Exploring Buffalo
Buffalo, the Queen City of New York State is undergoing a resurgence after years of economic decline. It's a city full of history and the rich architecture is a constant reminder of its golden age.
For up-to-date tourist information www.visitbuffaloniagara.com.
For information about public transportation visit NFTA.
There are many vibrant neighborhoods, each one with its own different character.
Downtown Area (conference venue)
Eating/drinking:
Spot Coffee: local alternative to Starbucks;
Papaya: Asian fusion and sushi;
Bacchus: fine dining with an award-winning wine list;
Soho Burger Bar: burgers, beer and a large balcony;
Expo Market gourmet food court;
Buffalo Proper: American restaurant and cocktails;
Hearth + Press: stone hearth pizza in the middle of the Theatre District;
Toutant: Southern style restaurant combined with a refined cocktail menu;
Seabar: excellent sushi bar;
Big Ditch Brewery: craft beer brewery with restaurant;
Tappo: Italian restaurant with nice wine selection;
Deep South Taco: tacos and tequila;
Osteria 166: American-Italian comfort food in a nice setting;
Buffalo Chop House: prime steaks and fresh seafood;
Casa Azul: small establishment serving delicious tacos;
The 31 Club: fine dining with a history dating back to the 1940s;
Ru's Pierogi: a modern twist to traditional Polish cusine;
Sky Bar: outdoor dance club.
Things to do:
City Hall and Observation Deck, Theater District, Lafayette square and Public Library, downtown architecture.
Canalside and Waterfront (~ 1 mile south)
Eating/drinking:
Pearl Street Grill and Brewery: historic four-level warehouse with patio and balconies for house brews and grill fare;
716 Food and Sport: sports bar with a huge screen;
Pizza Plant: pizza, deep dish and local brews;
Lagerhause 95: warehouse turned into gastropub with crafts beers;
Templeton Landing; large restaurant directly on the water;
Liberty Hound: seafood and cocktails with a view on warships.
Buffalo Riverworks (across Buffalo River): industrial-chic gastropub for the more adventurous of the group.
Things to do:
Canalside summer events, Naval and Marittime Park, KeyBank Center home of the Buffalo Sabres, Coca-Cola Field home of the Buffalo Bisons, Outer harbor and Grain Elevators.
Allentown Historic District (~ 0.6 mile north)
Eating/drinking:
Anchor Bar: birthplace of the world's famous Buffalo Wings;
Gabriel's Gate: quirky atmosphere with great beer and food, quintessential Allentown;
Allen Burger Venture: the place in town for burgers (and beer of course);
Allen Street Hardware: beer and pub fare;
Colter Bay: American pub;
Fat Bob's Smokehouse: Southern bbq place;
Mother's: cozy atmosphere for new American food and cocktails;
The Twilight Room: restaurant and bar that recreate the atmosphere of the Prohibition Days;
Tempo: sophisticated Italian restaurant in a villa with cupola and patio;
Cantina Loco: Mexican food and tequila;
Betty's: a great place for brunch, a drink or an early dinner;
Towne: earthy Greek food;
Coco: French-style bistro;
Just Vino: wine bar (as the name suggests);
Nietzche's: bar and music venue.
Things to do:
Kleinhans Music Hall , Theodore Roosevelt Inauguration site, Millionaires' Row mansions.
Elmwood Village and Delaware Park (2 to 4 miles north)
Eating/drinking:
Thin Man Brewery: great food (famous for pork) with big selection of brews;
Cole's: one of Buffalo historic pubs (est.1934) with good food;
Thirsty Buffalo: sports bar, good for drinking with basic food;
Left Bank: modern American restaurant, one of Buffalo's finest;
Hutch's: fine dining in classy environment;
Midtown Kitchen: modern restaurant with innovative food and drinks;
Trattoria Aroma: Italian restaurant and pizzeria;
Vera Pizzeria: pizza and cocktails;
Kuni's: great sushi in modern environment;
Wasabi: excellent but small sushi restaurant;
Mezza Restaurant and Lounge: modern take on Eastern Mediterranean recipes;
JT's Urban Italian: brand-new addition to the Elmwood scene;
Pano's: Greek-American restaurant with big portions.
Things to do:
Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House complex, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo history museum, Olmsted parks and parkways system, Shakespeare in Delaware Park, Buffalo zoo.
Other Neighborhoods
North Buffalo: a traditional Italian-American area has experiencing a fast-pacing resurgence especially along Hertel Avenue now buzzing with Italian restaurants and cafes.
East Side: once home of one of the largest Polish communities in North America, still suffers from years of economic decline. Noticeable are the abandoned Buffalo Central Terminal, many 19th century Polish churches and the Broadway market.
West Side: probably the most diverse neighborhood of Buffalo especially because it is traditionally the home of newcomers and, in recent years, refugees.
Around Buffalo
Niagara Falls State Park (20 miles);
Woodlawn Beach State Park (8 miles);
Letchworth State Park (60 miles);
Reinstein Woods (10 miles);
Chestnut Ridge County Park (20 miles).