Rochester, NY Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

" The permit is restricted to applicants who will operate the cafe, or a vending unit connected to it, in conjunction with a legally established business on the first floor of the adjoining premises that fronts or empties onto the right-of-way at the requested location, and that business must be engaged in selling food, beverages or other goods that may lawfully be consumed on the sidewalk. Any vending unit used for the cafe must also comply with all provisions of Chapter 62 of the Municipal Code (Commercial Travelers, Solicitors and Special Promotional Events).

Sidewalk cafe permits can take priority over special Main Street vending permits if the cafe application was filed before a date the Commissioner of Environmental Services sets and the location is actually being used as a sidewalk cafe under the Commissioner's rules and regulations. Because a sidewalk cafe is an above-surface encroachment, it is also subject to the general encroachment standards: no permit issues for an encroachment within two feet of the curbline or one that creates a hazard or impairs free passage of pedestrians, vehicles or maintenance equipment, and § 104-37 requires every encroachment, including a cafe footprint, to be kept free of snow, ice, dirt and other obstructions and properly maintained.