Buffalo/Elmwood Village

[[file:ElmwoodVillagePagebanner-New.jpg|1280px|Halal Explorer to Elmwood Village}}

Do you remember when Madonna's album Ray of Light came out? It was a touchstone moment in late-'90s pop culture, yet another megahit for the Material Girl that begat a raft of monster hit songs and enjoyed a long reign on the upper reaches of the charts. But around that time, those who were paying close attention were beginning to come to certain realizations. While Madonna was a true groundbreaker in her prime, by 1998 she'd been a superstar for an eternity in pop-music terms. What's more and the world had meanwhile been introduced to a whole new crop of pop stars who were barely out of diapers when "Burnin' Up" and "Lucky Star" were all over MTV and who were now pushing the formula she'd pioneered in a thousand different directions. On one level it was a vindication, but on another, it begged the questions: where does Madonna go from here? How does she stay fresh and relevant among the competition? Surely it's not just diminishing returns from here on?

That, in essence, is the story of the Elmwood Village: currently living out the Ray of Light phase of its history. Perpetually invigorated by the youthful presence of the students from Buffalo State College at its north end and with a touch of upscale elegance furnished by the beautiful parks and parkways designed in its environs by the famous Frederick Law Olmsted and the Elmwood Village has been Buffalo's "cool" neighborhood since before it had any real competition for that title. And make no mistake: the roster of restaurants and funky boutiques along its main drag of Elmwood Avenue remains a force to be reckoned with. But it's also a neighborhood in the throes of change. Not only is it now forced to share the spotlight with up-and-coming neighborhoods like the upscale Buffalo/North Buffalo|Hertel Avenue and the lively Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District|Allentown and a resurgent Buffalo/Downtown|downtown, but the Elmwood Village has become something of a victim of its own success: a wave (some dare call it a bubble) of speculation among developers and other real-estate types has coincided with the so-called "retail apocalypse" and led to Buffalo's first high-end blight, a phenomenon whereby vacant storefronts crop up in supposedly tony areas for lack of any small business owners who can afford the stratospheric rents. These are problems that are going to need answers in the coming years, but don't count the Elmwood Village out just yet: much like Madonna, this longstanding superstar among Buffalo neighborhoods has a large and loyal fan base ever keen to see it through to the next phase of its existence. Even if it has to reinvent itself along the way, Elmwood is not going anywhere.

Buffalo/Elmwood Village Halal Travel Guide

ElmwoodAve - Elmwood Avenue the backbone of the Elmwood Village, is a crowded thoroughfare of lovely boutiques, art galleries, sidewalk cafés and fine restaurants.

Buffalonians often mention the Elmwood Village and Allentown in the same breath and while there are indeed a lot of similarities between the two and the astute visitor to Buffalo who experiences both neighborhoods will notice some differences. In the Elmwood Village and the ambience is decidedly upscale: by and large, its shops cater not to hipsters but to well-heeled urban bourgies and the restaurants on Elmwood Avenue invite a more refined clientele than the frat-boy meatheads who descend on Allen Street every weekend. As a contrast, at the north end of the strip you'll find a small, stalwart cluster of low-key college dives catering to Buffalo State students. In short, Allentown is the place to party down with youthful abandon, while Elmwood is where you go when you get too old for that scene.

History

Until 1868, Buffalo's northern boundary was located at North Street and what is now the Elmwood Village was a rural area known as "Shingletown", traversed by a quiet country lane called Rogers Street. A tavern stood at the junction of Rogers and Utica Streets, serving as a way station for travelers between Buffalo and Buffalo/West Side|Black Rock; across the way stood a tiny chapel staffed by a preacher who traveled each Sunday from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Allentown. Other than that, however, Shingletown was little more than an expanse of apple orchards, pastureland and forest. Elmwood Avenue itself existed only between Butler Street (now Lexington Avenue) and West Delavan Avenue.

Like the Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District|Delaware District instantly to its east, what is today the Elmwood Village sprang to life largely thanks to the extensive system of parks and parkways that Frederick Law Olmsted developed beginning in the 1870s in what was then the outskirts of Buffalo. The large Delaware Park the centerpiece of that system, was placed there; to serve as grand entrances to the park, Olmsted designed a series of parkways: wide avenues that extended between the park and the city, lined on each side with great rows of shade trees to give visitors a prelude to the tranquil green oasis that awaited them (he also redesigned Rogers Street in the same manner, which would come to be renamed Richmond Avenue). Though these parkways ran through empty land at the time, Olmsted correctly assumed that as the city grew and they would attract the attention of the growing aristocratic class, who were already beginning to build ample estates on Delaware Avenue in order to escape the crowds and congestion of downtown. By 1890, Elmwood Avenue had been extended southward, a streetcar line had been established, side streets had been laid out with still more homes and the neighborhood as it is today had begun to take shape.

Buffalo's shining hour came in 1901, when the Pan-American Exposition took place in and around Delaware Park. An estimated eight million people visited the Exposition between May and November of that year, in order to enjoy the pleasures of the midway, thrilling attractions such as "A Trip to the Moon" and the new phenomenon of electric light. The Exposition also served to attract development to the north end of the Elmwood Village, which was still somewhat isolated from the center of town. Immediately afterward and the Buffalo Historical Society set up its museum on the Exposition grounds, in the former New York State Building next to Hoyt Lake and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, which was intended to be open in time for the Exposition but was not completed until 1905, was nearby. For obvious reasons, this area is now known as the Museum District. Moreover and the more far-flung Olmsted parkways, such as Lincoln Parkway, began to see the same sort of ostentatious mansions as Delaware Avenue.

In 1931 and the north end of the Elmwood Village became home to the new campus of the New York State Teachers' College, moved from its cramped digs on the Buffalo/West Side|West Side to what was once the farm tended to by patients of the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane whose main campus was just south of here in a series of magnificent Gothic towers designed by H. H. Richardson. Together with the museums and the Olmsted parkways and the college was integral in the fact that the Elmwood Village not only held its own in the face of the decline of Buffalo after World War II, but actually thrived; as the school grew and expanded its scope, taking on the name Buffalo State College the "Elmwood Strip" became a lively row of restaurants and retail outlets serving the students, earning itself a youthful, "cool" cachet even as the rest of the city was going to pot.

As the 20th Century wore on into the 21st and Buffalo began to shake off its half-century of miasma, further changes came to the Elmwood Village. The founding of the not-for-profit Elmwood Village Association in 1994 spearheaded its transition into a multifaceted community that came to be more and more dominated by well-heeled, upwardly-mobile young urbanites rather than students — the prototypical Elmwooder nowadays is someone who spent their college days in the '80s and '90s drinking the night away at the old dive bars only to fall in love with the neighborhood and plant roots there permanently; who bought an old house on one of the side streets back when they were relatively affordable and went on to raise their family there. The efforts of this new crop of civic-minded residents bore fruit in 2007, when the American Planning Association named the Elmwood Village one of "America's 10 Great Neighborhoods" for that year and again in December 2012, with the inclusion of the neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places as a typical and relatively intact example of a late-19th Century streetcar suburb.

