It's All in the Family at Johnny's Meats
What is it about Hertel Avenue and family owned and operated businesses? Iim not sure, but I like it! They offer incomparable service, care, and quality. Iive recently written about a family-owned Hertel Avenue diner (Berthais) and bakery (Ginois), and so today Iim adding a butcher to the group. Welcome to Johnnyis Meats!
Johnnyis Meats has been in business for over 60 years. Johnny Tiranno and his wife first opened up shop at the corner of Busti and Virginia where they ran their business for about 20 years. Then, 42 years ago, they moved Johnnyis Meats to the current location on Hertel. These days, Johnnyis son Mike runs the business, and although Johnny has passed away, Mrs. Tiranno still joins Mike behind the counter along with her daughter, Donna (all pictured above), and grandson, making Johnnyis Meats a three-generation business!
This alone makes Johnnyis Meats a special place, but it becomes even more special when you discover all it has to offer. First and foremost, Johnnyis is a full-service butcher shop. Looking for fresh meat or special cuts? This is the place to go. They also make and sell their own homemade hot and mild sausage, chicken/spinache/feta sausage, meatballs, twice baked potatoes, and salads (including potato, macaroni, chicken, shrimp, and ham salads). If itis frozen goods youire looking for, try some of Johnnyis homemade lasagna, stuffed shells, spaghetti sauce or soups. In addition to their own homemade items, the Tirannois sell other Buffalo Originals including Luigiis bread, Weberis mustards, and Gondolais dry pasta, frozen ravioli, and tortellini. Johnnyis also has a nice deli and a wide selection of other dry pastas and canned goods (especially tomatoes!).
The personal service makes shopping at Johnnyis Meats a truly enjoyable experience. The Tirannois are friendly and dedicated, and do everything they can to please their customers and fulfill special requests. If you ask, you can even get cooking suggestions and instructions. Johnnyis Meats has a lot of loyal, regular customers, and if you stop in, thereis a good chance that youill become one of them.
Johnnyis Meats is located at 1191 Hertel Avenue.
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BuffaloRox
Great post Emmeleia! Johnny's has outstanding meats and products. Their sausage (along with Scime's) is among of the best in the city. The service is outstanding and Donna is incredibly nice. With the several posts on Hertel Ave, you're hitting on why it is such an awesome street. The diversity of shopping on Hertel is what makes it a unique experience. Antiques, butchers, Italian delis, restaurants, cafes, hardware & plumbing, banks, clothing, gyms, oil changes, tires and national discount stores. It lacks pretense and has none of the driving headaches of Main Street in Williamsville, Walden Ave, Niagara Falls Blvd or Transit Rd. Hertel is for everyday life.
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michelle
I know they're known for their sausage and meats, but you can't get better lasagna anywhere! Mrs. T even makes the noodles from scratch. They sell it frozen, you can get one or two pieces- best kept secret in Buffalo!
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M Rodgers - West Village
I remember going to Johhny's on my bike for my mom. It was always so clean in there that I never minded as compared to other butcher shops I hated going into as a kid.
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Lori
I've always loved Johnny's! They have the best sausage anywhere. The chicken/feta is out of this world, but sometimes I just crave the regular Italian. With so many big stores coming in I just love supporting the local family owned and operated...part of what makes Buffalo a great place to live! (Not to mention Mike , the butcher, is very good looking!!)
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angela
Thanks for all of the stories highlighting Hertel Avenue. Sometimes we feel left out. ;)
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Elmer
I love Iside's soup
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Sturdy One
We just moved to the Hertel area and we couldn't be happier. Even though we'd love our home no matter where it was located, the fact that it's one half block from Hertel makes it extra special!
Oh, yeah, and the eggplant parmesean at Johnny's Meats is absolutely incredible! Yum!
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Mary Joy
Johnny's has the very best Italian Sausage......I love going there!
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Laurie and David
As Buffalonians in exile, we NEVER make a trip to Buffalo without stopping at Johnnys! The sausage is incomparable. There is nothing like it anywhere, at any price.
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Frank Ventura
I Miss my Johnny's Italian Sausage. i Now live in Nashville, occassionally when i visit Buffalo I'll bring home some Italian Sausage. I just Wish Johnny's Meats create A web site so i can have the Sausage shipped over nite. I Miss My Johnny's Sausage real Bad !!
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Murphy McConnell
I am a long time customer of Johnny's! Mike even de-boned all of the requirements for my husband to make a Turduken one year for Christmas. That's a hand boned Turkey, Duck and Chicken! While we love the sausage, Momma also makes a wonderful stuffed turkey breast and pork chop just perfect for those long days at work when you come home starved and exhausted. They are my favorite...we've been shopping there and no where else for 15 years. Here is their phone number for you out of towners! Bet if you ask Mike really nicely, he'll send you some sausage in dry ice :) (716) 876-2500
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james c
best. meat. ever.
feta and spinach chicken sausage? mingya fugheddaboutit.
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