Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District

, with peak bloom in early to mid-May. In between admiring the lovely trees, you can also catch live music, take a boat ride on Mirror Lake and — especially — take a taste of Japanese culture with bunraku puppet theater performances and a traditional tea ceremony on the portico of the Buffalo History Museum. Expanding their scope far beyond the Japanese Garden and the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival's organizers also sponsor cherry tree plantings all over the city and will even sell you one to plant in your own yard.

Summer

• Buffalo Greek Fest - The Buffalo Greek Fest serves as the traditional start of the summer festival season in the Buffalo area, and, since 1978, has been held each year at the beginning of June at the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation on historic Delaware Avenue. Aside from showcasing the cuisine, traditional music and folk dances of Greece, enlightening exhibits are displayed that encompass aspects of Greek culture and architectural tours are conducted of this beautiful church which has been inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Allentown Art Festival - Allentown, Buffalo#Allentown Art Festival Every June and the Allentown Art Festival brings throngs of artists, craftspeople, food vendors and visitors to the streets of one of Buffalo's most charming and historic neighborhoods. What was conceived in 1958 as a small art fair which would raise community pride in a then-dilapidated area and the Allentown Art Festival has grown into arguably the best-known of Buffalo's street festivals, with over 450 artists and craftspeople each year from all over the U.S., Canada and even Europe displaying and selling their wares to tens of thousands of visitors. High-quality paintings, sculptures, jewelry, crafts and other works are available for purchase each year, often at excellent prices. Cash awards are given to artists in about a dozen different categories, as well as to the winner of the perennially popular competition to design the festival's annual poster. All proceeds from the festival are invested back into community improvement projects by the Allentown Association.

• Allen West Festival Running concurrently with the Allentown Art Festival and the Allen West Festival sees local artists, musicians and street performers doing their thing on Allen Street between Elmwood Avenue and Day's Park, providing a freewheeling, bohemian counterpoint to the more highbrow Allentown Art Festival itself.

• Shakespeare in Delaware Park - Shakespeare in Delaware Park Delaware Park's Shakespeare Hill GPS 42.931581,-78.872014 has since 1976 been the setting of Shakespeare in Delaware Park. With a goal of enriching, inspiring and entertaining diverse audiences through performance and educational programming with a focus on the works of William Shakespeare, this not-for-profit professional theatre company performs two selected Shakespeare plays annually from June until August at their striking Tudor-style outdoor stage adjacent to Hoyt Lake and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Delaware Park Rose Garden. Performances are free of charge at this longstanding summertime tradition, though donations are greatly appreciated. 62841

Autumn

• Music Is Art Festival - The brainchild of Robby Takac, longtime bass guitarist for Buffalo-based rock band The Goo Goo Dolls and the Music Is Art Festival was founded in 2004 and originally was held in Allentown in June to coincide with the Allentown Art Festival before moving to Delaware Park in 2008, where it now takes place in mid-September. The Music Is Art Festival "celebrates all that is weird and wonderful about [the arts scene in Western New York" (in the words of a recent feature article in the Buffalo News) by presenting a constant stream of creative performances of live music of all genres by artists of local provenance, on several stages.

Golf

• Delaware Park Golf Course | 84 Parkside Ave. 42.936538, -78.85678 Metro Bus 8, 11, 25 or 32; Metro Rail: Humboldt-Hospital ☎ +1 716 838-1249 Weekend green fees $15.00 Opened in 1930 on the site of Delaware Park's Meadow and the Delaware Park Golf Course is arguably the most popular golf course in the city. Golfers can enjoy playing a full 18-hole game in a beautifully landscaped environment; the course is par 68 and its longest tees have a yardage of 5,359 yards. The Parkside Lodge is a lovely 1914 Craftsman-style building that houses a Snacks and the course's pro shop. An interesting historical feature of the Delaware Park Golf Course can be found near the fourth hole; a monument there pays tribute to two or three hundred War of 1812 soldiers, who succumbed to disease and were buried on the site in 1812-13, while stationed for the winter on what was then the rural farmstead of Dr. Daniel Chapin.

Allendale - The Theatre of Youth is housed in the historic 1913 Allendale Theatre, a former silent movie palace in the heart of Allentown that was rescued from demolition in 1986 after having been condemned by the city — another of Buffalo's success stories in the field of revitalization of historic buildings.

Theater

• Theatre of Youth 203 Allen St. Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 819-9653 - The Theatre of Youth is a not-for-profit professional theatre company that is the only one in the Niagara Frontier dedicated to presenting works for young people and families. At the Allendale Theatre GPS 42.899596,-78.877695 and the Theatre of Youth stages performances such as Pinkalicious and Charlotte's Web for 30,000 audience members per year with a goal of instilling in young people an enduring appreciation for the performing arts.

Live music

Allentown's bars are some of the best places in Buffalo to see local singer-songwriters and rock bands play. The scene here is brimming with talent and very tight-kn the bands all know each other socially and from sharing bills and tend to gig around all the venues in the neighborhood, musical chairs-style. The places listed below are all fairly interchangeable — laid-back, intimate venues populated by typical Allentowners. In addition, a few other venues present a more eclectic range of performances.

