Best Wings
After The Travel Channel's show, Food Wars, declared Duff's the winner of the prestigious "Best Wings" title over the Anchor Bar, locals and tourists flocked to both establishments.
Instead, we advise you to go to your local neighborhood pizzeria for a taste of Buffalo's best wing. In other words, test out anywhere besides Duff's and the Anchor Bar.
On the West Side, La Nova has one of the strongest selections of wings true to their infamous Buffalo style. Go to Mister Pizza in the Elmwood Village for the best barbecue wings on that side of town.
Buffalo is filled with countless establishments that serve wings, so go out and find a place that strikes your fancy. Wherever you go, try to stay clear of Buffalo Wild Wings – it's a chain, so you might as well go get Buffalo wings in Seattle.
Best Wine List
For those familiar with Greek mythology, it won't come as a surprise that Bacchus has the best wine selection in Buffalo. Bacchus, the Greek god of wine who is also known as Dionysus, is where this American eclectic restaurant's name derives from.
Complete with a fully-stocked wine bar, Bacchus, located on the corner of Franklin Street and Chippewa Street, offers well over 200 bottles of wine that are each available by the glass. The extensive list allows patrons to compliment any meal with the perfect drink.
Not only does this restaurant have a distinctly large list of wines but it comes equipped with a well-versed staff, too. Each server is knowledgeable about all of the wines offered and is constantly available to suggest the right wine to go with each dish. There are so many options to choose from that it's extremely helpful to have servers around to point customers in the right direction.
This restaurant doesn't only boast good food and a wide selection of wines, but it also hosts a Wine School in the first half of the year. Wine connoisseurs and interested drinkers alike can participate in Wine School where they learn about different wines and develop a keen sense of taste.
Bacchus wins wine awards year in and year out, never ceasing to disappoint. Whether you're looking to blend a pleasant taste with your entrée or are stopping in to grab a drink, Bacchus has the best wine selection in all of Buffalo.
Best Vietnamese
As much as 99 Fastfood Restaurant, located at 3398 Bailey Ave. between Lisbon Avenue and Highgate Avenue, wins for its convenience for University Heights residents, it also wins for the delicious pho and authentic Vietnamese cuisine served to its customers.
99 Fastfood's less than ideal location on Bailey leaves it a hidden gem. Its pho is piping hot and is loaded with noodles, sprouts, and other fresh ingredients. There's nothing more satisfying on a freezing, windy Buffalo day than hot pho, especially the restaurant's Pho Tai Sach with raw meat and tripe. For those looking for something other than soup, 99 offers authentic entrées with chicken, pork, beef, and seafood.
University Heights residents can only take so much Wendy's, Zetti's and Jim's Steakout. 99 Fastfood gives students diverse eating options with reasonable prices and the best Vietnamese pho and cuisine in town.
Best Vegetarian
Merge, a relatively new restaurant located at 439 Delaware Ave. between Edward Street and Virginia Street, takes healthy food to a new level. The restaurant strives to use local, seasonal fruits and vegetables and accommodates vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.
The restaurant is adorned in local art, and it brings local musicians to its stage throughout the week. Merge has begun to host Taco Tuesdays with $2 tacos and $3 Coronas from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Merge's menu includes seitan wings, hummus platters, tofu dragon balls, green and raw pizzas, and Portobello and veggie burgers. Merge also offers entrees including a mushroom bourguignon, autumn vegetable casserole, and beet lasagna. Additionally, there is a wide variety of herbal, green, and black tea, and wheatgrass shots are available as well.
Best Thai
With locations in Tonawanda and Williamsville, Saigon Bangkok specializes in fine Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant has a simple yet elegant atmosphere and offers affordable Thai cuisine for both lunch and dinner.
Saigon Bangkok offers a menu filled with tofu, shrimp, and vegetable tempura appetizers, as well as summer and spring rolls and every thinkable option of pad thai for an entrée.
While the cinderblock outside contrasts the pink-lined interior, Saigon Bangkok has subtle Thai and Vietnamese music playing while patrons enjoy authentic cuisine and a special menu that caters to vegetarian cuisine as well.
Best Sushi
With no more than ten tables, Wasabi Restaurant at 752 Elmwood Ave. is the perfect setting for those who may crave a little more than just your average California roll. The original Williamsville location downsized its kitchen, menu and dining room to accommodate patrons in the Elmwood Village.