Ironically, though, lately the continued revival of Buffalo as a whole has led to a downturn for the Elmwood Village. The 2010s witnessed the expansion of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus just north of downtown as well as the groundbreaking for Tesla'sGigafactory 2 in Buffalo/South Buffalo|South Buffalo — two megaprojects that, between them, promised to bring 20,000 jobs to Buffalo; a true game-changer for the economy. This sent the local real-estate market, already on an upswing, into high gear: the ensuing years saw thousands of new luxury apartments, hundreds of new hotel rooms and dozens of new upscale restaurants sprout all over the city, with rampant speculation driving property values to unheard-of levels. Sadly, this all coincided with the onset of America'sretail apocalypse — a nationwide trend that saw brick-and-mortar stores close their doors, unable to compete with the savings and convenience of online retailers like Amazon and Etsy — and Elmwood's neighborhood shops and restaurants, which never operated on thick profit margins to begin with, soon found themselves struggling to pay the highest rents in the city. The fact that the Medical Corridor and Tesla only created a fraction of the new jobs they initially promised was the final nail in the coffin and by 2016 or so and the undeniable trend was one of Elmwood businesses either closing outright or moving to newer, more affordable hotspots like Buffalo/West Side|Grant Street or Hertel Avenue — areas that have largely stolen the spotlight as the place to be for trendy urban dwellers — leaving Elmwood with a plague of vacant storefronts and a growing reputation as passé. But paradoxically and the side streets are still easily the most in-demand residential neighborhood in the city, populated by denizens bitterly divided over what to do about this new problem of high-end blight: some have come out in vociferous support of the new high-rise buildings that have been sprouting lately, which they hope will drive down rents by increasing the supply of space; others advocate doggedly for preserving what remains of the small-scale, "village"-y character that attracted them to the neighborhood in the first place.

Visitor information

The Elmwood Village Association GPS 42.920994,-78.876629 's office is located in the Lafayette Lofts at 875 Elmwood Ave. It contains a selection of visitor information about the neighborhood and Buffalo in general.

Get in and around

42.9189|-78.8773|height=600|width=350

How to travel to Buffalo/Elmwood Village by car

The Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) is a short highway that parallels Scajaquada Creek at the northern border of the Elmwood Village, through Delaware Park and the Buffalo State College campus. The Scajaquada connects the Kensington Expressway on the Buffalo/East Side|East Side with Interstate 190 in Black Rock. Elmwood Avenue is the site of one of the Scajaquada's busiest interchanges; those headed for the Elmwood Village via the Scajaquada should exit via the southbound ramp (follow the signs for the Art Gallery and Buffalo State College). Also and there is an onramp to the eastbound lanes of the Scajaquada via Lincoln Parkway, just to the rear of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery; however and the westbound lanes are not accessible in this way and there is no offramp from the expressway to Lincoln Parkway on either side.

The backbone of the Elmwood Village is Elmwood Avenue, which runs north-to-south through the entire length of the neighborhood. Understandably given its density of shops, restaurants, traffic on Elmwood is often heavy. Those who want a quicker route will likely prefer Richmond Avenue, which runs west of and parallel to Elmwood Avenue from Forest Avenue southward. Though the two roads are of about equal width, Richmond runs through a comparatively quiet residential area and has only a few stop signs and lights, as opposed to Elmwood where the red lights are frequent and lengthy.

The parkways that make up such an integral part of Buffalo's Olmsted park system crisscross the Elmwood Village in the shape of an upside-down Y. Running south from Delaware Park is Lincoln Parkway; at its south end it splits into Bidwell Parkway and Chapin Parkway. Bidwell and Chapin Parkways end at, respectively, Colonial Circle and Gates Circle. In the center of the Y, where all three parkways and Bird Avenue converge, is Soldiers' Place the largest of all the Olmsted circles in Buffalo.

Major east-west streets in the Elmwood Village include, from north to south: Forest Avenue, West Delavan Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, West Ferry Street, Lexington Avenue, West Utica Street, Bryant Street, Summer Street and (at its southern edge, ironically) North Street.

It is perhaps harder to find parking in the Elmwood Village than any other neighborhood in Buffalo besides downtown. Visitors to the Elmwood Village should count on not being able to find an open parking spot anywhere within a block of Elmwood Avenue, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Parking meters line Elmwood Avenue, as well as many of the busier side streets. On the off chance that there are any open spaces and the rate is 50¢ per hour until 5PM, Monday through Saturday.

There are public parking lots on Forest Avenue, West Utica Street and Bryant Street, each a short distance west of Elmwood; they charge the same rate as the parking meters. Parking is somewhat (but not much) easier to come by in these lots than on-street. The parking ramp of the former Women & Children's Hospital can be visited from Elmwood Avenue as well as Hodge Avenue; the rate is $1.75 for the first hour or less and $1.00 for each additional hour, up to a daily maximum of $3.75.

Visitors to Buffalo State College should take great care not to park in any lot signed "Student Parking" or "Staff Parking", or anywhere along Rockwell Road, unless they have a valid Buffalo State parking tag. Campus police are extremely vigilant about ticketing cars that are parked illegally. Metered parking for visitors ($1.00 per hour, 2 hours maximum) is available in Lot C, off Cleveland Circle next to Moot Hall and also in Lot B-1, behind the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

A few businesses on Elmwood Avenue have parking lots of their own; however and these places will not hesitate to tow any cars parked there that do not belong to their clients. Pano's has gone so far as to post security guards at the entrance to their lot at peak hours. Less well-monitored private lots can be found next to Elmwood Taco & Subs and Starbucks (Please do not support Starbucks as Starbucks supports Israel. Shun this Coffee and go for alternative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned brand.) at the junction of West Delavan Avenue, next to Panera Bread between Auburn and Cleveland Avenues and at Stuyvesant Plaza at the southern end of the neighborhood. Regardless, park in private lots at your own risk!

Car sharing

Zipcar has two locations in the Elmwood Village where members can pick up and drop off cars:

• Stationed in the parking lot of the Brent Manor Apartments GPS 42.906870,-78.877310 at 366 Elmwood Ave. is a Honda Civic that can be rented for $9/hour or $74/day Monday - Thursday and $10/hour or $80/day F-Su.
• In Buffalo State College's Parking Lot R-4, just off Cleveland Circle, you'll find a Ford Focus sedan that can be rented for $7.50/hour or $69/day Monday - Thursday and $8.50/hour or $77/day F-Su.

All quoted prices include fuel, insurance and 180 free miles (about 290 free kilometers) per day.

By public transportation

Public transit in Buffalo and the surrounding area is provided by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). The NFTA Metro system encompasses a single-line light-rail rapid transit (LRRT) system and an extensive network of buses. The fare for a single trip on a bus or train is $2.00 regardless of length. No transfers are provided between buses or trains; travelers who will need to make multiple trips per day on public transit should consider purchasing an all-day pass for $5.00.

Travel on a Bus in Buffalo/Elmwood Village

The Elmwood Village is traversed by a number of NFTA Metro bus routes:

To and from downtown

NFTA Metro Bus #7 — Baynes-Richmond. Beginning at the Richardson-Olmsted Complex on Forest Avenue, Bus #7 proceeds southward on Baynes Street and then turning on West Ferry Street and continuing southward down Richmond Avenue to Symphony Circle, ending downtown. Bus #7 does not run Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.

NFTA Metro Bus #20 — Elmwood. Beginning in Tonawanda, Bus #20 proceeds down Elmwood Avenue through the Elmwood Village and ends downtown.

Crosstown routes

NFTA Metro Bus #12 — Utica. Beginning on the West Side, Bus #12 enters the Elmwood Village at Ferry Circle, proceeding south along Richmond Avenue before turning eastward onto West Utica Street. The route ends at the University Metro Rail Station.

NFTA Metro Bus #22 — Porter-Best. Beginning on the West Side, Bus #22 proceeds along Summer Street through the Elmwood Village, ending at the Thruway Mall Transit Center in Cheektowaga.

NFTA Metro Bus #26 — Delavan. Beginning on the West Side, Bus #26 proceeds along West Delavan Avenue through the Elmwood Village, ending at the Thruway Mall Transit Center in Cheektowaga.

