Our Favorite Meals of 2023: Part Three
For our 3rd part we have red sauce Italian up north, a Puerto Rican bodega, traveling through the South for BBQ, a memorable meal at DiTondo, a high end Jamaican prix fixe meal and more!
Aaron Kneeland
Owner of Nickel City Social, @aaronsappetitebuffalo
First Time Favorite Meal Contributor!
My favorite meal of 2023 was at Villaggio in Ellicottville!
A great dining experience is a mix of the food, the atmosphere, the company, and the service. My meal at Villaggio was the perfect combo of excellent food, a perfect secluded corner booth, great friends, and warm service that bent over backwards to make sure we were happy!
Adam Zyglis
Pulitzer Prize Winning Cartoonist at The Buffalo News
2x Favorite Meal Contributor
My most memorable overall meal of 2023 has to be the 5 course experience my wife and I shared at the Plating Society in February.
Chef Darian, who is known for his delicious Jamaican food and larger-than-life personality, is a local gem. An excellent high-end prix fixe meal is a rarity in WNY, and if you get the chance to enjoy Chef Darian's creations you should jump at it. The entree was a vanishly layered surf and turf sitting atop a crispy gouda potato cake, covered with cabernet truffle reduction and bearnaise sauce. The poached lobster and filet were cooked to perfection, making it one of the best surf and turfs I've ever had (full disclosure, it's not an item I order all the time!). Even so, the best course had to be the bourbon seafood bisque, with so many flavors that stood out individually, yet married well, leaving you wanting more.
The other big stand out experience for me was my first time devouring wings at the famous Nine-Eleven Tavern in South Buffalo. This past year, a few of my guy friends and I have been on our own "wing tour" of sorts throughout Western New York. We hit all the big names around town in order to pick our favorite... and Nine-Eleven was hands down the best "classic Buffalo style" wing experience. The size, tenderness, crispy skin, unique Buffalo recipe (sweet with just the right amount of heat), and circular presentation all added up to a 10 out of 10 in my book.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of my favorite standbys: The Little Club on Hertel. Everytime we are there we simply have to get the Sicilian anchovies with fresh bread and cultured butter. It's so simple, but so satisfyingly well executed, and it always hits the spot with a glass of whatever they are recommending.
Julie Leone
General Manager of The Grange, Buffalo Eats
4x Favorite Meal Contributor
This year was incredibly busy, so when I had time to dine out I fear I wasn’t too adventurous.
My favorite and most memorable meal would definitely be at Sugo in Toronto— the dishes are simple but the incredible hospitality & vibes tie the experience together for me. Toronto also offered an amazing ice cream sandwich at Bang Bang & a great wine happy hour at Paradise Grapevine.
I am lucky to have had a year of collective new menu item tastings at the Grange Community Kitchen which are all inspiring and delicious.
In the realm of all the pizza I ate this year—— I’m a forever Stan for Marble & Rye’s vegan Detroit pizza. I was able to try Extra Extra just once and I have been dying to return. I also really enjoyed the wood fired za at the Florian pop-up at Wayland (their brick & mortar is opening soon!)
Brian Hayden
Author of 111 Place in Buffalo That You Must Not Miss
4x Favorite Meal Contributor
Best Dish: We dined at DiTondo for the first time in June to celebrate my wife's birthday. There have been plenty of meals we've thoroughly enjoyed together in Buffalo, but I don't think anything ever quite matched the gnocchi we were served that night. It was thoughtfully arranged, beautifully presented, and one of the most delicious dishes either of us had ever eaten in Western New York. I can't remember us ever having that reaction to a dish, where we needed to finish off every last morsel on the plate, before or since. This is something every Western New Yorker should try at least once.
Best in Show: Our lobster dinner at the Dolphin Restaurant in Maine was one of our favorites of the year. We had rented a place for a few days near the coast, and found this restaurant at the end of an island at the edge of Casco Bay. The weather (a perfect late summer evening and a sunset), the setting on the bay, and every course of the meal, (complete with the Maine staple of freshly baked blueberry muffins warm out of the oven and a seafood chowder,) were all out of this world. It was the type of regional fare and sense of place that travel dreams are made of.
