Spaghetti baked with marinara sauce and a thick blanket of mozzarella and Parmesan, served as the canonical Buffalo Italian-American dish. The version at Chef's Restaurant downtown is the model.

Chef's Restaurant at the corner of Seneca and Chicago downtown opened in 1923 and built Buffalo's signature Italian-American spaghetti parm. Lou Billittier became sole owner in 1954 and the Billittier family carried the room for a century. The dish is now a Buffalo institution and the canonical version a generation of locals associate with downtown.

Where to eat Spaghetti parm in Buffalo

3 editor picks for Spaghetti parm in Buffalo, ranked by editorial score. All Buffalo signature dishes · Spaghetti parm across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 445 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 3 cups marinara sauce
  • 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Fresh basil to serve

Method

  1. Heat oven to 375 F (190 C).
  2. Boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain.
  3. Toss the drained spaghetti with 2 cups of marinara sauce.
  4. Spread spaghetti in an oven-safe baking dish.
  5. Spread remaining 1 cup of marinara across the top.
  6. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan in even layers.
  7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned on top.
  8. Let rest 5 minutes before serving with torn basil.

Editor tip. Buffalo spaghetti parm is famously cheese-blanketed. Don't be shy with the mozzarella; the dish is a 1923 cheese-pasta classic.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.