NFTA Metro Bus #32 — Amherst. Bus #32 traverses Amherst Street through Black Rock and Buffalo/North Buffalo|North Buffalo, but dips into the Elmwood Village briefly, serving Buffalo State College the Museum District via Elmwood Avenue.

By Metro Rail

The Metro Rail runs along Main Street, far east of here. However and the Elmwood Village is easily accessible from the Amherst Street, Delavan-Canisius College, Utica and Summer-Best Metro Rail Stations by way of NFTA Metro Buses #32, #26, #12 and #22, respectively. Those traveling to the Elmwood Village by both bus and subway are strongly advised to purchase a day pass for $5.00.

Hoyt Lake bike trail - The 1.1-mile (1.8km) path that circumnavigates Hoyt Lake, in Delaware Park, is one of the Elmwood Village's two recreational bike trails. It's popular year-round with cyclists, walkers and joggers.

By bike

Buffalo has been making great strides in recent years in accommodating bicycling as a mode of transportation, with recognition from the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze-Level "Bicycle-Friendly Community" to show for its efforts — and there are few neighborhoods in Buffalo that are more bike-friendly than the Elmwood Village.

There are two recreational bike trails in the Elmwood Village. The 1.1-mile (1.8 km) multi-use trail that circumnavigates Delaware Park'sHoyt Lake is an especially popular one among cyclists, affording them spectacular views of the lake and the historic Bridge of the Three Americas that carries Lincoln Parkway over it, as well as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Also and the Jesse Kregal Pathway, begins near the junction of Lincoln Parkway and Nottingham Terrace (a pedestrian bridge over the Scajaquada Expressway provides access from the Hoyt Lake trail) and proceeds 2.4 miles (3.8 km) along the north bank of Scajaquada Creek, passing the Japanese Garden the Buffalo History Museum and Buffalo State College on its way into the West Side, where it ends at the Shoreline Trail in Black Rock.

Among the largest bicycle infrastructure projects in Buffalo in recent memory is located along Elmwood Avenue between the Scajaquada Creekside Trail and Forest Avenue then proceeding westward on Forest as far as Richmond Avenue. The sidewalks along this stretch of road were completely removed and replaced with a wide asphalt pathway for bicyclists and pedestrians, completely removed from the road, which provides access between the Scajaquada Creekside Trail and Richmond Avenue. In turn, Richmond Avenue has also been altered to accommodate bicyclists, with "sharrows" (pavement markings on roads too narrow to accommodate dedicated bike lanes, indicating that drivers should be aware of bicyclists on the road) in place between Forest Avenue and Colonial Circle and dedicated bike lanes from Colonial Circle south to Symphony Circle. Additionally, on Elmwood itself bike lanes have been put in place between Anderson Place and Bryant Street, with sharrows north to Forest Avenue and south past North Street into Allentown; sharrows also extend along all of North Street. Bidwell Parkway also has a bike lane on each side of the street for its entire length between Colonial and Soldiers' Circles.

Quite frankly, even on streets without dedicated bike lanes or sharrows and the whole of the Elmwood Village is quite amenable to bicyclists — and perhaps just as important, drivers there are much more accustomed to sharing the road than in other areas of the city.

Bike sharing

The Elmwood Village has five Buffalo#Bike sharing|Reddy Bikeshare racks:

• on the east side of Elmwood Avenue just south of Bryant Street, in front of Root + Bloom Café
• on the east side of Elmwood Avenue at the junction of West Ferry Street, in front of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo
• on both sides of Elmwood Avenue in the center of Bidwell Parkway
• on the west side of Elmwood Avenue between Bird and Forest Avenues, in front of India Gate restaurant
• on the campus of Buffalo State College, north side of Rockwell Road just west of Elmwood Avenue, next to the bus shelter at the side entrance to Rockwell Hall

Additionally and the stretch of Elmwood Avenue south of Rockwell Road is a free parking zone, where you can return your Reddy bike when you're done to any public bike rack without incurring the $2 fee for parking outside of a hub.

Walk in Buffalo/Elmwood Village

Elmwood Avenue is a street that is practically tailor-made for pedestrians. Travellers on foot can enjoy the pleasures of strolling alongside sidewalk cafés, detour into any number of charming shops and boutiques and fully enjoy the sights and sounds of this delightful neighborhood — while also taking pleasure in not having to deal with slow-going traffic and ubiquitous red lights!

The quieter side streets of the Elmwood Village are no less pleasant to explore on foot than Elmwood Avenue itself. In particular and the Olmsted parkways are delightful places to stroll, with an abundance of mature trees and greenery alongside the roads and within their wide, beautifully landscaped central medians and a bevy of elegant and historic mansions, each more palatial than the last.

What to see in Buffalo/Elmwood Village

Art

The impressive and growing Museum District, situated at the northern end of the Elmwood Village adjacent to Delaware Park and Buffalo State College, boasts a number of facilities of interest to art lovers. As well and there are a few smaller galleries peppered along Elmwood Avenue. xx DelawareParkRoseGarden - The Delaware Park Rose Garden in full bloom, June 2013.

• Delaware Park Rose Garden 42.931738, -78.873114 Metro Bus 20 or 32 Delaware Park's beautiful Rose Garden is located directly off Lincoln Parkway behind the Marcy Casino and blooms in season with thirty-three beds of beautiful red, purple, yellow and white roses, many varieties of which have been honored in the past as All-America Rose Selections. The rose garden was not part of Olmsted's original design for the park, but was instead added to the park in 1912. Although its formality contrasts incongruously with the quiet, curvilinear naturalism of the park's original features and the Rose Garden is nonetheless lovely and famous and was recently subjected to a thorough restoration at the hands of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. The impeccably manicured garden also includes a working fountain and pyramidal trellises and a grand pergola at its rear. The garden and Delaware Park in general, is immensely popular with bridal parties during rose season; don't be surprised if you have to dodge gaggles of bridesmaids posing for endless pictures!

• Japanese Garden 42.935522, -78.875294 Metro Bus 20 or 32 - Inaugurated in 1974 as a gesture of friendship between Buffalo and its sister city of Kanazawa, Japan, Delaware Park's Japanese Garden is located on six acres (2.4ha) on Hoyt Lake, behind the Buffalo History Museum. This beautifully manicured oasis of greenery slopes gently down from Nottingham Terrace to the shore of the lake, also encompassing three small islands in the lake connected to the mainland by a lovely ornamental footbridge. Over the past years the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy has been hard at work restoring and maintaining the more than 1,000 plantings of ornamental trees, shrubs and plants in the garden, including a large stand of Japanese cherry trees and also have added or will soon add a stone garden and an authentic karesansui waterfall. Amid it all there are many benches and other sitting areas perfect for serene contemplation of one's peaceful natural surroundings.

• Public art | There are a number of installations of public art peppered around the grounds of Delaware Park and in the adjacent parkways. These include:

}}x

• Birds Excited Into Flight | 42.925310, -78.874272 In the center median of Bidwell Parkway slightly southwest of Soldiers' Place; Metro Bus 20 - Cast in 1981, this was the second commission of public sculpture in Buffalo for locally famous artist Larry Griffis (his first, Spirit of Womanhood, is described below). Unlike the subsequent works listed here, it stands not in Delaware Park itself, but a short distance away. 20 feet (6 m) in height, Birds Excited Into Flight is sculpted in cold-rolled steel on a concrete pedestal and depicts seven human figures standing in a circle with upstretched arms and their hands metamorphosing into a pyramid of birds.