For appetizers, Wasabi offers everything from edamame beans to shumai and gyoza, all priced reasonably under $5. With a starter seaweed salad and miso soup, customers often find themselves ordering two or three specialty sushi rolls, including white tuna, unagi, octopus, squid, toro, Spanish mackerel, and grilled chicken asparagus.
What makes Wasabi a great sushi option for students is its impressive lunch menu, available Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant offers two-roll specials for $6.95 and three-roll for $9.95. Wasabi also offers kitchen specials including teriyaki chicken and beef, tempura shrimp and chicken, and nebeyaki noodle soup, all for under $10 and served with miso soup, green salad, gyoza and a California roll.
Best Soul Food
Open until 2 a.m. on weekends, Lagniappes offers award-winning gumbo among other New Orleans-style delicacies for lunch and dinner in a small, home-style atmosphere. Located at 244 Allen St. across from the Allen Street Hardware Café, Lagniappes offers a menu unlike many others in Buffalo.
The menu is reasonably priced, with cups and bowls of gumbo and jambalaya under $10. For entrée, Lagniappes offers a Creole meatloaf, a catfish dinner, and a wide-ranging list of sides available for $1.50 each, such as baked mac and cheese, corn on the cob, black eyed peas, fried leeks, fried okra, and collard greens.
For those looking for less of a meal after a night out in Allentown, Lagniappes also has Buffalo's best po-boys. The restaurant's po-boys are served on French bread or whole-wheat rolls and are topped with a number of meats including meatloaf, strip steak, pesto chicken, hummus, and smoked pulled pork, to name a few.
Best Polish Restaurant
In the heart of Williamsville, Prosit! is an unexpected setting for some of the best Polish and German cuisine in Buffalo.
Family owned and operated, Prosit! has been open since 2006, when it took over an antique doll store on Main Street.
Prosit! is decorated with religious art, grandfather clocks, and relics from days gone by.
With less than ten tables, Prosit! is split between first and second floor dining rooms. The first floor of the restaurant hosts a custom-made brass and wood bar where the hostess prepares drinks, salads and plates of fresh sweet bread and savory cheese.
A staircase lined with black and white photographs connects the first floor to a spacious upper dining room with a fireplace and several scattered tables.
The antique feel of Prosit! continues to the settings in both dining rooms; each table is draped with German lace, mismatched antique china, early American stained glass lamps, and polished silver.
The family-owned restaurant, run by chef and owner Janice Schlau and her husband Paul, draws on its Polish and German roots to craft an authentic menu.
In keeping with traditional Polish and German foods, the menu features large plates with generous servings of hand-made delicacies.
The most popular items on the menu are the schnitzels, breaded and fried pork, veal or chicken, potato pancakes, farmer's cheese pierogis, house-made German wurst and golabki, and stuffed cabbage.
All entrees are served with a rustic soup or salad and sides of hearty cinnamon Granny Smith apples, braised red cabbage, and onion relish.
Prosit! is open Wednesday through Saturday, and reservations are a must on most nights, considering the limited seating.
Although it draws a good crowd during most seasons, Prosit! is especially filled to capacity around the holiday seasons when patrons fill the tables.
Adding to the draw of Prosit! is an extensive beer menu featuring popular and obscure German and Polish stouts and ales. During the summer, customers enjoy drinking in an outdoor beer garden complete with traditional music and umbrella-shaded tables.
Prices at Prosit! range from $15 to $25 dollars per entrée, which is a bargain considering the amount of high quality homemade food and an atmosphere that is unmatched in Western New York.
Best Pizza: La Nova Pizzeria and Bocce's
At its original location at 317 West Ferry St. on Buffalo's West Side, La Nova Pizzeria has become the gaudiest restaurant in Buffalo aside from Salvatore's. However, it still has the best pizza. With over 20 specialty pizzas, the price ranges between $15 and $25 for a large pie.
Besides the traditional cheese and pepperoni, La Nova has perfected a breakfast pizza, tomato basil roma pizza, beef on weck pizza, and a super steak pizza just to name a few.
Outside of the City of Buffalo, Bocce Club Pizza is known for its incredible service and for having the best cheese and pepperoni pies. While its menu has an array of choices similar to La Nova, it is known for having a simple, thin pizza with great sauce and an overload of toppings.
