Buffalo

With just one dinner in Buffalo, where would YOU eat?

Whatever you do, don't go to the Anchor bar for wings. Their wings are pretty lousy and besides, chicken wings are available anywhere with access to a deep fryer and Frank's hot sauce. In other words, everywhere. Buffalo's real roadfoad specialty (that has never really expanded beyond Western New York) is the roast beef sandwich on the kimmelweck roll. Of places listed on this site, I really like Schwabl's for their roast beef sandwiches. Anderson's also has roast beef sandwiches but not nearly as good as those at Schwabl's (Anderson's is also listed on this site for their custard). The advantage of Anderson's (on Sheridan Dr.) is that there's a Ted's hotdogs location across the street so you can double up with some excellent charcoal-grilled dogs. Schwabl's is pretty out of the way (in West Seneca), but the roast beef is really outstanding. And they have beer, which is pretty much required at most any Buffalo degustation.

quote:

Originally posted by takats

Whatever you do, don't go to the Anchor bar for wings. Their wings are pretty lousy and besides, chicken wings are available anywhere with access to a deep fryer and Frank's hot sauce. In other words, everywhere. Buffalo's real roadfoad specialty (that has never really expanded beyond Western New York) is the roast beef sandwich on the kimmelweck roll. Of places listed on this site, I really like Schwabl's for their roast beef sandwiches. Anderson's also has roast beef sandwiches but not nearly as good as those at Schwabl's (Anderson's is also listed on this site for their custard). The advantage of Anderson's (on Sheridan Dr.) is that there's a Ted's hotdogs location across the street so you can double up with some excellent charcoal-grilled dogs. Schwabl's is pretty out of the way (in West Seneca), but the roast beef is really outstanding. And they have beer, which is pretty much required at most any Buffalo degustation.

Takats,
Is that your weckommendation?
Rolling Kaiserly, Ort. Carlton in Athens, GA.
P. S. I couldn't have responded better myself. There are any number of good weck places, but Schwabl's seems to be the standard by which the others are judged. As for wings, I'd like to hear some of your recommendations - in spite of the fact that they're available here, surely someone in the Buffalo area makes the ultimate, to-die-for Buffalo wings. Any suggestions as to where?

Whatever you do, don't go to the Anchor bar for wings. Their wings are pretty lousy and besides, chicken wings are available anywhere with access to a deep fryer and Frank's hot sauce.


Everyone has different opinions and we just love the wings at the Anchor bar............why do you think they are lousy? I would love to be in Buffalo right now for some of those wings for lunch and then a couple of Ted's hots the next day!

I always eat my one dinner in Buffalo at the Capri Italian restaurant downtown on Seneca. Their specialty is Spaghetti Parmagiana, spaghetti covered with cheese and baked under the broiler. Then spoon lots of sauce on top. Of course I alway stop at Ted's on the way into town, and again one last time before leaving. Best fast food onion rings anywhere.

One DINNER in Buffalo is tough. Much of what is special to Buffalo is more of the snack/lunch type -- at least for me, anyway. I don't much think of hot dogs as a dinner, but some might. If that someone is you, you could do much worse than Ted's. Beef on weck (pronounced "wick") is a must in Buffalo. I have not been to Schwabl's (it just wasn't on the same side of town as me), but I did to custard and beef at Anderson's.

As for wings, if you are not going to do Anchor (and I am not one who believes that it should be dismissed immediately), you should likely hit Duff's next. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that wings are to Buffalo as BBQ is to Texas. In other words, even "bad" wings, are still better than most anywhere else. You could eat at a good BBQ place in Dallas every day for a couple of weeks without duplicating...you could likely do the same for wings in Buffalo.

Steve

I agree with most that The Anchor Bar has good wings as do most Buffalo places. Lately, on my trips back to Buffalo, I've had BBQ wings to kill for and I know some have been mentioned in other Roadfood postings. To say that Schwable's is "on the other side of town" is funny in that Buffalo is a small "big" city to get around. Try Eckl's in Orchard Park for Beef if you get to the southside. It's on par with any other city in the USA for great "junk food".

I have lived in the Western New York area most of my life and would rate the following places as tops:

Chicken Wings: 1. Elmo's 2. Duff's 3. Brennans Beef 'N Weck: 1.Scwabels 2. Andersons 3. Beef'N Barrell-Olean, NY
Pizza: 1. Just Pizza 2. Besta 3. Pizza Plus
Steak Upscale: 1. The Chop House 2. E.B. Greens 3. Mansard Inn
Prime Rib 1. Red Osier 2. Conesus Inn 3. The Chop House
Italian 1. Chef's 2. Ilio DiPaulo's 3. Frank's Sunny Italy
Burger 1. Brennan's 2. Fuddruckers 3. Chili's
Hot Dog 1. Ted's 2. Taffy's 3. Berrafato's

I recommend any of these establishments for a good meal!

I'm from Western NY, and I agree with a previous writer that the Buffalo area is great for snack-type food and low/mid-range dining. It's not a place of fancy restaurants or high-end food.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil J.

I'm from Western NY, and I agree with a previous writer that the Buffalo area is great for snack-type food and low/mid-range dining. It's not a place of fancy restaurants or high-end food.

Phil,
Beef-on-weck and chicken wings don't strike me as any sort of let's-put-on-the-nice-clothes,-Gladys,-and-let's-go-out-and-eat-that-tonight sort of food.
Methinks that if I were to stay in Buffaloland a few days, I'd eat so many versions of beef-on-weck that I'd be able to write a monograph on the subject.
Wings, those I can find down here without any trouble... with virtual disgusting regularity (and concurrent mediocrity, I might add!). Beef-on-weck, due to the impossibility to find kimmelweck rolls here, is indeed another story.
Bring on the horseradish, folks.
Hungrily, Ort. Carlton in Faraway Athens, Georgia.

Fine dining in Buffalo is alive and healthy...The Rue Franklin, Left Bank, Mothers, Just Pasta, Hutch's, Oliver's, The Hour Glass....and these are just for starters. Are you looking for a Martini bar? ...Got them too!

Have to agree with "big knife" Buffalo is more than just chicken wings-we have some great"fine" dining also-Root Five for seafood-Curly's for jerk cuisine-Friar's Table for great prime rib,HUGE lobster tails and just about anything else-Billy Ogden's for as energetic and imaginative a menu as you'll find anywhere(the blackened tuna is OUTSTANDING!!! I could go on and on and on...