45 Public Market, Rochester
504-4617
The aroma emanating from Flour City Bread stirs memories of Saturday sourdough and pastries at the bustling Public Market.
Its founder, Keith Myers, crafts traditional, naturally leavened loaves with fresh-milled flour. Over the years, the bakery has earned a cult following at farmers markets and restaurants alike for its excellence.
The next chapter for this institution, though, started in a more modern-day manner: a text out of the blue.
Myers messaged chef Cassidy Broman, then the sous chef at the Cub Room, saying he bought a building and wanted to open a restaurant. Broman has known the Flour City Bread owner since he was fourteen years old, working at his family’s restaurant.
“We’ve always kind of hinted at opening a place together, even when I was young,” Broman says. That text sparked the beginning of Public Provisions, the new farm-to-table restaurant in the Public Market. Broman, now the chef and co-owner, showcases his relationships with producers to craft a menu focused on local ingredients.
Connections to the bakery’s legacy are evident. This spot offers a relaxed coffee shop vibe by day and casual dining at night, with artisanal breads and pastries integrated into its menus.
He describes his philosophy simply as “making things from scratch.” For example, the pastrami sandwich ($17) starts with raw brisket from a local farm. It’s brined, then smoked in-house, and topped with sauerkraut, which Broman makes using cabbage from his favorite producers. The chewy baguette that holds it all together is made fresh daily next door.
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“There’s nothing fancy going on there. It’s just a good pastrami sandwich,” he says. And it is. The restaurant’s attention to quality produces approachable yet elevated dishes—the Platonic ideal of the classic.
That philosophy of prioritizing quality ingredients shines through in Broman’s cooking.
“If you start with great vegetables, all you have to do is put salt on them to make them delicious,” he says. “If you start with good, you’re going to get good. It starts with what you get.” Another example is the shrimp gambas ($15), which come with slices of sourdough to sop up the brothy sofrito. He makes the meticulously crafted elixir over three days by grating fresh tomatoes and garlic. A dedicated five-hour simmer infuses the sauce with unparalleled depth. Many might buy tomato paste to create such a dish, but that’s beyond the point for Broman. “You get a superior product,” he says. “That one ingredient makes that dish.”
For times like now, when our options for local vegetables are less abundant, Broman turns to traditional preserving methods.
“I still have ramps from this year that I lacto-fermented,” he says. He builds his larder during the height of the season, usually late summer and fall, by pickling and lactofermenting produce. “That stuff will all be at our fingertips when the time comes.”
Because of his diligent planning, delicacies like crimson cherry peppers provide a bracing bite to crispy calamari rings ($15). When winter comes, citrus from trusted small growers in sunny climates provides bright pops of flavor.
Cultivating relationships to source the best ingredients is part of his process.
“I’ve curated a Rolodex of farmers and producers,” Broman says. He walks around the Public Market every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and works Sundays at the Brighton Farmers’ Market. “You do that every week for three years, and you build relationships with strangers.” These producers paint a map of the area’s abundant farmlands. Beef from Seven Bridges Farm in Lima takes center stage in the hand-ground smash burger ($17 for lunch, $19 for dinner). Nearby Bristol’s Fisher Hill Farm provides eggs and chicken for sandwiches and breakfast items. The result supports the restaurant’s Public Market neighbors, providing a taste of our area’s agricultural landscape in every bite.
And just as Broman has close ties to his producers, he wants diners to feel connected to the person making their food.
At dinner service, cooks run the food out to the tables. This direct contact and ability to put faces to plates helps the entire staff provide an exceptional dining experience.
Wine flight
“I think people have a great time because they get to interact with me and the cooks,” says Broman. The chef’s table at the end of the open kitchen is a popular place for diners to sit. “I want my cooks to be on the front line in the eyeballs of the customers. I can’t do it without them. They do all the work, and they deserve to be showcased.”
I experienced that personal touch when my husband and I shared a smash burger. Instead of serving it on a single pillowy brioche bun, it arrived as two delectable sliders.
“We try to do that,” the server says. “Someone gets stuck with all the goodies, and someone gets all the bread and sauce.” This uncomplicated but considerate gesture speaks to the whole team’s care for creating a great experience for its guests.
The locally focused restaurant also aims to promote positive growth in the neighborhood. By providing an all-day café and lunch destination, the owners hope to bring more activity and foot traffic to the area.
“Bring your laptop. Bring your kids. Hang out all day,” says Broman, emphasizing the restaurant’s welcoming spirit. On most days, save for Sunday and Monday, the restaurant opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. Diners can order food and drinks the entire time.
“We’re open for a reason: We think we can get people down here, and maybe we can get some others to open beside us,” he says.
Public Provisions aims to complement longstanding icons like Fiorella and Cure that anchor the neighborhood’s food scene. Hotspots like Velvet Belly, Ziggy’s, and Bitter Honey have also moved into the burgeoning area in recent years.
By sourcing locally and channeling the Public Market’s energy, it strives to help the community thrive.
While building on the legacy of the revered bakery that came before it, this new restaurant writes its own story day by day. Through farm-to-table dishes and an ethos rooted in place, Public Provisions paves an inspiring path forward.