And, if you'd like to take in some local music but don't fancy shelling out for a cover charge or dealing with cheek-to-jowl barroom crowds, Allentown is also the center of Buffalo's small but growing busking scene. On Friday and Saturday nights anytime other than the dead of winter, you'll find artists and groups performing for passersby at various locations along Allen Street. However and the one place where you'll invariably encounter a busker is the sidewalk in front of the Holley Farms parking lot, at the junction of College Street directly across from the Allen Street Poutine Company. xxx{{anchor|PAUSA

• PAUSA Art House - 19 Wadsworth St. 42.900074, -78.87993 Metro Bus 7 or 20 - This brand-new combination café, art gallery and boutique concert hall opened in February 2013 in a beautifully restored Italianate cottage on Wadsworth Street. Presented here is an exciting range of music that is more adventurous than the typical Allentown fare, with chamber music, Latin jazz, tango and a diverse range of other artists sharing space on the schedule. The work of local artists hangs on the walls and the bar features a selection of fine soft drinks and a limited menu of light meals.

Shopping in Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District

Allentown

Clothing

• Allen Street Dress Shop - 89 Allen St. 42.899574, -78.873192 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 883-0871 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10:30AM Monday - 6PM, first Friday of each month till 9PM, Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday noon-5PM A purveyor of "beautiful clothing for interesting women" and the Allen Street Dress Shop is the place to go in Allentown for creative and chic clothing and accessories at reasonable prices, from such brands as Kiko, Anthropologie and Cut Loose, as well as by new designers on the cutting edge of fashion whose lines are displayed on the store's website.

• Class Act | 40 Allen St. 42.899275, -78.871454 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 602-8128 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11AM Monday - 7PM, Saturday noon-6PM At Class Act, fans of urban fashions will be in heaven among a selection of bold apparel for the trend-setting urbanite: the colors are bright (if you look good in Gold, thit is your place) and the patterns are vibrant and often display a hint of Afrocentric flair and the styles are sassy and make a strong statement. Accessories such as handbags and jewelry continue along those lines and perfumes, colognes and stylish gifts are available from J's House of Fragrances co-located in the same storefront. The interior is interesting, too: the wood-panelled walls and dim lighting make for a strangely hip "basement rec room" ambience.

• Freshly Dipped Clothing - 93 Allen St. 42.899574, -78.873421 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 909-5975 Opening Hours: Sunday - Monday noon-4PM, Tuesday to Friday noon-8PM, Saturday noon-9PM Owners Bridget Hodges and Eddie Patterson Jr. launched Freshly Dipped Clothing in 2008 as an online boutique selling a carefully curated inventory of premium, limited-edition streetwear, skatewear and accessories. Then, in January 2015 and they followed that up with a brick-and-mortar "flagship store" on Allen Street. If you're in the market for clothes that boast a streetwise urban style without skimping on quality, Freshly Dipped is the place to go: brands like Crooks and Castles, Rastaclat and Sprayground fill the racks and shelves on their brightly lit, handsomely decorated retail floor.

• Lace & Day - 445 Franklin St. 42.897720, -78.872693 Metro Bus 11, 15 or 29‪; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 884-1580 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM Named for the versatility of the shop's inventory — these items are suitable for any environment from the boardroom to the bedroom — Lace & Day is an upscale lingerie and ladies' sleepwear boutique where intimate apparel from such top designers and brands as Marie Jo, Empreinte and Bedhead, is on offer in two floors of retail space: airy, high-ceilinged rooms are bathed in natural light for a pleasant, relaxing shopping experience. You'll also find a small selection of men's underwear including boxer-briefs from Saxx. Knowledgeable sales staff will not only happily direct you to the right product, but also offers custom bra fitting.

• My Cuzin Vintage 168 Elmwood Ave. 42.901542, -78.877303 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 908-5111 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 1:30PM Monday - 8:30PM, Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM Thirtysomethings rejoice: the 1990s never ended! Or at least you can pretend as much at this quirky Elmwood Avenue vintage shop. Old sports jerseys and gear are a specialty at My Cuzin, especially souvenirs from the glory days of the Buffalo Bills — original Jim Kelly jerseys, Zubaz pants and Super Bowl merchandise from the four years Buffalo competed are highlights of the collection here. But even if you're not a football fan, My Cuzin has your nostalgia needs covered with t-shirts, jackets, hats, hoodies, sneakers and other clothes emblazoned with quintcrucial relics of '90s pop culture, from the Atlanta Olympics to Garth Brooks to 3rd Rock from the Sun.

• No Labels Clothing Cooperative - 224 Allen St. 42.899370, -78.878430 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 218-8557 Opening Hours: West 2PM Monday - 6PM, Thursday 2PM Monday - 8PM, Friday noon-8PM, Saturday 10AM Monday - 8PM, Sunday noon-6PM The area's only clothing store tailored to the needs of the lady boys and gender-nonconforming community, No Labels is a cooperatively-run thrift shop where everything on the shelves (including chest binders and other shapewear not available anywhere else in Upstate New York) is organized in a gender-neutral way and priced on a sliding scale to ensure affordability for every member of the community. More than that, No Labels is a central pillar and safe space for and hub for news and information relevant to and the local communities of Q+ individuals, feminists and people of color.

• Rick's Sports Apparel - 201 Allen St. 42.899596, -78.877513 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-8615 Opening from Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 7PM, Sunday noon-4PM Rick's Sports Apparel has been, in their own words, "Allentown's Athletic Footwear Store Since 1984". Shoes are the main stock in trade here — the newest and best from brands like Nike, Timberland and K-Swiss — but Rick's also carries athletic apparel like Champion tracksuits and jogging pants, New Era caps, as well as track and dugout jackets.

