Our Favorite Meals of 2024: Part Four
For the 13th year, we have asked some folks to recap their favorite meal of the calendar year. Part three features 10 contributors talking about meals they've had locally and around the world.
We’ve been asking people about their favorite meals for 13 years now and it’s still one of our favorite annual traditions. For those who are not familiar, here’s the deal. We simply ask some friends of Eats, new and old, to send us some words about a memorable meal of the calendar year.
The meal write ups we receive range from home cooked meals with family, trips to Michelin star restaurants in Europe, a local dive bar and everything in between. We hope you enjoy the following meals, the people who wrote these descriptions took time out of their busy lives to share with us meals that made them happy in 2024.
Additionally, we make an effort to reach out to people that we either admire or genuinely enjoy their work and recommend you check out their social media accounts or businesses. All are linked below.
Mike Dudek
Dining With Dudek, 5x Contributor
Ahhh yes, it’s that glorious time of year again when Buffalo Eats jogs my memory about all the wonderful meals I had this past year. Many competed for the title, but only one could be crowned king for my Favorite Meal of 2024 and it belongs to a little spot across the border, Rizzo’s House of Parm.
We have to rewind all the way to May 2024 (my birthday month) to relive this amazing moment. It was a Monday afternoon, and my girlfriend, Julie, and I were in search of a birthday adventure to embark upon. The overcast sky initially eliminated my thoughts of building sand castles on a beach or skipping rocks on a pond. But what then came to mind was a quick trip to see our Canadian friends across the lake in Fort Erie.
The skies cleared up as soon as we crossed the border as if the heavens approved of our decision. And after we made a quick pit stop at Bridgewater Brewery for a beer or two, I knew what needed to be done. I knew that something needed to be crossed off my Restaurant Bucket List, Rizzo’s House of Parm.
Now I’ve heard numerous people rave about the delightful cuisine that Matty Matheson developed at Rizzo’s for some time now, but just hadn’t had the opportunity to get there yet. We looked online for reservations but of course there were none available (and it was a Monday!). I knew we couldn’t give up though, so we carped that diem, picked up the phone, called and spoke to an actual human being, who said they had some availability. As we drove to the restaurant my mind danced with all the possibilities of delicious dishes.
We pulled into the parking lot and approached the beautifully ornate light brown doors and I could hardly contain my happiness. The mood of the entrance was dark, dim and swanky, but just past the green velvet curtains we were engulfed by a splendidly lit dining room.
Surrounded by light stained tables and walls, a checkered floor guided us to our table. Though at separate tables, there was this sense of community and family in that dining room. It felt as though we were all enjoying something special together.
With a nice glass of dry red wine in hand, I started studying the menu. Italian classics filled my eyes as they darted from item to item but there were a few that I knew I needed to have in my life.
To start things off we had this beautiful bruschetta with sweet cherry tomatoes tossed with parsley, red onion in a light oil based dressing all on top of grilled focaccia (which as you can see, isn’t even visible). This was such a wonderful audible from the traditional overdone crostini version of the dish that I know we’ve all had countless times.
Next we had fried calamari with a spicy arrabiata and parm dip. The lightly breaded and crispy calamari was some of the best that I’ve ever had, but the uniqueness of the dipping sauce had me coming back for more. Every bite could be different, some just arrabiata, some just parm, some both. It was the perfect yin and yang to compliment the calamari.
Now for the main courses, we went with a classic that I always love to get, and something that I’m now newly obsessed with. First, the classic, chicken parm. Of course it was amazing, delicious, etc. but I have to tell you, this might have been the most magnificent example of melted cheese that I’ve ever seen. Stringy with a perfectly distributed amount of crispy baked cheese. I truly felt like I was eating a picture in a cookbook.
Lastly, the dish that blew me away the most, Matty’s Tagliatelle Bolognese. Now I normally don’t get Bolognese, it’s just not one of my go-to’s. But after this? My eyes have been opened and I’m a Bolognese Believer! The sauce was so complex it had my taste buds going in every which way. I could go on for another paragraph describing this masterpiece but I’ll leave you with 3 words, savory, rich, goodness.
When I look back on this meal, it was wonderful, but it was not only the food that made it wonderful, it was the excitement, atmosphere, anticipation and over everything else, the company that I enjoyed it with. As we look into this next year, let’s try and take every meal we have to be thankful for not only the food in front of us, but the people who are around us to share with.
