It was back in January of 2009 when I first wrote about a corner market store that was in the midst of getting a much deserved makeover (see here). At the time, owner of the property, Giles Kavanagh, knew one thing for sure. He knew that he wanted to restore the corner into a productive, functioning neighborhood anchor that would pay homage to innovative architecture and design, in order to create an operable commercial space like no other. Basically, Giles wanted to follow in the footsteps of Buffalonians who had

It's rare when I come across a new restaurant in a building that I was previously unfamiliar with. So often a restaurant owner opts to move into a space that has had previous successes for a number of reasons - notoriety, equipment, primary uses, locations, etc. For these reasons, we tend to see restaurant spaces recirculated over and over. When a new one pops up out of the blue, it can be very exciting... I love to see fresh concepts added to the roadmap of Buffalo's restaurant scene. 
Last Thursday The Phoenix opened in Black Rock. I had been checking out

By GirlFriday:
Brick Oven Bistro & Deli is the type of neighborhood spot we should all be so lucky to have in our own backyard.  Though they opened their doors one year ago this month, I must say I did only have my first taste until just last week.  
As the saying goes, it's all in the details, and never is that more true for me, than when dining out.  All too often new restaurants can overlook elements that can really impact your overall dining experience -  details that truly have nothing to do with what's

After a fairly short run at The Neighborhood Collective (across from The Lexington Co-op), Solé closed its doors a couple of months back. Fortunately the two-floor restaurant space is not going to sit empty for long (unlike another Elmwood location - Moda). 
In recent years we have seen Elmwood businesses gravitate toward Hertel, and likewise Hertel businesses opening on Elmwood. It appears as if the two heavy-hitting commercial districts are going back and forth, pulling and tugging, and

The English Pork Pie Company was notified this morning by the Telegraph Newspaper that it has won the Best British Shop in the World award for 2012 - learn more about the company here. "We are delighted to have won again," said co-owner Vicky Parker. "Thanks to all of our supporters we beat 100s of other shops across the world - it just proves that we are offering outstanding products and customer service right here from Buffalo, NY!"
Check out the award here.

Coming to the The Blue Monk is a beer tour unlike no other, and Buffalo is joining the ranks of select cities that will be featuring a battle of East Coast and West Coast breweries. 
The event is not just for beer lovers, it's also designed to attract fans of punk music. "There has been an East Coast vs. West Coast Beer and Punk event tour in the New York City area the last two years," said Ryan Bedford, Bar/Craft Beer Manager at The Blue Monk. "This year they've decided to expand their tour to include dates in Upstate. Blue Monk will be hosting

I consider myself pretty lucky to be able to explore the underbelly of this city on a daily basis. From the informative emails that filter in to those who stop me on the street, I am constantly amazed at all of the people (and their projects) that continue to present themselves - each one inspirational and unique, driven by a passion to see this city twist and turn into a place that inspires others to do the same. More often than not I hear that this city actually inspired someone to move forward with bringing a dream to reality - such is the case with PAUSA Art House.
Meet

For years I've been hearing about Saint Joseph's Day (March 19), mainly from people working in traditional Italian restaurants and bakeries. While Saint Joseph's Day still remains sort of a mystery to me, I am aware of how important the celebration is to the Sicilian community here in Buffalo. Hopefully the secrecy surrounding this religious feast will no longer remain a mystery thanks to the dedication of one family that is determined to shed some light on the tradition. 
Local chef Mary Ann Giordano along with her dad, Dr. Paul Giordano, are promoting

For the first time in my life, I've developed a Saturday morning routine. At around 10am I head to the Winter Market @ Horsefeathers in order to gain inspiration for the following week. To me, a trip to the market is like a giant cup of coffee that keeps me fueled for days to come. At the market I find all sorts of vendors that "tell me" stories about Buffalo, and send me signals about the kind of a city that I'm living in. It's not necessarily all about the buying of various delicacies, which I do in order to take the experience home with me. Rather it's about the big picture - the people

It was at 12:48am in the morning that gallery owner Marcus Wise called me to say that Louie's Hot Dogs was ablaze on Elmwood and that firefighters were attempting to put out the flames. Since we were on our way home, and the eatery happens to be a couple of blocks from my house, I swung by to try to see how bad the damage was. As I approached, the street was completely blocked off as far as Utica, and the lights from the firetrucks and other emergency response vehicles stretched down the entire block.
Ultimately, fire crews were able to put out the fire and damage estimates

Black Rock Kitchen and Bar has now been open for a couple of years, and according to owner Mark Goldman Sunday brunch business has been so booming that they have decided to extend the brunch to Saturdays. Now Buffalonians can get their Saturday brunch fix at BRKB with the same great offerings that they have been dishing out on Sundays (see here). 
This is the perfect idea for a street and neighborhood that could use the added life generated from even one successful restaurant.