Best Everyday go-to: One of my best local finds in recent years was Gondola Macaroni Company at Niagara and Austin Streets (one of the 111 places in Buffalo That You Must Not Miss!) I am at Gondola at least once per month to pick up some more ground beef ravioli and homemade sauce. The top round that the Colla family uses for every batch of its beef ravioli is absolutely delicious, and their craft for pasta making is second to none in this region. The sweet sauce seems designed to pair perfectly with the ravioli, bringing out its best features instead of overpowering it. This is a real slice of Western New York culinary history (founder Guido Colla came from Italy to work at Gioia Pasta Company before striking out on his own) and an inspiring multi-generation family business that his granddaughter Wendy continues to operate. Gondola is the type of hidden gem that would be the envy of cities more than twice Buffalo's size.
Cassidy Proctor
Radio DJ at 103.3, Co-host of Cass and Anthony Morning Show
2x Favorite Meal Contributor
The best meal I ate in Buffalo this year was when Southern Junction brought a box of goodies to the radio station. I am blown away by the flavors that Chef Ryan is creating. I’m from KC and have lived in Texas, North Carolina, and St Louis which are all amazing BBQ cities. I don’t exaggerate when I say I think Southern Junction may be some of the best food you can get in Buffalo.
Michael Dudek
@diningwithdudek
4x Favorite Meal Contributor
When the first signs of winter begin to grace the presence of Buffalo I not only start thinking about future goals for the coming year but also reflect on the past months. Blustery thoughts of reflection fill my mind thinking about what had happened, and what had not. As I think back, one recurring theme that is a constant year after year is my ability to keep eating delicious food, and 2023 was no different. When Buffalo Eats graciously asked me to be a part of their ‘Favorite Meal of the Year’ series again, my tastebuds brainstormed vigorously. Recollection of gooey cheeses, perfectly crusted steaks, and countless spices filled my mind.
After much deliberation, one meal did not necessarily stand out above the rest but instead, a restaurant itself did. Now those close to me know I have a deep love for Puerto Rican food. This love stems back to my hometown roots of Dunkirk where there is a rich Puerto Rican population. This is where I first discovered my love for empanadillas and arroz con gandules. So when I moved to Buffalo the hunt was on to find a Puerto Rican restaurant to satisfy mycravings. One of the best that I’ve found just so happens to be my Favorite MEALS of 2023, Montes.
My first introduction to Montes was by my old coworker and friend from the Buffalo News, Francisco. When I first moved to Buffalo I was pretty unfamiliar with the city, and Francisco introduced me to some places that I still like to visit to this day. It was close to The News, so we would drive there for a quick lunch on our break.
When you step into Montes, you are greeted with a glass case displaying an array of options. Roasted chicken quarters, pastelillos, papas rellenas, carne fritas and more. Each looking at you as you enter calling out to you to be picked. Every step you take makes you feel like you are being transformed into a different world. Like you just walked into a New York City bodega filled with bags of chips, pop, canned goods, and assorted Goya products. Latino music fills the air along with the aromas of delicious food just waiting to be taken home for your consumption.
Behind the counter on a shelf above the cashier sits a few religious figures. One of which being Saint Michael (only giving me another reason to love this place). Next to the cashier, there is a picture of one of the most famous Puerto Rican icons, Roberto Clemente, who is not only in the baseball Hall of Fame, but also a humanitarian who tragically lost his life in a plane crash while delivering supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
The line circles around the store guiding you along a plexiglass covered with menus and photos. Before you even order you are asked if you would like rice and salad with your meal. When it comes to the rice, I say this with the utmost sincerity, I could eat arroz con gandules every day of my life and Montes has some of the best I’ve ever had. For those who have never had arroz con gandules, this isn’t just some bland white rice. Oh no no no, THIS is a flavor bomb of beautifuly golden brown rice. Every time you take a bite, you can’t help but think about your next one, and next one, and next one. Drizzle a little Frank’s Red Hot on top and you are transformed to a new level of deliciousness.
Now let’s get into the main dishes that I love at Monte’s. But before we get started, I love them all equally, just like a parent does their children. The pernil (roasted pork) is out of this world tender, and is always one of my go-to’s! I’m telling you, you could cut this pork with a spoon. It’s literal poetry how the fat melts perfectly into the seasoned shreds pork. Take a bite of that with a spoonful of rice? OH MYYYY!