James Roberts
Chef/Owner of Toutant, 6x Contributor
I know it gets said a lot, and I find myself a little pickier when it comes to pizza, but a great meal moment for me was the first time I sat down to have a freshly made pizza at Pizzeria Florian earlier this year. Full disclosure, I've known full and well I would like it as I have been good friends with both Jay and Amanda, I just didn't realize how much I would like it.
As we waited for the pizza, we had some olives and a really incredible salad, with a little wine, which were all great, but I had bigger plans. The Pizzas came, larger than I expected, smelling of perfect fermentation and bake, the ingredients singing a unanimous quality note. Our kids have had their fair share of pizza also, known to devour a whole Jay's neopolitan in a single sitting each. The classic cheese pizza came first, a gold standard of pizza simplicity. The kids hit it first, and I knew right then from the look on their faces it was gonna be impeccable. On the first bite, I couldn't stop shaking my head, the whole structure was something I have yearned for in trying to make my own. Crunchy crisp crust, well leavened dough base, able to support enough toppings to make a statement, and the aged cheese, simple sauce, fresh hot out of the oven, I just kept muttering to myself "I'm not sure how this could get any better". I don't find myself wowed a lot, but those first bites really got me. We had another pie that day, a pepperoni and cherry pepper I believe, and some cannoli that were just incredible, and I have been back many times since. Each visit has been just as good as the last, if not better. That type of simple consistency, and devotion to quality ingredients and technique refinement put it in my top dining experiences this past year. It really is a must for anyone who enjoys pizza as a craft, I can't recommend it enough.
Melissa Winkler
Owner of Winkler & Samuels, 3x Contributor
I’ve been lucky to enjoy so much incredible food and wine this year, but one meal truly stood out above the rest. It happened during a trip to Champagne, France—a long-awaited adventure I’d been looking forward to for years. Every February, I head to the Loire Valley for the Salons, or wine fairs, but between Covid and the birth of our son Wes, it had been a while since my last visit. This trip felt special, like a celebration of not just getting back to what I love but reflecting on how far I’ve come.
The first time I visited Reims, the heart of the Champagne region, was back in 2014. I was just starting my wine journey, about to dive into my WSET Level 3 certification in London, and eager to soak in everything France’s legendary wine regions had to offer. I started in Reims, then visited, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Fast forward ten years, and here I was again—older, a little wiser, and determined to do it right this time. Gone were the days of scrimping and saving; this time, I stayed at the stunning La Caserne Chanzy Hôtel & Spa. This gorgeous spa hotel is perched right across the street from the breathtaking Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. My room—a luxurious suite with a view straight out of a postcard—overlooked the cathedral, and let me tell you, waking up to that sight was absolutely magical.
The trip was nothing short of an adventure. I had rented an electric Volvo—a sleek car, sure, but let’s just say it wasn’t ideal for long drives, especially when you’re learning to navigate charging stations in rural France. After countless hours on the road, winery visits, and getting to grips with the quirks of an electric vehicle, I was utterly spent by the time I arrived in Reims. My grand plans of exploring the city took a backseat to pure exhaustion. Instead, I ordered room service, popped open a bottle of champagne, and soaked in the cathedral’s beauty from the comfort of my bed.
But this wasn’t just any room service. The hotel is home to La Grande Georgette, a Michelin-starred bistronomic gem nestled in a historic 1926 Art Deco building that once served as the city’s fire station. Chef Julien Raphanel works magic with local and seasonal ingredients, crafting dishes that are equal parts refined and comforting. I ordered what seemed like a simple salad and Chardonnay-glazed chicken, but it turned out to be a revelation. Every bite was perfection, the kind of meal that warms your soul and revives your weary spirit. Paired with the serene view and the quiet luxury of the moment, it’s an experience I’ll never forget.
That meal at La Grande Georgette wasn’t just the best meal of 2024—it was the perfect reminder of how food, wine, and travel can transform even the most exhausting journey into something extraordinary.
Kim Behzadi
Owner of Read It & Eat Bookshop, First Time Contributor!
