Beethoven is an iconic musician. While I wouldn't say this place measures up to the infamy of its name, Ludwig's is still making me sing a happy tune. We arrived after when we assumed the lunch rush would be, during the one o'clock hour, famished. At first it seemed that it was a solo show as we were briefly greeted by a worker who said she would be with us in a minute before spending more at the open kitchen. We used the time to weigh our options, many nods to musical legends that left me at first indecisive. Suddenly a second worker arrived, apologizing for the wait and providing excellent service as she helped explain my omlette options and asked about our day. She took our name and we got choice of our tables, each with its own unique set of salt and pepper shakers. We went for the bear and honey, getting a front row view of the kitchen work. We could have sat at the chess set and people watched out the window, or hovered to watch the hallway action before taking our meals outside, but we had been on foot for miles, and melting into the chairs while the jazzy student radio played on and we took in all the peculiarly wonderful decor sounded ideal. We grabbed a water from the cooler (we didn't see the prices, but for two meals and a drink we got out for under 30) and sipped at it during the short wait. Because *somebody* mentioned it was my birthday, the woman serving us even offered me a free macaron. I initially declined (I don't milk my birthday for freebies) she insisted that both me and my company take a free mini bite, his being a little cake. For the train ride home, she offered. We had inquired about tree nut allergies, and later research found most macarons have almond flour, which is a potential hazard to me, so it was gifted to our friend who picked us up later that evening as a thank you. They both liked their little treats. The food itself, very lovely. I had finally decided on a mushroom onion omelette as they don't have black olives. The mushrooms are bite sized, and the strands of onion are easily manageable to cut through with the plastic tableware they provide. Everything is disposable, which while not environmentally the best, is probably all that is manageable given the small amount of space the restaurant takes up. The omelette is three eggs, neatly folded over the veg. It came with four half slices of sourdough griddled toast, covered in butter. I don't usually eat it this way, though it was a nice change of pace and not so greasy that I didn't even need a napkin to wipe the residue off my face like some diner food. The toast was in the sweet spot of not too soft, nor too crunchy and left me refueled after our long journey. My hungry company went for the Jack Black burger, hold the tomato. It is a half pound of meat, which according to him was filling to a point of being glad he ordered the thin handcrafted pickles, as I could help finish the few he had left instead of having to carry a to go box around the rest of the afternoon. The bun had also been cooked, coated in a chipotle aioli that carried more flavor than it did spice. Leaf lettuce and pickled red onion that maintained their bite also dressed the burger, along with a slice of pepperjack. Unlike me, he had to grab the napkins. Like me, he was satisfied. They were kind and let him wash his hands in their sink before we left, leaving a tip in the jar. I'd say I'll be back, but we were just in town for the day, so instead, thank you, for good food and good service. read more

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great spot for a delicious wrap/sandwich with all the fixings in center city! & oh my gosh, so affordable!! super cool 90s deli vibes inside with the classic music decor, very homey and comfortable, a great respit. nice outdoor seating too & amy the owner is so incredibly sweet. perfectly located right across from java's & eastman - this is gonna be a must-stop during jazz fest! read more

I was a first-time customer, and what a wonderful experience it was! Amy, the owner, has curated a delightful space that offers delicious food, beautiful music, and caring, thoughtful service. I will definitely be back and plan to bring my friends and business associates. My Food: I had the Chicken Caesar wrap with extra Caesar dressing and pesto inside the wrap. For my side, I chose applesauce and also took home a delicious peanut butter cookie. It was a pleasure meeting you, Amy. I look forward to seeing you again soon. read more

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This restaurant specializes in gluten centric meals. Every item is between slices of bread or in a flour wrap. Just an observation.

