The return of Food Truck Tuesdays in Larkinville could be called the unofficial start of summer. It’s hard to imagine that just a decade ago, there were zero food trucks roaming the streets of Buffalo. Today, the local food truck scene is a diverse lot of flavors and styles. So head down to this Tuesday tradition for live music, great company and fare from dozens of regional food trucks, including these 10 trucks making their debut for Larkin’s 2019 season: 1. Craft CrepesFrom the creators of Rochester’s Tuscan Wood Fired Pizza truck, Craft Crepes is bringing sweet and savory delights to the land of Larkin. As this truck is just getting its wheels on the ground, keep an eye on their page for a full menu of offerings. 2. Big Ed’s Ba-Ba-BBQSlinging full racks of ribs, pulled pork, BBQ-roasted chicken, grilled fish and burgers, with all the sides you could ask for, Big Ed’s is big-time BBQ, right here in Buffalo. Get ready to get your money’s worth, as there’s no skimping on portions here! 3. Wraps on WheelsComing straight from Rochester, Wraps on Wheels is bundling up your favorite flavors in a warm tortilla and serving them up speedy quick. Try their cranberry blue chicken wrap, Philly cheesesteak wrap, and an ode to the mighty wing – a Buffalo chicken wrap. 4. Souped UpSoup’s not just for the cold weather months! Sure, Souped Up ladles out bowlfuls of traditional soups and stews, but they’ve been known to get a little out-there, too – with soup versions of your favorite foods like cheeseburger, stuffed banana pepper, and dill pickle. 5. Caribbean FlavaFrom the islands of the Caribbean to your mouth, Caribbean Flava offers specialty dishes like jerk chicken, curry chicken, fried plantains and traditional rice and beans. 6. Fat Lady’s Cakes & PiesCupcakes. Lots of cupcakes. Indulge your sweet tooth by chomping into these bite-sized pastries with decadent flavors like german chocolate, sweet potato pie and chocolate maple bacon. 7. Mad SaucesSaucing everything in sight from wings, to burgers and fries, Mad Sauces has over 20 sauces stashed on their truck. Try some “normal” options like cajun, honey garlic and lemon pepper or go wild with flavors like pineapple glaze, peach mango stinger or ghost pepper ranch. 8. Rollin’ DeepRollin’ into the BUF from the ROC, Rollin’ Deep might be the first bubble tea truck at Food Truck Tuesdays. Get your fix with over a dozen fresh fruit flavors ready to sip. 9. Lugia’s Ice Cream on WheelsA Rochester legend for ice cream, Lugia’s has an army of trucks roaming the streets serving cold cones with hot fudge. Now, one of those trucks is finally coming to Larkin Square. Two scoops? Make it three. 10. Falafel BarThis brick-and-mortar Mediterranean hotspot is taking to the streets in 2019. Souvlaki, shawarma and cous cous are on the menu when this truck rolls into Larkin Square. For the entire lineup of your favorite trucks and the musical acts through the 2019 season, visit larkinsquare.comThe post 10 New Trucks Debuting at Food Truck Tuesdays appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/10-new-trucks-debuting-at-food-truck-tuesdays/
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Pierogi. Chrusciki. Kielbasa. Placek. If you recognize these names, you’re probably a Broadway Market regular. Open year-round, the Market, located at 999 Broadway on Buffalo’s East side, is best known for its meat stands, fresh produce, bakery items and restaurants. But at Easter, festival season kicks into high gear and Buffalonians gather to stock up on holiday favorites. As a first-timer, to say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. The market is swirling with people, sounds and aromas, so I did what any curious newbie should do and asked Broadway Market veterans what they can’t leave without. Here’s what I heard: 1. Kielbasa: It’s on nearly everyone’s shopping list and it’s certainly plentiful. Camellia Meats and Lupas are two of the vendors on-site selling impressive amounts of fresh meats, including Polish sausage. I grabbed my number, stood in line listening to the orders coming in on either side of me. Kabanosy, Odesskie, Wędzona, and Krakowska – all varieties of kielbasa. I have so much to learn. 2. Butter lamb: The tradition to end all Easter traditions. There’s a few spots at the market that offer this dinner table staple and I decided to dive into the crowd at Malczewski’s. Five sizes to pick from, all handmade with a red “alleluia” flag signifying peace on earth. 