Tucked away near the old Kodak Park in Rochester’s northwest side is a little Italian deli called Ciaccia’s Delicatessen (pronounced “Cha-cha’s”). You wouldn’t expect to find amazing homemade meatball subs and italian meals in this industrial neck of the woods. Yet Ciaccia’s Delicatessen has been thriving here for decades, quietly serving some of the best Italian sandwiches you’ll ever eat. It’s the sort of place you hear about from a friend of a friend, a true local secret that’s been family-run since the 1960s.
My first encounter with Ciaccia’s came during a stint working at Accelerate Media out by Eastman Business Park – the massive campus formerly known as Kodak Park. For those unfamiliar, Kodak Park was once the largest film manufacturing facility in the world, with over 15,000 employees working across 1,300 acres in its heyday. Ciaccia’s sits in a nondescript building on one of the grittier stretches of Lee Road across what was once part of the complex, but I don’t believe it is anymore. Think chain-link fences, a scrap metal yard across the street, and the city’s garbage facility down the road. In fact, the first time I drove by, I almost missed it. The exterior looked modest and unassuming, blending into an industrial landscape of truck depots and warehouses.
Upon entering Ciaccia’s, a handful of cheerful staff bustled around taking orders and assembling sandwiches with practiced ease. Despite it being my first visit, I was greeted like a regular as they patiently waited as I stumbled over the menu as it is quite overwhelming and spread across several boards so it’s impossible to read without walking from one end of the restaurant to the end.
That first visit, I played it safe and ordered an Italian assorted sub, figuring a classic cold-cut sandwich would be a good intro. Within minutes, I was handed a weighty sub.The bread was soft and fresh, the cold cuts (ham, salami, capicola, and prosciutto) were high quality, and there was a perfect crunch from lettuce and a bite of pickled pepper. It was simple, but so much better than the chain sub shops. Ciaccia’s instantly became the highlight of my workdays – a little oasis of homey comfort food amid the factory fumes of roaring trucks going to the factories nearby.
Burning Hot Meatballs
Over the following weeks, I worked my way through Ciaccia’s menu and quickly discovered their crown jewel: the meatball sub. Let me tell you, this is not a dainty sandwich; and it’s messy. One Time I took it back to eat at my desk and a burning hot meatball rolled out onto my lap making a mess of my paints and nearly burning me. I let out a bit of a yell; I later found out my coworker though I was frustrated with a line of code or some project I was working on; but no. it was just the burning hot meatball.
I became so obsessed that I decided to try recreating Ciaccia’s meatball sub at home one weekend. How hard could it be? I got some store bought meatballs (my first mistake) and even got the same bread they use and assembled the monster. I wrapped it in foil and put it in the toaster over for 15/20 minutes (like what you do with the costco meatball sub they have recently added and it comes out pretty good). It smelled great, and I was proud… until I took a bite. Womp womp. It seemed to turn out a bland soggy mess; flavorless, messy, and so bad I just tossed the ruined bread and attempted to save it by just having the balls and some leftover pasta instead.
What to Try at Ciaccia’s
By now, I’ve sampled a good chunk of the menu, and there are certain must-try items I recommend to any first-timer. Whether you’re a sandwich aficionado or just in need of a hearty lunch, here are my top picks:
Of course, this is just scratching the surface. The menu is surprisingly extensive for a little deli – from hot pasta dishes and salads to daily specials like lasagna. But the above are staples that have earned my loyalty (and frequent return visits).
- Italian Sub: Protip – Order the large, and get only half with mayo and oil so that you can have the other half later. Its a great sub in its simplicity and miles better than a chain sub places Italian sub.
- Meatball Sub: The star of the show, as described above. House-made meatballs + rich marinara + melted mozzarella on fresh baked bread = sandwich bliss. It’s messy, it’s huge, and it’s absolutely worth it (you might want to grab a fork to scoop up the tasty bits that fall out!).
- Daily Panino Special: I asked the staff what the difference between a panini and a panino are. They weren;t exactly sure (maybe I asked the wrong person) but whatever the heck it was it is a tasty rotating item on the menu; but everyone i’ve had so far has been good!
A Neighborhood Staple with Local Charm
One of the most endearing aspects of Ciaccia’s is how it embodies the character of Rochester’s local food scene. Here you have a third-generation family business operating in the shadow of a giant like Kodak, yet making its own mark by simply doing things right. Ciaccia’s originally opened in 1962 and was among the first in the area to serve authentic submarine sandwiches on fresh bakery bread with Italian deli meats ciaccias.com. In a way, it pioneered the Rochester sub game long before chain restaurants came around.
I believe much of the same family and perhaps sisters still staff / run the place but I was too shy to ask as over time I noticed a few of the women resemble each other, (The deli is named after the Ciaccia family, after all.) I’m a little too shy to outright ask,
On a busy lunch hour, Ciaccia’s is humming with activity. You’ll see a mix of blue-collar workers from the nearby factories, local office staff, maybe a police officer grabbing takeout, and occasional neighborhood folks popping in for cold cuts by the pound.
you’ll notice shelves stocked with imported Italian goodies – everything from olive oil and pasta to jars of peppers and even Italian tuna. It doubles as a tiny Italian market. These little details give the deli an old-world charm, as if you’ve stepped into a slice of Italy tucked into upstate New York.
For those not from Rochester, it’s worth noting how places like Ciaccia’s contribute to the city’s character. Rochester is a mid-sized city with a rich industrial history known for Kodak, yes, but also Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, and others. With that came a melting pot of communities, including a strong Italian-American presence. Small, family-run establishments like Ciaccia’s are the heritage of those communities.
Even if you never find yourself in Rochester, the story of Ciaccia’s is relatable; it’s that beloved corner spot in any town that locals cherish and outsiders are lucky to stumble upon. So here’s to Ciaccia’s, the hidden gem by Kodak’s old doorstep, still going strong and feeding both body and soul with every order. If you’re ever in the area and craving a great sandwich, now you know where to go.
