By: Natalie Grigg
- Where do you go when it is hot, hazy and humid? Some might say the beach, others might say a pool, but if you ask Steve Meli, owner of Steve's Clam Bar, he would say that "hot, hazy and humid" (otherwise known as the "three H's") are what bring people flocking in to sample his food and relax on the patio.
Steve's Clam Bar first opened 30 years ago, yet Steve describes what he does as being part of a dying trade. The "clam cutters in the area aren't a dime a dozen" as compared to the days when Steve was growing up on the West Side, and clam bars, such as Scotty's and The Turf Club, lined Niagara Street.
And despite being a dying trade, according to Steve, he is still "serving the finest seafood delicacies in Western New York, Southern Ontario, Northern Pennsylvania, and Eastern Ohio." A seasonal restaurant, Steve's Clam Bar opens its windows as soon as the weather breaks in April and doesn't close up until partway through the month of September. Though business varies depending on the weather (and Steve places a lot of faith in our local weather men), on average, fresh shipments are delivered 3 to 4 times a week in order to meet his customer's demands.
Steve's has been operating at its current location next to Cecelia's Ristorante & Martini Bar on Elmwood since June 2009. Prior to that his business was a well-recognized seasonal addition to Merlin's, followed by a stint on Hertel at MT Pockets. But Steve has returned to Elmwood to stay. In his most recent location, Steve believes that his offerings "mix well with the patio and drinks that Cecelia's has to offer."
When I met with Steve, a delivery had just arrived, and he was already working to prep for his opening at 3 p.m. The night before had been an unprecedented night of business for this season, and with the upcoming holiday weekend and good weather, Steve wasn't expecting business to slow down. In fact, by the time he opened for the day, one side of the chest freezer would be filled to the top with clams. Clams that, according to Steve, "were dodging sharks just that morning."
He may be known for them, but clams are not the only fare you'll see at Steve's. Patrons can enjoy prawns, crab legs, lobster dainties, mussels, crawfish, and "the biggest variety of oysters on any given night," Steve assured me. On that day, the oysters, all geographically priced and available by the dozen or half-dozen, were in from Wellfleet, Martha's Vineyard, Virginia, and British Columbia, just to name a few.
If you ask Steve for his personal menu recommendation, he'll tell you to try anything with "casino" written next to it, but his most popular sellers are the Lobster Casino and Cajun Clams Casino. While there, I was fortunate to try the variety of casinos, and I can attest that he was not bluffing. Lobster Casino, Shrimp and Crab Casino, Casino Elegante' (clam with a whole shrimp tail), Clams Casino, and Cajun Clams Casino arrived with fresh wedges of lemon and a bottle of Steve's homemade hot sauce (now selling for $9.95 a bottle). They are all served in steamer shells, and each was topped with a generous portion of Steve's own homemade casino mix that he has perfected over the years. If you like spice, try the Cajun Clams Casino, made with Steve's special mix of spices to create his Cajun blend. You can eat them plain, with a drizzle of lemon, or a spot of Steve's hot sauce. No matter how you eat them, you will not be disappointed. In fact, the only time I stopped eating was to tell Steve how amazing everything tasted.
If you haven't yet visited this Buffalo treasure, I recommend that you do. The atmosphere is casual, payment is cash only, and the seating is all outdoors. The only drawback may be that if it rains, you may not see Steve that day! You'll find good food, a great patio, probably some interesting people watching, and a laugh along the way. Oh, and for those of you wondering, yes, Steve's is available for pick-up catering (sorry, the summer months are just too busy to pry Steve away from the Clam Bar).
Steve's Clam Bar
716 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 883-8066
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Natalie Grigg is a mom, lawyer and avid eater.
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- Where do you go when it is hot, hazy and humid? Some might say the beach, others might say a pool, but if you ask Steve Meli, owner of Steve's Clam Bar, he would say that "hot, hazy and humid" (otherwise known as the "three H's") are what bring people flocking in to sample his food and relax on the patio.
Steve's Clam Bar first opened 30 years ago, yet Steve describes what he does as being part of a dying trade. The "clam cutters in the area aren't a dime a dozen" as compared to the days when Steve was growing up on the West Side, and clam bars, such as Scotty's and The Turf Club, lined Niagara Street.
And despite being a dying trade, according to Steve, he is still "serving the finest seafood delicacies in Western New York, Southern Ontario, Northern Pennsylvania, and Eastern Ohio." A seasonal restaurant, Steve's Clam Bar opens its windows as soon as the weather breaks in April and doesn't close up until partway through the month of September. Though business varies depending on the weather (and Steve places a lot of faith in our local weather men), on average, fresh shipments are delivered 3 to 4 times a week in order to meet his customer's demands.
Steve's has been operating at its current location next to Cecelia's Ristorante & Martini Bar on Elmwood since June 2009. Prior to that his business was a well-recognized seasonal addition to Merlin's, followed by a stint on Hertel at MT Pockets. But Steve has returned to Elmwood to stay. In his most recent location, Steve believes that his offerings "mix well with the patio and drinks that Cecelia's has to offer."When I met with Steve, a delivery had just arrived, and he was already working to prep for his opening at 3 p.m. The night before had been an unprecedented night of business for this season, and with the upcoming holiday weekend and good weather, Steve wasn't expecting business to slow down. In fact, by the time he opened for the day, one side of the chest freezer would be filled to the top with clams. Clams that, according to Steve, "were dodging sharks just that morning."
He may be known for them, but clams are not the only fare you'll see at Steve's. Patrons can enjoy prawns, crab legs, lobster dainties, mussels, crawfish, and "the biggest variety of oysters on any given night," Steve assured me. On that day, the oysters, all geographically priced and available by the dozen or half-dozen, were in from Wellfleet, Martha's Vineyard, Virginia, and British Columbia, just to name a few.
If you ask Steve for his personal menu recommendation, he'll tell you to try anything with "casino" written next to it, but his most popular sellers are the Lobster Casino and Cajun Clams Casino. While there, I was fortunate to try the variety of casinos, and I can attest that he was not bluffing. Lobster Casino, Shrimp and Crab Casino, Casino Elegante' (clam with a whole shrimp tail), Clams Casino, and Cajun Clams Casino arrived with fresh wedges of lemon and a bottle of Steve's homemade hot sauce (now selling for $9.95 a bottle). They are all served in steamer shells, and each was topped with a generous portion of Steve's own homemade casino mix that he has perfected over the years. If you like spice, try the Cajun Clams Casino, made with Steve's special mix of spices to create his Cajun blend. You can eat them plain, with a drizzle of lemon, or a spot of Steve's hot sauce. No matter how you eat them, you will not be disappointed. In fact, the only time I stopped eating was to tell Steve how amazing everything tasted.If you haven't yet visited this Buffalo treasure, I recommend that you do. The atmosphere is casual, payment is cash only, and the seating is all outdoors. The only drawback may be that if it rains, you may not see Steve that day! You'll find good food, a great patio, probably some interesting people watching, and a laugh along the way. Oh, and for those of you wondering, yes, Steve's is available for pick-up catering (sorry, the summer months are just too busy to pry Steve away from the Clam Bar).
Steve's Clam Bar
716 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 883-8066
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Natalie Grigg is a mom, lawyer and avid eater.
Great article Natalie. Of course I'm dying for clams & beer now.