Every season we round up the most noteworthy new restaurants that have opened in the past few months. Our pants are tight, our wallets slim, but there’s food to be devoured and so we trek on. Here’s a list of recently opened restaurants/bars/breweries/bakeries/cafes/you name it to add to your must-try list this winter.
1. Mr. Greek of Buffalo
1122 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14222
The name Mr. Greek may not sound familiar, but the location of the new Greek takeout spot should. Situated just a few doors down from Mister Goodbar, the building at 1122 Elmwood Ave. has been home to several different takeout concepts over the years, including everything from pizza to soul food. With Mr. Greek, it looks like the place may finally have a winning formula.
Co-owner Matt Geisser has spent two decades in the local restaurant industry working for other people — including as a manager at Vasilis Express and Athens Restaurant. With Mr. Greek and his partner Nico Panogopoulos, Matt has taken the leap into ownership with the new takeout spot that offers some fresh takes on classic Greek fare.
Keep Reading: New: Mr. Greek of Buffalo Keeps it Simple With Good Cheap Eats >
2. Rosie’s Handcrafted Ice Cream – Five Points
486 W Utica St Buffalo, NY 14213
If you ask any East Aurora local where to grab the best ice cream in town, chances are they’ll point you to Rosie’s Handcrafted Ice Cream —and for good reason.
The scoop shop which opened in 2021 has been impressing locals and visitors alike with their fresh churned, small batched ice cream selections. Making all of their ice cream in-house, you’ll find everything from classic favorites and seasonal twists to innovative flavors and even vegan options here. Plus if you’re a sucker for a good ol’ waffle cone, yep they make those homemade too.
Not only does Rosie’s create some special flavors, but they’re also super community focused. Some of their collabs include an Apple Cider Sorbet with Mayer Bros Cider Mill and 42 Drunken Raisins with 42 North Brewing Company.
And while all of that is a good enough reason to visit them in the village, for those closer to Buffalo you’ll be happy to know that Rosie’s has officially opened their second location at Five Points on the West Side.
Keep Reading: This Popular Ice Cream Shop is Churning Things Up With its Second Spot in WNY >
3. Southern Belle Diner
3575 Walden Ave Lancaster, NY 14086
We have a lot of diners here in Western New York, but for as many as we have, there really isn’t a lot of variety, with most doubling as Greek restaurants. Chef and Texas native Cody Hix is looking to change that by bringing something that is strangely absent in our local food landscape: the southern diner.
“I’ve been here for nine years and every diner I’ve been to is Greek: Greek atmosphere, Greek food and Greek flavors,” he jokes. “There’s nothing else unless you want to go to Denny’s, and who wants to go to Denny’s every weekend?”
Southern Belle is more than a breakfast spot with Waffle House vibes. Cody is bringing his Tex-Mex and barbecue influences to bear, creating a menu that hits very different. Yeah, you can get flapjacks or an omelet. But you can also order breakfast tacos, breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros. The chef’s muscular barbecue game can be found on the lunch menu. Using a smoker Cody built ‘round back, Southern Belle is serving up everything from brisket to ribs to smoked chicken wings. Cody says he’s also smoking sausage, as a 10-gallon hat tip to his Lone Star roots.
Keep Reading: New: Southern Belle Diner is Texan Comfort to Its Core >
4. Steelbound Brewery & Distillery – Williamsville
5195 Main Street Williamsville, NY 14221
If you’re somewhat aware of locally-made craft beer, then you’re probably familiar with Steelbound Brewery & Distillery. Steelbound beers like the QB1-referencing Allentown IPA can be found all over Western New York.
But Steelbound is more than just another local brewery churning out Bills-themed suds. The company is increasingly getting critical praise for its distilling, and the Indian-American food in its taprooms offers beer pairings you just can’t find anywhere else in Western New York. The new location on Main Street in Williamsville prominently features both Steelbound’s award-winning spirits, and its multicultural flavors.
Navi Kang, Steelbound’s director of sales and marketing, says the approachable yet upscale vibe on Main Street in Williamsville makes it a perfect match for the new Steelbound location. The current other locations in Western New York are in Ellicottville, Springville and Dunkirk.
Keep Reading: New: Steelbound Opens Craft Distillery & Indian Fusion Restaurant in Williamsville >
5. Alibaba Kebab – West Seneca
100 Southwestern Blvd West Seneca , NY 14224
If Indian and Mediterranean cuisines sound like the kind of combo you could use more of in life, let us get you hooked on Alibaba Kebab.