My favorite childhood meal is one that reminds me of my father - Tahdig and kebobs. My father was Iranian so I grew up with a lot of Persian dishes. I have wonderful childhood memories of my father grilling the kebobs outside with mushrooms and tomatoes. The rice was always yellow, tinted with saffron, made on the stove by my mom. She always knew the perfect way to make tahdig (which is the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot). I would eat those "crispies" as we called them even if they were incinerated to black dust, I loved them so much. Crispies are such a sensorial experience, the crunch is so loud it pounds in your ears.
I'm sure there were other vegetables, knowing my mom, but all I really remember are those kebobs and the rice. I lost my father a few years ago to pancreatic cancer and when I'm missing him an extra lot I try to recreate that dish. I still can't get the marinade right but it always brings me comfort.
Joseph DeBenedictis
Tik Tok Creator, YouTuber, Emmy Winning Video Producer, 3x Contributor
My favourite meal of the year happened in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada at a place called Mai Pai Tiki bar. It's a pizza place, but the most unique kind I've ever seen.
I had heard so much about it so I took my friend Chef Clay Smith to film a video trying 4 pizza spots in Hamilton in one day, with Mai Pai being the last stop. After the first 3 spots we were pretty full, but still had Mai Pai to visit.
As soon as we walked in, the vibe was totally different than the other spots. It's dark, glowy, there's palm trees, and a tiki bar. The menu has the most interesting and elevated styles of pizza I've seen. They are Detroit style, but with thoughtful flavour combinations. We ordered their version of pepperoni, and one called "Do you wanna?" The answer is yes.
They brought out rectangular trays cut into 8 slices of the thickest juiciest pizza you've ever seen. The pepperoni was delicious, but the Do You Wanna was unreal.
It's made with Nduja sausage, Fig Jam, Ricotta, and Basil. I've never tasted pizza like this. Remember, we were full - and having done many days of eating and filming in the past, the last spot is usually not as good as the first. Not this time. It was number 1, and we rated the Do You Wanna a rare 10/10.
The video ended up going viral, and due to its success, I've since started running a Hamilton Pizza Tour! We fill up a party bus and hit 3 pizza spots in one day, usually ending at Mai Pai. (Here's video from the tour!)
The tour might be one of the best ways to get into Mai Pai because you usually have to book 2 months in advance to get a table! The owner Salar is the mastermind behind the pies, and opens the restaurant just for us on the tour. He's a gem. If you can go, it's a great experience, and their cocktails are delicious too! If you want to come along with us, we will be running another tour early 2025, stay tuned on my IG page joseph_video.
Alex Burtless
Marketing Director at Wayland Brewing, First Time Contributor!
I should preface this writeup by saying I spent the first half of the year pregnant. Being separated from my beloved cocktails and oysters (and the wardrobe to match!) was much, much worse to me than the morning sickness, constant migraine, and physical exhaustion.
My best meal of the year came at 6pm on July 18, approximately an hour after my son arrived. I won’t go into detail about the harrowing experience that is childbirth, but I knew my light at the end of the tunnel - dinner. Thanks to the quick work of my husband, Tom, and my MVP, Dan Hagen, a half dozen oysters, a Billy Club burger, and a bottled negroni (Tom said no to Campari as the baby’s middle name) made it to L&D in record time.
They say it takes a woman months, years even, to feel like herself again postpartum, but with that meal I was back in 10 minutes.
Chris Lindstrom
Host of Food About Town Podcast, Co-founder of Lunchador Podcast Network, 5x Contributor
Last year was my 40th birthday, and as people are known to do when they hit milestone birthdays, I have been reflecting more on the past and making changes. Earlier this year, my co-founder Matt Austin and I officially launched our passion project, the Lunchador Podcast Network, in Rochester with over 10 shows. I have also made a concerted effort to travel more and truly enjoy my limited time off and that has led me to some tremendous food and drink moments.
Just this year I had the chance to visit Toronto, Savannah, Atlanta, Boston, Flushing, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Pittsburgh and each had something special worth mentioning but I’m going to cut it down to one spot from away and one Buffalo spot for the sake of brevity. I’ll probably highlight others on an upcoming episode of Food About Town if you want more!
Both of the meals I’m going to bring up opened my eyes to something new - one a cuisine I’d never tried before and the other flavors I had never even considered in a food I’ve had more than anything else.