Friendly staff, sufficient seating, and decent menu. I ordered a burger which was HUGE and ended up full for the rest of the day. The burger meat kind of overpowered all of the other toppings. Should've added sauce on the burger as well. The size of the patty was so large, the burger bun wasn't big enough to eat together. This cafe is more for on the go "just gotta satiate myself" food, but definitely would not be acceptable as a sit down restaurant. read more

I was in the area and wanted a coffee/tea & something more, so I came to Ludwig's with a Sacher Torte in mind. Instead I settled for a Korean Pork Belly Salad and Ginger Tea. The pork belly mini chunks came on a skewer. I dispersed them throughout the salad and it made a very satisfying salad. Very tasty. The hot Ginger Tea fully complimented the dish. Nice music in the background(although not classical) but jazz. Great atmosphere. Staff very nice. read more

Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe - seating and chalkboard - Delis Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Ah....the Jazz Fest....a time for music, crowds, hot weather, food trucks....and walking by this place?!?! Well, i'll be, rather unassuming and clearly part of the building, the only nagging feeling I had was my buddy saying - "they have a great steak sandwich over there". Passing up all of the food trucks, with my 2nd Stella Artois in a plastic cup later, we entered. They have an old school city deli feel to the place, with outdoors seating on Gibbs, so that city flair is there. The interior allows for plenty of seating, along with that old time "sandwich shop" bar height window seating (so you can people watch). This is not a fancy place, but a well kept one, and the decor is a funky blend with light colors and orange paint. Obviously, food was the mission here, and this steak sandwich had to meet mah face. The Ribeye Steak sandwich, to be specific, with grilled peppers and onions and cooked to the temp you ask, on a flat grill browned roll. You could get it with Mac salad or salt potato - which was a no-brainer for me, #saltpotato4lyfe. Also, they serve a wide menu, from breakfast and breakfast sandwiches to lunch, salads, quiche, standard deli fare (subs and sandwiches), and even burgers, melts and Amy's soups! read more

Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe - Interior - Delis Near Me - Rochester, New York

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The service was nice, the place was clean and well maintained, there appeared to be many options for lunch, and the prices were good for their offerings. They had home made pickles and some interesting sandwich and bun options. I ordered the Sweet Caroline. It was described as a grilled chicken sandwich with sweet barbecue sauce but honestly tasted like a relatively bland grilled chicken sandwich where the bun was too thick and filling and the sauce was runny, watered down, with almost no discernible flavor. I had hoped for a rich, savory and sweet sandwich as advertised but found what amounted to a deli chicken sandwich with a cool name. read more

Grateful for gluten free options! The food was good and well cooked. The service was friendly and the almost was clean and cozy

Love their tuna melt! And their sides of an applesauce helps me be a little more healthy. It's a nice chill place to have lunch with a friend or by yourself. read more

As an Eastman student, I go to Ludwig's around 3-4 times a week for my lunches. -coffee is extremely cheap (especially compared to Java's across the street), but it's usually not great. -Food is the cheapest option in the area (besides dunkin) -employees are friendly and get to know you by name and order; the staff is the reason to come back. read more

I may be a little biased, as I also work in the building, but this is my favorite lunch spot. The sandwiches are so worth it! And if she tells you they have a side pasta that day, GET IT!!! Yummmm. Plus, they have a fun atmosphere and vibe. 100 stars! read more

Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe - Turkey sandwich and pasta side! - Delis Near Me - Rochester, New York

Service was okay! I tried to use more than Groupon voucher, but they only let me use 2 of 4, which was nice I suppose. The food was alright. I do not recommend the tomato soup. It was an okay atmosphere. Overall, opening back up with covid is tough, but I'm sure it will improve with time! read more

Ludwig's chicken breast sandwich cannot be beat! Superb little restaurant nestled in the heart of Gibb's street. If you're in area, stop on by. Amy & her crew will take good care of you! read more

Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe - Delis Near Me - Rochester, New York

Found this gem during Jazz Fest. Great menu and service. The staff is excellent. Ate here twice. The veggie burger and salt potatoes were yummy. read more