Another Montes item that is always in my rotation is their pinchos. For those who don’t know what a pincho is, it’s hunks of juicy chicken on a stick. Of COURSE this isn’t just plain chicken, this chicken has the most perfect amount of sweet BBQ sauce covering every inch. They have just the right amount of sauce on them and are truly amazing. I always order two with dinner and literally can never finish both of them. I don’t really mind that because one of the best parts about going to Montes is thinking about how you are going to have delicious leftovers!
I could go on and on about all of the delicious food that Monte’s sells, but there’s one more that I need to talk about, their pastelillos. Not sure what pastelillos are? Well my friend, they are meat pies in a pastry type dough that is fried. I always have to get at least one whenever I visit. Every time I walk in and see their beautiful glistening orange exterior and I immediately start thinking about which one I’m going to get. It’s always a toss-up between the chicken and cheese, and beef and cheese but both are 10/10 delicious. Angels sing as soon as you take that first crunchy bite, but be CAREFUL, if they are fresh out of the fryer though. The cheesy mixture inside will be the temperature of the midday Puerto Rican sun!
If you follow me on social media, you probably aren’t surprised by me writing about my love for Montes. I’d say I stop by monthly, because it’s a place I truly love. Tucked away on Swan St, it’s a hidden gem of Buffalo. It’s the spot that’s always in the back of my head when I’m not sure where to go and for that reason it’s my Favorite MEALS of 2023.
Gina Dunne
@feedme_buffalo
First Time Favorite Meal Contributor!
As someone who literally LIVES TO EAT, I found it very difficult to pick my favorite meal of 2023. My whole life is consumed by food. When am I going out to eat next? What’s for breakfast? What am I going to snack on? Etc. etc.
Reflecting back on this past year, I have dined at some amazing establishments along with cooking some really fantastic meals at home. As much as I love to have the full dining experience out and about, there’s something about putting your cooking skills to the test and wow-ing your husband, family, friends, and even your 4 and 2 year old.
When deciding what meal absolutely blew me away this year, there were two main factors to consider. Have I dreamt about these dishes since? And the AMBIANCE. If I walk into a place and the vibe is striking right off the bat, I just know the food is going to be just as fabulous.
So, with all that being said, my favorite meal of 2023 without a doubt, was at Ditondo which is located on Seneca Street in downtown Buffalo. I visited this stunning restaurant in July with my parents and my sister to celebrate a combo of birthdays & anniversaries and — man oh man — did we pick the best spot. You immediately feel the professionalism the moment you walk through their front doors. To the left is shelves upon shelves of goodies from the motherland: Italy. Pastas, sauces, olive oil, you name it. Just past that is a beautiful, quaint pristine little bar. I had the best Aperol spritz of my life at that bar. Then to the right of you is their kitchen. It’s out of a movie. There is nothing I love more than watching a chef and their cooks working so diligently in their element. I was a server and a bartender for 17 years of my life and I worked in some LOUD kitchens. You could hear a pin drop at Ditondo. Again, incredibly professional.
We were taken outside to our table and it felt like we were on another planet. Beautiful tables, gorgeous strung lights, flowers and plants galore. So cozy and modern and chic.
Forgive me for not remembering our server’s name but she was outstanding. Very attentive, friendly and had extreme knowledge of the menu. We asked her 50 questions and she had answers for every single one of them.
We started our meal with uhhhh one of everything. If you must know anything about me it’s that when I go out to eat we are ordering just about everything off of the menu. I need variety. I need it all.
The anchovies were salty and exceptional. The carpaccio was sliced so thin and had massive chunks of shaved parmigiana on top. Simply divine. The beet, pistachio, and ricotta salata was fresh and light. The showstopper though, was their parmigiana puffs. There are no words for these. Picture fritters… Italian style. You must order these. That’s not up for debate.
Then came our entrees. Gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, radicchio, and walnuts. Such a flavor explosion in my mouth. Tagliatelle with Flat 12 mushrooms, mascarpone and parmigiana. Grilled swordfish with capers, parsley and lemon. Grilled Bavette steak with green peppercorn sauce. And tripe! You either love it or hate it, and I LOVE it. Reminds me so much of my late grandpa. Ugh! It was all so dreamy. Each bite better than the last.
