages and snacks. For bicycle enthusiasts, Full Moon offers a variety of bikes, as well as bike repair and fitting services (if you purchase your bike there first). Already have a bike? Take advantage of their clinics — fixing a flat tire, shifting and mountain biking are all on the agenda — or join in one of the weekly rides around the city. Full Moon is even the “riding force” behind the annual Saturn Criterium Bike Race throughout downtown Rochester.
180 St. Paul St.
546-4030

World Wide News

It certainly doesn’t look anything like Barnes & Noble, but trust us, it far outweighs it in selection. Said to carry the largest selection of news periodicals in New York state, World Wide News sells newspapers and magazines from around the world. You can find stuff in many different languages and covering many different topics, from religion to pop culture, marriage to politics. They open early (5 a.m.) and close pretty late (11 p.m.) 365 days a year to ensure you can get the news you’re looking for!

Do & See

This trendy neighborhood is home to one of the Rochester’s most well-known concert venues, as well some other pretty cool stuff.

The Water Street Music Hall

Known as one of Rochester’s main music venues, Water Street Music Hall attracts well-known regional, national and even international acts — Yellowcard, Guster, My Chemical Romance and Relient K are just a few. Next door, the Club at Water Street often hosts smaller shows with local, lesser-known bands. At either location, you’ll almost always find a good show. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster, although you can buy them at the door if the show hasn’t sold out (cash only though!). A good thing to note, there is no assigned seating at Water Street (unless it says otherwise online) so be ready to mix, mingle and have a good time!

204 N. Water St.
546-3887

Photomosaic 2006

Located on the north side of the SUNY Brockport MetroCenter, this giant photomosiac (it’s 40’ x 60’) depicts youngsters on swings. The unique part though is its mosaic quality — tons of smaller photos have been pieced together to create the overall photo. This is the first of many artistic images that will decorate downtown as part of Big Picture Rochester, a non-profit organization founded by MCC graduate Kenichiro Sato. The Times Square Building in downtown Rochester is scheduled to get a face lift this fall with artwork that is estimated at four times the size of the photomosiac on St. Paul Street.
55 St. Paul St.

Renaissance Art Gallery

This gallery showcases local artists who use a variety of mediums — oil, watercolor, acrylic, glass, ceramics and even photography. Located in the historic HH Warner Building, the gallery is free and all pieces on display are up for sale. The gallery features an open sitting area complete with a fireplace and lots of natural light, which makes it seem like a bit of New York’s upscale SOHO neighborhood is right here in Rochester.
74 St. Paul St.
423-8235

Live & Rent

Once a center of commerce, the St. Paul Quarter is now a hip neighborhood with plenty of living options. The neighborhood was one of the first to introduce loft living to the downtown area, and with the addition of hundreds of new loft apartments, it is now a convenient and hip location for the younger crowd.

Rents run from around $325 for a one-bedroom apartment, all the way up to $1525 for a studio loft in the historic Gauss Building. While some of the rents may seem a little steep, remember, most of these properties are lofts, and many will also offer some pretty amazing views of the Genesee River.

With a mix of great restaurants and nightlife, the St. Paul Quarter offers many options for those of us looking for an “urban” lifestyle.

History

The roots of the St. Paul Quarter can be traced back to the days of the Industrial Revolution during the late 1800s when garment manufacturers, tool and die shops and many other businesses set up shop in the neighborhood. Many of the buildings still feature the high ceilings, brick walls and large, multi-paned windows of these former factories and shops.

Fires, bankruptcies and other bad karma plagued many of these businesses, however, and the neighborhood eventually transformed into the trendy nightlife destination it is today. While many of the original buildings remain, they have been converted into loft-style apartments, studio spaces and hip clubs and eateries, only further enhancing St. Paul’s unique vibe.