Food & Drink
We see the most votes in this category every year, hands down. And the nominees for best food and drink are usually running neck-and-neck, proving again that Buffalo has more than enough to offer in terms of cuisine. Previous years’ polls have seen the answer to “Best Thing About Buffalo” be “the food” more often than answers like “the people” or “the weather.” (Go figure.) People love Buffalo takeout—pizza, wings, subs, Chinese—but they also love our fine dining establishments, and new ones pop up each year even while the most venerable etablishments manage to persevere, showing tht even in this supposedly downtrodden, blue-collar town, there is a true appreciation of great cuisine.
The Best New Restaurant category netted so many different answers we wish we could print them all. Unfortunately, some didn’t qualify as “new” and therefore were eliminated, still leaving five viable nominees whose tables have pretty much been packed since their doors opened—welcome to 31 Club, Encore, Francesca’s, Juniper, and Merge.
While our readers did sing the praises of our local cuisine, coffee, beer, and cocktails, it seems their are still some things left to be desired, and we got a kick out of the answers to our new category, Restaurant WNY Needs Most. A Sonic Drive-in? We’re there—those of us who have cars, at least. A fully vegetarian/vegan restaurant? It would certainly find a clientele, according to our readers. An Ethiopian restaurant? If anyone knows of one, please tell us. And it still seems we need more and better Mexican, though this doesn’t take away from the fine restaurants nominated in the Best Mexican category. Don’t worry, you all got plenty of votes.
Finally, thanks in advance to our nominees who are helping to cater our Best of Buffao party on Monday, April 26. The array of complimentary food at this shindig is a sure draw, and it’s in no small part due to the generosity of the nominees that we’ve been packing the Town Ballroom year after year for this event. Hope to see you all there.
—k. o’day
Finalists are listed in no particular order. Winners to be announced April 26, 6-9pm, at Town Ballroom.
Best BagelsLexington Co-opBagel Jay’s Bagel Brothers Wegmans Spot Coffee Best BBQOne-Eyed Jack’sKentucky Greg’s Fat Bob’s BW’s Suzy Q’s Best Bar MenusMother’sCole’s Allen Street Hardware Pearl Street Grill & Brewery Encore Best Beef on WeckSchwabl’sAnderson’s Charlie the Butcher Bar Bill Swiston’s Best BrunchLeft BankCole’s Shango Roycroft Inn Betty’s Best BurgersGabriel’s GateSterling Pub Grover’s Cole’s Vizzi’s Best Cheap EatsAmy’s PlaceMighty Taco Elmwood Taco & Sub Pano’s Santasiero’s Best Chinese RestaurantsTokyo Shanghai BistroGreat Wall Red Pepper Taste Good Gin Gin Best CoffeeSpotSweetness 7 Cafe Aroma Taza Chow Chocolat Best DelisGlobe MarketMarco’s Wegmans Joe’s Deli Chris’s NY Deli Best DessertsButterwoodDelish Chocolate Bar Sweet Tooth Dessert Deli Best DinersAmy’s PlacePano’s Towne Lake Effect Uncle Joe’s Best Fish FriesHamlin HousePapa Jake’s Palladino’s Wellington Captain Jack’s Best French RestaurantsRue FranklinTabree Left Bank O’Connell’s Bistro Europa Best French FriesLouie’sCole’s Jim’s Steakout Ted’s Papa Jake’s Best German RestaurantsUlrich’s TavernScharf’s Prosit Bistro Europa Schwabl’s Best Greek/MediterraneanKosta’sPano’s Mythos Falafel Bar Towne Best Hot DogsTed’sLouie’s Red Top Reid’s Taffy’s Best Ice Cream/Frozen YogurtAntoinette’sAnderson’s Sweet Tooth Dolci Lake Effect Best Indian RestaurantsIndia GateTandoori Taste if India Star of India Kebab and Curry Best Italian RestaurantsFrank’s Sunny ItalyLombardo Chef’s Sinatra’s Trattoria Aroma Best SushiSeabarKuni’s Wasabi Fuji Grill Kyoto Best Kid-friendly RestaurantsPizza PlantPanaro’s Lake Effect Ambrosia Casa di Pizza | Best Late-night EatsTownePano’s Jim’s Steakout Mighty Taco Mother’s Best Latino RestaurantsVargasPapi’s Niagara Cafe Sole Carmen’s Kitchen Best Mexican/Tex-Mex RestaurantsEl CaneloCinco de Mayo Lone Star Gramma Mora’s El Palenque Best Middle Eastern RestaurantsSahara GrillTunisian Diner Amy’s Place Byblos Falafel Bar Best New RestaurantsJuniperMerge Encore 31 Club Francesca’s Best PatiosFroghairTabree Cozumel Cecelia’s Pearl Street Grill & Brewery Best PizzaLa NovaMr. Pizza Just Pizza Zetti’s Bocce Club Best Polish RestaurantsPrositPolish Nook Polish Villa Bistro Europa R & L Lounge Best SaladsPano’sGlobe Market Poppyseed Le Metro Pizza Plant Best SausagesSpar’sMineo & Sapio Scime’s Lakeside Market Ulrich’s Tavern Best Seafood RestaurantsLa MarinaHayes Seabar Kuni’s Harry’s Harbour Place Best ServiceTempoLeft Bank Pano’s Hutch’s Palladino’s Best Soul Food RestaurantsGigi’sLagniappes Soul Fabulous Shango Mattie’s Best SoupThe PlaceBrodo Globe Market Danny’s Lexington Co-op Best SteaksEB Green’sRussell’s Hutch’s Fiamma Buffalo Chop House Best SubsJim’s SteakoutWegmans Mike’s Subs John & Mary’s Elmwood Taco & Subs Best Takeout/DeliveryLa NovaPalladino’s Jim’s Steakout Just Pizza Bob & John’s Best Thai/Vietnamese RestaurantsJasmineSaigon Bangkok Saigon Cafe King and I Taste of Thai Best Vegetarian RestaurantsFalafel BarMerge Amy’s Place Betty’s Cole’s Best WingsDuff’sAnchor Bar Gabriel’s Gate La Nova Bar Bill Most Romantic RestaurantsLa Tee DaLeft Bank Rue Franklin Mother’s Tempo Restaurants WNY Needs MostA Sonic Drive-inMore and better Mexican cuisine A fully vegetarian/vegan restaurant An Ethiopian restaurant Healthy choices |
...and the nominees are: |
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