Where to eat in Buffalo
Buffalo is famous for its wings, and there is no shortage of joints serving up mouth-watering renditions. At Bar-Bill Tavern, the sauce-drenched honey butter barbecue, cajun-style, is Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s favorite. Gabriel’s Gate, on the other hand, fries its wings, then dresses them with Frank’s Red Hot, resulting in a drier, crispy exterior and a moist interior bursting with tang.
Buffalo isn’t all about wings, though. In recent years, there’s been an investment in upscale dining via tasting menus and experiential concepts that have earned the attention of national food critics and a handful of James Beard Awards semi-finalist and finalist nods. Las Puertas, for example, offers seasonal Mexican-French fusion tasting menus with luxe bites like lamb mixiotes, cucumber-kumquat aguachile with various white fish, and even a four-course $85 vegetarian tasting option.
Mira, the new Mediterranean restaurant from the Grange Hospitality Group, is filling a long-vacant niche in town, highlighting Italian, Greek, and Spanish cuisines through its Basque-style grill. We recommend the four-course tasting menu for dinner, which includes a mezze, pasta, grilled item, and dessert. They also serve a fantastic brunch, including a smoked salmon toast we’re especially fond of. Lastly, two-time Beard-nominee Ryan Fernandez’s spot
Southern Junction is serving up creative and delicious Texas-Indian fusion BBQ. Get there early and grab a cocktail before counter service. The menu features seven smoked meats daily—opt for the double meat combo with pork ribs, smoked sausage, barbacurry beef (smoked, confit shoulder with curry leaves and garam masala), or flat iron, a richly marbled cut that rivals brisket. For sides, don’t miss the signature biriyani (with brisket), smoked cauliflower manchurian with deep mesquite flavor, or cowboy mac. Skip the milk bread for a $3 slice of cardamom cornbread. Sundays are also worth a visit for brunch, with breakfast tacos, pastrami sandwiches, and standout cinnamon rolls.
