Dining at the Delta Sonic
Highbrow, lowbrow, fast and slow, today's Americans eat food from all over the cultural food scale everyday. When in history has your average urban dweller easily jumped from brioche for breakfast, a hotdog from a street vendor at lunch and a big plate of sushi for dinner?
Buffalo has always had a good grasp of ethnically influenced blue collar cuisine, and in the last fifteen years the variety of gourmet and eclectic eateries in our city has increased a thousandfold.
As I stated in December’s issue of Buffalo Rising Magazine, our staffers and contributing foodies are anything but food snobs. We eat at and feature restaurants that fall within all of the our country's ethnic and economic categories.
When I told my BRM editor that I was going to write a post about the cafe at Delta Sonic he had a good-hearted chuckle. Not many food editorials would choose to showcase the chow served up at the local gas station, but that's one of the many things I love about BR. However, I would like to assure you that I’m not alone in my surprising discovery of the great product currently being served at your local car wash.
Delta Sonic is a Buffalo-based business that’s locations reach into Pennsylvania and Illinois. Not only can you buy reasonably priced groceries, a tank full of gas, a squeaky clean car and a box of Dunkin’ Donuts, their cafe offers a variety of delicious foods- many of which are prepared in their authentic brick oven.
Pictured is a munchkin enjoying two giant slices of cheesy brick oven pizza (she didn’t come close to finishing them). A full pizza, at only $7.99, consists of eight of these ample slices. For a little more money you can add pepperoni, mushrooms, onions or peppers.
I have had several panini and wraps from here as well. Though the term panini often translates to an over-priced grilled cheese, their addition of items like roasted vegetables has upped the ante. The cedar-planked salmon wrap, served with soy-wasabi glazed salmon, cucumbers, avocado, sunflower seeds, red onion, greens, tomato and vinaigrette, is a solid and healthy lunch option at only $4.99.
Last Friday I was more than happy to partake in a Memphis-style pulled pork sandwich ($3.99). I generally stage food before shooting a picture, but this one was too tempting to bother. Topped with coleslaw and served with a side of BBQ sauce this sandwich was loaded with tender, moist, roasted pork. I ordered mine with a side of potato salad ($.89) and macaroni and cheese ($2.49). There is a lot of bad potato salad and mac and cheese out there- a lot. But this potato salad was good and the macaroni and cheese was divine. Made from scratch with 5 cheeses, a full-sized portion of this hearty treat is a steal at only $4.50.
There are a number of specials everyday and lots of good items on the standard menu. Roast beef and turkey sandwiches ($4.99-$5.99) are made with freshly sliced beef and poultry- there are no processed deli-meats here. The salads are made to order and comprised of very fresh veggies ($4.40 without the addition of meat, fruit or salmon).
The dining area is pleasant and during the lunch hour the tables are packed with people that have discovered the joys of the Delta Sonic cafe. Open from 11am-7:30pm Monday through Saturday, it is not only a good lunch spot, but also a great place to grab a quick dinner on the way home.
Delta Sonic
1264 Main
541-2300
the Sonic Cafe is the bomb...the only brick oven pizza in the City of Buffalo. It's an excellent place to meet-up and explore the emerging Midtown neighborhood right across the street and behind the soon to be coolest spot in town, Artspace...neighborhood tours on Saturday's at 11am!!!
all the preservationist/progress blockers must be pissed at you right now. BUT i agree the food is very good there!!
CommercialGuy-
I personally can't really find fault with anyone willing to develop anything on Main south of Hertel. Of course saving beautiful old buildings is a great and important thing, but sometimes new buildings can be an assett as well. Especially if they serve good, affordable food! I'm also glad to see the amount of people that are spending their lunch hour on this often desolate stretch of Main.
Happy Eating!
I ate lunch at the Sonic Cafe in the recent past and was pleasantly surprised by both the quality of the food and the very comfortable modern interior. The place was very busy. Obviously, not your average gas station.
This section of Main Street is really looking up!
Given the resources available to Bflo's biggest developer, I would be disappointed in less than excellent. Connivence is the major possible draw, great food, only if less fortunate places offering similar fare is not available, if not for anything but to support diversity. Benderson can summons the best and should, their locations and other attributes draws enough traffic.
Talk about a great Mixed Use Development!!!
I took my last date here.....she was impressed.........................with the food.
And not one wisecrack about eating there and getting gas. I am sooo disappointed.
Am I the only juvenile sense of humor left in this world?
But it is nice to see all venues covered in BRO. Thanks Christa!
LOL P-DUB
Commercial guy
Why the need for such an ignorant comment about preservationists?
I believe 'twas meant to be humor Steel. There were many a negative comment before about the Delta sonic not being a good fit for the area, but it does serve a need. So relax a moment, and continue the good fight as you always have.
Delta Sonic has the best turkey and prime rib i have had in along time. The turkey is cooked with such care and is served well unlike other places Delta Sonic is well organized and clean. The pizza is to die for and if I had a choice I would eat there everyday.
Viking- I think you meant to say "convenience" not connivence unless Dick Cheney eats there when in Buffalo.
What happened to the Quiznos at the corner of Main and North St. that was being built? They must have backed out .
Jas, I think you might be right. I recently saw a request for signage for a mexican restaurant on one of the Common Council Committee meetings agendas, but that was some time ago and since there has been no look of forward progress, that might have also gone by the wayside.
Unfortunate, indeed, since the area is in need of additonal food places, especially considering the number of employees, etc, with the Medical Campus so close, and the redevelopment of the North St/Main St area.
Jefferson thank you for the correction, that Dick might eat there, it's a great place to clean up- an image.