For months, the sign on the door at 137 W Commercial St. in East Rochester, a former dry cleaning business, has read "Opening soon." Residents and other passersby who have anxiously been awaiting that sign to make good on its promise will be pleased to know that Lemoncello Cafe and Lounge is scheduled to officially open its doors Thursday, March 11.

"We should have put ‘opening eventually,'" laughs Fausto Albano, co-owner of the soon-to-open eatery, who also owns a bar in East Rochester, Village Rock Cafe. "We had to lock the doors because people kept trying to walk in."

Fausto and his brother Massimo Albano have spent the last two years remodeling and redecorating the space from its former dry-cleaner state. They turned the driveway into a stamped concrete patio (for outdoor dining during warmer months), cut through cement and drywall to add windows, and, most noticeably, transformed the interior by adding custom woodwork and masonry, like tile and pebble flooring, mosaics, and more.

"Where we're from there are a lot of chateau-like homes, and we wanted to give it that chateau feel by adding the stone and woodwork," says Massimo. "It gives it a very cozy feel."

The Albanos hail from a small town in Italy (less than 2,500 people) called Vaglio Basilicata, about an hour and a half south of Naples. Their Italian heritage has lended itself to the new venture, inspiring everything from the name to the atmosphere and menu. The cafe is named after Limoncello, the Italian liqueur and digestif - a drink consumed after a meal, ostensibly as an aid to digestion - which is mainly produced in Southern Italy; the Albanos decided to change the spelling to make it more accessible for non-native speakers. The liqueur will be served in the cafe, along with many dishes it has inspired, including lemon-filled cannolis and croissants, Limoncello gelato (along with more than a dozen other flavors), and Limoncello cake.

Upon entering Lemoncello Cafe and Lounge, guests will find themselves in the cafe portion of the business, where the menu will include freshly made panini, cheese and olive plates, cakes and pastries, homemade gelato, and beverages like espresso, coffee, and wine. The back of the space is the lounge and bar area, lushly adorned with a freestanding fireplace, a posh bar, and a stage for live music. The lounge menu will feature soups, salads, pastas, and, due to start in early May, stone-oven pizzas. The back of the house will also serve some hard-to-find specialties, like tripe and chicken giblets.

In addition to offering European-inspired cuisine and atmosphere, the Albanos also intend to use the restaurant's flatscreen TVs to broadcast more internationally popular sports, like soccer and cycling, paying particular attention to the World Cup and Tour de France.

"Every place we've been - and we've been a lot of places - we've picked up ideas that we're bringing into this place," says Massimo. "For people who have travelled or who want to travel, they'll really appreciate the laid-back cafe atmosphere we're offering. You can stop in and have coffee, espresso, dessert, or a glass of wine and just relax."

To find Lemoncello in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Lemoncello Cafe and Lounge is located at 137 W Commercial St in East Rochester. Prices range from $7 to $8 for paninis and $10 to $15 for pastas and other entrees. The cafe portion is open daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; the lounge and bar are open daily 4 p.m.-2 a.m. For more information, call 385-8565.

Maplewood Cafe

Restaurant and coffee shop Maplewood Cafe opened its doors on Sunday, February 21. The cafe offers a variety of breakfast options, including traditional items like eggs, bacon, omelets and pancakes, to more unique items like chicken wings served with shrimp fried rice and haddock served with eggs and grits. The restaurant also serves an assortment of sandwiches for lunch, including a BLT, grilled ham and cheese, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and fish sandwiches. Prices generally range from $2 to $8; through May diners can save $1 off $10 or more when the promotion is mentioned.

To find Maplewood Cafe in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Maplewood Cafe is located at 1450 Dewey Ave. It is open daily 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For more information, call 254-2141.

Local Restaurant Week

Monday, March 8, marked the beginning of the spring 2010 Local Restaurant Week, a twice-yearly event that spotlights local harvest and independent restaurants by offering dining deals at participating restaurants, breweries, and wineries. More than 175 restaurants are participating across Western New York. Many of the restaurants participating in Rochester are offering three-course meals at the special $20.10 price, including Bamba Bistro (282 Alexander St), Bistro 135 (135 W Commercial St), Black and Blue (3349 Monroe Ave), and Rohrbach Brewing Company (3859 Buffalo Rd). Other deals available for $20.10 include dinner for two at Romeo's Restaurant and Bistro (2500 Ridgeway Ave) and Murph's Irondequoit Pub (705 Titus Ave), or a six-course meal at Agatina's Restaurant (2967 Buffalo Rd). The event ends on Sunday, March 14. For more information on Local Restaurant Week, visit westernnewyork.localrestaurantweek.com.

Haveli Indian Cuisine

Haveli Indian Cuisine opened earlier this year in the space formerly inhabited by Wild Noodles in Henrietta. The restaurant offers a variety of Indian food, especially Punjabi cuisine (from the Punjab or northwestern region of India). The menu features several curry dishes, all of which can be ordered at varying levels of hotness. True spicy-food lovers should definitely request their dish extra spicy, but be prepared for the cooks to deliver on the challenge.

To find Haveli Indian Cuisine in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Haveli Indian Cuisine is located at 1635 E Henrietta Rd. It is open daily 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5-10 p.m. For more information, call 427-0430.

Mario's Pasta Sauce raises more than $3000 for Haiti

Italian restaurant Mario's (2740 Monroe Ave) raised more than $3000 for Haiti earthquake relief efforts. The owners, the Daniele family, donated more than 800 jars of pasta sauce to the St. Louis Church in the village of Pittsford, which was then sold to parishioners. All proceeds were donated to an orphanage and hospitals in Haiti.

Closing

Lindt Chocolate, which was located in Eastview Mall, closed permanently at the end of January. The national chocolatier announced late last year that it would close two-thirds of its retail boutiques at the beginning of this year. The brand of truffles can still be purchased online, as well as in retailers like Target and Wegmans.