A lovely atrium, courteous service, delicious food of consistent quality and a view of the waterfront. Could a workaday person expect much more from their lunch hour? Perhaps not, but I offer up the free cookie that accompanies every meal at The Waterline Cafe as evidence of a lunch spot that not only exceeds the expectations of the average consumer, but actually blows them out of the water (excuse the pun).
When Waterline opened in the Waterfront Village office park, I didn’t think it was likely that I would visit often. Despite the fantastic fare, it just wasn’t a convenient option for me as a person who doesn’t work in the building and rarely chooses to venture to the waterfront for lunch. But it turns out I was wrong. I go there more often than I expected. As someone who takes a lot of lunch meetings, there are plenty of places to sit where privacy is an option, unlike many of our very overcrowded downtown eateries. Also refreshing is that, as a regular, once you’ve managed to exhaust the everyday menu, the specials never fail to tempt.
The food is imaginative without requiring a very adventurous nature from the building’s very corporate patrons. All of the ingredients are fresh and of good quality and the service is not only pleasant but expeditious–a real must for a weekday lunch (and something many of our local restaurants haven’t seemed to figure out).
Last summer when I visited they had even fired up the grill outside and were cooking up hot dogs. On my most recent trip I had an excellent chicken salad sandwich which had a sauce made with a touch of smokey barbecue sauce and crumbles of bleu cheese. The salad that shared the plate was plentiful and crisp, and the soup of the day is almost always a winner. So, if you haven’t made it to The Waterline yet, this week’s weather is the perfect excuse to do so. Plus there’s that free cookie.
The Waterline
50 Lakefront Boulevard
Buffalo, NY 14202