Restaurants | handbook

Places to Eat

The Buffalo area has some great restaurants that you’ll want to check out. Buffalo lays claim to many excellent ethnic restaurants around town. Here are some favorites; don’t be shy about going out and exploring new places! The best and most all-inclusive restaurant guide can be found online at: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/restaurant.guide/

This is an abridged list and by no means does this represent all of the restaurant options that Buffalo has to offer. New restaurants are constantly popping up on Hertel Avenue, in Allentown and the Elmwood Village, downtown, and on the Westside.

BREAKFAST

Alice’s Kitchen, 3122 Sheridan Dr. (on the corner of Bailey and Sheridan): Tasty and cheap breakfast. Friendly wait-staff.

Amy’s Place, 3234 Main St: This is a fusion place, great for student breakfast or lunch. Cheap, early bird specials, greasy spoons, and such, with a mom-and-pop, veggie-friendly feel..
Original Pancake House, 5479 Main St. or 2075 Niagara Falls Boulevard: A wide variety of homemade pancakes and giant omelets ($9). Known for their gargantuan apple pancakes and “The Dutch Baby”. The place to be late on a weekend morning; perpetually busy, though.
Kostas Family Restaurant, 1561 Hertel Ave: Very nice atmosphere, family-style Greek restaurant. Has a reasonably priced breakfast menu; everything is freshly prepared.

GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN

Ambrosia’s, 467 Elmwood Ave: Some of the best Greek food in Buffalo. Great atmosphere. Delicious chicken souvlaki and chocolate milkshakes..
Amy’s Place, 3234 Main St: This is a fusion place, great for student breakfast or lunch. Cheap, early bird specials, greasy spoons, and such, with a mom-and-pop, veggie-friendly feel.
Byblos, 270 Campbell Blvd, Getzville: Great place for authentic Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s family owned and operated, so you get a feel for true Lebanese hospitality. The falafel here is unbelievable. A great place for a Saturday night dinner.
Falafel Bar, 3047 Sheridan Drive (at Sheridan and Millersport): Great falafel. If you want fried chickpeas, this is the place to go. Also, their chicken souvlaki wrap is delicious. Don’t let the outside fool you, this place was renovated inside and the modern feel and full bar are a great option for date night (that won’t be too hard on your wallet).
The Family Tree, 4346 Bailey Ave., near Eggert: Good, cheap Greek diner food and great breakfast. They also have a sweet machine that squeezes the oranges on the spot, so get the orange juice!.
Natalie’s Cafe and Deli, 807½ Millersport (just before Sheridan): Great place for a quick lunch. They specialize in Lebanese food.
Nektar, 451 Elmwood: Upscale Greek/Mediterranean. Adventurous dishes such as grilled squid and octopus with lemon-basil hummus. Expensive.

ITALIAN

Amici Ristorante, 2516 Elmwood Avenue, Kenmore: Some of the best Italian around. Half casual, half dress, nice atmosphere. Entrees around $10.
Cecilia’s, 716 Elmwood Ave: Decent Italian Restaurant, but it’s more popular for its Monday Happy Hour, where you can get 2 for 1 martinis and half price appetizers.
Chef’s, 291 Seneca St., downtown: With its red and white tablecloths, this Italian restaurant looks like it came out of a movie. Make reservations ahead of time: they are always booked. Homemade sauce. A bit pricey (don’t show up in jeans).
Mulberry’s, 64 Jackson Ave, amazing Italian call for reservations or you will not be eating here.
Frank’s Sunny Italy, 2491 Delaware Ave: Great Italian food with huge portions at a reasonable price.
Il Fiorentino, 1264 Hertel Avenue: Believed by some to be the best Italian food in the city.
Salvatore’s Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Rd, Depew: This place looks like it should have been in The Godfather. Very gaudy, but the fine Italian food is sure to be a hit.
San Marco, 2082 Kensington Ave, Amherst: A place for a special occasion or for a nice meal out when your parents are in town. More expensive than some of the others on this list, but absolutely worth it. Amazing pasta dishes and fresh seafood, the Cognac sauce is a must-try. The restaurant is a favorite of those who live nearby in Snyder, so make a reservation if you can.