If you are looking for a spectacular night out, a place that will make your tastebuds dance, a place that is so clean, and sleek and professional, then Ditondo is your answer. I cannot wait to go back. I cannot wait to have another 10/10 aperol spritz. I cannot wait to leave there incredibly full & satisfied.
Thank you Ditondo for all that you do. Grazie!
Steve Gedra
Chef at Saint Neri
7x Favorite Meal Contributor
It’s always so nice to be asked to share my thoughts by anyone, so I’m once again very grateful to Buffalo Eats for giving us industry folks a voice. They have been doing so for many years and I just want to give props for all of that.
I’ll start out with my local experiences because I think that they are some of the most important. I recently FINALLY made it out to Prescott’s Provisions (I know, I know. I suck. Frick off). We sat right in front of the exposition kitchen and were treated like gold by Tim Colby, our server. The building and dining room are gorgeous and Vinny and his team absolutely kill it there. The highlights were definitely the wood grilled scallops, the octopus and the Ribeye, which was an absolute fucking donker. I think it was 48 oz of pure fury. There was four of us so it was great to share. It’s a tight pick between The Grange and Prescott’s for my favorite restaurant in the Buffalo Metro.
About a month ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited by the one and only Andrew Galarneau to sample the food at the new West Side Bazaar at 1432 Niagara Street. Homey lit us up with damn near every item from every stall there. I think there are 8 different vendors there so it was bonk. It’s so nice to see something like this in Buffalo. Helping the local immigrant community shine and get an opportunity to share their food is so important and truly enriches our community. This business model has proven successful already, with many of the OGs moving on and opening standalone businesses after being incubated at the original bazaar. I remember the real stand out being the Egyptian joint, which I believe is called Nile River. My head was spunyuns by the time I got done trying all of the food, so I apologize for not being able to remember. Regardless, having 8 different vendors in one building gives anyone a great opportunity to sample a bunch of food from all over the world and help build something cool all at the same time. Everyone wins.
Back in March, I was fortunate enough to make a quick trip to Toronto for a couple of days. I haven’t been up there in so long, so it was great to finally experience it again. We were lucky to score a coveted reservation at one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, and that is saying something, cuz I’ve been to some real great ones all over the world. Edulis just received a Michelin star last year, so it has become exceedingly difficult to get in. Toni and her husband operate a small and cozy French inspired operation that is like eating in your friend’s house. The service and food are second to none. They focus heavily on sourcing local Ontario and Canadian ingredients, many of which are not available in the US. Her cooking is so dang smart that every time I eat there, I always utter a “fuck you” because I wish I was as good as her. I can’t really recall any dish in particular because it was honestly all amazing. I had a great crew to dine with, which consisted of my great friends Dennis (Rhino) and Lori Kozuch who are huge supporters of our local restaurants and some of the most genuine and fun folks I know. Naturally my wife Ellen was with us, and any time I can have a nice dinner with her is a cherished time. Next time you are in Toronto and looking for a nice intimate dinner, I promise you that Edulis will likely exceed your expectations.
Since I closed Black Sheep, I have found myself really enjoying alone time. I have taken two long road trips completely alone since April 2022, when we shuttered Sheep. This year in April I had the opportunity to knock off a Bucket List road trip that I’ve been discussing for over a decade.
A BBQ centric road trip that spanned the 3000 miles and 14 days round trip. My first stop was the famed Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC. The Jones family has been operating Skylight for 3 generations. They are one of the few establishments that are still cooking BBQ using whole hogs, which, if you know anything about me, really hits home. Ayden is a sleepy town of around 4000 in the middle of NOWHERE. The titular skylight is visible in from down the street and the smell of the smoke hits you well before you see the restaurant. The Joneses are Baptist, so there is no alcohol served, but we all of us non drinkers know that an ice cold sweet tea or Cheerwine is a better pairing, especially when you have to keep driving. It is a very simple place with counter service. The best part to me, (save for the food) is the fact that you can see the folks prepping the BBQ through a window behind the counter. They chop all of the pork by hand so the noise from the knife hitting the board is non-stop and one of the best soundtracks that I’ve ever heard in any restaurant. A quick chat with the cook revealed that they go through a new board every 6 months. So fucking cool.