There are very few places to get a good lunch downtown, so I have been to Center Stage many times. The food has really been hit or miss. My favorite is the chicken caesar wrap, which is technically great at this place because of their addition of croutons!! But sometimes when I get it it's super dry (dry chicken, stale croutons, very little caesar dressing, stale wrap). I've had burgers from here and chicken sandwiches and the buffalo chicken wrap - all are just fine, nothing special. They do stock really nice drinks, including Pittsford Farms Dairy milk, so that's a plus. One thing that is excellent at this place is the pickles! They are delicious and crispy and so fresh tasting - I'd definitely recommend getting pickles as the side to your entrée. Five stars for the pickles! Sometimes they have a Taco Tuesday special that's pretty yum, but they have been terrible lately about updating their website with the daily specials!! It looks like they just started up again but from September 2017-January 2018 there were no specials posted whenever I went to check!! Bummer. I like to call in my order for pickup, because if you sit in the restaurant for more than a minute you just stink like that flat top grill! read more

Wow! I just had the best bowl of clam chowder... ok two bowls (lol) I'm still a growing boy! Big chunks of clam, leaks, potatoes....omg it was crazy. My tip don't get the crackers opt for the hard roll. SOOOOOOO GOOD! They run out of seats kinda quick and the soup is only served on Fridays. Not telling you to get there early just informing you of the rush. This must be a new recipe because I have had this chowder before, but this time wow... just wow! Oh and the chili there is still the best I have tasted, but Fridays belong to the "Chowder" lol. Enjoy. I would post a picture but I'm staring at an empty bowl. Get your own. read more

Great prices on good portions of food. You can get almost anything you want made to order; however the specials are always worth a try. They list their specials each day online so check the website before you go. Service is a bit slow since everything is made to order, so you will have to wait, but the staff are incredibly friendly and do their best to remember all the regulars. Good for breakfast and lunch. read more

Ludwig's was at midtown eats and they had chicken & waffle fries. They were serving it out of what looked like dog dishes, but that wasn't the worst of it. When I bit into my fried chicken with a crisp outside the whole inside was raw. The girl serving did not seem apologetic but at least gave me a refund. I want to give them credit but there was 4 other people that came up after me! They said they "got the wrong chicken", but there is no excuse for not knowing your inventory before you serve customers. read more

I love Ludwig's. Every time I'm by the Eastman School, I stop by. I've never gotten a sandwich I didn't like. My brother loves their sandwiches as well. The chicken portobello melt is my favorite. The homemade pickles are very good as well and the breakfast sandwiches are good. The two things I don't like about this place are (some of) the prices and the hours. It's 6-7 for a sandwich with a side. Sandwiches are delicious and relatively large, but I still think the price is a bit high. Hours are limited--it's only open on weekdays during breakfast and lunch time, sadly. read more

This deli is actually under new management and it is called "Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe". This place is right near work and I love it! The new owners have been getting pretty creative with the menu too! Chilled soups, quiche, pies, new sauces and sandwiches (just to name a few). This is a great place for lunch. Josh, the main cook works the grill and makes the best food. Best, and most important of all... they named a sandwich special after me! This just goes to show, they really care about their customers. They try to remember everyone and it's so cool. So go. Try the "Danielle d'entree" and think of me! =) read more

Such a good cafe to order a sandwhich on the go. I work right down the street and the only options are sit down restaurants. I usually order the sandwhich special of the day and I'm never disappointed. I'd suggest calling ahead to order since there's not that many cooks. Side note is that there is a minimum for credit card use. read more

Ludwig's Center Stage Cafe - Delis Near Me - Rochester, New York

Stopped in to drop off a UPS package as they are a drop off point. Staff was super friendly and their all day breakfast burrito was excellent! read more

Co-workers come here often so I thought I'd give it a try. I ordered a salad special called Strawberry Fields - and I was not disappointed. Greens were crisp, grilled chicken flavorful, juicy, and cut just right, strawberries were fresh, and onions not overwhelming. Next time I'm in town, this will be a stop for me! read more

