2 weeks Ago By Jeff Kiger
ROCHESTER — Downtown Rochester’s newest bar — the Palmetto Room — has a rum-forward Havana-vibe under the popular Our Paladar restaurant. The walk-in basement lounge offers its own food and cocktail menu as it serves as the bar for the Our Paladar restaurant at 20 Fourth St. SE in the more than 120-year-old Chicago Great Western railroad depot building.
ADVERTISEMENT Following the “When a door closes, another opens” philosophy, Rochester Chefs Nick Diaz and Kiefer Manning opened the Palmetto Room bar as they closed Our Paladar’s outdoor porch seating for the season. The restaurant is often completely booked. The Palmetto Room offers a casual spot for walk-ins to dine and drink in the lower level.
“We’re outgrowing our dining room. We needed a place to situate all those guests who were enjoying the patio all summer. Now maybe they can find more favorites.
This is another way to interact with us,” explained Manning. "This is a before or after dinner spot, a place to have a nightcap or this could be where you spend your whole night." The basement space previously housed Boxcar Hippie/Cellar, when Porch Fried Chicken occupied the main level.
Porch closed in 2021. Manning and Diaz, who opened Our Paladar in August 2023, have brightened and expanded the space. It now seats almost 50.
“Rum is one of my favorite spirits. I love it for its versatility, and I love the cocktail culture behind it,” said Manning. “I'm attempting to introduce rum in a more sophisticated and appreciative way.
I think everyone understands how to appreciate whiskey. So let's explore rum in much the same way with really incredibly aged, small batch rums that we're working very hard to source.” The atmosphere is designed to evoke a classic Havana-style reminiscent of Hemingway’s 1950s Cuba.
The Palmetto Room’s hours vary from Our Paladar. It is open from 4 p.m.
to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4 p.
m. to 11 p.m.
on Friday and Saturday. It will serve food late making it a rare Rochester spot to order a burger or Cuban sandwich after 9 p.m.
The basement bar also serves as a place for private parties or meetings. ADVERTISEMENT “We wanted to create a dynamic space where we could still host our private groups. We provide a more casual kind of carefree atmosphere,” said Manning.
This is the latest evolution of a Rochester landmark building. The depot, built in 1899, has been moved to occupy a few locations in downtown Rochester. It originally served the Winona & Southwestern railroad and later the Chicago Great Western railroad.
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