• Trend Up/MS Eye Candy Boutique - 85 Allen St. 42.899574, -78.873077 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 347 962-6162 (Trend Up), +1 716 308-2093 (MS Eye Candy) Opening from Monday to Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 4PM The former Black Cat Vintage on Allen Street is the new home of this dynamic duo of fashion boutiques that moved in 2018 from downtown and the Elmwood Village respectively. Aside from that, though, little has changed: Trend Up is still where Giovanni Centurione purveys his über-stylish collection of contemporary clothing for modern urban males, with a range of hard-to-find designers such as DOPE, European Apparel and Other UK represented, while MS Eye Candy is still a place to go for contemporary and fashionable women's clothing whose subtle yet eye-catching style quirks make them stand out from the mall brands.

Art and art supplies

• Avenue Art & Frame 441 Delaware Ave. 42.896228, -78.874809 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 842-1450 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 10AM Monday - 6PM, F-Sa 10AM Monday - 5PM Housed in the understated yet lovely Art Deco-style Buffalo Design Collaborative Building, Avenue Art & Frame is a well-loved Allentown institution that specializes in custom framing of original art and prints. Avenue Art & Frame's professional staff take great care to help clients pick out the right frame and matte boards for each individual piece. Avenue also sells pre-framed prints that trend heavily toward work by local artists as well as vintage postcards and posters of Buffalo scenes.

• Buffalo Big Print - 78 Allen St. 42.899335, -78.872969 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 884-1777 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9AM Monday - 5:30PM, call for Saturday hours Since 1985, Buffalo Big Print's focus has been the production of custom prints for such industries as fine art, advertising and pre-press. A wide variety of specialty films and papers are used, such as digital photobase papers of the highest quality, artists' canvas and 100% cotton rag papers. As well, services such as high-resolution digital image capture, digital restoration and enhancements and custom finishing are provided to local artists. Buffalo Big Print also boasts a large gallery where the work of many local artists is displayed.

• El Buen Amigo 114 Elmwood Ave. 42.90011, -78.877273 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 885-6343 Opening from Monday to Saturday 11AM Monday - 7PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 5PM El Buen Amigo — "The Good Friend" in Spanish — is the name of the storefront gallery in Allentown run by the Latin-American Cultural Association of Buffalo. Aside from the works of art that are on display and for sale in the gallery, El Buen Amigo also hosts a wide variety of activities and programs reflective of the vibrancy of the local Hispanic community, including music, cultural enrichment programs and Spanish language classes. El Buen Amigo also offers fair-trade crafts, clothing and Coffee for sale.

• Pine Apple Company | 65 Allen St. 42.899568, -78.872619 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 275-3648 Opening Hours: W-Thursdaynoon-6PM, F-Sa noon-11PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 6PM The Pine Apple Company is gallery and event space run by a sextet of local artists and the operative word is "local": the Buffalo art world tends to be insular by necessity, a concept reflected in the name of the gallery (google the 2016 feature story in The Public that quotes co-owner Tom Holt for an explanation). Aside from the focus on local solidarity, though and there's no way to succinctly summarize what you might find here on any given day: come by to check out anything from watercolors to pen-and-ink cartoons to handmade plush toys to digital pop-art pieces, all representing the best of the Buffalo scene.

Antiques

• Antiques Allentown 146 Elmwood Ave. 42.900947, -78.877273 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 882-9535 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday noon-5PM and by appointment Antiques Allentown is a funky shop that's housed in an unmissable white and pink cottage on Elmwood Avenue just north of Allen Street. Specializing in primitives as well as small items from the 1960s and earlier, Antiques Allentown stocks antiques and collectibles for all budgets in a friendly environment. Layaway and estate management is also offered.

• The Antique Man 234 Allen St. 42.899370, -78.878768 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-2121 Opening from Monday to Saturday noon-8PM A frequent winner in the "Best Antique Shop" category in Artvoice's annual "Best of Buffalo" poll and the Antique Man's specialty is music: LPs, cassettes and CDs hang in the window and occupy a prominent place on the shelves here, with timeless classics from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Frank Sinatra for sale or even playing on the turntable in the store. As well and the Antique Man stocks a quirky selection of books, pamphlets, magazines, comic books, art and miscellaneous trinkets to accompany the records.

• Carl Slone - L'Été Antiques 65 Elmwood Ave. 42.898653, -78.876808 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 884-0211 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday by appointment, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 5PM Founded in 1978 by its eponymous owner, Carl Slone and located in an 1883 wood-frame Stick-style house, L'Été Antiques specalizes in a wide variety of gas and early electric light fixtures, with a particular emphasis on Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Sheffield-style chandeliers and sconces, as well as stained and leaded glass of all varieties. Restoration and estate consultations are also offered.

• Larry's Antiques | 181 Elmwood Ave. 42.901897, -78.87696 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-6255"Top Dollar Paid On the Spot" is the credo at Larry's Antiques. Since 1980, a wide range of unique and interesting antiques and collectibles has been on display and for sale at this charming store on Elmwood Avenue. Items such as fancy leaded glass and lamps, clocks, garden items, cabinets and furniture of all types are specialties at Larry's.

