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 June 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Food Outside Delights By Annemarie Jason Winter in Buffalo: “Hey, Pat, how do you like all this snow?” “Unbelievable! I‘m sick of it. When‘s the next plane to Florida?” Summer in Buffalo: “Hey, Pat, how do you like all this heat?” “Unbelievable! I can’t take it. Might as well be in Florida.” These are the kind of seasonal lamentations we’ve grown used to. But since weather is something we cannot change, why not make the best of it? You could have a picnic in your yard, on a boat or in the park or you could spare yourself the fuss and get your food at one of many restaurants that offer outdoor dining. In recent years, more and more restaurants have opened up their doors to the outdoors, with sidewalk seating, covered patios, decks, and full-length window panels that open to bring customers out and summer in. If you enjoy dining by the water, you can hot dog it at a number of small lakeside or riverside spots. Two classics, The Hatch at Erie Basin Marina and Old Man River in Tonawanda are places where you can work off those French fries by taking a stroll along the water. The latter overlooks a park that has a great walking, biking and skating path that follows the river all the way to Buffalo. Harry’s Harbour Place Grille is tops among a short list of waterside establishments that offer a more upscale menu. In Buffalo, diners who check out Elmwood and Hertel Avenues will be amazed at the choices available. On Hertel, Romeo’s Bakery Cafe has excellent sandwiches, salads and Italian pastries. La Dolce Vita Caffe & Bistro’s menu includes full meals as well as lighter fare, good wines and the joy of gelato. Cafe Allegro lives up to its name with a happy combination of live music, good soups, sandwiches and simple Sunday brunches. The Empire Grill is a chic urban newcomer, one that opens itself up to the street as an attractive, creative plus for Hertel Avenue. Unfortunately,when I visited, this was over-shadowed by poor customer relations. I’m really not a fussy person, but when my sandwich arrived with a bitter filling, my dissatisfaction was completely ignored. A trek on Elmwood from Edward Street to Forest yields a bevy of pleasant outdoor eateries. Just off Elmwood is a marvel called Betty’s, one of Buffalo’s little treasures. It’s cute, comfortable and absolutely wonderful for breakfast, brunch or any meal. Solid Grounds, Ambrosia and Off The Wall are other fun choices for breakfast. Lunchers and people watchers may entertain each other while nibbling savories from Brodo and Globe Market. The latter is a deli that serves good crusty bread with its soups and salads. Falafel Bar and Sahara Grill specialize in Middle Eastern fare that is consistently good and reasonably priced. For those who want to have a pastry and an iced cappucino to celebrate shopping at locally owned businesses, there’s Spot or Caffe Aroma. Suburban shoppers should try one of the best chain restaurants I’ve ever been in — Panera Bread. The atmosphere indoors is open and pleasant, but outside there are also tables where diners blissfully ignore the fact that they are surrounded by parking lots. Could this be due to the power of really good bread? I had a terrific veggie sandwich with cilantro hummus on whole grain bread, but was tempted by the crispani (pizza) and soup selections, which included some low-fat choices. No, I didn’t go for low-fat! I even chose a delicious pumpkin “muffie” for dessert. I’m glad to report that the number of restaurants that boast outdoor seating has grown too large for inclusion here. This means that there’s probably such a place not far from you, dear reader.
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