Let's Play "Name That Restaurant"!
A new restaurant is on the verge of opening. It occupies a completely renovated space on Main Street near Artspace and the constantly expanding medical corridor.
Open for lunch and dinner, this sizable restaurant will serve casual Italian-American fare. You'll find Buffalo favorites like artichoke dip, stuffed peppers and calamari. Bowls of pasta, big salads, sandwiches and wraps can also be found on the menu. Thin crust pizzas will be highlighted, available with an assortment of classic toppings as well as some that are more atypical in our pepperoni-loving town. A good white pizza heads the list, followed by pies sporting additions like portobello mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. In the evening, diners will have salads, sandwiches, pastas and pizzas to choose from, but also heftier entrees featuring selections like steak, rack of lamb and salmon.
My recent talk with the owner uncovered his search for a moniker for his venture. Something simple and interesting that stands out from the traditional names attached to Italian-American restaurants. Any thoughts? Add your suggestion in the comments below by Wednesday, August 15th. The reader with the best name will receive a $100 gift certificate to the new establishment!
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Comment Options
TheWhyNotGuy
Can't help you. All the Italian words and phrases I know are unprintable.
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parkman
mom's
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comptart_lws
medici's
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aMUSINGs
Dish it!
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justinsane22
trattoria centro, trattoria regina
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Scribble
Let the food speak for itself, it should be called 14202
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tdimatteo
Fiore
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OhCurlieOne
GINA PAPINA'S
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Hoss
CUCINA SPAZIO!!! - (kitchen space)
I already have the design in my head.
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thisoldcrackhouse
Given the neighboorhood how about Donatello's or da Vinci's. Or lets go with a play on names....ART I. CHOKES..............??????????
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scandyjj
Casa di Fresco or vino fresco or nuovo fresco
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comptart_lws
(art-i-chokes —— that's funny!)
"Medici's" does play off the art theme (and, letters-wise, proximity to the MEDical campus, as well).
from Wikipedia: They [Medici family] were able to bring Florence under their family's power allowing for an environment where art and humanism could flourish. They led the birth of the Italian Renaissance along with the other great signore families of Italy like the Visconti and Sforza families of Milan, the Este of Ferrara, the Gonzaga of Mantua, and others.
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scandyjj
centro città, or Centro, or Fresco, or Centro Amore
centro di città
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GoldenLark
Tre Otto
Which is Italian for "three eights."
Like, 888.
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scandyjj
Prato, Padova, Verona,
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UrbanBody
Tutti (all). From the sound of the menu the new place (near Roxys?) will have it all.
Fiume Bello (beautiful river). The Italian twist on our French legend re: Indian misunderstanding/naming of Buffalo (beau fleuve).
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uptownnc704
I'm excited to see a light fare Italian American resturant in Buffalo!
Diletto (roughly translated to beloved/delightful)
Beloved food - Beloved City
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al-alo
like many of us, when I think italian food, i think of my grandmother from naples.
whenever i was pestering her about what was for dinner, she would always answer "gotz e culo [sic]?". or sometimes just the shorthand "gotz!'
she always kept the party line and maintained the meaning was nuts and berries. later in life i found it had a much more colorful meaning. so my suggesetions are the correct spelling of "gotz e culo", just plain "gotz' or a nice ango "nuts and berries"!
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MRodgers
Okay, from my Sicilian Heritage along Virginia Street - "Sucoo" Don;t know if that is how it's spelled, but it meant "Sauce" - pronounced soo-coo. Fun to say, as well.
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tdimatteo
TO MRodgers:
Forse intendevi la parola SUGO (correct spelling for the word SAUCE )... giusto una piccola correzzione...
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scandyjj
Bello Centro,
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Breeze245
How about The Buffalo Bistro or Manga Manga
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ChristaSeychew
I think that the owner would also like suggestions for names that are not in Italian.
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girl16
Strand
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girl16
Ciao House
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girl16
Main Street Ciao
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WIGS
'Midtown Trattoria'
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WIGS
or something with Midtown in the name it to truly brand that stretch of Main St/Buffalo as Midtown.
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tdimatteo
forgetaboutit
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Lsincere
When I think of Italian cuisine, I envision a romantic and tranquil setting..how about Capri, the island located in West Italy? Or, Capri Lane, that sounds more citified.
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GoldenLark
How about "Silver Spoon," after that humongous Italian cookbook. It's on display in Talking Leaves. If you like cooking Italian, it's a pretty fascinating read.