Originally opening on the East Side of Buffalo in 2017, Alibaba Kebab quickly gained a following, leading to their second location in Kenmore in 2023. While just getting started on expansion, during our 2023 conversation, there were clear signs that more franchising opportunities were on the way. Now as of early October, Alibaba Kebab has officially opened their 3rd location on Southwestern Boulevard in West Seneca.
Keep Reading: This Fast-Casual Fusion Spot Proves It’s Tantalizingly Good With Opening of 3rd Location >
6. Shady Shack Ice Cream & Grill
2365 William Street Cheektowaga, NY 14206
For two generations, Michael Shady’s family has owned convenience stores, pizzerias, bars, ice cream shops, and more across Western New York. While all of those businesses hold meaning for the family, the new Shady Shack on William Street in Buffalo is arguably the most symbolic. The new family-friendly ice cream and burger spot is the perfect tribute to Michael’s father, the family patriarch, and local entrepreneur who passed away last November.
“We would have liked him to see the restaurant open, but he knew we were constructing it when he passed, and we know he’s there in spirit,” Michael recently told us. “We got some equipment from our old ice cream and pizzeria place in Lakeview that I actually bought with him, just to have them in the new shop for nostalgia.”
Keep Reading: New: Savor the Taste of Summer Year Round at This Ice Cream Shop & Grill >
7. The Bagel Jar – Hamburg
9 E Union St Hamburg, NY 14075
If you thought you had to go to NYC to get a good bagel, think again. A new micro cafe just opened in the Village of Hamburg with all the gluten-y goodness you’ve been craving. Located behind Carte Blanche, along Union Street, is a small 400 sqft space home to the new Bagel Jar satellite location.
While this location is take-out only, you can place your order ahead online. And let’s be real, that’s the best way to enjoy a bagel anyway amiright?
Keep Reading: New: These Drool-Worthy Bagels Are Hiding in Plain Sight >
8. Steel Leaf Brewing
1488 Hertel Ave Buffalo, NY 14216
Brewery fans living in North Buffalo have been through a lot, you guys.
First, Froth Brewing was meant to open on Hertel Avenue. Then it was Lost Creek Brewing. But now, after years of unfulfilled expectations, Hertel finally got its brewery with Steel Leaf Brewing opening in the old Expo Market food hall.
While craft beer fans in North Buffalo are thrilled at the sight of a neighborhood brewery, the move is a good fit for Steel Leaf. The brewery had been in the Eastern Hills Mall, in an old Dave and Busters. Having so much space to work with might sound amazing, but owner Jeff Pitts says the scale of that location forced him to get away from the brewery’s core mission: brewing good beer.
Keep Reading: New: This is Not a Drill — There’s FINALLY a Brewery Open on Hertel Ave >
9. Farmcraft Brewery
567 Route US-20A Strykersville, NY 14145
When some people agree to carry on with the family business, they do it more or less as it has always been done. But when some people are asked to carry on with the family business, they take it in a whole new direction that suits their personal passion.
That’s the case with the new Farmcraft Brewery in Strykersville. Ashley Meyer-Howe is the fourth generation to work on her family’s property where the brewery sits, but she and her husband Darryl Howe decided to go a completely different route than the farmers who came before her.
“Knowing I wasn’t going to be a dairy farmer like my father or a vegetable farmer, my husband and I decided to open Farmcraft Brewery, which combines both of our passions: flower farming for myself and brewing beer for my husband,” she said.
The new crown jewel of the property is the massive two-story barn-style building that houses a brewing space, barrel aging section, tap room, second-floor mezzanine and first-floor event room. There’s also a large outdoor patio with an outdoor bar and a large circular fire pit.
Keep Reading: New: Massive Barn-Style Brewery Opens Just Outside East Aurora >
10. T Squared Tees & Taps – Hertel
1425 Hertel Ave Buffalo, NY 14216
When it comes to staying on top of your golf game in Buffalo: The struggle is real.
Unlike Down South, where the golf courses are open year-round, you can get about six months on the course here in WNY, if you’re lucky with the weather. There are a couple golf domes in the suburbs, but they can be a long-ish drive for most people.
Enter golf simulators. We’ve seen a few pop up in Buffalo, and one of the newest is T Squared Tees & Taps on Hertel Avenue. The new location largely copies the successful formula of the first T Squared location in Orchard Park. Yes, there are simulators for golfers, but there’s also a bar and restaurant that anyone can enjoy, regardless of whether you’ve ever swung a golf club or watched the sport on TV.