}}

• David | 42.933999, -78.873169 Adjacent to Scajaquada Expressway and Lincoln Parkway, accessible from Hoyt Lake bike trail; Metro Bus 20 or 32 - This bronze replica of Michaelangelo's iconic sculpture David is the work of the firm of Sabatino de Angelis and Sons, based in Naples, Italy. In 1903, three years after seeing it on display at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, Buffalo businessman Andrew Langdon purchased the statue from the firm, with the stipulation that no casts of the sculpture would be sold to any other American clients. Langdon donated the statue to the Buffalo Historical Society and it has been on display near Hoyt Lake ever since.

}}

• Spirit of Womanhood | 42.933873, -78.868469 Located along eastbound lane of Scajaquada Expressway near Delaware Avenue interchange, accessible from Hoyt Lake bike trail; Metro Bus 11 or 25 - Another Larry Griffis sculpture, this 15-foot-tall (4.5m tall) bronze statue is a modernist, stylized rendering of a nude woman holding over her head a metal hoop six feet (1.8m) in diameter. The vertical orientation of the sculpture and the upward gaze of the figure's head, are symbolic of optimism and hope and the hoop represents the world, eternity and the cycle of life. Griffis cast this sculpture in December 1962 in honor of Marian de Forest and the founder of Zonta International, a service organization dedicated to the advancement of women that traces its roots to Buffalo.

}}

• Young Lincoln | 42.931723, -78.873743 At the front of the Rose Garden, facing the Albright-Knox Art Gallery; Metro Bus 20 and 32 - Located (appropriately enough) adjacent to Lincoln Parkway, this bronze statue depicts Abraham Lincoln seated on an oak log with an axe at his feet and a book on his right knee, symbolizing his transition in life from humble farm labor to the highest achievement of American statesmanship. The work of sculptor Bryant Baker, Young Lincoln was cast in bronze in 1935; on its pink granite base is inscribed a quote from poet James Russell Lowell: "For him her old world moulds aside she threw and choosing sweet clay from the breast of the unexhausted west, with stuff untainted shaped a hero new."

• Delaware Park is far from the only Frederick Law Olmsted park in the city — on the contrary, all of Buffalo is crisscrossed by Olmsted'spark and parkway system, designed by him in stages beginning in 1868 and part of which is found in the Elmwood Village. Olmsted's parkways "parkways"] are wide, verdant avenues modeled after the grand boulevards of Paris and lined with multiple rows of large shade trees. They serve as approaches to the parks, or extend from one park to another and were intended to enable visitors to travel between parks without ever leaving a green and natural environment (for a long time, automobile traffic was prohibited on the parkways). Running south from the entrance to Delaware Park are three parkways, two of which, Lincoln Parkway and Bidwell Parkway, are located in the Elmwood Village. Also included in the Olmsted parkway system are Soldiers' Place GPS 42.925689,-78.873726 and the grand plaza where Lincoln, Bidwell and Chapin Parkways converge; Colonial Circle GPS 42.9203,-78.88173, where Bidwell Parkway meets Richmond Avenue and whose beautifully landscaped center island boasts a lovely equestrian statue of local Civil War hero Daniel Davidson Bidwell; and Symphony Circle GPS 42.902384,-78.881838, at the south end of the Olmsted-designed Richmond Avenue.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Buffalo/Elmwood Village

Festivals and events

Delaware Park serves as one of the busiest venues for Buffalo's huge and growing slate of annual festivals, with a wide range of activities taking place there year-round. Additionally and the Elmwood Village itself plays host to the upstart Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts each year at the end of August.

Spring

• Buffalo Porchfest - ☎ +1 716 881-0707 - Modeled after similar events in Ithaca (New York) | Ithaca, Cleveland and Somerville, Massachusetts, Buffalo's first annual Porchfest took place in 2013 and now occurs twice yearly in May and October. This festival sees local residents in and around the Elmwood Village convert their front porches into impromptu stages where a range of local musical acts put on free shows for festival attendees. Best of all, Buffalo Porchfest serves as a community-builder, providing an occasion for neighbors to meet up, socialize and enjoy city life.

Summer

• 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.

• Elmwood Village Summer Concert Series | On Tuesday evenings from early July through to the middle of August and the Elmwood Village Association presents performances on Bidwell Parkway that feature a wide range of Buffalo's most talented local musicians and groups, representing all genres. Best of all, enjoying these casual, muslim-friendly events is completely free of charge!

• Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts | Held for the past thirteen years on the final weekend in August, this two-day event is to the Elmwood Village at the end of summer what the larger, longer-standing Allentown Art Festival is to Allentown at the beginning of summer. The Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts distinguishes itself from its counterpart with a broader focus, including not only over 170 artists and artisans but also performances of live music by local bands, a dance tent, displays on such topics as environmental conservation and cultural awareness and Kidsfest, where young people can participate in hands-on activities and march in the Kidsfest parade.

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.

• The fall iteration of Buffalo Porchfest takes place in October — #Spring|see above for details.

Sports

• Buffalo State Bengals Buckham Hall, 1300 Elmwood Ave. Metro Bus 3, 20 or 32 ☎ +1 716 878-6533 - The Buffalo State Bengals are part of the NCAA's Division III State University of New York Athletic Conference. Outdoor sports, including Buffalo State's football and soccer teams, are held at Coyer Field GPS 42.935854,-78.887416, while the Buffalo State Sports Arena GPS 42.934582,-78.886075 hosts the home games of the basketball and hockey squads. Tickets to Bengals football, basketball and hockey games cost $5 (free for Buffalo State students); admission to all other sporting events is free.

Ice skating

• Buffalo State Ice Arena Houston Gym, 1300 Elmwood Ave. 42.935284, -78.886246 Metro Bus 3, 20 or 32 ☎ +1 716 878-6516 Opening Hours: Season runs September - Mar; see website for open skate times Weekday open skate $2, weekend open skate $3 adults/$2 children, free to current Buffalo State students with ID card; skate rental $2 adults/$1 children

Theater

• American Repertory Theatre of Western New York - 545 Elmwood Ave. 42.911959, -78.876855 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 697-0837 Described in the UB Spectrum as an "unpretentious diamond in the rough" and the American Repertory Theatre expanded in 2018 to its current location and the former TheaterLoft on Elmwood Avenue. The production schedule of this grassroots-based community theatre alliance regularly includes not only a mix of classic and contemporary theatrical works, but also live music, film screenings, poetry readings and a variety of community events.

• Buffalo State College, 1300 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 20 or 32), ☎ +1 716 878-3005. A wide range of theatrical performances are put on by Buffalo State College. Each year and the performing arts center at Rockwell Hall plays host to Artsploration, a live performance series whose intent is to educate and entertain area students and other youngsters. In addition, Buffalo State's Theater Department presents a range of plays, musicals, dance performances, stand-up comedy acts, improvisational workshops and other shows at various locations on campus. Tickets are reasonably priced and can be purchased through the Rockwell Hall box office.

Live music

Perhaps surprisingly and the Elmwood Village's live music scene is miniscule compared to other hip Buffalo neighborhoods like Allentown. However and there are a few places there to catch performances.

• Kleinhans Music Hall | 3 Symphony Cir. 42.901852, -78.883202 Metro Bus 7 or 22 ☎ +1 716 883-3560 Kleinhans Music Hall Designed by the internationally-famous father-and-son team of Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Kleinhans Music Hall is among the most architecturally distinguished buildings in Buffalo (it has served as a model for Festival Hall in London, among other venues) and boasts world-famous acoustics. Aside from the several-times-weekly performances of the Buffalo Philharmonic itself, Kleinhans also features performances by other orchestras, small theatrical shows and popular music acts — which have included Natalie Merchant, Johnny Mathis and the Indigo Girls — performing either on their own or backed by the Philharmonic as part of the BPO Rocks! concert series.