Sometimes you may want to experience Mardi Gras indoors, depending on what your mood is in or around that festive day, not to mention what Mother Nature might be throwing your way. In that case, The Broadway Market is hosting a Mardi Gras this Saturday, with live music, dancing and a lecture series from 9am to 4pm. What a great way to spend your time... if only there was live music playing at more markets around the city more often! 
When was the last time that you paid a visit to the Broadway Market? Often times it takes an event to draw the non-regulars to discover all

It's been over five years since Off the Wall restaurant went out of business on Elmwood Avenue. In that time there has hardly been any news regarding potential suitors for the building, and every time I spoke to the building owner there appeared to be not even a glimmer of hope for a buyer. Eventually I gave up hoping and praying that someone would buy the building, and set up shop inside.
It was out of the blue that Joe Lyons, owner of Joe's Deli on Hertel Avenue, swooped down and purchased the long-vacant restaurant location. Joe's Deli first opened

It's like déjà vu all over again. Back in 2007 I wrote about this historic establishment in hopes that an accomplished restaurateur with a vision would do the right thing and lease it. Unfortunately that didn't happen. The Rendezvous was leased, but instead of reverting back to a historic bar, it was turned into a nightclub. Thankfully, the guys who ran the business left most everything intact, although they did take out the great old booths and tables in the back room. What a bummer. 
In recent

If you've been wondering what ever happened to Lagniappes French Quarter Café in Allentown, then you might be surprised when I tell you that they moved deep into the West Side of the city. That's right, the restaurant is now being called NOLA (New Orleans Style Food), and has taken over the former Carmen's Kitchen location (Auburn and West). That's quite a move for owner operator Chris Silverstein, who is in the process of launching an additional food truck business (see here). 
Lovers

One of the things that I love about Hertel Avenue these days is the ever-increasing diversity when it comes to ethnic cuisine. Whenever a new café or bakery or restaurant opens I'm usually just a few minutes behind, looking to try out the offerings in hopes to find new culinary discoveries or variations in traditional offerings. 
I knew that when I saw Manakeesh & More opening that they would have their own twists when it comes to Middle Eastern Cuisine. I always look to learn a couple of new traditions along the way. For example, when I asked for a cup of coffee,

For those of you heading to The 2013 Chocolate Affair tomorrow, you're in for something special. For those of you who have not gotten tickets, I hear that the response to this year's event has been incredible and tickets are going fast. Why? Just take a look at the following line-up of food and drink-related participants:
Adam's Apples, Amaretto Bistro, Barker Chocolate Box, Buffalo Cookie Company, Butterwood Sweet & Savory, Canine Cupcakes, Casa Larga Vineyards, Chrusciki Bakery, Cupcake Orchard, D&M Confections, Divine

There's yet another good reason to head to the Hotel @ The Lafayette for lunch these days. Mike A @ The Lafayette is now open Wednesday through Friday from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and not only offers one of the nicest atmospheric daytime dining experiences in the city, it also offers some darn good food. Aside from the food, the restaurant is promoting that "The Bar is Open for your version of the Three Martini Lunch"... ouch! 
Owner/Chef Mike Andrzejewski's recipe for success this time is the introduction of a stripped down lunch menu that plays off of famous lunch

If you had asked me which Buffalo restaurant would be represented at the Super Bowl, I probably would not have guessed Seabar. Maybe that's because I would have figured on a wing joint, as wings are synonymous with Buffalo. Same with Beef on Weck. That's why I was surprised to hear that Seabar had been chosen to represent Buffalo, along with a host of restaurants from every other state around the country. 
When it comes to the "Taste of the NFL", the honor of representing a hometown is fairly prestigious. This weekend Seabar will set up a table at the New

My dad rarely texts me about restaurants that he has discovered. That's because when he heads to a new restaurant, it's usually with me. So I was surprised to get a text from him a couple of days ago that read, "Burgers at The Kitchen Table are great. Serves breakfast all day. Homemade soup - terrific. Owner is wonderful and our waitress is so pleasant." Now that I think about it, that was the first time that my dad ever sent a text to me to tell me about a restaurant, period. 
Today I decided that I would stop in to see what he was texting about. He was right about the