Gifts

• HeadSpace Glass & Gifts - 67 Elmwood Ave. 42.898751, -78.876909 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 844-8907 Opening Hours: Monday 1PM Monday - 9PM, Tuesday - Saturday noon-9PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 6PM Located on Elmwood Avenue just south of Allen Street, HeadSpace is Allentown's premier "head shop", stocking a wide variety of scientific glass pipes, artistic and decorative glassware, vaporizers and other smoking accessories, as well as (interestingly enough) a modest selection of baseball caps.

• Saibo African Imports | 81 Allen St. 42.899574, -78.872963 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 884-9481 Featuring a bevy of imported fashion accessories and gifts: handcrafted necklaces, bangles, beads, earrings, sterling silver rings, handbags, a selection of Afrocentric literature, toiletries such as shea butter and crucial oils and hand-carved art imported from Mali, Senegal, Ghana and elsewhere. Dr. Lonnie Smith and the store's eponymous owner, is a friendly and interesting fellow — a local jazz musician famous for his prowess on the Hammond B3 organ who's always around for a chat about politics, art, or current events and often hosts readings of poetry and literature in his shop.

Furniture and home decor

• Nest Interiors - 443 Delaware Ave. 42.896304, -78.874775 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 445-6163 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday noon-4PM A component of the Buffalo Design Collaborative, Nest Interiors was founded by Brooke Pelc, a Buffalo State College graduate who sees her hometown as (to quote a recent write-up in Buffalo Rising) "a great canvas to work with", onto which she and her talented staff "paint" their truly innovative and lovely design ideals. Nest Interiors' retail store on Delaware Avenue sells a bevy of unique and original furniture, window treatments and other interior elements, with employees on hand to help clients brainstorm ideas on interior design and space planning using conceptual rendering and other state-of-the-art technology.

• 125 Art Collective & Tattoo Studio - 125 Elmwood Ave. 42.900421, -78.877015 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 248-1155 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday noon-7PM Although body artists extraordinaire Ted and Nate Hawkins ply their trade in the back room (black-and-grey realism and Japanese-style designs are particular specialties), 125 is more than just a tattoo studio: the front of the store is given over to a menagerie of clothing, accessories, housewares and objets d'art all united by the weird, slightly macabre, Tim Burton-esque style that is the owners' specialty (and, in many cases, Ted's actual handiwork). As well, behind the shop the team are hard at work on an expansion of the building that will eventually host gallery space, community art classes and the like.

• P.L.U.M. Works - 138 Allen St. 42.899323, -78.875069 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25 ☎ +1 716 885-7975 - P.L.U.M. Works is the collaboration of Ellen Markel and Christopher Bretschneider, a longstanding team of talented artisans who came to Buffalo in 1999 after a decade working together in Shoreham, Vermont. Today, P.L.U.M. Works is the place to go for 100% original wooden furniture that is traditional yet unique and custom-designed in full partnership and collaboration with the client. Those who come to P.L.U.M. Works can know that their table, bed, desk, case, chair, or other piece is crafted artfully from scratch and no other piece of furniture is identical to it. These two do truly magnificent work.

• Très Beau Interiors - 489 Delaware Ave. 42.897537, -78.874289 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 912-5646 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8AM Monday - 9PM, Saturday 9AM Monday - 1PM Amid the architectural splendor of Delaware Avenue'sMidway — a block of posh row houses of the type that is commonly seen in East Coast city's such as New York and Philadelphia, but is comparatively rare in Buffalo — can be found the splendor of some of the highest-quality contemporary and traditional furnishings, lighting elements, garden decor and other interior elements in Buffalo. More than just a store, however, Très Beau's staff has almost thirty years of experience working with their clients every step of the way in crafting the optimum interior space in terms of aesthetics, individual needs and budget.

• Wrafterbuilt Furniture - 69 Elmwood Ave. 42.898857, -78.876909 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 913-5313 Opening Hours: Showroom open by appointment Wherein Sean Wrafter offers up his own high-quality, one-of-a-kind, custom-built furniture, as well as a small range of national brands of the same caliber, at surprisingly affordable prices. The Wrafterbuilt aesthetic is simple and elegant, inspired by but not enslaved to Midcentury Modernism and all pieces are upcycled from locally-sourced wood and other materials and the better to preserve the old-school workmanship while helping out the environment. The shop's interior balances art-gallery minimalism with rustic hominess, punctuated by some whimsical decorative elements — check out Wrafterbuilt's line of custom-refurbished axes and hatchets!

Miscellaneous

• Rick Cycle Shop - 55 Allen St. 42.899535, -78.872019 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 852-6838 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Saturday 10AM Monday - 5PM Founded in 1898 by brothers Frederick, Otto and Thomas Rick, thit is the second-oldest continually-operating bicycle shop in the US — in fact, Buffalo native Albert Krushel, who helped the American time trial team to a bronze medal in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, rode a bike from Rick. Today they stock new and used bicycles from all the top brands, as well as helmets, bicycle shorts, patches, pumps and tool kits, lights and reflectors, water bottles and other accessories. Professional staff are always on hand to recommend the right product for your individual needs.

Delaware District

Art

• Art Dialogue Gallery | 5 Linwood Ave. 42.902492, -78.870668 Metro Bus 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Summer-Best ☎ +1 716 885-2251 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 11AM Monday - 5PM, Saturday 11AM Monday - 3PM Curated by Donald J. Siuta, a noted artist, educator and consultant who also serves on the Board of Directors of the Buffalo Arts Commission and as head of the Western New York Artists Group and the Art Dialogue Gallery exhibits a small but magnificent collection of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and works in other media by local artists. In addition and there are antique prints for sale and Siuta puts his nearly forty years of experience to good use in offering the most comprehensive selection of custom framing in Western New York, with hundreds of mouldings to choose from.

