Yesterday was the first day that Butterwood Desserts and Butterwood Sweet and Savory, located in the Hotel @ The Lafayette, opened for dinner. I spoke with owner Claire Bacon who told me that the soft opening would soon lead to regular business hours as early as next week. In the meantime, starting at 5pm, customers and diners are welcome to check out the amazing transformation that has occurred in the restaurant. My favorite addition to the dining room is the sharp, white banquette seating (see before). The banquette seating helps to divide the large room into a dining area and a bar area. I'm also a big fan of the curved pizza bar, which is tucked away in one of the corners. The tall ceilings and the natural light give the restaurant a signature appeal that is unlike any other place in the city. Historic architectural elements offer a perfect balance against the updated designs. Architecture and design firm Carmina Wood Morris designed the Butterwood space.
View image
There is no doubt that visitors are going to be impressed with simple and elegant format. Seating capacity looks to be around 80 people, though the layout offers an intimate-yet-lively dining experience. It's interesting to think that the Butterwood restaurant business is only a small part of what Claire Bacon specializes in. The crux of the operation is not even visible from the dining room. Those familiar with the Butterwood success story know that the business revolves around the sweet and savory lines - the business ships desserts all over the Eastern seaboard and the mid-Atlantic. It's all in a day's work for Claire and her staff, who also create wedding cakes, and will soon be operating a breakfast, lunch and dinner destination with a smoothie and coffee bar to boot... seven days a week!
At this point in time, The Hotel @ The Lafayette has become a beehive of activity. Take a walk through the lobby and down the hall, taking in all of the pleasant sites along the way. Once at the end of the hallway you'll find a set of stairs that will lead you to this new culinary find. Or you can enter directly from Clinton Street. Either way, Butterwood is a real treat for anyone looking for a breath of fresh air in a historic born again Buffalo setting.
The bar manager is a stud.