The Eleven

In July 2014, we introduced ‘The Ten’. It was meant to be a list of the essential places to eat in Buffalo. It was an ambitious attempt by the staff to answer the immortal question ‘Where’s the Best Place to Eat in Buffalo?’ After about 18 months, we stopped updating the page and it become a stale list of really good restaurants but it wasn’t really helping anyone.

Over the last year, we’ve been trying to figure out how to tweak this feature to keep people up to date on what’s exciting at the moment. The following list of 11 eateries represents what is exciting to eat, right now in this moment. That could mean restaurants that have just opened, a Chef who is taking advantage of ramps during that short window of the season, a particular seasonal ice cream stand or a restaurant gaining national attention and thus becoming the hottest seat in town. This list isn’t written in stone, the idea is to try to update this as often as possible (think months, not weeks).

500 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY

The second iteration by James and Connie Roberts, this coastal Asian inspired restaurant takes its menu from Chef Robert’s heart. It’s what he eats at 3 AM. After a trip to Hong Kong and a year of build-out, Dobutsu is now open for business, and I think anyone who has tried it would agree… this needs to be your next place to dine. The cocktails and wine list curated by their in house sommelier are great, the fresh seafood is unprecedented in town, and of all things – their dessert program (especially the pineapple upside down cake) is a do-not-miss.

988 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY

After several years of success in Snyder, a few family spin-offs, and a food truck, the family that formerly ran King and I is now running on all cylinders once again on the corner of Elmwood and Potomac . I struggle to not stop for lunch there for lunch every time I go by. The semi-open kitchen showcases the chef’s wicked wok skills, and they nail that Thai spice profile that makes it such a unique and delicious food. Don’t miss the (food 1) and (food 2).

2711 South Park Ave, Lackawanna, NY

This is the last place I expected a Vietnamese restaurant to pop up, yet I found myself very happy with their expansive menu and strong, balanced broths. Bahn mi

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23 Grant St, Buffalo, NY

Moriarty’s is likely the most important development in the local food scene in recent memory. While we could easily name a handful of restaurants that have embraced the farm to table movement, there remained barriers to adopting the same ethos at home with the proteins we consume. Unlike restaurants, most people don’t have walk in coolers or the equipment to deal with whole animals, nor do most people have the time and energy to deal with the majority of the animal that is ground or used as stock. If you were inclined to seek out local protein at a farm or farmers markets, invariable the cuts are frozen and often crudely butchered, doing a disservice to the care that went into raising the animal. But the paradigm is different now. Butcher, Tom Moriarty, brings his skills from his time training in France to a little shop on Grant Street, where each week, he selects an animal raised nearby, butchers it and fills his case with the fresh meat for sale on Saturday mornings. For adventurous home cooks, his weekly social media posts of the week’s offering, are a shot of adrenaline: whey fed pigs, mother’s milk veal, spring lambs, intact chickens, and sides of 40 day dry aged beef. Even considering my 25 years spent home cooking, I’m still invariably surprised by something in the case, and have already explored many new culinary avenues in the short time the shop has been open. We should all recognize the need to eat less meat, and to seek out meat that comes from humane and sustainable sources, and now we have a place that can help us do that while taking home likely the best meat available in WNY at the same time.

3188 Sheridan Dr, Amherst, NY

I drove by this place a hundred times before stopping in. Hot Pot Dining can be a bit intimidating if you haven’t experienced it before, but it’s a lot of fun, and a fine opportunity to sample a lot of different flavors. They have several options for veggies, noodles, and protiens, and the options span from the expected (like shaved beef and mushrooms) to the exotic (yes, I mean “duck flappers”.) Go with a group, and if you can hit it Mon-Thurs it is $25, all you care to eat.

25 Grant St, Buffalo, NY

This jewel of the City of Buffalo is a perpetual melting pot of cuisines from all over the world. Try delicious Dim Sum from 007, dip into some Burmese soups or tea leaf salads, have some deliciously authentic Ethiopian food, and enjoy Thai, Puerto Rican, Japanese, and other flavors in a cool communal eating setting. This is a favorite spot for local eaters that crave something beyond the standard fare.

5933 Main St, Williamsville, NY

More to Write

1501 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY

Churn Soft Serve – Yes, we know this was “the cool kids” spot to go last year, and that you’ve probably been sufficiently smothered with cool filtered photos of ice cream to last you a lifetime… But the addition of Chef Jen Boye to their program has a lot of us wondering… I think this is definitely worth a visit this summer to see what Jen, a pastry chef at heart, has planned for all of us

385 Rhode Island St, Buffalo, NY

A James Beard Semi-finalist nod and a nice write up in the NY Times put Chef Victor’s small city bistro on the map as a “must-visit” for those that have not had the opportunity to sample his food

4717 Chautauqua Stedman Rd, Mayville, NY

It takes a lot for us to recommend anywhere that requires more than an hour’s drive, but White Carrot is delivering a fine dining experience that has a steady flow of folks from Buffalo traveling to beautiful Chautauqua Lake for an unforgettable meal. Driven by Chef Kiendl’s procured tasting menus that change with the output of local farms, it is well worth the drive. We are especially excited for his featured chef experiences with Ed Forster, Steve Gedra, and Ross Warhol.

502 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY

Until recently, Buffalo has been a food desert of sorts for a variety of cuisines. Save for a few remote options, your best bet to sample anything close to Middle Eastern food usually relegated you to your local diner for a souvlaki… However, in the past few years we’ve seen some great spots pop up. Our favorite currently is House of Hummus, located in an old pizza shop in the middle of Elmwood Beach. This restaurant features spot on Middle Eastern Flavors across a large menu spanning Gyro, Falafel, Shwarma Taboule, that go far beyond what we’ve seen locally. I suggest the sampler to get a taste of it all… and I love this place for a quick downtown lunch in Elmwood Village

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