Best Mexican
Celebrating 29 years in Western New York, Gramma Mora's authentic Mexican restaurant at 1465 Hertel Avenue has the finest Mexican fare in Buffalo. Previously located on Niagara Street in the Black Rock neighborhood, Gramma Mora's moved to North Buffalo. The restaurant has been serving frozen food specialties since 1994 in local supermarkets and grocery stores.
With a full bar that serves a number of flavored margaritas, Gramma Mora's is known for its quesadillas, fajitas, chicken ranchero, sopa di fideo, and extensive list of burritos. Additionally, the locally owned family restaurant has the best cinnamon tostada chips available for dessert.
Best Italian
Located near the Peace Bridge on 1329 Niagara St., Santasiero's Restaurant is a local, long-time establishment with cheap prices and large portions for simple American Italian food.
Santasiero's boasts a small, traditional menu with full and half portions of spaghetti, ravioli and stuffed shells under $10. However, most patrons look at the walls posted with specials and entrées instead of a traditional menu.
The restaurant does not strive to be fancy. Long-time favorites include pasta fasoola served with hot papers and spaghetti or eggplant parmagiana. Add a carafe of their housewine, served in short juice glasses, and you'll have the best local Italian food this side of the Atlantic.
In a world filled with chain establishments, restaurants like Santasiero's remind food connoisseurs that family establishments with a simple atmosphere provide more charm and character along with good Italian food.
Best Indian Food
Although there are a number of delicious Indian restaurants in the area, The Spectrum's favorite is Taste of India, located at 3093 Sheridan Dr. in the Northtown Plaza.
Of course, the restaurant has delicious food and, like most Indian restaurants, has a lunch buffet that features many favorites. However, Taste of India also has quick service, a banquet room for larger parties and a second location, India Gate, located at 1116 Elmwood Ave. for those that don't live near Amherst. Furthermore, these restaurants offer drop-off catering for off-site parties.
The menu is extensive and, most importantly, affordable. Most appetizers are between $2 and $6, naan is around $3 and entrees usually range from $10 to $15.
The atmosphere is quiet and personal, ideal for a quick lunch or a romantic dinner date. Additionally, the restaurants offer a printable coupon online, good for $1 off the lunch buffet or $5 off a dinner entrée with a minimum purchase of $25.
Best Ice Cream
A treasure of sweets is found burrowed in the side of a hill at 1203 Union Rd. in West Seneca. Antoinette's Sweets is a locally owned and operated ice cream and sweets shop that meets the needs of any sweet tooth.
Antoinette's is known for its ice cream specialties. With ice cream that is homemade, the treats here are nothing to be modest about.
While a bit on the pricey side, the ice cream creations definitely give you bang for your buck.
Take the ice cream sundaes as an example – generous portions of everything that goes against that diet you've just started. Mounds of real whipped cream top the sundae, along with loads of chocolate sauce and other toppings. One dish alone is difficult to finish and you'll find yourself wishing to bring it home with you.
Along with serving decadent dishes of ice cream, Antoinette's is also a candy shop. Though not large, the selection is diverse and suits any sweet tooth. Against the mirrored walls, jars and boxes line the shelves. It's almost overwhelming to be presented with such vast, sinful pleasures in one shop.
Antoinette's, like many Buffalo candy makers, has a take on a local delicacy – sponge candy. Homemade and available in milk, dark, and orange flavors, Antoinette's interpretation of this sweet doesn't fail to hit the spot.
While more upscale and pricier than your local Dairy Queen, Antoinette's offers homemade, delicious treats that keep you satisfied even after the last spoonful is gone.
Best Hot Dog
A hot dog right off the grill from a backyard cookout. This time-old classic instantly brings you back to summer and is near impossible to replicate. With seven locations in the Buffalo area, Ted's Hot Dogs comes pretty darn close.
Since 1927, Ted's has been making a name for itself with its charcoal-broiled hot dogs available in regular, jumbo all-beef and foot-long. The dogs are made to order right on the grill behind the counter. Customers can then choose a number of fresh toppings including onions and pickles as well as Ted's famous hot sauce.
