Good Food. Good Mood

Taking a look at Buffalo’s most famous bites

Chicken wings, beef on weck, fish fry, sponge candy – these are just some of the tasty treats that come to mind when thinking of Buffalo’s most iconic food. Rich in flavor AND history, Buffalo is known for taking food staples and putting its own spin on it. Whether it is cooking wings in peppery hot sauce, putting roast beef on a salty bun, or creating the sweet, spongy delicacy upstate New Yorkers have come to love, Buffalo is home to one-of-a-kind foods that you can’t get anywhere else.

With its history rooted in our city, and plenty of unique varieties available throughout the town, we turned to the experts to hear how they like to enjoy Buffalo’s most unique flavors. Whether dining out, grabbing takeout or preparing meals at home, 3 local influencers weigh in on how and where they like to enjoy their go-to Buffalo fixes.

meet the foodies

eTom & Tori Maron @Buffalo.Food.Couple: Having lived in many cities prior to coming to the area, they have tried food from all over the world and appreciate what Buffalo has to offer. They enjoy exploring new places in town and love meeting and learning about the people who run the restaurants, bakeries, pop-ups, and breweries because of the passion they have for what they do.

Courtney Marcello @BiteofBuffalo: Buffalo native Courtney has a passion for food and how it brings people together. As an avid traveler and Yelp elite member, in January 2020 she started @biteofbuffalo to share her community favorites. Whether sharing a meal with family or dining with an old friend, she appreciates connecting over food and drink with the people she loves.

Mike Dudek @dining_with_dudek: Local foodie Mike is the type of guy who can talk about food for hours and has loved it for as long as he can remember. He has lived in Buffalo for about 10 years and has been enjoying local food here ever since. He is passionate about the stories behind food and loves talking to restaurant owners about their backgrounds and what they love to cook.

Hot Dogs

It would be impossible to discuss Buffalo foods without acknowledging the city’s over 150-year history with the classic hot dog. Buffalo hot dog makers include such wellknown establishments as Ted’s Hot Dogs (founded in 1927), Wardynski’s Finest Quality Meats (founded in 1919), and Sahlen’s (established in 1869). As one of the country’s foremost meat packing cities for more than 100 years, Buffalo and the hot dog were a natural fit. One of the most recognizable Buffalo hot dog classics is its “Texas hot:” typically a skinless Sahlen hot dog nestled in a bun and topped with a special meat sauce. Delicious!

From the Foodies:

• Where do you get your fix? “Ted’s Hot Dogs!” -Tom & Tori

• “Like most people, I love the charcoal-broiled hot dogs and the handmade onion rings at Ted’s. Toss in a loganberry too, why not? I also love a good Sahlen’s hot dog on the grill at home. They are a favorite that we make quite often. Many family parties and tailgates wouldn’t be complete without them.” -Courtney

Beer Battered Fish fry

A Friday night in Buffalo wouldn’t be complete without a Buffalo Beer Battered Fish Fry. An enormous crispy-golden, beer battered filet of haddock is typically accompanied by equally golden French fries, a lemon wedge, tartar sauce, cole slaw, and a slice of bread or roll. Around 1900, Richie Roth’s fish house sold fish frys along the Erie Canal. Some suggest that to truly sample a traditional Buffalo fish fry today, you should stop into one of fewer than a dozen Buffalo area restaurants that serve the region’s freshwater yellow pike, rather than ocean-going haddock.

“Every restaurant makes and serves their fish fry differently. Most come with a variety of side dishes that are usually a bit unique to each restaurant, but they are typically served with French fries and some combination of macaroni salad, potato salad and cole slaw. My favorite one is at Jade’s. It is perfectly crispy and served with potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, fries, and rye bread.” -Courtney

Chicken Wings

Buffalo has been called the Chicken Wing Capital of the World…and for good reason! If you enjoy a tasty order of Buffalo wings, you can thank Buffalo pillar, the Anchor Bar. One popular story suggests that Buffalo wings were created by Teressa Bellissimo in 1964 with the now famous sauce blend of hot sauce, butter, and seasonings. Buffalo wings quickly took root in the city, and versions and sauces now abound. In fact, Buffalo wings have become so quintessentially connected to Buffalo that the city’s National Buffalo Wing Festival attracts around 80,000 people each year. For a fun twist, don’t miss Chiavetta’s BBQ chicken wings, tantalizing Buffalo tastebuds since 1954.

• “Out of all the food Buffalo is known for, I definitely eat wings the most. I’m a medium sauce kinda guy and the wings have to be crispy! And if you ask me where to go for wings, I’m sending you to Bar-Bill.” -mike

• “Doc Sullivans serves up some of the best wings in Buffalo. It was my Dad’s favorite and is now mine, as well! They have a unique twist on Buffalo sauce they call “Smitty style.” They also serve beef on weck wings which are shaken in creamy horseradish with caraway seeds and salt sprinkled on top and homemade blue cheese. It sounds crazy but they are worth trying at least once if you’re a true Buffalonian.” -Courtney

• “Our favorite places for wings are Audubon North and Beltline Brewery. Audubon fries the wing, sauces it, and then you have to ask for them to “touch it” on the grill. Get them in hot cajun.” -Tom & Tori

Beef on Weck

One of Buffalo’s most unique and long-standing culinary contributions is its distinctive Beef on Weck. But we bet you didn’t realize this delicious sandwich made its way to Buffalo by way of Germany, most likely via German baker and immigrant from Bavaria, William Warh or Schwable’s Restaurant founder and German immigrant, Sebastian Schwabl. This classic dish is comprised of tender, hot roast beef layered onto a fresh kimmelweck—or kummelweck—roll (like a carawayseed-and-salt-topped Kaiser roll). Crave a little spice? Try adding horseradish!

From the Foodies

“I love that we have these places in Buffalo. Not only does it give us an opportunity to eat some delicious food, but it also gives you an insight into these cultures.” -MIKE

“For Beef on Weck, Glen Park Tavern is my favorite place. They hand carve it right in front of you and it’s always cooked to perfection.” -Courtney

“Our other local favorite are stuffed banana peppers! They are one of our favorite apps when we go out, and it is not a common dish in other states.” -Tom & Tori

The Best pizza anywhere

Those who think of pizza as either New York thin crust or Chicago deep dish are missing the beautifully balanced complexity that is the Buffalo style pizza. With a crust reminiscent of a focaccia and edge-to-edge toppings, which typically include a generous amount of mozzarella cheese, a slightly sweet sauce with flavors of heritage, and standout cup-and-char pepperoni—Buffalo style pizza dates back to Fioravanti “Grandpa” Santora in 1927. For nearly 100 years, unique Buffalo style pizza has delighted pizza lovers and those lucky enough to call the city home.