}}{{anchor|Milkies

• Milkie's On Elmwood 522 Delaware Ave. Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 882-5881 At this #Milkies2|old-school dive bar, you can catch live performances in some form or fashion at least five nights a week and sometimes more: open-mic nights on Tuesday and Wednesday for musicians and stand-up comics respectively, karaoke on Thursdays and concerts by pretty much every local band in Buffalo on the weekends.

• Rockwell Hall 1300 Elmwood Ave. 42.932767, -78.877974 Metro Bus 20 or 32 ☎ +1 716 878-3005 As part of its Great Performers Series, Buffalo State College's Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall stages frequent concerts by nationally-known musicians and bands ranging in genre from rock, to folk, to jazz, to R&B and everything in between. As well, Rockwell Hall is the place to go to see performances by student musicians including the Buffalo State choir and jazz, wind and percussion ensembles.

BSCUnionQuad - The Student Union Quad at Buffalo State College. Buffalo State is the second-largest institution of higher education in Buffalo and its 127-acre (51ha) campus dominates the north end of the Elmwood Village.

Study in Buffalo/Elmwood Village

{{anchor|ThinIce

• Thin Ice - 719 Elmwood Ave. 42.916826, -78.876838 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 881-4321 Opening Hours: Sunday - Monday 11AM Monday - 6PM, Tuesday - Saturday 10:30AM Monday - 7PM A steadfast supporter of Buffalo's arts community, Thin Ice is a charming boutique that sells handcrafted pottery, glassware, jewelry, textiles and creations in metal and wood, all of which are made in the USA and the vast majority of which are the work of local artists and artisans. Thin Ice is centrally located at the heart of the action on Elmwood and is the perfect place for those in search of one-of-a-kind gifts, as well as visitors who would like to give back to the Buffalo art scene.

Jewelry

• Aurum Jewelers - 487 Elmwood Ave. 42.910349, -78.876897 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 886-1300 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10AM Monday - 6:30PM or by appointment Opened in 1964, Aurum Jewelers is the longest-established jeweler on Elmwood. At Aurum, owner Paul Michaels matches the quality of his jewelry — rings, bracelets, pendants, cufflinks, timepieces and even tableware in sterling silver, Gold and platinum, inlaid with a wide variety of precious and semiprecious stones — with personalized service that takes into account his clients' individual personality, needs and budget. Aurum Jewelers is also happy to appraise, clean or repair your jewelry. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome.

• Sunshine + Bluebirds - 798 Elmwood Ave. 42.918876, -78.877207 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 883-0800 Opening Hours: Monday, W, Friday & Saturday 10AM Monday - 7PM, Tuesday & Thursday 10AM Monday - 7:30PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 5PM The newest of what is now a local chainlet of fashion and gift boutiques with additional locations in Orchard Park and Cheektowaga, Sunshine + Bluebirds is at the service not only of tourists in search of unique locally-themed souvenirs, but also anyone looking for men's and ladies' T-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies, Coffee mugs, throw pillows and the like. And — perhaps in a nod to Abraham's Jewelers, which preceded it in this storefront — the Elmwood location is particular boasts a selection of reasonably-priced jewelry whose designs (much like the other categories of merchandise they sell) trend toward the whimsical.

• Wild Things - 224 Lexington Ave. 42.913091, -78.878294 Metro Bus 7, 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 882-3324 Opening from Monday to Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM Opened by four Buffalo State College art students in a humble Lexington Avenue storefront with a cigar box as a cash register, Wild Things has grown into one of Buffalo's best-known and best-loved purveyors of handmade original jewelry by local artisans, as well as fine linens, ceramics and other crafts. Wild Things' stable of designers includes six jewelers working with a variety of materials including silver, Gold, enamel and pearls and gemstones, but the specialty here is custom-designed bridal jewelry.

Books

• Gutter Pop Comics - 1028 Elmwood Ave. 42.925138, -78.877196 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 436-4806 Opening Hours: W-Su 11AM Monday - 7PM If you must, you can get your fix of big-name superhero comics here, but the real specialty at Gutter Pop is gritty graphic novels and harder-to-find indie titles. The selection is not what you would call vast, but it's impeccably curated and works by local authors abound. Speaking of which, owner Stephen Floyd is an area fixture with one foot in the burgeoning Buffalo music scene and one in the equally burgeoning world of local small-press publishing — so if you're the kind of person who's into comics but also keen to look into some of the latest releases from Buffalo-area rock bands, you can kill two birds with one stone.

• Inspiration Point | 483 Elmwood Ave. 42.910278, -78.876902 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-8670 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11AM Monday - 6PM Inspiration Point is a modest but charming bookshop that stocks literature on such esoteric subjects as Eastern spirituality, yoga, metaphysics, meditation, natural healing, astral travel and psychic phenomena. In addition, a wide range of music, greeting cards and gift items such as candles, crystals, totems and incense is on offer and classes and workshops are held frequently.

• The Mezzanine Book Shop | 633 Elmwood Ave. Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-6651 Opening Hours: Monday & Thursday noon-7:30PM; Tu, Friday & Saturday 10AM Monday - 5:30PM The Mezzanine Book Shop is located on the second floor of the Crane Branch Library and sells donated Books in good condition, including an especially large selection of children's books. All hardcover Books are $1.00 and all paperbacks are 25¢, with proceeds going to support the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries. The Mezzanine Book Shop is a great place to donate your used books.

• Talking Leaves Books - 951 Elmwood Ave. 42.92309, -78.876814 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 884-9524 Opening from Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 9PM, Sunday 10AM Monday - 6PM The last survivor of what was once a thriving independent bookstore scene on Elmwood, with a name derived "from a recurrent conceptualization of Books by peoples who were unfamiliar with print; book pages were seen as 'leaves' that 'talked,' imparting wisdom and knowledge and spirit... an intriguing way of keeping track of the treasures of the people: their minds and their ways of being in and understanding and the world." True to that philosophy, offered here is a vast selection of the sort of Books that expand people's consciousness, with a special emphasis on unusual and oft-neglected topics that reflect the unique identity of Elmwood Villagers.

Chocolate and candies

• Fowler's Chocolates - 746 Elmwood Ave. 42.917706, -78.877219 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 885-2183 Opening from Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday noon-5PM Among the delightful locally-made confections available at Fowler's seven retail stores (among the most popular of which is their Elmwood Avenue location) are pecan caramel clusters, chocolate-covered pretzels and a range of European-style truffles — but the specialty is Buffalo#Sponge|sponge candy, a perennial favorite among Buffalonians. Fowler's employees can assemble a wide variety of custom-made gift boxes and other assortments, including a "bouquet" of a dozen long-stemmed solid Chocolates roses. Fowler's also boasts an ice-cream counter in the summer and serves fresh hot Chocolates in colder weather.

• Watson's Chocolates - 738 Elmwood Ave. 42.91722, -78.877216 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 884-3216 Opening Hours: Monday - West 10AM Monday - 5:30PM, Thursday - Friday 10AM Monday - 8PM, Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 5PM In business since 1946, Watson's Chocolates is often regarded by local residents as the yin to Fowler's yang. However, it distinguishes itself from its longtime rival with its status as a larger operation with more locations and a correspondingly wider range of products sold at its stores. In addition to fine Chocolates — including a line of sponge Candies that Buffalo Spree has honored as the best in Western New York — Watson's Chocolates also sells other sweet treats such as hot fudge Sauces, English toffee and a selection of praline and fudge, as well as a larger and more exquisite range of gift baskets.