Miscellaneous

• Chatham Pottery - 190 Bryant St. 42.908726, -78.874065 Metro Bus 11, 20 or 25 ☎ +1 716 881-2199 Opening Hours: Open by appointment or chance Catherine Gillespie has always been big on art that is beautiful as well as functional — things that serve a purpose more useful than to be idly hung on a wall and then barely noticed — and functional art is the name of the game at Chatham Pottery. Choose from a selection of unique, handmade stoneware pottery and dinnerware — plates and bowls, tea sets, Coffee mugs and urns, vessel basins (custom-designed to mount in your kitchen or bathroom!) — designed by Gillespie herself, or commission your own if you prefer. And if you're looking for a less expensive but no less unique gift, Chatham has you covered with decorative kitchen tiles that run from $10 to $20.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District

Under $20|$20-40|Over $40

Allentown

{{anchor|Poutine

• Allen St. Poutine Company 242 Allen St. 42.899385, -78.878992 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-7437 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11:30AM Monday - 1AM, F-Sa 11:30AM Monday - 4AM, Sunday 11:30AM Monday - 11PM $10-20 Allen Street Poutine Co. is Buffalo's first poutinerie and like any good one, it offers not only the basic fries/gravy/cheese curd setup but also a host of different specialty toppings including General Tso's (with hot peppers and the namesake chicken), Montreal Smoked Meat (another classic Canadian specialty making its Buffalo debut here) and the huge Boss Poutine with five kinds of Meat. The vibe is spot-on — a trendy, foodie-friendly take on the familiar greasy-spoon Snacks bar template — and so is the service, which really lives up to the stereotype of Canadians as unfailingly friendly, polite and self-effacing.

• Cantina Loco 191 Allen St. 42.899596, -78.876985 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 551-0160 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 4PM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 4PM Monday - 11PM, Sunday 4PM Monday - 8PM $15-25 Cantina Loco offers an upscale and eclectic take on Mexican cuisine that's among the most interesting and best-loved in the city. Tacos, burritos and carnitas are prepared with aplomb using high-quality ingredients; one of the more interesting choices on the menu is the fusion-style Koreatown Taco, with barbecue short ribs and kimchee served in a flour tortilla.

GabrielsGate-TifftsRow - Gabriel's Gate, a popular Allentown restaurant, is part of the Tiffts Row, a group of seven nearly-identical two-story brick Italianate residences built in 1870 by real estate speculator W. Tiffts. The buildings on the left, in particular, are a good representation of what Allen Street looked like in the late 19th Century. {{anchor|GabrielsGate

• Gabriel's Gate 145 Allen St. 42.899595, -78.875347 Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25 ☎ +1 716 886-0602 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11:30AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 11:30AM Monday - 2AM $10-30 Located in a two-story brick house on the historic mid-19th-century Tiffts Row, Gabriel's Gate has been a popular restaurant in the heart of Allentown practically forever. Ask a Buffalonian the best place to go for Chicken wings that's off the beaten tourist path and they're likely to direct you here. Apart from that, menu favorites such as ribs, sandwiches and souvlaki are tasty and a bit more elaborate and upscale than your usual pub grub and the back patio is undeniably a pleasant place to enjoy food on a summer evening.

• Melting Point - 244 Allen St. 42.899385, -78.879175 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 768-0426 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 8PM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 2AM $10-15 The specialty at Melting Point is a series of creative, upscale takes on everyone's favorite grade-school lunchbox treat and the grilled Cheese sandwiches, made with high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and ordered by number rather than name. Highlights include No. 17 (Swiss Cheese on pumpernickel bread with hand-carved Virginia ham, mustard and a pickle), No. 25 (chèvre with arugula and house-pickled beets) and the ineffable No. 50 (ricotta on cinnamon swirl bread with banana coins, Nutella and — get this — candied bacon). Add a side order of tomato basil soup (available in cup, bowl, or quart sizes) and you've got the kind of meal that can really warm you up on a dreary winter day in Buffalo.

• Panaro's 571 Delaware Ave. 42.899756, -78.873595 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 884-1033 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11AM Monday - 6:30PM (take-out only after 3PM) $10-20 Panaro's is a small, family-owned and operated Italian restaurant open weekdays for lunch, with a take-out window available through dinnertime. The menu is surprisingly diverse, with a dizzying range of sandwiches, focaccias, entree salads, Pastas dishes and homemade specialty Pizzas offered. Panaro's slate of appetizers includes a Pastas fagioli soup that is beloved by many local residents, as well as one of Buffalo's best Caprese salads. The dessert selection includes Italian specialties such as cannoli, pasticotti and cassata cake prepared in-house.

• Roly Poly Sandwich Shop - 846 Main St. 42.897218, -78.870831 Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 885-7659 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10AM Monday - 6PM $10-15 The only Western New York location of this little-known but delightful national chain serves a delicious assortment of hot and cold wrap sandwiches, salads and other light fare in the historic Granite Works buildings on Main Street at the east edge of Allentown. Though the food here gets decidedly mixed reviews (some have complained of unpleasant temperature contrasts in the filling of the hot sandwiches, which are stored chilled and heated after assembly and many find the Chicken to be bland and flavorless) and the options are creative and gluten-free versions of everything are available on request (for no upcharge!), prices are nice and the friendly, attentive and knowledgeable service is a point in their favor.