WINGS & LOCAL FARE

Anchor Bar, 1047 Main St.: Home of Buffalo wings. The size of the wings does not compare to Duff’s or Brennan’s, but it’s worth the experience. Dodo Green and the Jimmy Gomes Jazz Example play every Friday night (but if you want to have a conversation at your table, Friday is not the night to go).
Bocce’s Pizza, 4174 Bailey Ave., near campus: “Buffalo Style” pizza. If you are not used to Buffalo pizza, go to Sal’s or Pinzonne’s.
Buffalo Wild Wings, Three locations: 2017 Elmwood Ave, 3035 Niagara Falls Blvd, and 5433 Transit Rd.: While it’s not the best place for wings in Buffalo, it is a nice place to grab a drink or catch a game on the random nights when you just need a break from studying. On Tuesdays, they have 40 cent wings. The draft beers are always cheap.
Casa di Pizza, 477 Elmwood Ave, located near the Elmwood Lounge on Elmwood Ave.: Walk-in place with two dollar slices. Also has a sports bar on the other side with cheap drinks.
Duff’s, 365 Sheridan Dr., intersection of Millersport and Sheridan: THE place for wings in Buffalo! Just beware: when they say the hot wings are very, very hot, they aren’t kidding!
Coles, 1104 Elmwood Ave: A great bar to head over to after the festivities are over at Mr. Goodbar. Casual but funky décor, and a great selection on tap. The Canisius grads of your class will undoubtedly tell you this is the place to be for nicer “bar-food” and a good beer.
Elmwood Taco and Subs (ETS), 937 Elmwood Ave., between Delavan and Bird: Maybe not the best tacos in Buffalo, but convenient and a decent selection of things other than tacos… and subs. Biggest cookies you will ever find.
Fanny’s: In the theme of “My Fair Lady,” Fanny’s offers such delicacies as Caesar salad, with dressings made while you watch, and a seafood medley guaranteed to make you sing. 3500 Sheridan Dr.
Fat Bob’s Smokehouse, 41 Virginia Pl.: It’s all about meat! MEAT! MEAT! MEAT! MEAT! MEAT!!! Great Mac and Cheese also.
Gabriel’s Gate, 148 Allen St.: Suggested by some to have wings as good as the Anchor Bar. Good sandwiches, great omelets on Sunday mornings. Just look for the big tin creature on the roof.
Great Northern Pizza Kitchen, 5759 Main Street, Williamsville: Nice place for salads, sandwiches, or pizza. The pizza slices are huge and come in every flavor imaginable. Prices are reasonable too.
Jim’s Steak Out, 938 Elmwood, 92 West Chippewa, and 196 Allen St.: Some marketing genius placed a Steak Out near every major bar area in Buffalo. The chicken finger sub is great, but by the time you’re at Jim’s, you’ll eat just about anything. The employees’ T-shirts even read, “I see drunk people.” The Stinger is also AMAZING (it’s steak and chicken fingers on the same sub), but it may not go down too well after you’ve just been at the bar.
Lake Effect Diner, 3165 Main Street, across the parking lot from the Steer: Found just down Main Street, not too far from campus. Great place for a bite to eat after a early mornings in the anatomy lab or if you have a hankering for a good milkshake. Featured on Food Network.
Mighty Taco: Mmmmmm! Multiple locales. Find them. ASAP.
Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, 76 Pearl St., downtown: Great place to have dinner on a Friday night with a large group. Huge salads that you can have as entrees; great beer. Good med student gathering place. Purchase a 100 oz Widowmaker: a huge beer tube with your own tap. Walking distance to First Niagara, so this is a popular spot pre- and post-Sabres games.
Sal’s Pizzeria, 687 Kenmore Ave.: For those of you from New York, this is the place you’ve been looking for. The only place in Buffalo that keeps true to New York Pizza. Look it up.
Ted’s Hot Dogs, 2312 Sheridan Dr., 2351 Niagara Falls Blvd.: A Buffalo original! Great hot dogs right off the grill. Get the footlong. Order onion rings to share, the portion is generous. A mini-golf course is also next door if you want an afternoon away from the books.
Tom’s Family Restaurant, 3221 Sheridan Dr.: Diner food, large portions, open 24 hours. Delicious baklava.
The Towne Restaurant, 186 Allen St.: Greek diner, open 24 hours. Lots of cops.

