Neutral Ground Coffeehouse

The name says something true about the place. Neutral Ground is where you go when you want good coffee and a view of the canal and no particular agenda. Sit down, look at the water, let the morning happen. It's one of the better midmorning decisions available in Pittsford. The coffee is serious — custom roast, full espresso bar, specialty lattes. But Neutral Ground has quietly become more than a coffee stop. The menu runs breakfast all day, which is the right call, with a short list of sandwiches made to order on bread from Amazing Grains bakery in Fairport. The breakfast chowder has a following. The chili apparently also has a following. Purity Ice Cream from Ithaca is served at the counter, which on a warm afternoon after a walk along the towpath is exactly right. Everything is locally sourced where possible — the bread, the ice cream, the produce — which is a genuine commitment, not a marketing line. Neutral Ground at 45 Schoen Place describes itself as wanting to be everyone is welcome, let's all keep it neutral — and it delivers on that. Dogs welcome, bikes welcome, joggers stopping mid-run welcome. The private event space on the canal side holds up to 50 people for showers, seminars, celebrations. Open every day 8am to 4pm, which makes it the right place to start most mornings in the village.