Tappo Italian ★ 4.4
Tappo Italian on Ellicott Street downtown is the Pegula family's Italian-American room, with handmade pastas, veal saltimbocca and free Ferguson parking.
Signature: Veal saltimbocca, House pastas
The restaurants worth the trip in Buffalo. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Our picks in Buffalo
Ristorante Lombardo ★ 4.7
Ristorante Lombardo on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo is the Tuscan-influenced anchor of the city's Italian food row, family-owned since 1975.
Signature: Handmade pasta, Wood-fired pizza
Chef's Restaurant ★ 4.4
Chef's Restaurant at Seneca and Chicago downtown has been serving its cheese-blanketed spaghetti parm since 1923, a Billittier family institution.
Signature: Spaghetti parm, Italian sausage
Marble + Rye ★ 4.5
Marble + Rye on Genesee Street downtown is the Mike Dimmer and Christian Willmott cocktail-and-dining room with a dry-aged burger and small plates.
Signature: Dry-aged burger, Seasonal small plates
Patina 250 ★ 4.3
Patina 250 inside the Westin on Delaware Avenue downtown runs a contemporary American menu built on Western New York producers, plus a strong bar.
Signature: Seasonal local plates, Steak
Daniela ★ 4.4
Daniela on Forest Avenue near Elmwood Village is an Italian neighborhood favorite, with wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta and a strong local following.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, House pasta
The Left Bank ★ 4.4
The Left Bank on Rhode Island Street near Elmwood Village is a long-running American room with seasonal meat and seafood plates and a romantic dining room.
Signature: Seasonal entrees, Crab cakes
Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.3
Bacchus on West Chippewa Street downtown is a wine bar and New American room in the historic Calumet building, with a deep by-the-glass list.
Signature: Cheese and charcuterie, Steak frites
Anchor Bar ★ 4.2
Anchor Bar on Main Street is the birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing, invented by Teressa Bellissimo in 1964 for her son Dominic and his friends.
Signature: Original Buffalo wings, Wing sampler
Duff's Famous Wings ★ 4.5
Duff's Famous Wings at Sheridan and Millersport in Amherst opened in 1946 and added wings in 1969, the hotter Anchor Bar rival Buffalo locals have defended for decades.
Signature: Medium-hot wings, Beef on weck
Gabriel's Gate ★ 4.5
Gabriel's Gate on Allen Street in Allentown is the local-favorite wings tavern, with crisp jumbo wings ranked among Buffalo's best by local press.
Signature: Wings, Burger
Schwabl's ★ 4.7
Schwabl's at 789 Center Road in West Seneca has been the canonical beef on weck since 1837, slicing rare roast beef onto caraway kummelweck rolls.
Signature: Beef on weck, German potato salad
Charlie the Butcher's Kitchen ★ 4.4
Charlie the Butcher's Kitchen at Wehrle and Cayuga in Williamsville, a mile from the airport, is the family meat business's beef-on-weck flagship since 1993.
Signature: Beef on weck, Pulled pork sandwich
Lloyd Taco Factory ★ 4.4
Lloyd Taco Factory on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo is the brick-and-mortar flagship of Buffalo's food-truck-turned-empire, with carne asada and loco fries.
Signature: Carne asada taco, Loco fries
Pearl Street Grill and Brewery ★ 4.2
Pearl Street Grill and Brewery on Pearl Street downtown has anchored Buffalo brewpubs since 1997, with four floors, nine bars and house-brewed beer.
Signature: Brick-oven pizza, Beef on weck
Wiechec's Lounge ★ 4.5
Wiechec's Lounge on Clinton Street is the East Side fish-fry institution, with oversized hand-breaded haddock that hangs off the plate through Lent.
Signature: Friday fish fry, Wings
La Nova Pizzeria ★ 4.2
La Nova on West Ferry has been a Buffalo pizza-and-wings tradition since 1957, the original home of fully-cooked shipping wings sold to pizzerias nationwide.
Signature: Buffalo-style pizza, Shipping wings
Bocce Club Pizza ★ 4.3
Bocce Club Pizza on Bailey Avenue in Amherst has been a Buffalo cup-and-char pepperoni institution since founder Dino moved in next to UB South in 1959.
Signature: Cup-and-char pepperoni pizza, Wings
Ted's Hot Dogs ★ 4.5
Ted's Hot Dogs at the Sheridan Drive flagship has been charcoal-broiling Sahlen's franks since 1948, with hand-cut onion rings and the secret hot chili sauce.
Signature: Charcoal-broiled hot dog, Onion rings
Mighty Taco ★ 4.0
Mighty Taco on Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo is the late-night Buffalo Tex-Mex chain (since 1973) every local defends, with a beef taco and the El Nino burrito.
Signature: Beef taco, El Nino burrito
Sophia's Restaurant ★ 4.4
Sophia's on Military Road in North Buffalo is the Greek-American breakfast and brunch counter every local recommends, with massive omelets and weekend lines.
Signature: Greek omelet, Pancakes