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UrbanBody
Christa,
...ok...non-Italian suggestion: Mix
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icecreamsub
IROC....a lil' homage to my boyz
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fredrico
to Al-alo Your " gotz e culo " suggestion had me laughing!! because I know what it really means in Italian!!! I love Gotz! "Art- i chokes" is very clever and funny too!
I am going to suggest " Manga" which means eat in Italian ( but I like Gotz the best because it holds an inside joke).
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girl16
Sugo, meaning sauce
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girl16
Gusto
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ck333
"Pasto"
Simple, catchy, and also has a meaning.
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Gioia
The Joy of Food -- or La Gioia di Cibo
Because with Italians, that's what it's really all about. It's the experience of eating . . . enjoying the food and the company.
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ChristaSeychew
You guys are so creative! I love a lot of the Italian names, but from a marketing standpoint I would be worried about how easy they are to pronounce or find in the phone book or online.
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al-alo
how about "al-alo's buffalo's capri, tuscan, and sicilain style mid town joy of food trattoria, cafe & restaurant on Main Street"?*
on a completely differnt note, a friend of mine in high school was part italian, irish and czech. he always would say he was a Czechin McWopper.
* Copyright pending
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al-alo
easy to spellfind and in the book, a little less swarthy and a little more anglo, perhaps? got it then:
"Triple A non-italian sounding, italian restaurant"
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ChristaSeychew
alright, al-alo, point well taken. i was just trying to suggest that some variations on the theme might be nice and that non-italians may struggle with some of the more complex italian names. i'm not involved in determining the winner, i'd just like to see the winner have a name that the restaurant really uses.
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al-alo
oo im just bored at work and feel like razzin ya!
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GoldenLark
Okay, a couple more:
Sage Dandelion Terra Sambuca
I like this game.
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fredrico
How about " Momma Mia" or "Bicottis" or Coreleones?
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MRodgers
tdimatteo - gratsi - I knew it, it just wouldn't come to the front of my brain. God, I miss the family picnics - even the meals after the funerals. Sfinge, pasta con sarde, cannolis - though I do make a hellified cucidate and cannoli - it was so much more fun when Aunt Angie was over. Hey - that's a good name - "Aunt Angie's"
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markay
How about Main Dish.
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Lsincere
MASTER MUSHROOM'S...lol!
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Kip
Here's my name for it, it’s based around the fact they seem to not only be a traditional Italian restaurant but adapt to a little more.
: The Chameleon
: The Chameleon Italian American Grill
: The Chameleon Grill
: Bistro Chameleon
*I thought I’d cover all the bases….or at least try.
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ocho
Here's a few Italian and not-so-Italian, but all Italian-influenced:
La Bohème • Boho • Giacomo's • Tosca • The Blue Grotto • Utopia • Sinfonia • La Scala • Desire • Essence
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queenseyes
I like Ciao House by Girl 16. To expand on that, how 'bout Ciao Main?
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al-alo
in an effort to lock up this contest, im going ahead and copyrighting every single name suggested and i am now in the process of locking up the associated domain names, including the .net & .us dirivitives
: )
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girl16
Thanks queenseyes. I thought of Ciao Main too but thought when people only heard the name they would think it was Chinese.
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MBowman30
How about "The Olive Garden." What, that's taken? Perhaps Agridolce might work instead...
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uptownnc704
How about 3 - Olives ... then you can work in Olives into the address and use it as a moniker
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pearfreak
The Experience
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BuffaloKid83
Latin - A Bene Placito
Translation - "from one who has been pleased well"
Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and its Italian beneplacito and Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad libitum ("at pleasure").
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bflorox
bufalo - the Italian spelling or
boofahlow - the phoenetic spelling
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MBowman30
Amici Mei (my friend) could be a winner...
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girl16
Main Dish
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roseb
How about: 'oliva' 'bello spazio' or 'terrazzo'
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AnnapMike
Fredrico: there already is a restaurant called "Mangia", it is in Orchard Park
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Rebecca
Pastachio.
Get it? Like the nut except spelled differently to contain the word "Pasta."
The Italian names were all too predictable and definitely not "Something simple and interesting that stands out from the traditional names attached to Italian-American restaurants. " They sound like every other Italian restaurant. The only other good ones were Ciao Main and Fiume Bello.
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Rebecca
Pizzasta
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Rebecca
Pastizza
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ChristaSeychew
Rebecca-
I like Ciao Main as well, but I think if I heard it and had never seen it spelled out I'd assume it was a Chinese restaurant.