Today is my second time at this place. I found it via groupon. The food was good and filling. I spent $10.00 and I was quite full. That includes a sandwich, muffin, drink and a side. I ordered the lower cost items to save money, but I was equally impressed with their higher priced items. Both times I ordered sandwiches. The next time I will order the quiche or something like that. The chili is just okay, but I can taste that they tried to add some spice to it. I'm from New Orleans, so my taste buds may be accustomed to a little different spice level. The staff are so nice and attentive. The woman actually remembered my name today and I had only been here once before!!! Please support this little shop. I will return. I get wi-fi there too. read more

First time I I got grilled cheese and bacon it was loaded and filling. Second time I got the same item, barely any cheese and bacon. Dissatisfied, disappointed. No consistency. read more

I'm not a fan of the cold sandwich so having the flat top at Ludwig's is clutch! The prices are reasonable especially given their location. I have yet to try their baked good but I notice they have goat cheese brownies which I have been meaning to try ever since the Bobby Flay Throwdown episode when he took on the ladies from the Vermont Brownie Company. Sandwiches come with a side and I went with pickles. It was a great decision because I would keep coming back just for the pickles!!! The woman who waited on me was pleasant and asked how my day was going so though I don't penalize for service that isn't above and beyond, I do give credit for niceness. read more

Went to the Ludwig's food tent at this month's Midtown Eats event in downtown Rochester. Ordered the Sonota burger which was priced slightly higher than their regular one on the menu. That may be because of the Midtown Eats event premium that each food tent might be charging. The burger came with a tiny side of fusilli pasta that had nothing to write about, cooked pasta, not much flavor and tiny in quantity. Coming back to the main thing - the burger itself was a veggie burger that came on a hard roll and had lettuce, tomato, cheddar and a dressing of chipotle pesto. The burger was cooked well - had some black beans, carrots, potatoes and peas, the spice level was okay, not spicy but mild to taste. The add-ons were okay, but the disappointing factor here is the pesto. Expected some more of the chipotle pesto on top, but had little bit of it, and didn't drive home the chipotle taste that I expected it to deliver. Overall, I've had better veggie burgers than here, I might try some other items from here from their regular menu. read more

First appearance is a bit of a turn off. A little dinky hole in the wall around the rest of the university. Turns out, they have one of the best tuna melts I have ever had! The pickles are something else too. Homemade! So much flavor! Check it out for sure! read more

I really like this cafe, it's small and a good change from javas they have delicious lunch options! The chicken pesto sandwich is great as well as the homage pickles. read more

I purchased a Restaurant.Com certificate for this restaurant and they would not honor it during the Jazz Festival last month. Had I know that this was the case I never would have bought it, as I rarely get downtown. Needless to say I was not happy. I may never return to this restaurant. I really did not care for the treatment I received. When I explained that there was no indication that they would not honor it during the festival, I was told that it was the policy of the restaurant. Poor response, as taking this approach cost them a customer. I am in the sales business and have many contacts during the course of my week. I may pass this experience along to those loyal customers of mine. read more

The female manager was really rude and unprofessional towards my friend and I tonight. We were in the area and just browsing for some desserts and strolled upon this place a little before 8pm. When we walked in, she scolded us and said "uh we close at 8?!" Not a "hello" or "how are you?" Or even a "hey, I'm sorry we're closing soon!" Like we were supposed to just assume that. Being pointlessly rude to customers is a good way for them not to return so I recommend some attitude adjustment. Thank you read more

I've eaten at Ludwig's more than a handful of times and while the food is good I'm frequently disappointed with the service. For the SECOND time in two weeks I've been given the wrong TO GO order. I make it back to my office before finding out I've got someone else's sandwhich. That doesn't really sit well with me considering the 20 minute wait to get my food once I've ordered. Add to that, I typically wait until later in the afternoon to go because I'd rather avoid the lunch rush. Decent food, fix the service! read more