DESSERTS

Anderson’s Custard, 6075 Main St., 2235 Sheridan Dr., and elsewhere: You haven’t had roast beef on weck until you’ve had Anderson’s. Excellent homemade fresh hard ice cream, frozen yogurt, and custard. Great dinner on a budget and dessert that will keep you coming back.
Butterwood Williamsville, 5409 Main St., Williamsville: What could be better than a restaurant of just desserts? Located in a historic 1870's mansion. Chic and sophisticated. A unique blend of brick and contemporary steel makes this space incredible. Have a romantic evening sipping champagne while enjoying the desserts and atmosphere.
Carriage Trade Pastries, 1654 Elmwood Ave.: Gourmet baked goods.
Dolci, 732 Elmwood Ave.: Italian desserts, biscotti, ices, bread, and pizza.
La Dolce Vita, 1472 Hertel Ave.: Small seating area; entrees between $10 and $20; patio. Good food and great desserts.
Romeo’s Bakery and Juliet’s Café, 1292 Hertel Avenue: Cute eatery with great personal pizzas, melts and salads. One of the owners is straight from Italy! You can go up to the counter and order in Romeo’s, or you can get wait service in Juliet’s. Some of the best f*&%ing sandwiches.
Spot Coffee, 1406 Hertel Ave., 227 Delaware Ave. (at Chippewa), or 765 Elmwood Ave.: Coffee, sandwiches, pastries, couches, great place to study.

BAR RESTAURANTS

Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant, 54 West Chippewa: Mix and match from a menu of small plates while enjoying the enormous selection of wine (by the bottle or glass).
Brennan's Bowery Bar & Restaurant, 4401 Transit Road: Good for drinks and bar food.
Glen Park Tavern, 5507 Main Street, Williamsville (next to The Pancake House): best known for their lobster bisque and stuffed peppers. Daily lunch and dinner specials. Weekly entertainment. Make reservations on the weekend.
Shenanigans, 2250 Niagara Falls Blvd.: A small Irish pub that’s mostly a bar, but has a small fast-food type menu. The food is pretty good and the drinks aren’t too pricey. It features live music on Saturdays including some great Irish groups; everyone there sings along. It’s a lot of fun.
StillWater, 483 Delaware Ave., slightly hidden, towards downtown: Great bar, even better restaurant. Amazing for its atmosphere. Expensive.
Zebb’s Deluxe Grill & Bar, 2875 Niagara Falls Blvd.: If you haven’t been, it is worth it. Huge portions of just about everything.
Devlins Deuce, 2335 Sheridan Dr., Tonawanda, about a seven minute drive from campus: CHECK THIS PLACE OUT IF YOU WANT A CHEAP NIGHT OUT! There are specials every day of the week, on drinks and food. Do two pitchers of beer and twenty Buffalo wings for $15 sound good to you?

MEXICAN

Cantina Loco, 191 Allen St.: Excellent Mexican food. Can get busy, so call ahead for a reservation. The full menu is not available on Sundays. The best margaritas in the city.
Don Tequila, 47 Allen Street, near Franklin Street: Best Mexican food in Buffalo in this man’s opinion; huge menu with good lunch specials; all-you-can-eat chips and salsa with dinner. Casual atmosphere, southwest decor, cool bar, inexpensive. Very short walk from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

JAPANESE

Fuji Grill, 736 Maple Rd.: Upscale Japanese that won’t break the bank.
Ichi Shogun Restaurant, 7590 Transit Rd., Williamsville: Japanese. Watch the chefs cook your meal right before your eyes!
Kuni’s, 226 Lexington Ave.: Another great sushi place.
Kyoto, 4060 Maple Rd.: Delicious Sushi and Hibachi restaurant on Maple Rd next to Red Robbin.
O Restaurant, 3047 Sheridan Dr., Northtown Plaza (on Sheridan Dr., between Payless and Dunn Tire), Amherst: Sushi and dancing. Techno club on the weekends (haha). This Japanese restaurant is transformed into a Latin Dance Club with a live salsa band from 8 to 11 on Friday nights. Great martinis. The atmosphere is carefree.
Osaka Sushi Bar & Grille, 3112 Main St.: Sushi and other Japanese food. Decent and convenient.
Sea Bar, 475 Ellicott Street.: Great sushi in downtown . Worth the drive. Fairly pricey, but you won’t be disappointed. Good place for dates.

CHINESE

Gin Gin Restaurant, 3244 Sheridan Drive: This place has the most authentic Chinese food in town. They cook your food after you order it, so you’ll have to wait, but it’s worth it.
Golden Duck Restaurant, 1830 Maple Road, Amherst. 716-639-8888: Dim Sum. Offers two menus: traditional and American-Chinese.
Ling Ling’s Chinese Takeout, 2758 Elmwood Ave: A good Chinese takeout place in Buffalo, with very generous portions. Excellent Hunan sauce. Multiple fortune cookies. Ask for T, the chef/owner.
May Jen, 47 Kenmore Ave.: Plentiful lunch specials and just a few minutes from school.
Ming Café, 3268 Main St.: Try it. It’s on the other side of Main St from campus.
Moon Chinese Buffet, 3206 Sheridan, at Bailey: Good food, great price. A great way to spend slow Thursday afternoons during lunch with good friends. It’s a buffet with lots of vegetables, seafood, and other healthful options, as well as the usual fried stuff.
Peking Garden, 3666 Delaware Ave, 716-873-0293: Call ahead for dim sum on the weekdays. Dim sum is usually served from 11-4 on Saturdays & Sundays (they offer the regular menu all the time, too). Helps if you speak Cantonese, but not completely necessary.
Red Pepper, 3910 Maple Road, near the Boulevard Mall, same plaza as the College Bookstore: Amazing Chinese (the General Tso is fabulous), and also good Vietnamese. Great lunch specials.

