You Are What You Eat

Although people may come for the Buffalo wings, loganberry, and sponge candy, they stay for the delightfully overwhelming number of dining options. No matter which area of Buffalo you end up in, you can stumble upon a variety of tastes, price ranges, and atmospheres. This year’s picks reveal a solid representation from Buffalo staples and a few new options that could shake you out of your dining habits with just one bite. Blue Monk has garnered enough attention to appear under best bar food, best French fries (can’t go wrong with a bowl of their duck frites), and best new restaurant. Trattoria Aroma has edged its way into best brunch (local ingredients, pastry and coffee station, and an upscale vibe, oh my. Try the Aroma Benedict, it’s a sure palate pleaser) and best Italian. Further proof that Grant Street is the new place to be are nominations for Sweetness 7 Café (best coffee) and Guercio’s (best deli). Speaking about the name on everyone’s lips, Lake Effect Ice Cream landed a spot under best ice cream, location be damned, by providing flavors such as Frozen Hot Chocolate and Nickel City Heat to a grocery store near you. Answering the call for more vegetarian options, Merge and The Eights Bistro have stepped onto the scene with innovative menus that both herbivores and omnivores can enjoy. As much as Buffalonians love to embrace new trends, our classic restaurants are staples for a reason.

How can you tell which places are irreplaceable? They are the first places that ex-pats go when they are visiting. Spot Coffee boasts best bagel and best coffee nominations, and Cole’s gets nods for best salad, brunch, bar food, and burger. Amy’s Place (living up to its versatile reputation) has best diner, Middle Eastern, vegetarian, and cheap eats nominations, and Mighty Taco (in such high demand, they ship burritos) has best cheap eats and best Tex-Mex mentions.

There are too many more to mention. Any culinary expedition in Buffalo can introduce your taste buds to something out of the ordinary, indulge them with some comfort food (necessary for late nights and hung-over mornings), or a little of both.

—jill greenberg

Nominees listed in no particular order. Winners will be announced at the Artvoice Best of Buffalo Party, Monday, May 9, 6-9pm, at Town Ballroom.

AV Editor's Picks

Buffalo is home to many dining options, yet voters provided some ideas for areas in which our fair city is lacking. To jump-start any future restaurateurs, we’ve imagined what these additions could be like:

Although many of our fine bakeries offer vegan options, Buffalo’s vegan bakery can offer a 100 percent vegan and organic guarantee. The vegan bakery offers birthday cakes in custom flavors, cupcakes in four flavors (carrot, banana chocolate chip, vanilla, and chocolate), and a wide variety of traditional Italian cookies. They also offer pupcakes for dogs made with oatmeal and peanut butter.

The authentic/traditional Mexican restaurant in Buffalo is located in a small, intimate space. There are a wide variety of salsas, and a menu that focuses on traditional Mexican ingedients and preparations. Pair a fajita or chayote with one of the many authentic Mexican beers on tap. The interior fireplaces are made for sipping Mexican hot chocolate throughout the chilly Buffalo winters and their patio is perfect for drinking margaritas during the humid Buffalo summers.

Falafel food truck. Enough said.

Buffalo’s upscale Ethiopian restaurant brings together traditional Ethiopian cuisine with fine dining. No utensils are needed as each dish starts with injera, a light fluffy sourdough flatbread, used to roll up a variety of spicy vegetable and meat stews. Vegetarian and vegan platters are available as well. This resturant creates a modern ambiance offset by cozy circular booths to encourage dining parties to share their platter and conversation.

—jill greenberg

Best of Buffalo 2011 Nominees Our City, Our People The Fine Arts Music Dining Out Shops & Services Nightlife & Drinking The 2011 Winners List