Western New Yorkers put up with a lot. There's the 91 inches of snowfall a year, the unfinished waterfront and a couple of down-and-out professional sports teams. The food, though, from pizza and wings to French cuisine, almost makes it all worth it.
This is the original home of the Buffalo chicken wing. There have been thousands of imitations--some good, some not so good--but none of them can touch the creativity and freshness behind Anchor Bar's wings. You can stick with the original sauce, which is more spicy than hot, or test out the honey barbecue, medium and suicidal sauces. Most groups start off with a bucket of 25 or 50 wings and any one of their underrated pizzas.
Anchor Bar
1047 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14209-2305
716-884-4083
anchorbar.com
The neighborhood surrounding this establishment has deteriorated since Chef's first opened in 1923, but it seems like the Italian recipes inside only improve with age. Chef's has added daily specials such as Veal Scalloppini with spaghetti and linguine calamari, but the original spaghetti and snowball-sized meatballs may still be the best item on the menu.
Chef's Restaurant
291 Seneca Street
Buffalo, NY 14204-2011
716-856-9187
ilovechefs.com
This elegant fine-dining experience right off I-90 earned the AAA Three Diamond Award for its masterful menu. Diners can enjoy anything from prime rib and filet mignon to Italian specialties such as roasted chicken parmigiana and chicken marsala. Choose from any of the 200 wines, or take a bottle back to the adjoining Garden Place Hotel.
Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant
6461 Transit Road
Depew, NY 14043-1032
716-683-7990
salvatores.net
Polish people have been influencing Western New York since an immigration boom in the early 20th century. Polish Villa offers friendly service and hearty portions of golumpki, pierogies and Polish sausage. If you feel like putting on a couple of pounds, take on the mega-dish, the Polish platter.
Polish Villa II
1085 Harlem Road
Cheektowaga, NY 14227
716-805-8915
polishvilla.org
Western New Yorkers have enjoyed beef on weck at Schwabl's since 1837. Buy a bottle of birch beer and chomp down on the signature sandwich that comes on a salty kummelweck roll.
Schwabl's Restaurant
789 Center Road
West Seneca, NY 14224
716-674-9821
schwabls.com
You can't go a mile or two in this area without passing at least a couple pizza and wings stops. Mazia's, voted the best pizza at Taste of Buffalo, offers a sweet sauce on their pizzas with fresh, large toppings and meaty wings.
Mazia's Pizza
10225 Main Street
Clarence, NY 14031
716-759-2803
Trapped between a couple of ice cream parlors and less than a 1/2 mile away from two seafood restaurants, Aunt Millie's can be easy to overlook. If you stop in on a Friday, though, for a bowl of clam chowder and a fish fry featuring creamy coleslaw and haddock that hangs over the plate, you won't ever pass it up again. You can always just stop in for a quick dessert, as the stack of fruit pies at the entrance stares you down upon arrival.
Aunt Millie's Kitchen
Route 5 & Route 20
Silver Creek, NY 14136
716-934-2525
This classy restaurant in Buffalo's West Side is all about French flavor. The low lighting, brick walls and Impressionist art complement a menu that has both a Bourgeoisie and peasant fare. The fondue for two, homemade ravioli and oven roasted filet of salmon baked and topped with sliced tomato and roasted red onion are a few of the most recognized items.
Left Bank
511 Rhode Island Street
Buffalo, NY 14213
716-882-3509
leftbankrestaurant.com
Tempo offers a modern cuisine in a brick mansion in Allentown. It caters to a relatively young, hip crowd and doesn't open the doors until 5 p.m. for the dinner rush. A solid five-course meal usually starts with an eggplant antipasto and rounds off with a Prosciutto wrapped filet mignon or grilled steak alla fiorentina.
Tempo Restaurant
581 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202-1201
716-885-1594
tempobuffalo.com
There might not be a better fish fry in all of Western New York. Of course, the location right on the banks of Lake Erie would make anything taste good.
Hoak's Restaurant
4100 Lake Shore Road
Hamburg, NY 14075
716-627-4570