VIETNAMESE

99 Fast Food Restaurant (“Phở 99”), 3396 Bailey Ave.: Vietnamese restaurant within walking distance of the South Campus. Amazing for lunch in between class and CPM.

INDIAN

India Gate, 116 Elmwood Avenue: Good buffet if you’re on a tight budget. Great food.
Kabab and Curry, 5185 Transit Rd. (at Transit and Maple): Probably the best Indian food in Buffalo.
Star of India, 3167 Delaware Ave: The best Indian food in Buffalo and it’s inexpensive- you can’t beat that! The couple that owns the place cook the food to order and serve, just the two of them. The food is also the most authentic around. The samosas and naan could fill you up on their own, but the tikka masala and tandoori shouldn’t be mised.
Taste of India, 3093 Sheridan Dr., Northtown Plaza: Lunchtime buffets every day of the week. Excellent Indian.
Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine, 7740 Transit Rd., Williamsville, NY: rated one of the 20 best restaurants in Western New York. Definitely more pricey than the others on this list .

THAI

Jasmine Thai, 1330 Niagara Falls Blvd.: Great lunch specials. Haven’t had a bad thing on the menu. The favorite Thai food of the locals.
Saigon Bangkok Restaurant, 512 Niagara Falls Blvd.: Thai/Vietnamese food. Join the battle of Saigon Bangkok vs. Jasmine. Very vegetarian friendly, has a contemporary feel. Veggie soup is excellent.
Saigon Café, 1098 Elmwood Ave.: For those who want to do a little Thai/Vietnamese for dinner (only open for dinner); cozy spot, great food.

CAJUN/CARIBBEAN

Lagniappe’s, 244 Allen St.: A new Cajun joint right on Allen St. Awesome food, big portions, and very reasonable prices. And they’re open late.
The Rendezvous, 520 Niagara St., at Pennsylvania Ave.: Great Cajun food, cozy atmosphere, and a great outdoor patio for when the weather is nice.
Steel Drums Restaurant, 1410 Main St.: One of the few Caribbean restaurants in Buffalo. Cute place with huge portions, and some Bob Marley playing in the background.
Chesters Cajun Grill, 9416 Transit Road: Authentic cajun food; decent family atmosphere; somewhat out of the way in the suburbs but the food warrants the drive.

CONTEMPORARY/UPSCALE

Black and Blue, 5493 Sheridan Road: Great meal in a “business casual” environment. Leather booths, armchairs, and fireplaces. Make reservations. Have your parents take you (it is a little expensive).
Hutch’s, 1375 Delaware Avenue, near Gates Circle: Great restaurant, unique food, an experience to remember, great service. Entrees start at around $10. Be sure to make reservations a few days in advance.
Mode Urban Bistro, 520 Elmwood Ave, or 5110 Main St., http://lemetrobistro.com/: Great place to go for lunch or to enjoy some jazz and cocktails at night. During the day, you can enjoy the wonderful Buffalo weather while eating lunch outside. Don’t forget to include the black bean chicken chili in your lunch order! Good wine selection.
Left Bank, 511 Rhode Island Street, near Richmond: Great restaurant for special occasions; excellent, unique cuisine. Busy all of the time, so make reservations. Cool bar. Entrees start in the teens. Phenom appetizers.
Lotis Restaurant & Martini Lounge, 1389 Delaware at West Delavan, next to Hutch’s: Trendy gourmet restaurant with great outdoor seating. A little pricey.
Mother’s, 33 Virginia Pl. (Allen St.): Trendy little restaurant with yuppies. Really cool place. And great (but expensive) martinis. Take your parents here.
Oliver’s, 2095 Delaware Ave.: Buffalo's version of an upscale New York City restaurant. A bit pricey but has great food. Ask your parents to take you there when they’re in town.
Pano’s Restaurant, 1081 Elmwood Ave.: Open till midnight. Another good late-night diner, and a great way to top off a night out at Elmwood bars. Always fresh, and always busy.