3. Easter eggs: I asked a mom of two young girls what she typically comes to the market for and she let me in on their Easter tradition. Each daughter gets to pick out a beautifully painted Easter egg with colors that have different meanings like purity, wisdom, love and faith. 4. Horseradish: Famous Horseradish, one of the market’s vendors that has stood the test of time for decades, sells everything from homemade sauerkraut to pickles and vegetables, and even fresh flowers. But their prized offering is in their name. You can’t leave the Broadway Market without picking up some this spicy side to accompany your ham, kielbasa, and pierogi – or as I understand it, really anything on your plate. 5. Chocolate: Milk, dark and orange chocolate take the stage in lots of different forms at The Broadway Market, but Strawberry Island’s impressive array has that special nose-to-glass factor. Even if your only goal is to pick up a few pierogi, you likely won’t leave without stopping to check out Strawberry Island’s chocolate covered convections – strawberries peeps and apples, and chocolate Easter bunnies as far as the eye can see. 6. Pussy willows: One of the most prominent Easter symbols, nearly every passerby was holding bouquets of these furry stalks. True to Polish tradition, these will likely be used on Palm Sunday as a symbol of new life, and again for a little fun on Dyngus Day. This list only scratches the surface. To see all that the Broadway Market has to offer, you have to immerse yourself in it. Try the food, talk to the people, and dance to the music. Check out our Facebook Live video below to meet just a few of the friendly faces at the Market. It’s all part of a Buffalo tradition 130 years in the making! The post 6 Must-Haves at Buffalo’s Broadway Market appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/6-must-haves-buffalos-broadway-market/ Lent and Easter are full of seasonal foods. Chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks are the likely conversation starters nationwide, but here in Buffalo you can’t make it through a conversation without including the famous Butter Lamb. With every unique eat or holiday custom you hear about in Western New York – from the “angel wings” chrusciki to the post-Lenten bash, Dyngus Day – just about every one of them stems from European culture and is faith-based. Most people don’t consider the religious symbolism behind the popular foods they eat every spring – be it pork (a “forbidden” food) or bread or eggs (signs of new life) – they just know it’s all good! And for the cute little creamy butter lamb, the same rings true. There is a very significant meaning to the butter lamb, which ties specifically to the biblical time of Passover and the exodus of the Jews from slavery. During this time, the blood of a sacrificial lamb was placed at their door so the angel of death would pass over their first born. Catholics refer to Jesus and His sacrifice as the Lamb of God. Today, the lamb in its butter form is usually accompanied by a ribbon around the neck and a cross or a banner with a blessing such as “Alleluia” on its back. Peppercorns make the eyes, said to symbolize the light of the world. So why make it of butter? Simple. To eat! Butter is an ingredient in just about everything so we can pin the idea on necessity. Now as you know, the Spring and Easter season isn’t complete without a trip to the Broadway Market – which is Butter Lamb Headquarters. Look for Malczewski’s (Malla-cheski’s) – that’s where the Buffalo Butter Lamb got its start. And if you can’t make your way to the east side market this year, lucky for you most of the major grocers in the area carry at least a size or two in stock. Oh, and of course, Buffalo’s Butter Lamb has a twitter account (@Butter_Lamb) for you to stay current on its whereabouts. Happy Easter, Happy Spring! The post The History of the Butter Lamb appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/buffalos-butter-lamb/ “You’re famous!” “No, I’m Lottie!” And so, in part, went the fast introduction and sunny visit with Ronnie and Lottie – the couple behind the famed R & L Lounge on Buffalo’s east side. The bar and restaurant, in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood, is a scant fifty feet off Broadway at 23 Mills St. Famed in equal parts for its local old-school status and its simple/verbal menu of Polish fare, R& L Lounge is a Friday fish fry destination, a site for friendly conversation, and where time slows down. You will