RIT students package meals for Rochester’s community
RIT student volunteers have been packaging food for 8 years accumulating over 500,000 meals total.
A longtime Italian restaurant in Brighton that underwent an ownership and format change in late 2023 appears to have closed.
A sign on the door of Cerame’s Italian and Thai Villa in Winton Place plaza states that because of unforeseen circumstances, the restaurant is closed until further notice.
The sign has been in place since at least Nov. 4.
In addition:
∎ The restaurant’s Facebook page has been deactivated.
∎ The website has been taken down.
∎ The phone number goes to a “memory is full” recording.
The restaurant still has an Instagram account that was last updated Oct. 29.
We have reached out to the business owners via Instagram and will update this story if they respond with more information.
Cerame’s history
Cerame’s Italian Villa was opened in 1970 by Michael Cerame. Its original Twelve Corners location quickly became a go-to spot for such dishes as manicotti, gnocchi, lasagna and chicken Parmesan, made using Cerame family recipes and techniques passed down through generations.
In 1974, a fire destroyed the restaurant, but in 1975 it reopened in Winton Place Plaza (then called Todd Mart Plaza), and proved popular there, too.
Michael’s son Bob and daughter-in-law Sharon were the most recent operators of Cerame’s. In October 2023, after deciding to retire, they sold the business to May Dougan and her sister Pornthip Birkensees, natives of Thailand.
The siblings continued to serve Italian cuisine but added Thai dishes to the menu and rebranded the place Cerame’s Italian and Thai Villa.
Last month, the business was listed for sale on Loopnet and other websites. Shortly after the Democrat and Chronicle reached out to the agent, the posts were removed.
Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments and has an interest in retail news. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood.
Dining and Cooking