While visiting Toronto earlier this year, my wife and I had a special meal at a place with a non-descript name - Magical Taste of China on Dundas just off of Spadina that features Xinjiang Halal food most notably associated with the oppressed Uyghur population from that area. The menu had a wide selection of kabob skewers with lamb, tofu, mushroom, potato, and way more options seasoned with cumin and a balanced seasoning reminiscent of a much more complicated BBQ style powder. Other dishes included Sichuan classics alongside other meat-forward dishes, noodles, and even Naan due to the proximity to Central Asia and Pakistan. The opportunity to try something both so familiar and completely new was a delight and I recommend giving Magical Taste of China a try next time you're in the 619.
For my Buffalo meal it was a tough call between our last NOMINATE event with Burmese food from Family Thai and a pizza with toppings I hadn't even conceived of from Pizzeria Florian. By the picture, you can tell that I went with my man Jay and his wife Amanda's new pizza spot in East Aurora. I had sky high expectations having had his pizza many times over the years and I wasn't disappointed. The pie I'm going to highlight isn't the now menu staple Calabrian Crunch but a special that blew my socks off.
The combination of in-season vibrant city citrus, rosemary, pistachio, red onion, basil, and olive oil was unlike any other pizza I've had before or since. Savory, salty, sweet, herbal, nutty, and lightly acidic - this had everything going for it! Of course, none of this would work on a middling crust or a bad cook in the oven and to no one's surprise both were standouts. I know I don't need to tell people to go to Pizzeria Florian at this point (or Jay’s Artisan for that matter) but I'm going to anyway. If you haven't been - make it happen!
I'll highlight more Rochester spots next year, but these meals grabbed me and didn't let go. Best wishes to all of you for 2025 - reach out if you want to explore the ROC or listen to the Food About Town podcast or the Lunchador Podcast Network to learn more!
Ben Parsons
Front of House Manager at Pizzeria Florian, First Time Contributor!
Planta Queen (Toronto): Recommended to me by Florian’s owners, Amanda and Jay (and stolen by me to talk about here), my favorite meal of 2024 would hands down be from Toronto’s Planta Queen. Featuring an entirely vegan menu of mostly Japanese inspiration, I instantly fell in love and this became a new Toronto must-hit location.
Dining room is chic, comfortable and accommodating and the service is great. Menu features some of the best fucking vegan dishes I’ve had in a while that left me and my very much non-vegan partner dying to return. Several of the standout dishes include the roasted “Bang Bang” broccoli with sweet chili and peanut sauce, an awesome spin on General Tso’s chicken made with cauliflower, tofu and pineapple, bao sliders stuffed with chick’n fried mushroom and a list of multiple unique sushi rolls; especially two featuring tempura broccoli and Japanese sweet potato. Vegan, vegetarian or full-blown meat-eater, Planta Queen is well worth adding to any Toronto itinerary.
Honorable mentions to Extra Extra Pizza, Sugo, L’Industrie Pizzeria and The Grange Community Kitchen.
Matthew Wyzykowski
Owner of Buffalo Deep Dish, First Time Contributor!
As I sit here thinking back about the 2024 year and the meals ive had, a few come to mind. Some old spots some new.
I'm really into the classic food from this city. The Pizza and wings most notibly. I do fine dining with the wife here and there but we don't get out much now that i have my own small restaurant to run.
This is what i enjoyed most in 2024
Mattinas Pizza (Sheridan Dr). Just a really well made pizza consistently. I order double pepperoni usually. The cheese, dough and sauce are just the perfect buffalo taste and a complete standout for me.
Pizzeria Florian. Was fortunate to be able to be one of the guests at the soft opening of this new amazing pizzeria. My wife, and I were really impressed. Litterally the best pizza we've had. We got the Calabrian Crunch and a simple cheese and pep with blue cheese of course. The pizza's were incredible. The crisp of the crust was the thing that had me. I drove home 45 minutes away and the slice was still crispy when i had a few more bites from the box
As a Pizza dough nerd myself I of course ask the owner and picked his brain to see what they are doing.
It shows that Jay(owner) is just a master of his craft. Hes using advanced flour mixtures/pre-ferments in his dough and Expert Cooking techniques. Hes the Man!
