Seven foodie signs it's spring in Rochester, really

March 20 is the vernal equinox, which is also called astronomical spring. It could also be called the first day of gastronomical spring in Rochester, because it's right around the time that ice cream shops and waterfront restaurants begin to reopen.

So even though we had snow on Tuesday and the skies have been demoralizingly gray, take heart. There are a lot of promising — and tasty — reminders that reflect that spring is on its way.

1. Ice cream and frozen treats shops are open

You can get Abbott's Frozen Custard year round in Greece, Bushnell's Basin and at Bill Gray's, but it's always a promising sign when the seasonal locations reopen. The Abbott's shops have reopened in Brighton, Gates, Hilton, Brockport and near Ontario Beach Park. The Canandaigua location at 50 Eastern Blvd. has opened, but the one at Pinnacle North opens April 1. Also opening April 1 are locations in Webster, Fairport and the Port of Rochester.

Papa Jack’s Grill & Ice Cream has reopened at 261 W. Main St. # 265 in Victor.

Rita's Italian Ice and Frozen Custard has reopened in the Tops Brighton Plaza at 1900 S. Clinton Ave.

Netsins Ice Cream, in a residential neighborhood at 290 Culver Parkway in Irondequoit, will reopen April 1.

Chill and Grill, known for its burgers and ice cream, has opened at 616 E. Main St.
Palmyra.

Read's Homemade Ice Cream and Custard has opened at 3130 East Henrietta Road in Henrietta.

What's Ur Scoop, in Panorama Plaza at 1601 Penfield Road in Penfield, will reopen April 19. 

2. Waterfront restaurants are opening

Castaways on the Lake, a popular dining spot since its opening in 1906, has reopened at 244 Lake Road in Webster.

Hedges Nine Mile Point Restaurant, 1290 Lake Road in Webster, kicks off its 91st season on March 22. You probably won’t want to sit outside on the Adirondack chairs that overlook Lake Ontario just yet, but it is still a scenic place to look at the water. 

Silk O'Loughlin's — Olie’s to many of its regulars — has reopened at 5980 St. Paul Blvd. The neighborhood Irish/sports bar overlooks the Genesee River and Lake Ontario.

Pelican's Nest Restaurant, 566 River St., a quintessential destination to kick back in a relaxed island-themed atmosphere along the Genesee River, will reopen on April 19. 

Schooner's Riverside Pub, a laid back seasonal bar and grill at Shumway Marine, 40 Marina Dr., will open May 15 for its 25th anniversary year.

3. Food trucks are hitting the road

While more and more food truck operators make the rounds all winter long, many shutter their trucks for the winter.

Le Petit Poutine, the first food truck in Rochester and still one of the most popular, will hit the road for the 2019 season on March 30. Other trucks will get rolling in April. 

Mark your calendar for the first Rochester Public Market food truck rodeo of the season, from 5 to 9 p.m. on April 24. They will be held monthly through September.

By the way, we must give a hat tip to the hardy food truck operators who regularly kept us downtown workers fed during the winter months, including Wraps on Wheels, Rob's Kabobs, Rustic Taco Bar, Wing Nutz, Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza, Chef's Catering and Stingray Sushifusion.

If you want to keep up with the whereabouts of food trucks, the Where That Food Truck website compiles the Tweets of Rochester's food trucks, so it's useful when the trucks Tweet. And for the downtown workers that head to Elm Street during lunchtime, Chris Gernon runs a helpful Twitter account called @RocMidtownFood, which posts the food truck lineup on a regular basis. 

4. Bakeries, candy shops are offering springtime treats

Springtime and Easter treats are on display at area candy shops and bakeries. Among the offerings:

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, 674 South Ave. is making their gorgeous hand-painted farm eggs.

Savoia Pastry Shoppe, 2267 Clifford Ave., is offering its sfingi and zeppole through Easter.

Genesee Bakery and Deli, 1677 Mount Hope Ave., is making cake eggs. White or chocolate egg-shaped cakes are filled with butter cream, enrobed in chocolate, then decorated with pastel chocolates.

Savastano's Bakery and Pizzeria, 477 Spencerport Road in Gates, is making their beautiful Easter breads shaped like (depending on your perspective) flowers or artichokes.

Mark your calendar for the uber popular candy bacon and eggs from Stever's, 623 Park Ave. They are offered just six days a year — the Monday through Saturday before Easter. That means they should be available on April 15.

5. Farmers are signing up CSAs.

Now is the time to sign up for a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program at a local farm. In a CSA program, you sign up and pay in advance for a portion of a local farm's harvest. There are many different models for how the harvest is distributed, but the most common is picking up a box of produce on a weekly or biweekly basis. 

6. Charcoal Corral reopening

A trip to the Silver Lake Twin Drive-In, along with its Charcoal Corral eatery, is a summer ritual for many from the Rochester area. The Charcoal Corral, along with its ice cream shop, reopens March 20.   

The Silver Lake Twin Drive-In, along with its mini golf course and a brand new gem mining attraction, will open April 12, weather permitting. The complex is at 7037 Chapman Ave. in Perry. Note that it does not accept debit or credit cards.

7. Costanza Sausage reopens April 12 (maybe)

Have a hankering for the elements of a trash plate stuffed into a sausage casing? You're going to have to wait a little longer than usual.

In the winter, hunters turn to Costanza Sausage in Webster for processing venison. From March through October — usually — the shop is open for business. This year, the shop is in the midst of a major expansion, and its opening date is tentatively set for April 12. 

The shop at 800 Basket Road in Webster is known for its varied pork and chicken sausages. It also finished in the top two of our red hot dog taste test last summer. 

TRACYS@Gannett.com