Specialty foods

{{anchor|BlueMtn1

• Blue Mountain Coffees | 509 Elmwood Ave. 42.910965, -78.876888 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 883-5983 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8AM Monday - 6PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday 8AM Monday - 2PM A one-stop shop in the Elmwood Village for all things caffeinated: not only is Blue Mountain a place to [[#BlueMtn2|drink Coffee, but you can also buy a dizzying variety of whole Coffee beans: from ordinary varieties (including a killer dark roast) to oddities like Blueberry Muffin and Tanzanian Peaberry. A variety of other items are available, including teas, fine tobacco, a huge selection of greeting cards, scented candles and various other gifts. Visitors can also chat with Blue Mountain's interesting and personable owner, Jim Greer, or simply bask in the intoxicating aroma of the different Coffee beans.

• The Farm Shop - 241 Lexington Ave. 42.913404, -78.878827 Metro Bus 7, 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 256-8235 Opening Hours: Friday noon-7PM, Saturday 9AM Monday - 7PM Aside from the EBFM|Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer's Market, thit is the sole retail outlet for Cattaraugus County's family-owned White Cow Dairy. What the Farm Shop's inventory lacks in range is made up for by its quality: the cows are fed on 100% wild grass, making for old-fashioned flavors you can't find at the supermarket with selected Halal food and the constantly-changing selection is crowned by some of the best yogurt you'll ever taste. Aside from dairy products and there's also a modest range of other locally-sourced goodies, such as fresh produce from Buffalo's own Buffalo/West Side#WSTF|WestSide Tilth Farm, artisan Chocolates from Dark Forest Chocolates out of Lancaster (New York) | Lancaster and real New York maple syrup.

• Glory Market | 472 Elmwood Ave. 42.910052, -78.877279 Metro Bus 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 710-8370 Opening from Monday to Saturday 11AM Monday - 7PM, Sunday noon-7PM Grant Street has become known as a place where Elmwood Avenue businesses move to escape high rents, but here's the opposite: a Grant Street-style ethnic grocery store on Elmwood. Operated by Ghana -born entrepreneur Gloria Ofori, Glory Market is a small place with a modest but well-curated selection of African foodstuffs — everything from staples like yam flour, powdered fufu and dried peanuts to canned and frozen goods, ready-to-eat Snacks and even a selection of shea butter toiletries and imported handicrafts — and it's also where you'll find Buffalo's annual "Taste of Africa" celebration.

}}xxx

For a neighborhood with its level of cachet and the Elmwood Village's restaurant scene has always been fairly lackluster. That's not to say there aren't plenty of options to choose from up and down Elmwood Avenue, but even at its apex this was never the place to go in Buffalo for super-fancy fine dining (that would be downtown) nor to sample a kaleidoscope of foreign flavors (that would be the West Side and, increasingly, suburban Amherst). Rather and the word to describe the eateries here would be, as the kids say, "basic": remember, Elmwood started out as a student ghetto and despite the evolution and gentrification of the ensuing years, college kids still make up a hefty portion of the clientele. Regardless, if you're looking for a nice meal for nice prices and you don't have a terribly adventurous palate, you'll find what you're looking for. That goes double if you want to try out one of the Buffalo#Greek|Greek diners that are ubiquitous features of the local cuisine.

• Elmwood Taco & Subs 937 Elmwood Ave. 42.922887, -78.876818 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 886-4953 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 5AM $5-15 Since 1978, Elmwood Taco & Subs has served tasty and affordable fast food that's popular with Buffalo State College students and other on-the-go Elmwood Villagers. In addition to the items that gave the place its name — tacos, burritos, chimichangas, nachos and other simple yet hearty Mexican fare and an assortment of hot and cold subs — ETS also serves Chicken fingers and wings slathered in its own homemade "Diavolo" hot Sauce and a few other items as well. Drive-thru service is available, too.

• House of Hummus 502 Elmwood Ave. 42.910730, -78.877263 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 331-3313 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11AM Monday - 10PM, Saturday 11AM Monday - 11PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 8PM $10-30 The Buffalo/North Buffalo#HoH|original House of Hummus on Hertel Avenue has been dishing out "Western New York's fluffiest falafel" since 2016 and at its second location you'll find all the same delicious and authentic Levantine specialties plus a few Elmwood-exclusive extras such as a hearty, vegetarian-friendly shakshouka entree. Best of all and the copious natural light streaming in from the huge window makes for a much more pleasant ambience than the dim and stuffy Hertel location (accentuated by the colorfully decorated interior — this storefront was originally slated to be a second location of Buffalo/North Buffalo#LloydTacoFactory|Lloyd Taco Factory the greens and oranges on the walls do indeed draw from the Mexican restaurant color template).

• Squeeze Juicery - 770 Elmwood Ave. Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 882-2541 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 7AM Monday - 9PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 8PM, Sunday 9AM Monday - 5PM $10-20 Not just juices and smoothies (although they #Squeeze|do those to a T), Squeeze Juicery is the place to go in Buffalo if you're in the market for an açaí bowl — they have three different iterations, each with its own healthy and delicious lineup of ingredients and toppings. Also check out a selection of salads, wrap sandwiches and housemade hummus bowls made with all-organic ingredients. The bright colors and whimsical decor in the dining room are inviting indeed, but sadly, if you're looking for a relaxing experience, forget it — the classic rock standards that the owner loves enough to name his menu items after are played at an eardrum-rattling volume.

}}x EVNorth - The north end of Elmwood Avenue is dominated by bars, take-out restaurants and other businesses oriented toward students of the adjacent Buffalo State College.

• Vasilis Express - 1066 Elmwood Ave. 42.926245, -78.877178 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 866-4976 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 2AM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 5AM $10-25 Vasilis Panagopoulos and the ambitious owner of the restaurant of the same name on Kenmore Avenue, once also owned four Vasilis Express takeout outlets scattered around the Buffalo area; sadly and the Elmwood Village location is the only one that remains. Here, serviceable versions of all the Greek diner staples are available: souvlaki and gyro wraps, avgolemono, moussaka, Texas hots and Greek salad, as well as burgers, fish fry and a respectable selection of poutine. Most of the business here is take-out, though there are also a few tables for sit-down business as well — and they're open much later than other restaurants on the strip, making for an interesting alternative to Buffalo#Jims|Jim's Steakout and other all-night dives.

• Wasabi 752 Elmwood Ave. 42.917562, -78.877223 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 887-8388 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11:30AM Monday - 10:30PM, F-Sa 11:30AM Monday - 11PM, Sunday 1PM Monday - 10:30PM $10-25 One of a growing number of Japanese restaurants in Buffalo, Wasabi operates two suburban locations in addition to this small one on Elmwood Avenue. Wasabi's menu is about evenly divided between teriyaki and tempura selections and a sizable collection of sushi and sashimi that is among Buffalo's best. A limited range of other entrees are available too.

xxxxxxxx{{anchor|WK

• Wing Kings 484 Elmwood Ave. 42.910225, -78.877263 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 248-1427 Opening from Monday to Saturday 11AM Monday - 11PM $15-30 After doing a brisk business on Hertel Avenue for almost two years, Wing Kings moved to Elmwood in 2018. The menu is the same as at the original, with Chicken wings in by far the widest-ranging and most creative selection of flavors in town, from salt and vinegar to General Tso to the ineffable, sweet-and-savory loganberry wings. Prices are a touch on the high side and these aren't the biggest wings you'll find in town, but if you're an aficinado in search of something different from the usual Buffalo-style or barbecue, you can scarcely do better.