My next stop was Charleston, SC, which is becoming one of my favorite places to visit on the East Coast. The dining scene there is unreal given the size of the city. The first night of my visit I got take out from the relatively new Scott’s BBQ downtown. Rodney Scott rose to world fame following an appearance on a Netflix Chef’s Table episode, and for good reason. Although this meal was good, it was nothing compared to the next day when I drove two hours out to the original Scott’s in Hemingway, SC. Again, this was in the absolute boondocks. It is located in a small general store that was started by Rodney’s father. It is still run by Rodney’s mom, and even though the man himself was there, I was incredibly fortunate to meet Rodney’s mom. The service was super friendly and a plate was around $18. A complete steal in my opinion. They have picnic tables outside, and as I devoured what was easily the best pork of my life, I was lucky enough to watch a trailer loaded up with wood being delivered. Rodney is so intelligent that he hand selects the trees that will turn into the fuel for the pits. The wood is an ingredient in BBQ, and clearly Rodney knows that every ingredient needs to be the best when you’re dealing with something as “simple” as BBQ. You can’t hide behind a ton of ingredients in BBQ. It all has to be perfect, and holy hell, it was.
Based off a rec from a good friend, I was able to score a seat at a local Charleston gem named Chubby Fish. The only reason I got in was because I was alone. There was a huge line outside and I somehow snaked through and got in at the perfect time. The place is tiny, with an exposition kitchen and a menu written on a chalkboard above the hot line. The real highlight was the caviar sandwich. It was a 3 bite wonder that consisted of a Martin’s slider bun that was griddled with lemon/herb butter and hammered with a generous whack of caviar. For $16, I thought it was a steal. I devoured it and immediately ordered another. Another stand out was tempura tilefish, served with the bones in and a brown butter mayo. Unreal. They serve fish that is delivered daily by local fishermen and it is a showstopper of a restaurant. SO much fun.
After a quick stop in Memphis, I drove straight to Lockhart, Texas, widely considered to be the BBQ capital of Texas. I made it to two of the Big Daddy places there. Smitty’s and Kreuz Market. The size of the pits and the fact that they just have a full on open fire in the restaurant didn’t even register. I got to Smitty’s at 7am because I was so excited. I had a quick chat with Pedro, the pitmaster, who sadly informed me that I was entirely too early and if I wanted to get anything but smoked sausage, I’d have to come back. So after about 4 hours I returned. The brisket, hot link, and turkey were all the best versions of those items that I’ve ever had. I didn’t put any sauce on them at all. I wanted to try more things, but I only had the one day in Lockhart, so I had to move on. Next up was Kreuz Market. Kreuz is a MASSIVE building with 3 enormous pits and a huge dining room. Luckily I was there on a Monday so there was no line. I had to try the brisket so I got a pile of that. They also had a beef rib special so I jumped on the meat grenade and ordered that too. I ate the whole thing and then rubbed the fat on my hands directly on my stretchmarks cuz holy buckets, that was WAY too much food. Being able to experience these places in person and completely alone was a spiritual moment for me. I absolutely love BBQ, and those two places are considered some of the best.
Lastly, one of the best meals (kind of) was at my dining room table. I was able to be part of a Zoom caviar tasting with Petrossian, who is our supplier for the new project I am part of, called Saint Neri (SHAMELESS PLUG WARNING). Saint Neri is a luxe cocktail lounge in the old Vera Pizza at 220 Lexington in Buffalo. We are doing Italian inspired small plates with caviar service. My employers are two Buffalo boys who both moved out of town and once they made some scratch, they decided to do something unique and cool in Buffalo. They got me at the perfect time in my life and gave me a pitch I couldn’t refuse, so here I am. We just opened on December 7, so come get some caviar and some tasty food and drink. The room is unlike anywhere else in WNY, so you gotta come check it out. BUT I DIGRESS (LOL). Sampling caviar at my dining room table with some staff and our French sales rep describing each species was surreal and so freaking cool. Their caviar is widely recognized globally as some of the best, and I can agree with that sentiment. It was one of those moments in my career where I was so happy I got into cooking and stayed with it, despite some pretty major low points. Cooking for a living is not easy, but it can take you to some pretty awesome places, such as your dining room table.
Thank you all for reading this and thank you Buffalo Eats for continuing to include me in this tradition! Please come see me at Saint Neri soon and let me feed you! (No, there will not be Sticky Toffee Pudding. That is Ellen’s baby and we have plans for it. Be patient. You will have it again at some point.)