New Brighton café is like stepping into a theatrical set

Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·4 min read

What happens when theater people open a café?

You get a café that's like being on the set of a play, of course.

Eric Vaughan Johnson opened OFC Creations Theatre Center, a 260-seat theater, dance studio and event space in Brighton’s Winton Place, in 2020. Shortly thereafter he noticed parents waiting in their cars as their children attended classes and rehearsals. The strip mall also has a martial arts studio and piano store, and parents were waiting in cars there, too.

Enter The Old Farm Café and Dining Experience, a counter service restaurant that feels like being onstage in a barnyard-themed production. John Haldoupis, the long-time artistic director and designer for Rochester’s Blackfriars Theatre, who has designed theatrical productions and movie sets nationwide, designed the space.

The café's walls are painted and embellished with trees; dramatic theatrical lighting enhances the effect. A stage that resembles a gazebo anchors the space. Next to it are two animatronic chickens that periodically appear to be pecking. Props in keeping with the theme are scattered throughout. The staff, many of whom are students at the theater, dress in keeping with the country theme.

Its most frequent customers are families who frequent the theater and nearby businesses, but the café is open to the public.

The newly opened OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience, located at 3450 Winton Place Suite 6, in Brighton Thursday, Oct. 14, 2022.
The newly opened OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience, located at 3450 Winton Place Suite 6, in Brighton Thursday, Oct. 14, 2022.

Families often grab quick breakfasts, lunches and dinners before and after rehearsals. Chicken tenders and flatbread pizzas are geared toward the kids; yogurt parfaits, salads, soups, wraps and power bowls are geared toward the health conscious. The menu offers many dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

A full menu of beverages — iced, hot, and blended — are available all day, including specialty coffees and teas, smoothies, coolers, protein drinks and hot cocoa. Organic coffee is sourced from Union Place Coffee Roasters and baked goods are from Cheesy Eddie’s Bakery and Amazing Grains Bread Co.

Performances and more

The Crowaffles Platter, featuring one each of croissant waffles topped with blueberry compote and pineapple, left, banana and Nutella, center, and strawberries and chocolate sauce, right, served from the Breakfast & Brunch Menu at the newly opened OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience in Winton Place in Brighton.
The Crowaffles Platter, featuring one each of croissant waffles topped with blueberry compote and pineapple, left, banana and Nutella, center, and strawberries and chocolate sauce, right, served from the Breakfast & Brunch Menu at the newly opened OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience in Winton Place in Brighton.

The Old Farm Café hosts live music and theatrical productions, some that dovetail the larger productions at OFC Creations Theatre Center, two doors down.

Many of the performances take place at brunch on Saturdays and Sundays; the breakfast and brunch menu includes sandwiches (egg and cheese with bacon or sausage, roasted red-pepper wrap and open-faced avocado sandwich), French toast sticks, croissant waffles, a power bowl, bagels, pastries and yogurt parfaits.

Among the upcoming performances are:

∙ Disney Villain Family Fun Musical Brunch featuring Disney villain songs; 10 a.m. Oct. 22; $11.60 to $16.60.

∙ Rotten to the Core Villain Spooktacular, an interactive event for kids ages 3 to 8; 10 a.m. Oct. 23; $11.60 admission

∙ Hocus Pocus Family Brunch; 10:30 a.m. Oct. 30; $11.60 to $16.60.

∙ A Celebration of Carole King and Billy Joel Hits with Eric and Courtney Schutt; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and 12 and 3 p.m. Nov. 13; $18.60.

∙ Drag Me To Brunch featuring Mrs. Kasha Davis, Aggy Dune, Ambrosia Salad and Carmen Adore; 10:30 a.m. Nov. 19; $61.60 includes one mimosa and brunch buffet.

∙ Comedy, Cabana Boys, & Christmas featuring Dresden Engle; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 25; $18.60.

∙ An Evening of Andrew Lloyd Webber featuring Jessie Keim; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26 and 3 p.m. Nov. 27; $18.60.

∙ Christmas Tree Lighting with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna; 5 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1; free admission.

∙ Charcuterie & Chardonnay Cabaret, a tribute to Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, Adele and more; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3 and 3 p.m. Dec. 3; $21.50; wine and cheese will be served but are not included in price of admission.

∙ The Early Bird Golden Girls Brunch; 10:30 a.m. Dec. 11; $11.60 to $16.60.

Reserve tickets online at ofccreations.com; tickets for all OFC shows may also be purchased at the café.

The space is also available for rentals for birthdays, baby showers, weddings and so on; it can hold up to 160 guests.

If you go

A pair of animatronic chickens, named Park and Frenchie, bob up and down as singers Courtney and Eric Schutt rehearse for their upcoming show, A Celebration of Carole King & Billy Joel HITS, on the stage inside the newly opened OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience in Winton Place in Brighton Thursday, Oct. 14, 2022. The OFC's Cafe Cabaret Concert Series performance runs Nov. 11 thru 13.

OFC’s The Old Farm Café and Dining Experience is at 3450 Winton Place. The café is open seven days a week: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Accessibility: The entire space is wheelchair accessible. Seating is all standard height. The men's and women's rest rooms each have an accessible stall (the theater has unisex rest rooms). The strip mall has a large parking lot; it is currently being resurfaced.

Tracy Schuhmacher is food, drink and culture reporter for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Contact Tracy at: tracys@gannett.com. Follow Tracy on Twitter or Instagram: @rahchachow.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Old Farm Cafe in Brighton blends restaurant and theater