1 week Ago
Every town has its popular restaurants, diners and delis. The locals and chains that are gone evoke fond nostalgia. During fish fry season, I have flashbacks of places in the Northtowns that featured video games and jukeboxes to entertain people waiting for their orders.
Liam O’Mahony, of Lockport, thinks there’s a place for every kind of restaurant. My earliest recollection was my 8th birthday party at the Ground Round across from Eastern Hills Mall in 1982. We devoured pre-entrée popcorn and ditched the peanut shells on the floor as required.
Following dinner, we plowed through the classic baseball helmet sundaes. My favorite meal was a meatball sub from Connie’s at Klein and Hopkins. On the opposite side of the plaza, there was amazing white garlic pizza at LaPorta’s.
On weekends, we had lunch at Your Host, Four Seasons or Friendly’s, where I indulged in the Reese’s Pieces sundae. If we visited my grandparents in Elmira, we went to Howard Johnson’s for brunch. When my parents had a night out, they enjoyed Pranzo’s, Mannies and Shannon Pub.
After moving to north Clarence in 1985, we realized there were fewer nearby establishments, so we frequented Scirri’s in Swormville for lasagna and manicotti. Leo’s was down the street at Goodrich and Wolcott for fish fry. Other memorable places included Lyons Tea Room, the Old Lamplighter, Finnlock’s, the Coachman’s Inn and Brennan’s.
For breakfast, there was Lucy’s Kitchen at the four corners, Perkins or Denny’s by the mall, and Pancake House in Williamsville. In the early ’90s, if I needed a hamburger, hot dog or ice cream, it had to be from Berrafato’s, Pautler’s or Bubbaloos. Sometimes we ventured west on Maple to Fuddruckers.
There was a start-up called Pizza Movies Today in the Transit Valley Plaza that delivered your pie with VHS rentals – a novel, practical concept that didn’t last. When I worked out West in the early 2000s, I was always eating out. The best steak was at Ruth’s Chris in Seattle.
The best eggs benedict with salmon I ever had was in San Francisco. I used to love the barbecue chicken pizza and split pea soup at California Pizza Kitchen. For early Bills games in Arizona, I had brunch at Pyramid Brewery.
For evening games, I went to Ra for sushi. Lately, if I need to get out of the office for lunch, I pick up soup or chili at McDuffies, enchiladas or tacos at El Ranchito, or sandwiches from Louie’s Deli, the Clarence Deli and Mazia’s. I recently tried the pierogies at Morluski’s and a rib sandwich at This Little Pig and vowed to return soon.
When my sisters visit, we gravitate to Campobello’s, Rizotto, Grover’s or the Hollow Bistro, and we aim to try the Humbert House soon. In recent years, my wife and I have found an assortment of weekend dining options in Lockport, including Davison Road Inn, Shamus and Lock 34. Once a month, we crave Steak Stone & Sushi, and for celebrations and holidays, we can’t resist the scallops at Sheehan’s.
Last year, we discovered an impressive menu at Harvest in Medina for special occasions. New York Beer Project has something for everyone and Kalamata’s is delicious for any meal. If we get a night away from our daughters to venture into Buffalo, we enjoy the Dapper Goose and Patina 250.
We aspire to partake in more culinary adventures in the city, but for now, we savor the restaurants at close range to reward ourselves after a hectic week – who wants to be stuck making dinner on a Friday? Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!.