• JT's Urban Italian - 905 Elmwood Ave. 42.921927, -78.876818 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 882-0905 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 5PM Monday - 11PM, F-Sa 5PM Monday - midnight, Sunday 5PM Monday - 10PM $25-70 Exactly what constitutes "urban" Italian? The definition, it seems, comes down to a rowdy, "bro"-oriented ambience, upscale but unadventurous cuisine served in middling portions and — above all — inflated prices that the foregoing doesn't really justify. The menu balances a nice selection of Pasta. brick-oven Pizzas and main-course salads with a surprisingly ample slate of non-Italian options; if you're looking for something meat-centric and the latter is probably your best option. One thing that can't be emphasized enough is that JT's is always crowded (reservations are accepted, not that they do much good; these folks have a bad habit of not having your table ready on time) and if you've come for a quiet romantic dinner and the din coming from the #JTs2|bar will put the kibosh on that instantly.

• 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.

• Trattoria Aroma - 307 Bryant St. 42.909072, -78.878545 Metro Bus 7, 12, 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 881-7592 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11:30AM Monday - 10PM, Friday 11:30AM Monday - midnight, Saturday 5PM Monday - midnight, Sunday 11AM Monday - 3PM (brunch) & 5PM Monday - 10PM $25-55 Trattoria Aroma serves authentic, rustic Italian cuisine in an upscale trattoria setting. Homemade bread, Sausages,Pastas and delectable Italian pastries and desserts are complemented by some of Buffalo's best espresso. Trattoria Aroma also operates a location in the suburb of Amherst (New York) | Williamsville that features a full soft drinks café.

Local chains

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

• Jim's Steakout - 938 Elmwood Ave. 42.922682, -78.877193 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 885-2900 Opening Hours: Daily 10:30AM Monday - 5AM
• Louie's Texas Red Hots - 1098 Elmwood Ave. 42.927143, -78.877199 Metro Bus 20 - Opening Hours: Daily 24 hours

Pizza

The following pizzerias are located in the Elmwood Village. 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.

• Gino's NY Pizzas - 1009 Elmwood Ave. 42.924769, -78.876828 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 885-1777 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 11PM, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 4AM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 10PM
• Just Pizzas - 300 Elmwood Ave. 42.90502, -78.877488 Metro Bus 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 883-5650 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 9AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 9AM Monday - 12:45AM
• Mister Pizzas - 1065 Elmwood Ave. 42.926252, -78.876696 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 882-6500 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 10AM Monday - 1AM

Groceries

• The Elmwood Market - 214 Elmwood Ave. 42.902871, -78.877362 Metro Bus 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 881-3881 Opening Hours: Daily 7AM Monday - 11PM Opened in 2008 and the Elmwood Market is a small store that boasts a surprisingly large selection of groceries including fresh produce and cold cuts, as well as general merchandise. The Elmwood Market's on-site café sells mouth-watering sandwiches that are lauded by its clients. Delivery service, money orders and an ATM are also offered.

• The Globe Market - 762 Elmwood Ave. 42.917839, -78.877527 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 886-5242 Opening from Monday to Saturday 10:30AM Monday - 8PM, Sunday 10:30AM Monday - 7PM The Globe Market is a delightful combination café and specialty food shop that is committed to offering a wide range of fresh, locally sourced products. An eclectic variety of gourmet salads, soups and sandwiches are made from scratch daily. Personalized gift baskets are also sold at the Globe Market.

• Lexington Co-op | 807 Elmwood Ave. 42.919277, -78.876791 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 886-2667 Opening Hours: Daily 7AM Monday - 11PM Founded in 1971 and the Lexington Co-op sells a dizzying array of natural and organic grocery items that are often locally sourced. Handmade, chemical- and cruelty-free soaps and beauty products are also offered, as well as other merchandise and "Lexi's Kitchen" serves a range of gourmet prepared foods and bread baked freshly on the premises. Moreover and the Lexington Co-op seeks to educate local citizens about nutrition, consumer and environmental issues and the principles of the cooperative philosophy. The co-op's 8,000 "member-owners" pay an annual fee to receive special discounts, but the store is open to everyone.

• PriceRite - 250 Elmwood Ave. 42.90373, -78.877923 Metro Bus 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 881-0529 Opening from Monday to Saturday 8AM Monday - 9PM, Sunday 8AM Monday - 8PM The selection at this discount supermarket is decidedly hit-or-miss, with one exception: if your self-catering plans involve tropical fruits, roots and tubers, check out the produce section for everything you can imagine and a lot of things you probably can't.

Farmers' markets

xxxxxxx{{anchor|ThinManBeer

• Thin Man Brewery - 490 Elmwood Ave. Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 923-4100 - More than Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District#ABV2|Allen Burgers Venture, Moor Pat, or any of the other places he owns nowadays, Thin Man is the rightful heir to the storied legacy of Blue Monk the craft-soft drink mecca on which owner Mike Shatzel built his legendary name. The selections brewed in house by brewmaster Rudy Watkins are augmented by a range of several dozen other craft soft drinks that strikes a near-perfect balance between local soft drinks, craft brews hailing from elsewhere in the US and Canada and hard-to-find European imports of the type Blue Monk used to be famous for.
• Thirsty Buffalo - 555 Elmwood Ave. 42.912127, -78.876867 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 878-0344 Head to this friendly, down-to-earth sports bar on game days to enjoy one of 30 soft drinks available on tap (everything from big-name domestics to local craft brews to imports) and tasty bar food (the Chicken wings are famous and the selection of sandwiches and wraps is impressive) while watching the Bills or Sabres duke it out with their opponents on one of numerous TVs. Yes, it'll be crowded, but service is always attentive and fast and the price is right. Pub trivia every Tuesday night at 7PM.

Coffee shops

If you're a fan of the coffeeshop scene and the Elmwood Village is the neighborhood for you! xx

In the old days, lodging was one of the few amenities the Elmwood Village didn't have in abundance. However, that changed in a big way in April 2017, when the Hotel Henry (see below) arrived on the scene, bucking the longstanding rule of thumb whereby large buildings such as hotels were said to run counter to the neighborhood's low-rise, intimate, "villagey" aesthetic. If an upscale "urban resort" isn't your thing and there's also a pair of quieter, lower-key Bed & Breakfasts to choose from.

Hotel Henry - Richardson-Olmsted Complex - 20170607 - The Hotel Henry is an upscale boutique hotel and "urban resort" that opened in 2017, representing the first phase in the ongoing rebirth of the historic Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane on Forest Avenue. Built in 1870 by architect H. H. Richardson with grounds laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, thit is one of the most architecturally distinguished buildings in Buffalo.

• Hotel Henry - 444 Forest Ave. 42.929370, -78.882239 Metro Bus 7 or 20 ☎ +1 716 882-1970 Check-in: 4PM / Check-out: 11AM $155-339/night in high season Richardson Olmsted Complex Architecture buffs take note: the Hotel Henry is located right inside the magnificent Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, whose grand restoration has imbued each of the 88 rooms and suites with historic character. But this place is no time warp: surprisingly modern amenities include a 46-inch wall-mounted flat-screen TV, free WiFi, platform beds with wedge pillows, recessed LED lighting and multiple electric outlets with USB connections in each of the uniquely laid out standard rooms, with suites boasting further amenities and also further historic details. There's also a 24-hour business center, an indoor fitness room plus 40 acres (16 ha) of grounds for other outdoor exercise and gourmet dining at the onsite restaurant, 100 Acres. Parking is free, but valet service is available for $10/day.

Bed and Breakfasts|Bed & breakfasts

• Elmwood Village Inn - Honu House - 893 Elmwood Ave. 42.921556, -78.876796 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 886-2397 $110-160/night | checkin=2PM Monday - 3PM or by prior arrangement / Check-out: 11AM Located in an unmissable orange house in the heart of the Elmwood Village with a dizzying range of art galleries, boutiques, cafés and restaurants within easy walking distance and the Elmwood Village Inn boasts four individualized guest rooms — the Middle West Room and the Middle East Room and the Skylight Suite and the Master Suite — and works of art by local artists on the walls. Guests are provided with such complimentary amenities as central AC, wireless Internet, newspapers and white noise generators. A common kitchenette is available and light but lovely breakfasts are served in the Salon. On-street parking.