Adolf’s Old First Ward Tavern. Summer 2024, My son and I drove to Nine Eleven tavern super excited for him to try and they were not open unfortunately. So I drove to the next stop which was O'Daniels gin mill on Abbott (unique and delish wing sauce). We walk in Guy says "hope your not here for wings are fryers are down". Im like "damn...ok". Hoping for not a 3rd strikeout, we headed to Adolphs Old First Ward Tavern on South Park. BOOM! We were seated with wings in front of us in about 15 mins. I had never been to Adolphs before so I didnt know what to expect. The Handcut fries came out first and were really something special. Then the wings came out and were absolute fire and tasted amazing. Perfectly cooked and a great house made blue cheese served with it.
There is an old recipe from the old first ward and South Buffalo thats called the "Smitty wing" recipe. Theres a few small bars in that area use a similar sauce. Just all variations of it. I think over time it just spread around town, got tweeked and changed a bit here and there. I can always taste it when its a Smitty influenced wing. Pretty cool that they still use the recipes, or at least variations of it in that area after all this time
For me South Buffalo/Old first ward is like the Mecca of Buffalo food done right.
Duffs (Sheridan Dr). Probably my #1 favorite spot to eat in WNY. I go every year for my birthday. The nostalgia inside that place just does it for me.
I like my wings really saucy and they are one of the only place that does it right when i ask. Just a pool of sauce where the wings in the bottom of the wooden bowl are completely submerged. The hot sauce is actually hot and everything about that place makes my mouth water.
Thats it for me. Thanks for reading. Now im starving after writing this lol. Lets eat!
Jonathan Capozzi
Owner of Old Growth Handcraft, First Time Contributor!
2024 had a lot of high points for me and food was certainly no exception. We had a few really special meals with friends at home, I had some delicious lunches at work, and we did some travelling that led to some incredible dining experiences.
I operate a wood shop in the Larkin district and was fortunate enough to have Matt Gunther apply for an opening I had a few years back following his exit from cooking professionally. His lunches have caught quite a bit of attention from inquiring minds on social media. I promise, they taste as good as they look. The most memorable of the past year, for me, was a meatball with savory bread pudding. A high ratio of ricotta to veal in the mix made for a super rich and fluffy meatball that had been baked before being braised in sauce. The meatball was then nestled into a parmesan heavy bread pudding before being baked in a crock. The meal itself was a force of big, rich, umami flavors. This came to fruition from a working, creative discussion that included some napkin sketches and was then executed by Matt. It made for an incredible bite and a slow afternoon in the shop. Honorable mention shop lunch goes to the cuban sandwich, the only shop lunch that has been executed more than once.
As far as restaurant experiences in WNY, the opening meal at Pizzeria Florian was pretty exciting for me. I was very fortunate to have been included in helping them build out and open their space. Their opening was also the first time I got to try the now infamous calabrian chili crunch pizza that has stolen the hearts and minds of most people I know. Their opening menu included a wonderful peach salad small plate. The plate had a nice crunch from nuts, salt from the shaved hard cheese, and fresh edible flowers on top that looked as good as they tasted. Their chopped salad is exceptional and earns a spot on our table pretty much every time we walk into the restaurant.
My wife and I were able to travel to Tuscany this fall and that included some very memorable dining experiences. We were able to visit Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore, a monastery on top of a mountain. The abbey had some of the most intricate woodwork I have ever seen, an excellent traditional tuscan restaurant, and a winery that also produced a world class amaro. The abbey had been established in the 15th century, making for an incredible scene of large well appointed brick buildings with views of vineyards down to the valley bottom. The church was filled with seating that included breathtaking marquetry panels. Scenes were illustrated with individually cut pieces of wood veneer and made up unique images for each of the seat backs that lined the outside walls of the building. It’s impossible for me to do these pieces any justice in a brief description. The restaurant ran a traditional tuscan menu, pasta heavy. The cinta senese white ragu with pappardelle was so simple but seemingly impossible to replicate. As we walked upstairs to our seats we caught a view into the kitchen. Multiple women that looked to be in their 70’s and 80’s working in the kitchen set the scene for an incredible evening of scratch made local food with no frills but decades of practice in execution. Their house amaro was made by monks on site; sweet with a complex bitterness and refinement that can only be associated with 500 plus years of consistent production. I thought it was worth the risk to take two bottles home in my checked bag.