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Rebecca
I was thinking that as well. But, if you drive by it, it will give you a chuckle.
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Lsincere
The Full Belly
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
How about "The Last THing we Need in Buffalo is another Italian Restaurant" Restaurant
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thurston
Hrmmm I was thiking something like
"The Bistro at Main" or "The Bistro @ Main"
quick and lets ya know where it is.
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bflo_gal
How about "New Buffalo Bistro"?
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Gioia
Using the word "bistro" is so funny to me...it's not Italian, which is fine, but I think a lot of people think it is :)
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KFaB
Prego - means several things in Italian - but usually said with flair and friendliness Tremezzo - my favorite town in Italy Terra - simple and doesn't scream, "This is an Italian restaurant" Oregano - spice essential to sauce; flavorful Basil; Sage - see above
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fredrico
AnnapMike- I found out after I suggested it that there already is a " Manga" resturant. I was born in Italy and later the evening in Italy most everyone (no matter what city or town your in) goes to the "Piazza" for a cappacino or a sweet. Piazza "which means the center of town" is usually the center of town. I think it is a wonderful custom as most people young or old do not have to sit in front of the television all alone everynight. Instead they go to the center of town and meet up with friends ( to ferociously gossip I am sure - you know those Italians!! :). Anyway I think Piazza might be a nice name for the resturant.
P.S. There is no such thing as too many Italian resturants.
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ChristaSeychew
fredrico-
I love your suggestion, but would like to mention that there is such a thing as too many heavy-handed bad Italian restaurants, which I feel is the case more often than not- in fact, much more often. WNY seems to be filled with soggy, chewy eggplant parm, bad sauce and overcooked boxed pasta. Again, just my opinion.
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al-alo
KFab,
prego might be misinterpreted as something completely different kind of place.
: )
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fredrico
ChristaSeychew-
Know that I think about it YOUR RIGHT - about the TOO MANY "heavy handed bad Italian resturants". Real Italian cooking doesn't taste anything like what you'll find in those.
I am glad you liked my suggestion of " Piazza".
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STU
How about:
Nuova Impresa Italiana (New Italian Venture)
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eac
How about: "Ars Cucina," faux-Latin for "the art of the kitchen/cooking"
They'll also have a killer beer list which can be previewed here, at BeerOVision.com!
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bhorvath
Smith
Community
High Neighbor Cafe
Main St. Fresh Food
Does it have to be Italianish?
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bhorvath
Freebird
just send me the check,
B
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repgillian
Suggestions are :
Savor / Savory Abundantia / Abundia - Latin for 'plenty'. Ah Latin, the orignal Italian... Thymbra Novo Faveo - Latin for 'to delight in approval' Paprika
My last was Basil, but I see someone thought of that already.
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repgillian
It came out as one line, instead of each suggestion having it's own line....must have done something wrong....
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ChristaSeychew
Just a note, dear readers-
This contest ends at midnight tonight. The top 15 choices will appear in Monday's YUM post. The winner will be announced in September's addition of Buffalo Rising Magazine. Good luck to all of you!
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georgethomasapfel
Where on Main street is this located? If it's between Best and Utica then you could use the neighborhood name to give it a location to add to Fredrico's suggestion, hence:
Cold Springs Piazza
However, south of Best won't work, as according to the Buffalo Neighborhood Map that's Hospital Heights...not a good idea to have "hospital" in your restaurant name.
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girl16
what about only "Ciao"?
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UrbanBody
Christa, just wondering....
In your original post you indicated that entries must be submitted "by" Wed. Aug. 15. "By" means "before." So why is the contest still open until Midnight on Wed. ?
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mattb
How about Torremaggiore
Buffalo has two sister cities in Italy - Siena and Torremaggiore, which is located in Italy's Apulina region in southeast Italy, where both Neapolitan and Sicilian dialects are spoken. I could only assume the food is equally diverse.
I think a contingent of young people from Torremaggiore were just at the Italian Festival doing a flag throwing demonstration or something - maybe putting up pictures of that, pics of the Italian city, etc... would be an original, purposeful motif as opposed to your token Venice and Firenze pics.
There is already a restaurant called Siena in Snyder.
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dougk
Gandolfo
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ChristaSeychew
Noticed a few posts here this morning. I just want to remind you that this contest ended last Wednesday. See today's post for the finalists: http://www.buffalorising.com/story/and_the_winner_might_be#sca
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