• Savoy - 149 Elmwood Ave. Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 768-3100 Opening Hours: W-Thursday5PM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 5PM Monday - 2AM $10-20 First of all, don't be fooled by the fact that this place is in the "Budget" section — though the fair prices reflect the light fare on offer and the Savoy experience is a decidedly upscale one. The small menu is divided about equally into appetizers (from classy takes on Buffalo standbys like Chicken wings, stuffed banana peppers and "loaded potato bites" to exquisitely executed truffle frites and a luxurious Cheese plate) and delightful sandwiches, flatbreads and main-course salads. "Free Chicken Wing Fridays" pack the house (not a difficult thing to do at a place as small as this) until 8PM. But the real attraction here is the bar — #Savoy|see below.

• Towne Restaurant 186 Allen St. 42.899360, -78.876818 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 884-5128 Opening Hours: Sunday - Monday 7AM Monday - 10PM, Tuesday - Thursday 7AM Monday - 2AM, F-Sa 7AM Monday - 3AM $10-25 Back in the '70s and '80s and the Towne was the place to wind down after a night of Allen Street bar-hopping, with a motley crowd of neighborhood bohos, drag queens and starving artists congregating over a cup of Coffee or bowl of hot soup until well past daybreak. Those days are long gone and the Towne of nowadays is a shadow of its former self (it doesn't even stay open 24 hours anymore!), but if you want an authentic old-school Buffalo#Greek|Greek diner experience without crossing the city line, it's pretty much your only option. Souvlaki Meat is dry and bland, miles away from the delectable flavor of what you'll find at Buffalo/Elmwood Village#Panos|Pano's the Buffalo/Elmwood Village#OPA!|Acropolis, but the avgolemono soup and Greek salad are still impressive.

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• Mother's 33 Virginia Pl. 42.897724, -78.873486 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 882-2989 Opening from Monday to Saturday 5PM Monday - 3AM, Sunday 5PM Monday - midnight $25-40 Virginia Place is a narrow, one-way side street off Allen where some of Allentown's best off-the-beaten-path restaurants can be found and Mother's is number one with a bullet on that list. Mother's boasts a menu that makes up for in quality and creativity what it lacks in length (it is one page long), featuring exciting takes on Chicken and Steaks, as well as a host of seafood options. Look for the image of the classic "Mother" tattoo that serves as the restaurant's sign.

• Rowhouse Bakery & Restaurant - 483 Delaware Ave. 42.897413, -78.874368 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 500-2253 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 7AM Monday - 9PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 11PM, Sunday 8AM Monday - 3PM $20-55 Taking its name from its elegant location in a pair of adjacent mansions on the Delaware Avenue Midway, Rowhouse offers several different experiences. If you want a light brunch featuring some of Buffalo's best croissants, scones and other baked goods — or if it's lunchtime and you have a taste for artisanal wood-fired Pizzas — head to the more casual café downstairs, where you can grab-and-go or linger for awhile at the counter seating area. If something more formal is what you're after and the upper floors are a full-service restaurant with a menu of upscale New American cuisine. Also, feel free to ignore the negative reviews on Yelp and elsewhere: it took awhile, but they've gotten their act together since opening.

• Tempo - 581 Delaware Ave. 42.899969, -78.873546 Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 885-1594 Opening from Monday to Saturday 5PM Monday - 11PM $30-65 The brainchild of locally famous chef Paul Jenkins, Tempo serves innovative Italian-inspired cuisine in an upscale environment, with an extensive and high-quality soft drinks list. Dinner is served nightly at 5PM; reservations are recommended.

Local chains

The following local chains have locations in Allentown. Buffalo#Local chains|Descriptions of these restaurants can be found on the main Buffalo page.

• Jim's Steakout - 194 Allen St. 42.899360, -78.877199 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 886-2222 Opening Hours: Daily 10:30AM Monday - 5AM

Pizza

The following pizzerias are located in Allentown. Those who are interested in Pizzas delivery (as opposed to pickup) might want to also check listings in adjacent neighborhoods; local pizzerias will often deliver to several different neighborhoods of the city.

• Allentown Pizzas 94 Elmwood Ave. 42.899596, -78.877273 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 885-0529 Opening Hours: Sunday - West 11AM Monday - midnight, Thursday - Saturday 11AM Monday - 4PM
• Lovenjoy Pizzas - 900 Main St. 42.89836, -78.870459 Metro Bus 7 or 8; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus - Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 10:30PM, Sunday noon-9:30PM
• North Street Sub-Way - 35 North St. 42.902353, -78.870426 Metro Bus 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Summer-Best ☎ +1 716 881-2454 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10AM Monday - 9PM, Saturday 11AM Monday - 9PM

Groceries

• Family Dollar - 400 Virginia St. 42.897550, -78.876767 Metro Bus 20 or 29 ☎ +1 716 885-1104 Opening Hours: Daily 8AM Monday - 10PM

Delaware District

{{anchor|EggVasilis

• Eggsperience Vasilis 1526 Main St. 42.915226, -78.864788 Metro Bus 8, 12 or 13; Metro Rail: Utica ☎ +1 716 436-3533 Opening Hours: Saturday - Thursday 8AM Monday - 3PM, Friday 8AM Monday - 9PM $15-30 Described succinctly in the Buffalo News as a "Buffalo#Greek|Greek family restaurant posing as a friendly neighborhood bistro" and the second location of Eggsperience Vasilis serves up an extensive menu of food in a spacious dining room imbued with character by exposed brick walls and abundant natural lighting. Offerings begin with, but go far beyond and the classic Greek diner staples: the Buffalo Chicken finger pita is a Hellenified nod to local cuisine and they get in on the poutine craze with a version topped with Chicken souvlaki and seafood takes center stage among the full-size mains. But breakfast (not surprisingly given the name) is where Eggsperience really shines, with a similarly encyclopedic selection of omelettes, specialty pancakes and crêpes and other goodies.

