Whenever I come home for break, I form a list of the places that I have to eat at before I leave. I can’t stand to be away from all of these delicious restaurants for too long, but honestly, it’s better for my health that I'm not in Buffalo all the time. Here are a few must-visit eateries in Buffalo, NY:
1. Duff's
There’s a huge Buffalo rivalry over the best place to get chicken wings: Duff’s vs. Anchor Bar: The place where chicken wings first originated. On an episode of "Food Wars" aired on the Travel Channel, Duff’s beat out Anchor Bar for the best Buffalo chicken wing. Sorry, Anchor Bar, but nothing beats the crispy, spicy, saucy wings at Duff’s, and their addicting shoe-string fries are also top notch.
2. Ziggy's Tacos and Subs
A lot of people in Buffalo will run to Jim’s Steakout to grab a chicken finger sub, and I must agree that their chicken finger sub is pretty good. However, whenever I’m home, I have to go to Ziggy’s to get my favorite chicken finger sub in Buffalo. I’m not sure if it’s the Costanzo’s roll, the gooey provolone cheese or the crispy, hot fingers that makes it so delicious, but I have yet to find a chicken finger sub that I enjoy more than Ziggy’s.
3. Mighty Taco
If you willingly choose Taco Bell over Mighty Taco, there’s something seriously wrong with you. Mighty is notorious for its late-night drunk munchie food, but it’s much more than that. It’s so good and such a crave-able food for anyone who is away from Buffalo for too long. Also, the service is always incredibly quick and efficient. They have never gotten my order wrong to this day.
4. Ted's Hot Dogs
Whether it’s the middle of winter or in the heat of summer, there’s nothing like a Sahlen’s hotdog. At Ted’s, they serve up their dogs fresh on a charcoal grill right in front of you. In addition to your foot-long, you can add some of their homemade onion rings or hot, crispy French fries. Add a loganberry and a dash of their homemade hot sauce, and you’ve got yourself a classic Buffalo meal.
5. Chef's Restaurant
A mound of cheese with a side of pasta, please. If you order the spaghetti Parmesan from Chef’s, it’s pretty much a heart attack on a plate. Their homemade sauce is piled on top of buttery pasta and a boatload of melted mozzarella cheese. The cheese on top of the pasta is baked so that it's bubbly and golden brown. When you go to bite into it, you get a big, gooey bite of cheese. Yum.
6. Cole's Restaurant
Cole's is a classic Buffalo restaurant that has been around for about 80 years. If I’m looking to sit down and eat some classic Buffalo food, I go to Cole's. The atmosphere is really cool and its location is right in the heart of the Elmwood village. The best menu item that I have tried there is their Clancy sandwich, which is roast beef cooked to perfection, au jus and melted provolone cheese all piled on top of a toasted garlic bun. It's to die for.
7. Elmwood Taco and Subs
In addition to Ziggy’s and Jim’s Steakout, ETS also has amazing chicken finger subs and tacos. In addition to whatever you decide to order at ETS, you must order a side of their waffle fries. They’re always hot, salty and crisp out of the fryer. Make sure you don’t forget the side of nacho cheese to dip them in.
8. Wegmans
Although Wegmans is not exclusively in Buffalo, it’s still somewhere I look forward to visiting whenever I come home. Despite all of the delicious snacks you can buy while grocery shopping, they also have incredible subs, pizza, sushi and a hot food buffet. Everything from their Chinese food to mac-n-cheese is so tasty; it won’t disappoint.
9. Globe Market
Basically a homemade, local version of Panera is how I describe Globe Market. I used to be obsessed with Panera until I discovered that everything from their soup to macaroni and cheese comes from frozen packages. At Globe, everything is made fresh daily, and they prepare your food right in front of you. You can taste the difference within the first bite.
10. Anderson's Frozen Custard
Ice cream, cheese fries and melt-in-your-mouth roast beef are just some of the many things that Anderson's offers on their menu. You can start your meal with one of the best roast beef sandwiches in Buffalo and a side of their Cajun fries, and then you can end the meal with some of their homemade sponge candy ice cream. Their ice cream is so good that it’s enjoyable yearlong.
11. La Nova Pizzeria
If I’m craving really classic Buffalo pizza, La Nova is the first thing that comes to my mind. Buffalo’s pizza is the perfect combination of New York thin crust and Chicago deep dish. Buffalo is famous for their crispy pepperonis, and that is exactly what you can expect from La Nova. They also serve up amazing wings that complement the pizza perfectly.
