I’ll be honest—while the concept is cool, my initial thought was, “How much can one write about a grilled cheese sandwich?” But sitting inside the eclectic purple and yellow, industrial yet artsy walls of the Grilled Cheese Factory ROC (TGCF), that thought left my mind immediately. All it took was one bite of the Dillified quesadilla to know the words would be limitless. Fried pickles, crispy chicken, cheddar jack cheese, and homemade “Chill” sauce perfectly melted together? The food is absolutely phenomenal—and I don’t say that lightly.
I know my cheese (Mom raised me well), and this is the real deal; it’s easy to taste the quality. Add in affordable pricing, quick service, great hospitality, and a family-friendly environment, and TGCF has created the perfect atmosphere for all walks of the community. Located in the Village Gate Square, it’s the perfect spot for a casual lunch outing or low-stress dinner date. You can carry out or dine in, relax in the cozy café-styled seating area during the cooler months, or enjoy a bite out on the patio in the summer. There is a bar in the works, so you’ll soon be able to grab a drink to pair with your meal while you’re there— what else could one ask for?
TGCF is a family-owned and -operated business through and through. Elizabeth Risden started the journey in 2020 alongside her children Mandi and Marcus Ciancio. Risden’s father, Richard Francis, was a leading factor in getting the business off the ground, and Mandi’s son works as a cook—making the business a four-generation effort.
Risden grew up in the food industry— working in restaurants at age sixteen. A foodie at heart, she noticed the niche hole the Rochester community had: There wasn’t a standalone grilled cheese place anywhere to be found. She took the idea and ran with it, opening the first location a month before the pandemic hit.
“We’re creative and like to do different things, and I was just really inspired and thought we could totally do it,” Risden says. Mandi continues jokingly, “I thought she was crazy.”
“When I get an idea, I want to see it through,” says Risden. “Sometimes my kids have to slow me down and say ‘no,’ but for this, we just went with it, and we made it come to life. We operated out of a takeout window on the side of a commercial residence and had lines all the way down the road. So many places were closed, and we were something new. We were able to stay in business throughout that whole time.”
They soon moved to a location at the Marketplace Mall while they hunted for a more permanent spot in the Rochester area. They got the call for their current space at the Village Gate one day out of the blue, and everything fell into place. TGCF just celebrated five years this past winter.
“We really wanted a space that could be both family-oriented and also one where you could come grab a beer with friends—we want to serve all the masses,” Mandi says. Risden continues, “It’s a trendy environment, and it’s not complicated. The food is casual, but it’s hearty, and there are tons of different flavors and options.”
Speaking of the food—the bread is everything. If one thing from this article drives you to try their melts, make it that. Go for the bread; you won’t be disappointed Thick, soft, and crunchy, with the little cross marks on top that add a fancy appeal.
“Our most popular is the Hangry—it’s a stacked sandwich with cheddar jack cheese, crispy chicken, fries, bacon, and your choice of sauce,” Risden says. “We also have the Let’s Go Buffalo!, inspired by the Buffalo Bills—it has our vegetarian house-made Buffalo dip with melted cheeses and celery. All our sandwiches can be made as quesadillas, so customers have a choice and can really customize them how they want.”
The recipes are all original, and the sauces are homemade. The family offers a plethora of vegetarian options and are exploring adding vegan options as well.
I was really impressed with the Veggielicious—I could pick apart every veggie on the melt, from the caramelized onions to the seasoned mushrooms. The mozzarella was to die for (and perfectly gooey), and the garlic herb seasoning added just the right amount of kick.
Each plate comes with fries or chips (the chips are baked and my personal fav), and there is a variety of other sides, such as fried pickles, fried ravioli, mac salad, and yes, of course, soup. Risden makes a homemade tomato bisque that’s worth every penny.
The Smokin’ Chick Fry Plate is the perfect dish to share with friends while watching a football game. Ditch the handhelds and use a fork—fries layered with shredded chicken, cheddar jack cheese, bacon, BBQ, and ranch. Fry plates can be made based on any of the melts, so there are lots of delicious vegetarian options as well.
I’d also like to give a special shout-out to the Mad Sauce—I don’t typically gravitate toward sweet and tangy sauces, but this one tasted perfect. (Dare I say I preferred it over the garlic blue?) It was a great mix with the fry plate’s BBQ and ranch.
“We’ve been in a lot of different areas trying to find the space that best fits us, and we found it here. Serving love and good food to everybody is what we want to do,” Mandi says.
Risden adds, “We like to put out good vibes; we love talking to the customers, hearing their stories, building rapport with Uber Eats and DoorDash drivers— we strive to serve the best food and give everyone a great experience.”
The Grilled Cheese Factory ROC has an extensive menu that can be viewed on the website at grilledcheesefactoryroc.com. The restaurant also offers catering, hosts events, and features live music.
More information can be found online or on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok at @TheGrilledCheeseFactoryROC.
The Grilled Cheese Factory
302 N. Goodman St., Rochester
479-0777
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of (585).
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