• Hutch's - 1375 Delaware Ave. 42.921530, -78.867234 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 26 ☎ +1 716 885-0074 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 5PM Monday - 10PM, F-Sa 5PM Monday - midnight, Sunday 4PM Monday - 9PM $30-120 In the shadow of Olmsted's magnificent Gates Circle and the cuisine served at Hutch's is wide-ranging and of unrelentingly high quality. Appetizers are dominated by seafood selections as diverse as "Thai-high" calamari, Moroccan spiced shrimp salad and mussels Scampi; these are accompanied by more typically Buffalo fare such as the stuffed poblano pepper that is a beloved regular on the specials list. Mains include a respectable stable of Steak and chops, Chicken dishes and seafood entrees, as well as the jambalaya Pastas that is another favorite. Sandwiches and salads are also featured and don't forget to save room for the delectable desserts including Hutch's homemade gelato and sorbet.

• The Terrace at Delaware Park - 199 Lincoln Pkwy. 42.932139, -78.873146 At Marcy Casino; Metro Bus 20 or 32 ☎ +1 716 886-0089 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 4PM Monday - 10PM, Saturday - Sunday 11AM Monday - 10PM $35-60 Delaware Park'sMarcy Casino has played host to a restaurant throughout most of its history — records date all the way back to 1875 — and nowadays it serves an upscale menu described as "contemporary global cuisine", an understatement if there ever was one. Aficionados of cuisines the world over will probably find something to their liking, whether it be the Cantonese baozi on the small-plate menu, Argentinian skirt Steaks with chimichurri Sauce and fried patatas bravas on the side, or Belgian-style duck frites. All thit is served in a swanky supper-club ambience that really brings the rich history of the building into focus, but on summer days you can also enjoy one of the loveliest settings in the city on the namesake terrace overlooking Hoyt Lake.

Groceries

• Family Dollar - 1384 Main St. 42.91157, -78.866137 Metro Bus 8, 12 or 13; Metro Rail: Utica ☎ +1 716 881-2045 Opening from Monday to Saturday 8AM Monday - 9PM, Sunday 9AM Monday - 9PM

Allentown

AllenStreetNightlife2 - Allen Street boasts one of the densest and liveliest concentrations of cafes in Buffalo.

Allentown's bar scene has two faces. Show up on Allen Street on a Friday or Saturday night, when the obnoxious party crowd descends on the strip in droves from their homes in the 'burbs and it quickly becomes clear what local residents are talking about when they say enough is enough and it's time to put the brakes on the increasingly out-of-control hijinks. Typically, midnight is when "lively" tips over into "rowdy" and by 2AM vomiting in the streets and the occasional drunken brawl and a general anarchic hedonism characterize the scene. But on weeknights things are completely different and you'll actually experience a serviceable approximation of what it was like in the good old days — the strip is quiet and uncrowded and the ambience in the restaurants is decidedly more chilled out and the clientele is mostly people from the surrounding neighborhood (or rather and the specific type of colorful neighborhood characters who tend to go out drinking in the middle of the week). {{anchor|ABV2

• ABV 175 Allen St. Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 768-0386 [[#ABV1|Come for the burgers, stay for the Cola: while ABV's selection is expansive or eclectic as the one at Blue Monk — the storied, sadly short-lived Elmwood Village spot that had the same owner — it's nonetheless impressive, emphasizing craft soft drinks from the local area and elsewhere around the Northeast plus a few West Coast microbrews and imports thrown in for good measure.

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Churchofthe Annunciation - The Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, at the junction of Delaware Avenue and West Utica Street, took ownership of the former North Presbyterian Church very quickly after that congregation's move to the suburb of Williamsville — in fact and the first Greek Orthodox Mass in the building took place on Sunday, December 28th, 1952, just after the conclusion of the final Presbyterian service there!

• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church | 1080 Main St. 42.903195, -78.869184 Metro Bus 8 or 22; Metro Rail: Summer-Best ☎ +1 716 886-2400 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 8:30AM & 10:30AM A fixture on Main Street in Midtown since 1899, this was the first church in Buffalo of its denomination to conduct services in English rather than (German), borne of a language-based schism in the no-longer-extant St. John's Lutheran Church led by the prominent Buffalo merchant, William Hengerer.

• Religious Society of Friends Buffalo Meeting | 1272 Delaware Ave. 42.918704, -78.868744 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 26 ☎ +1 716 892-8645 Opening Hours: Meetings Sunday 10:30AM Established in 1939, Buffalo's Quaker congregation meets at the Network of Religious Communities building on Delaware Avenue for about an hour every Sunday morning "to seek an inner light and peace". There's no pastor or pulpit — just silent prayer and meditation, interrupted every once in a while by testimonies and other impromptu messages spoken out by congregants whenever the inspiration catches them. Meetings end with a potluck lunch at noon. The Society of Friends is also active in community programs, especially those that foster nonviolence.