Keep Reading: >
11. Roseland’s Atlas
492 Rhode Island St Buffalo, NY 14213
Neighborhood restaurants located off the main drags like Niagara Falls Boulevard and Hertel Avenue have been disappearing for decades around Western New York. The few that are left mostly cater to the local neighborhood lifers who only want cold beer and hot wings.
But a new neighborhood restaurant on the West Side is going big and bold, offering craft cocktails and an international food menu. It’s doing this while still trying to be a staple of the community, and not necessarily become a dining destination. Located in the former Providence Social on Rhode Island Street, Roseland’s Atlas recently opened as a takeout only preview. Head chef Mike Deganis tells us that launching as a takeout spot is meant to introduce Roseland’s to the neighborhood and start building up a clientele.
“The goal is to get everybody familiar with us and comfortable with the menu,” he says. “The restaurant is going to have an Italian focus, but it’s also going to be taking inspiration from across the globe, which is where the Atlas part of the name comes from.”
Keep Reading: New: Try This Old-School Handmade Pasta Spot on the West Side Before its Official Opening >
12. Public Espresso – Elmwood
448 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14222
After teasing a location on the West Side that never came to fruition, Public Espresso has finally opened up a café in the same area with its new location on the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bryant Street.
But before we get into that, let’s pour out a few drops of single-origin espresso for the former Bean Bastard cafe, which used to be at this location. Featuring house-roasted coffee, a short-lived partnership with Southern Junction, and a horror-themed lounge area, what wasn’t to like? R.I.P. you beautiful bastard.
Ah, but we digress. Public roasts some of the best coffee in Western New York, and we’ve been waiting anxiously for the company to open up more locations.
Keep Reading: Elmwood’s Latest Cafe Is Giving NYC Style—Wait Until You See Inside >
13. Lassos Chicken & BBQ
50 Buffalo St, Suite 300 Hamburg, NY 14075
Not too long ago, the Village of Hamburg was a sleepy little place where you could catch a movie, get some great chicken wings, or maybe grab a latte at a café. But now, the village has added a lot of nightlife options, and the newly-opened Lassos Chicken & BBQ is leaning into this idea that the ‘burg knows how to get down.
Lassos co-owners Shane Stewart and Mike Maiorana are also the owners of First Line Brewing and Black Smoke Bourbon Bar, which opened in Hamburg last year. Shane says the building next to Black Smoke opened up last year, and he and his partner jumped at the chance to open a different Nashville-inspired concept next door.
“After opening Black Smoke, we’ve realized that the nightlife in Hamburg is crazy,” Shane says. “So we wanted to open something else for that community to gravitate to.
Keep Reading: BBQ, Country Tunes & Cocktails: Hamburg Just got a Nashville-Inspired Bar >
14. Ladybird Deli + Bakery
6656 Gowanda State Rd Hamburg, NY 14075
Just as every restaurant doesn’t have to flex culinary muscle, every meal we grab doesn’t have to be a grand dining experience. Sometimes, eating is just a part of life. In many ways, the new Ladybird Deli + Bakery at the historic Water Valley Inn in the Town of Hamburg is an intersection of work and life.
Owner and local chef Ross Warhol cut his teeth in some of the world’s best restaurants. By all accounts, he has been on track to open one of the finest dining establishments in Western New York. But life at Ladybird is a far cry from the rarified air of a fine dining restaurant concept forged in the kitchen of El Bulli in Spain. Ross goes on to explain why that suits him just fine.
Keep Reading: A Renowned Chef Just Opened a Killer New Cafe in the Southtowns >
15. Kitchen Little
875 Elmwood Ave Buffalo, NY 14222
The Elmwood Village is a magnetic place. Some people move into the village in their 20s and stay there for life. Other people move away but are always looking for an excuse to come back. Part of the pull of the village is the locally-owned businesses that build up a loyal clientele, sometimes over the course of generations.
One of the newest neighborhood spots is more of a pop-up residency called Kitchen Little. Operating out of the basement kitchen in the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church on Elmwood Avenue, Kitchen Little serves grain bowls, sandwiches, and daily specials during the week, from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant also supplies sandwiches and salads for ‘lunch boxes’ that are available at Meet & Eat Charcuterie in Larkinville. While you can walk in and order food, the best approach is to call or text your order to Kitchen Little at 716-349-7508.
Keep Reading: Hiding in an Elmwood Church is Your New Mid-Week Lunch Spot >