feel like a jerk if you pull out your handheld device: this is a place to be in the moment. Ronnie and Lottie mentioned that later in the day a local television station would be by to interview them. That’s why, Lottie says, she has curled her hair, and had Ronnie put on a good sweater, so “he will look handsome on t.v.” In a flash Lottie puts on some lipstick and changes out of her flour-dusted apron for my portrait of them at a table, a photo collage blanket behind them showing off their several kids and grandkids. Despite being glad for the media adulation, Lottie says “I don’t want to be busier. If I have to hire someone to help me out then I’m quitting.” Opened in 1969 and married since 1957, Ronnie and Lottie are a solid team: he mans the bar while she does the prepping, cooking and serving. She adds: “I sometimes sing with them,” renowned for joining customers at table for song, and conversation. The sparkle in her blue eyes reveals her bon vivant status. “A lot of young people from downtown come in and we talk. I become their friend, because I love people – like you,” Lottie says. This visit will end with a firm hug and she will suggest that I go and get another hug from Ronnie. Lottie “was born in the neighborhood, near the Terminal,” while Ronnie was born in Poland, immigrating via a cousin’s sponsorship. Lottie learned the ropes of restaurant work in her mother Julia’s business at 363 Paderewski, another famed Polish business – Strusienski’s Restaurant. The R & L menu is one easily committed to memory: pierogi, fish fry (with requisite/traditional sides), hand-cut french fries (R & L goes through 50 pounds of potatoes each week), and golabki (beef-stuffed cabbage rolls simmered in a tomato broth). Lottie shows off dozens of bags of her pierogi in several freezers in the kitchen, “more like a crepe, mine are flat, not stuffed like other people’s.” The R & L fish fry is only fried, and never beer-battered. Lottie’s sides are scrumptious: each fish fry comes with one scoop each of her potato and macaroni salads and her cole slaw, which she likes to make on the sweet side. One of Lottie’s cousins has stopped in with friends from England and New York City and Lottie is very busy in her kitchen cooking for all of them and a few others at the bar, plus making take-out orders. I am leaning in the doorway and talking with her as she bustles about: her kitchen is small, efficient and spotless. She finishes plating a few dinners and hands me the plates. I spring back into my waitressing self from my 20’s and head to the tables. Then I am back in the kitchen, where food is cooking and advice is dispensing. I am handed two more plates and am back in the barroom with a few more dinners. I check back on a table, as is waitressing custom. The woman, a devoted Friday regular, looks up as I ask “How is everything?” She, bemused, answers “Excellent, as always.” Call ahead for hours. The post Classic Buffalo Spotlight: The R&L Lounge appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/classic-buffalo-spotlight-rl-lounge/ Nature has endowed the Buffalo Niagara region with abundance. Our lakes, rivers, shorelines, forests, fields and massive day and night sky vistas are treasures. Our location in the upper Great Lakes, at the convergence of Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and the Buffalo River, and at an international border offer visitors multifaceted ecotourism opportunities. The Niagara River strait which runs 36 miles from Buffalo to Fort Niagara, has been designated a Globally Significant Important Bird Area. This internationally-recognized designation was awarded because of the year-round presence of birds and other wildlife in the area. The same designation has been awarded to the Galapagos, Yellowstone National Park, and the Florida Everglades. Buffalo Niagara is a world-class bird area. Birdwatching can be done year-round in the Buffalo Niagara region, but springtime offers a wealth of opportunities. In the coming weeks, the annual spring migration of neo-tropical songbirds will inundate our region. These colorful and energetic visitors come from winter roosts as far away as the Amazon as they move north to begin new families and life cycles. The birds that visit, travel through, and live in our region help create and sustain the critical biodiversity of the Amazon basin to the arctic and all points in between. This makes the Buffalo Niagara region critical to the health and well-being of our entire