• Westminster Presbyterian Church | 724 Delaware Ave. 42.903858, -78.873116 Metro Bus 11, 22 or 25; Metro Rail: Summer-Best ☎ +1 716 884-9437 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 8:45AM & 11AM Westminster Presbyterian Church was founded in 1854; many members of Buffalo's élite aristocracy of the 19th and early 20th Centuries, including Jewett Richmond and Jesse Ketchum, have worshiped in this massive Gothic edifice that still boasts a number of Tiffany stained-glass windows. Today, Westminster Presbyterian's commitment to inclusion has led it to affiliation with the "More Light" movement, as well as to interfaith collaborations with Temple Beth Zion and the Muslim Public Affairs Council and other congregations and groups.

Nondenominational

• Unity Church of Practical Christianity 1243 Delaware Ave. 42.917818, -78.868131 Metro Bus 11, 25 or 26 ☎ +1 716 882-0391 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 10AM One of the most open-minded and welcoming spiritual communities in Buffalo, at Unity the artificial boundaries between faiths and denominations are rejected in favor of what its website describes as "a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Isa ibn Maryam" that "honors the universal truths in all religions and respects each individual's right to choose their own spiritual path". Services are held in an unassuming midcentury building on Delaware Avenue just south of Gates Circle and Unity also hosts a wide variety of study groups, courses and even an #UnityGallery|art gallery.

• Word of Life Church 181 W. Utica St. 42.911464, -78.873022 Metro Bus 11, 12, 20 or 25 ☎ +1 716 868-7997 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 11AM At this friendly non-denominational evangelical church, pastor William Tobin preaches the gospel to a diverse congregation in services that respond to the spiritual needs of all types of people in today's world. Since 1968, Word of Life Church has occupied the wood-frame building on West Utica Street that was formerly home to the Church of the Divine Humanity, Buffalo's first and only Swedenborgian congregation built in 1900 to a design by architect Sidney Woodruff.

Black churches

• Midtown Bible Church | 1722 Main St. 42.919652, -78.860341 Metro Bus 8; Metro Rail: Delavan-Canisius College ☎ +1 716 884-5203 A nondenominational Christian church founded in 1994 and located on Main Street in Oxford, near Canisius College.

Eastern Orthodox

• Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation | 146 W. Utica St. 42.911040, -78.871097 Metro Bus 11, 12 or 25; Metro Rail: Utica ☎ +1 716 882-9485 Opening Hours: Sunday - Friday Orthros 9AM, Divine Liturgy 10AM Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation Located since 1952 in a beautiful English Gothic edifice listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is not only the place of worship for the Buffalo metro area's Greek Orthodox population, but is also well-known as the site of the Buffalo Greek Fest, where Buffalonians kick off the summer festival season each June.

Jewish

• Temple Beth Zion | 805 Delaware Ave. 42.906307, -78.871403 Metro Bus 11, 22 or 25; Metro Rail: Summer-Best ☎ +1 716 836-6565 Opening Hours: Services Friday 6PM & Saturday 10:30AM, check website for additional Temple Beth Zion (Buffalo, New York) Soon after its foundation in 1850, Temple Beth Zion became one of the first shuls in America to embrace the new movement of Reform Judaism and it is still one of the largest Reform synagogues in the nation. The current Temple Beth Zion, built in 1961 after a fire claimed its old building, is a breathtaking work of modern architecture that stands out among its neighbors on Delaware Avenue. A truly magnificent place to worship, Temple Beth Zion's interior is lit naturally with skylights as well as magnificent stained-glass windows by noted artist Ben Shahn.

Other

• Church of Scientology | 836 Main St. 42.896596, -78.871097 Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus ☎ +1 716 856-3910 - The Buffalo chapter of Scientology has occupied the wonderfully restored former Buffalo Catholic Institute Building since 2003.

More Muslim friendly Destinations from Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District

If you like the nightlife in Allentown, you'll want to make the Buffalo/Elmwood Village|Elmwood Village your next stop. The range of Halal restaurants and retail outlets that line Elmwood Avenue is even greater than Allen Street and their vibe is influenced by the student life at nearby Buffalo State College in much the same way that Allentown is flavored by its artists and bohemians. Aficionados of art and history are in luck, too, with a vibrant Museum District at the north end of the strip.

Check out the Buffalo/West Side|West Side to see Buffalo's next Allentown in the earliest stages of its revival. Instead of hipsters and well-heeled young urbanites congregating in a relatively "safe" gentrified area and the West Side has a creative community that is far closer to "starving artists" than anything in Allentown, urban pioneers snapping up beautiful but dilapidated Victorian houses and restoring them to their former glory, a vibrant Latino community centered on Niagara Street and a veritable United Nations of immigrants in Grant-Ferry that each add their bit to an ambience that is wonderfully gritty and chaotically fascinating.

On the far side of Delaware Park, Buffalo/North Buffalo|North Buffalo is a part of the city where the pleasures are subtler. The shops and restaurants on Hertel Avenue are pleasant without the pretension of the hipster hangouts on Allen Street and the mansions of Park Meadow and Central Park are elegant without the in-your-face ostentation of Millionaire's Row and the college dives in University Heights are lively without the crowds and chaos of the ones on the Elmwood Strip.

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