World eats

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

by Jeff Heilman

Associated with paralyzing winters, post-industrial decline, and football fans famed for body-slamming folding tables, Buffalo might seem hard-edged and possibly unhinged. Think again. This reenergized Rust Belt city is an irrepressibly cheerful hub of open-arms hospitality with a much-evolved culinary scene. Founded in 1832 on Lake Erie’s far eastern shores, New York’s second most-populous metro, the “City of Good Neighbors” wined and dined me like I was family.

Other bright monikers include The City of Light, after hydroelectric power from nearby Niagara Falls illuminated Buffalo in 1896. Decade ago, celebrated local graphic artist and printmaker Michael Morgulis popularized “The City of No Illusions” as a nod to Buffalo’s no-nonsense sense of optimism in the face of adversity.

Once an economic powerhouse, Buffalo’s original nickname was “Queen City of the Great Lakes.” Today, Queen City is home to a strong citywide LGBTQ community centered in two historic neighborhoods, trendy Elmwood Village, and bohemian Allentown. Architectural masterpieces abound, including six-plus Frank Lloyd Wright projects and City Hall, an Art Deco confection crowned with a public observation deck.

I’ll add to the canon, the “City of Great Eats.” Long founded on homegrown icons, including the eponymous chicken wing and roast beef on a kummelweck roll, or the beef on weck sandwich, Buffalo’s updated culinary identity includes two James Beard-nominated restaurants and eclectic global cuisine.

As Visit Buffalo’s new “That’s Buffalo For You” tourism marketing campaign emphasizes, the food scene is “Refreshingly Spicy,” with revelations at every turn.

The expression “Historically New,” describes Buffalo’s restored landmarks, including the former Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. Opened in 1880 on grounds landscaped by the legendary Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the monumental sandstone edifice, with two wings fanning out from its twin-towered core, was architect Henry Hobson Richardson’s largest commission and first example of his eponymous Romanesque Revival style.