Ted's uses Sahlen brand hot dogs which are made in the Buffalo area. The dogs get a nice crispy burnt quality to their outside that tastes perfect when combined with the optional melted cheese or chili toppings.
The hot dogs are all priced less than $4 and a complete meal with fries or onion rings and a drink is less than $10.
Ted's also has burgers, chicken and fish sandwiches, fries, and incredible onion rings. They keep Loganberry on tap and have a good selection of shakes that competes the classic diner experience.
Best Buffalo Hangover Breakfast
Hungover college students and Buffalonians alike are more than familiar with the prime location, fair prices, and legendary breakfast foods at Amy's Place.
Located at 3234 Main Street, Amy's Place provides college students with a breakfast reminiscent of home. Breakfast is served all day and Amy's offers an early bird special to those who drag themselves out of bed or off the street before 9 a.m. The smell of hash browns and coffee emanating from the front door lure unsuspecting customers in, and then short stacks mug their taste buds.
With foods ranging from a $1 egg and instant oatmeal to the intriguing "crew's creation" page at the back of the menu, Amy's Place seems determined to find the cure to the common hangover.
Best Diner
Famous for its "slime sauce" that covers a hot dog in brown deliciousness, Louie's Texas Red Hots is the perfect choice for take out, a quick sit-down meal, or a 4 a.m. post-bar session.
With locations on Bailey Avenue and Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, Harlem Road in West Seneca, Transit Road in Depew, and Southwestern Boulevard in Orchard Park (conveniently located within walking distance of Ralph Wilson Stadium), there is sure to be a Louie's near you.
Louie's Texas Red Hots is not to be confused with Louie's Foot Long Hot Dogs on Elmwood Avenue and other locations; contrary to popular belief, the two stores are unrelated, and Louie's Texas Red Hots is the only Louie's truly deserving of the title of "Best Diner."
To order a hot dog at Louie's without the slime sauce, mustard, and onions (or "up," as regulars learn to say) would be a waste of your time – if you want a typical hot dog, go to Ted's. In addition to hot dogs, Louie's also offers many Greek dishes and all of the typical fare you'd expect at a diner.
Many Louie's restaurants are open 24 hours a day, and for good reason. The urge for a slime dog can come at an unexpected time, and Louie's is always there to meet that crucial need.
Best Dessert
Butterwood Desserts prides itself on selling its infamous desserts worldwide, but Buffalo residents can stop by the aesthetically pleasing restaurant for a healthy portion of original and mouth-watering cake, pie and other sweets.
Butterwood, located in an old-fashioned mansion at 5409 Main St. in Williamsville, is the place to go when typical dessert options lose their appeal. The unique cakes greatly satisfy the pallet, and the desserts' photogenic appearances are pleasing to the eyes as well. A quaffable cup of hot chocolate goes especially well with the eye-pleasing cakes.
Perfect for a date night, Butterwood's interior is quaint, quiet and relaxed. The distinct desserts will dig into your wallet more than a cone at Dairy Queen, but you'll get a relaxing experience and a more than satisfying dessert out of a trip to Butterwood.
Best Coffeehouse
Sweet_ness 7 Café has become a Buffalo gem. Owner Prish Moran opened the first S7 on the corner of Grant St and Lafayette in 2008. By investing in a location that others had written off, Prish helped revitalize the neighborhood. People flock from miles away to enjoy the food and the atmosphere of this café. Due to its success, a second location opened on Parkside Avenue across from the Buffalo Zoo last month.
Serving lattes, espresso, tea, and plenty original creations, this coffeehouse does not disappoint. The café uses local, natural, organic, and free trade ingredients as often as possible. As for the service, the baristas and cooks are educated, friendly and always helpful and polite.
The people inside are from all walks of life, but this is a place where anyone can come to enjoy. Sweet_ness 7 has become an ideal venue for lunch meetings, studying, playing board games (the café offers a large selection) or to simply relax. The inside is decorated with recycled materials from Buffalo Reuse and always feels like home.
When asked about her success with Sweet_ness 7, Moran is well spoken, but humble. She contributes her success in part to "peace, love, and very thin pancakes" as well as to "being true to yourself and not trying to compete with anyone else."
Best Chinese Food
Don't expect to order from here for delivery, as that would be a complicated matter with the international border separating UB students from the neighbors to the North. There are plenty of reasons for those who do make the quick hop over the bridge prepared with an appetite and a passport to try out Ming Teh.