planet and the human and biodiverse species that define it. From April through May neo-tropical warblers can be seen at many local sites, including Forest Lawn Cemetery, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks, Times Beach, Tifft Nature Preserve, Knox Farm State Park, Beaver Meadow Audubon Center in Java, and at a wide variety of hotspots in our city, county and state parks. ••• For more information about birding in Buffalo, contact the Buffalo Audubon Society at 585-457-3228 or buffaloaudubon.org. All photos by Jay Burney The post Birdwatching in the BUF appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/birdwatching-in-the-buf/ One of the great things about the 716 is downtown events 365 days a year. And with the Sabres, Bandits and concerts in full swing, it’s a plus that KeyBank Center is located in the heart of the city. That means some of Buffalo’s best bars and restaurants are just a short walk away – within a 10-minute walk to be precise! When Downtown Buffalo is rocking with action in the arena, there’s plenty of food and drink options for fans of every taste. Now, to make the most of your night, you’re going to need a plan of attack. So before the puck drops, the sticks clash or the speakers blare, make sure you consult this handy guide for the best places to eat just a short jaunt away from KeyBank Center: Labatt Brew House & The Draft Room, 79 Perry St.: The newest player to the downtown food and drink roster, this just-opened venture from the Labatt USA and Pegula Sports & Entertainment teams is one part test brewery, one part delicious restaurant, one part craft beer tasting room, and all awesome! (716) Food and Sport, 7 Scott St.: The 38-foot feature screen and 70+ TVs ensure there’s not a bad seat in the house at (716). Watch all the sports you can handle while you eat and then head into KeyBank Center right next door! Pearl Street, 76 Pearl St.: Enjoy a view with your meal from this 4-story restaurant and make fast friends with a 180 oz. Annihilator beer tube and enough glasses to share. Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St.: Rock your face off at both pre-game and post-game parties at this live music venue in the Cobblestone District, including quick bites from Left Coast Taco and Pizza al Taglio. Lockhouse Distillery, 41 Columbia St.: The walls are covered in insta-worthy art at the first distillery to open in Buffalo since Prohibition. Take an impromptu tour or sample the goods with a craft cocktail made by the city’s friendliest bartenders. Pizza Plant, 125 Main St.: Home of the massive stuffed pizza pod, this longtime Williamsville pizzeria opened a waterfront location at Canalside two years ago. Plus, they’ve got a killer craft beer menu, too. Ballyhoo, 211 South Park Ave.: Corner bar meets fancy cocktails at this well-known spot behind the KeyBank Center. Ballyhoo puts a unique spin on sausage with home made creations that include Korean short rib and Chorizo pork and bacon links. You heard that right, kids: bacon. Cobblestone, 130 South Park Ave.: Don’t sleep on Cobblestone’s wings. This is one of those wing joints that you’ll hear the locals talking about. Their menu also stocks another Buffalo favorite, beef on weck, along with wood-fired pizza and several soup and salad options. Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, 1 Fulton St.: You’ve got your pick of the litter when you step inside the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino where you can get a juicy steak at The WD Bar & Grille, fresh salads at The Creek and tasty beverages at Stixx Sports Bar and the B-Lo Bar. Liberty Hound, 1 Naval Park Cove: Situated right near the Commercial Slip at Canalside, Liberty Hound is local taps and fresh seafood with a view of the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. This once seasonal restaurant is now operating year-round. SATO Brewpub, 110 Pearl St.: One of the newest breweries on the Buffalo block, this Japanese-style izakaya is located in the lower level of the historic Dun building and serves up small shareable Asian fare along with fun and deliciously crafted brews. Tim Horton’s, 1 Scott St.: Although this coffee shop is Canadian-born, Buffalo has adopted Tim Horton’s as one of its own. And this location, located in HarborCenter, is an ode to the legendary hockey player from which this institution gets its name. Panorama on Seven, 95 Main St.: On the seventh floor of HarborCenter, lies an upscale restaurant with spectacular