A Rochester-area diner chain known for its breakfast and lunch crowds has grown from a small Penfield eatery into a four-location business. Original Steve's Diner opened in Penfield more than two decades ago.
From a 44-Seat Penfield Spot to a Regional Name
The chain's roots go back to 2002, when it opened as a 44-seat restaurant in Penfield, according to Original Steve's Diner. Since then, the business says on its website that it has grown into what it calls a restaurant community, with locations added in Chili, Henrietta and Victor starting in 2020. The diner also says it focuses on local ingredients sold by local vendors, a theme it has carried across its expansion.
The company lists four Rochester-area locations, with addresses in Penfield, Chili, Victor and Henrietta, according to the company's locations page.
How the Henrietta and Chili Locations Came Together
The chain's growth pattern in Rochester offers a glimpse at how it has typically expanded. In June 2020, just three months behind schedule, the company opened its third location in Chili while already working toward a fourth in Henrietta, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. The Henrietta project received a special-use permit from the town on May 26, 2020, the paper reported.
Not every location has stuck around under the Original Steve's name, though. The diner's earlier Fairport site at 650 Whitney Road has since rebranded as The Great American Diner and is no longer affiliated with the franchise, according to RochesterFirst. That outlet reported the chain would continue operating its three other locations in Penfield, Chili and Henrietta — a count that predates the addition of the Victor location now listed on the company's website.
Restaurant Activity Across Western New York
Other out-of-town chains have also been reported as eyeing the region. The Buffalo News reported that Rochester-based Great Northern Pizza Kitchen plans its first Buffalo-area location, while WGRZ reported that Chicken Salad Chick is planning an expansion into Buffalo as part of broader Upstate New York growth.
Buffalo Business First separately reported last November that a popular local restaurant was expanding to a third location after purchasing a former Veterans of Foreign Wars post in the village.