The first reason, of course, is the food — not just the high quality of it all, but also the scope of selections available to you. Few other places offer their style of dry-fried ginger and garlic beef strips (get it with the hot peppers), and no one else can cook shrimp quite like they do, and if you've never had pickled cabbage soup with shredded pork before you should try it there first.
Old classics like dumplings and cashew chicken are done in a manner that you might have seen from a Chinese restaurant before. Every time you visit there's the opportunity to have old favorites and try new things as all entrées are served and shared family-style.
The dining room itself is important to the experience of the meal. It's quiet, comfortable and has a view of Downtown Buffalo and the Niagara, which is particularly nice if you're there at sunset when the lights of the Peace Bridge come on. Finish off the meal with some jasmine tea and it's a pretty great evening.
When you consider the portion size, Ming Teh is pretty affordable for a special occasion meal, with entrées starting around $12.
The border crossing isn't too much of a hassle by car if you check the delay times ahead of schedule. But better than that, make an adventure of the evening and cross the bridge on a bike ride. It's a fun experience and you get to use the express lane.
Best Beef on Weck
Originating in Buffalo, beef on weck can be traced back to its 19th century origins when German immigrants first ate it. The sandwich is unique to the Queen City because of the salty, great-tasting kummelweck roll combined with mouth-watering beef, and sometimes other delicious condiments as well.
Charlie the Butcher is the place to be when stomachs growl around lunchtime, salivating for a satisfying meal. Charlie keeps a variety of items on the menu, carving all meat fresh off the bone minutes before it finds its way to the stomachs of hungry customers.
With many locations around Buffalo, Charlie's main establishment is located within one mile of the Buffalo International Airport and Charlie the Butcher can even be found minutes from campus at Wegmans. Charlie caters to many audiences, offering catering service along with seven other locations around Buffalo.
Best BBQ
Fat Bob's, found at 41 Virginia Place in the Allentown district of Buffalo, specializes in authentic barbecue and ice-cold beer.
With nearly everything on the menu made from scratch, Fat Bob's offers a different approach to barbecue feasting with a long list of big smoke entrées including St. Louis Pork Ribs, beef brisket, smoked chicken, pulled pork, catfish, and steak. Additionally, entrées come with two sides, which can include sweet potato fries, hush puppies, homemade macaroni and cheese, cornbread, collard greens, sausage gravy, and more.
It's dark, cozy location with picnic-table-esque seating and a full hardwood bar, Fat Bob's is a hidden gem. Its neighborhood pub bar offers an extensive list of beers including microbrews from New York and around the United States, as well as a long list of imports.
Fat Bob's is open Monday through Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to Midnight, Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to Midnight and Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Best Bar Menu
Mothers isn't the type of bar where one would pound a few Blue Lights and test out pickup lines on unassuming females.
Tucked away on 33 Virginia Place off of Allen Street, Mothers offers a diverse menu of steak, pasta, seafood and the likes. Its kitchen is open until 3 a.m., so those looking for a glass of Bass on draft and a full plate of chops after a night of drinking are in luck.
Though a late-night eating option, Mothers is perfect for a romantic dinner or casual dining with a couple of friends. Reservations might be necessary, but are worth it.
Townies regularly stop by to catch a game over a beer, and others come straight from their jobs downtown to indulge in some gnocci and wine. Regardless of who you are, you will be satisfied by the complementary food and beverages.
Best Bakery
This award has to go to Delish! at 802 Elmwood Ave. This venue offers delicious and innovative baked goods that frequently change according to the seasons, such as bar-cookies, scones, "Fairy Cakes," fresh fudge, and chocolate-dipped specialties.
However, Delish!'s cooking classes are the real reason this bakery takes the cake. Approximately five nights per week, a team of talented chefs show registered participants how to prepare various foods. For instance, this month "The Holiday Party Plan: Hors d Oeuvres" will show how to prepare seven appetizers, such as bourbon marinated Buffalo chicken strips with Danish bleu cheese dip and chipotle lime shrimp crisps. Classes typically cost $25 to $35 and fill up quickly.
Delish! also caters both on and off-site, including options such as a sit-down dinner, an appetizer party, and a private wine tasting, operated by professionally trained chefs and wine instructors.