views of Downtown Buffalo, Canalside and the Buffalo River. Pony up to the bar for a freshly shaken cocktail and shareable plates. The post 14 Spots to Chow Down Within Ten Minutes of KeyBank Center appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/14-eateries-within-ten-minutes-of-keybank-center/ Just as important as Buffalo’s art and architecture, music is woven into the fabric of the Queen City’s rich history. From the roots of jazz at the historic 100 year-old Colored Musicians Club to the new local wave of young, startup indie rockers, Buffalo is quite in tune. Fostering that passion for music appreciation, these local record stores are cranking out the jams for generations, young and old, to discover new music. Revolver Records, 1451 Hertel Ave., Buffalo & 831 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
Black Dots, 363 Grant St., Buffalo Doris Records, 286 E. Ferry St., Buffalo Record Baron, 3048 Delaware Ave., Kenmore Jam Records, 1225 Hertel Ave., Buffalo Bob the Record Guy, 6047 Transit Rd., Depew Antique Man, 234 Allen St., Buffalo The post 7 Record Stores That Keep the Beat Alive appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/7-record-stores-that-keep-the-beat-alive/ Featuring over 1,000 animals and 500 different species, The Buffalo Zoo remains one of the city’s best family attractions. Nestled in a corner of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park, the Zoo has debuted a series of state-of-the-art exhibits in recent years, including new habitats for its polar bears, river otters and its rainforest species. Here are nine animals that deserve your gaze when you visit the Zoo. They are all animals with a bit of backstory, provided either by helpful wall notes, or in conversation with one of the Zoo’s knowledgeable animal handlers and specialists. Arctic Edge/Polar Bear Habitat North American River Otters Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs Giraffes CandyAnn the Mule Bison Green Iguana Blue-tongued Skink Pride of Lions The post Take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Buffalo Zoo appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/lions-and-bison-and-polar-bears-oh-my/ A few short years ago, Buffalo was home to only a handful of excellent breweries. Fast forward to today, the upstart pioneers of the local craft beer movement have ushered in nearly 40 new beer operations and Buffalo has joined the ranks of the nation’s great craft beer towns – just ask Uproxx. Spread across neighborhoods and communities all over Western New York, craft beer continues to be a leading catalyst of our region’s renaissance. Once industrialized neighborhoods and quaint villages are becoming hotspots for breweries and beer gardens. Since this time last year, several new breweries have debuted in architecturally significant downtown buildings and historic towns. Let’s take a look (and a few sips) of Buffalo’s newest breweries: Froth Brewing Co. Belt Line Brewery & Kitchen Community Beer Works Buffalo Cider Hall Labatt Brew House/The Draft Room Woodcock Bros Brewing Co. Prosper Brewing The post 7 Buffalo Breweries You May Not Have Tried Yet appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/7-buffalo-breweries-you-may-not-have-tried-yet/ If you haven’t been to Buffalo in the past decade, you may not recognize it. The city has reshaped its industrial Rust Belt exterior into something fresh, exciting and unique – and national media have begun to notice. Thrillist, an online publication known for its robust travel knowledge, selected Buffalo as one of its top weekend getaways around the United States. “If you want to make new friends, drink until dawn, and hit the rowdiest tailgates in the NFL, Buffalo is your perfect, no-bull**** town. You’ll find more corner taverns than Starbucks, and Buffalo does wings, pizza, and other generally-unhealthy food as well as any place in America,” Thrillist reported. While in town, visitors will discover a destination that lives and breathes local pride. From industrial outdoor playgrounds and 4 a.m. closing times to the most inviting neighborhoods, we take having a good time very seriously. Read all about the treasures that Thrillist found in Buffalo here: The 25 Best US Cities to Spend a Weekend Or, better yet, discover it for yourself! The post Thrillist Touts Buffalo as Best US City to Spend a Weekend appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/thrillist-touts-buffalo-as-best-us-city-to-spend-a-weekend/ |