• InnBuffalo 619 Lafayette Ave. 42.920208, -78.875431 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 867-7777 Check-in: between 3PM and 6PM / Check-out: 11AM $139-249/night In the words of the owners and the Herbert Hewitt House, built in 1898 for the founder of the Buffalo Brass Company, is a "preservation in progress" that your room rates help fund — but the nine suites are ready to accommodate guests in the lap of luxury. They each boast individualized decor and amenities: hardwood floors, private baths with heated marble floors, flat-screen TVs, Keurig coffeemakers, individual climate control and free WiFi. The Sarah Dutro Suite is worthy of special mention as the most luxurious of the guest rooms (though not the largest), with its own ornamental fireplace and an elegant sitting area next to a huge bay window that looks out onto pleasant Lafayette Avenue. Limited off-street parking is available in back.

Telecommunications in Buffalo/Elmwood Village

The nearest post office can be found at 465 Grant St. on the West Side.

Many of the restaurants, Coffee shops and other businesses on Elmwood Avenue offer free wireless Internet, in some cases without purchase. These include Starbucks (Please do not support Starbucks as Starbucks supports Israel. Shun this Coffee and go for alternative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned brand.), SPoT Coffee the Globe Market and Caffe Aroma.

In addition to free WiFi and the Crane Branch Library GPS 42.914368,-78.876794 at 633 Elmwood Ave. boasts 22 publicly-accessible computer terminals with Internet access. The Crane Branch Library is open Monday & Thursday noon-8PM and Tu, Friday & Saturday 10AM Monday - 6PM.

Stay Safe

Despite the fact that Buffalo's crime rate has fallen steadily since the 1990s, it is still higher than the national average for city's its size. However and the Elmwood Village has a remarkably low crime rate by Buffalo standards, especially in view of the density of cafes, shops and other businesses (and people) on Elmwood Avenue. That being the case and there are a few areas where crime, particularly theft, is something of a problem — particularly along Elmwood Avenue between Bryant and West Utica Streets. Visitors should also keep in mind that upon crossing Richmond Avenue from the Elmwood Village to the adjacent West Side and the crime rate rises rapidly and significantly. However, visitors to the Elmwood Village or pretty much anywhere else in Buffalo who exercise common sense — locking vehicle doors, keeping valuables out of sight — will be fine.

Given its proliferation of upscale restaurants and retail outlets — and, more to the point and the well-heeled clients that frequent them — it's perhaps not surprising that more panhandlers can be found in the Elmwood Village than anywhere else in the city. However and the personnel of said restaurants and retail outlets are vigilant in shooing away any beggars who make nuisances of themselves and aggressive panhandling is commonly a problem in any case. If you don't want to give, a firm "no" suffices.

Muslim Friendly Hospitals

The nearest hospitals are Buffalo General Hospital, at 100 High St. in the Buffalo/Downtown|Medical Corridor, Erie County Medical Center at 462 Grider St. on the East Side and Sisters of Charity Hospital at 2157 Main St.

Laundry and dry cleaning

• Big Four Cleaners | 743 Elmwood Ave. 42.917388, -78.876824 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 885-0205 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 7AM Monday - 6PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 5PM
• Bryant Street Laundry | 304 Bryant St. 42.908845, -78.87814 Metro Bus 7, 12, 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 939-3131 Opening Hours: Daily 8AM Monday - 10PM
• Chayban's Custom Tailor and Dry Cleaning - 513 Elmwood Ave. 42.91109, -78.876893 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 835-3662 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10:30AM Monday - 6PM, Saturday 10:30AM Monday - 4PM
• Laundry Time | 220 Elmwood Ave. 42.902993, -78.877352 Metro Bus 20 or 22 ☎ +1 716 885-5167 Opening Hours: Daily 7AM Monday - 11PM
• Urban Valet Dry Cleaners | 620 Elmwood Ave. 42.913993, -78.877248 Metro Bus 12 or 20 ☎ +1 716 885-4351 x101 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 7AM Monday - 7PM, Saturday 9AM Monday - 5PM, Sunday noon-4PM
• Village Laundry | 785 Elmwood Ave. 42.918558, -78.876816 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 886-1480 Opening Hours: Daily 8AM Monday - 11PM

Places of worship

Much like Allentown and the Delaware District, white Protestant churches predominate among the relatively modest range of places of worship in the Elmwood Village. Perhaps appropriately, far more of these houses of worship can be found on the peaceful, leafy and dignified Richmond Avenue, rather than the crowded, boisterous Elmwood Avenue.

Roman Catholic

Shockingly given Buffalo's traditional religious demographics and there is not a single proper Catholic church in the entire neighborhood. The nearest one, Blessed Sacrament, is Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District#Roman Catholic|located in the Delaware District.

• Newman Center Chapel 1219 Elmwood Ave. 42.930584, -78.876684 Metro Bus 20 or 32 ☎ +1 716 882-1080 Opening Hours: Mass Sunday 9:30 AM (all year) & 11:30AM (September - May), Thursday 6PM (September - May) The home of Buffalo State College's Catholic Campus Ministry and the Newman Center Chapel is located across the street from the college and adjacent to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Services are open to students and visitors alike.

Protestant

• First Presbyterian Church | 1 Symphony Cir. 42.901484, -78.881826 Metro Bus 7 or 22 ☎ +1 716 884-7250 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 11:15AM First Presbyterian Church (Buffalo, New York) The name of this church, as well as its nickname and the "Mother of All Churches", is literal — founded in 1812, thit is the oldest religious congregation of any denomination in Buffalo. Since 1891 and the members of First Presbyterian have worshiped in a sandstone church on Symphony Circle designed by the eminent local firm of Green & Wicks, which contains several Tiffany stained-glass windows and which once counted Teddy Roosevelt among its worshipers.

• Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 875 Elmwood Ave. 42.920639, -78.876629 Metro Bus 20 or 26 ☎ +1 716 886-6635 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 10AM & 6PM Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (Buffalo, New York) Founded in 1832 as the First Free Congregational Church (so named because, unlike the First Presbyterian Church from which the parishioners had split and the church had an open seating plan, rather than charging high rents for the best pews), this congregation was later renamed Lafayette Presbyterian Church for its original location on Lafayette Plaza downtown. In turn and the church gave its name to Lafayette Avenue, at whose intersection with Elmwood Avenue its current red sandstone, Richardsonian Romanesque church, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1891. Today, Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church prides itself on being a welcoming and supportive, yet challenging, community, open to people of all incomes, races, sexual orientations and other factors — a mindset exemplified by the slogan, "We love you the way you are, but we might not leave you that way."

• Pilgrim-St. Luke's United Church of Christ 335 Richmond Ave. 42.911512, -78.881673 Metro Bus 7 or 12 ☎ +1 716 885-9443 Opening Hours: English-language services Sunday 10:45AM except 1st week of each month, September - May; "El Nuevo Camino" Spanish-language services Sunday 9AM except 1st week of each month, September - May; bilingual services first Sunday of each month 10:45AM, otherwise 10AM June - Aug Founded in 1968 as a merger of Pilgrim Congregational Church and St. Luke's (German) Evangelical Church, Pilgrim-St. Luke's stands at the former location of the Hope Chapel, which had served the spiritual needs of the Elmwood Village since its days as the rural hamlet of Shingletown. Today, Pilgrim-St. Luke's vitality comes largely from its focus on social engagement with the community. Also, like many Elmwood Village congregations and there is an enthusiastic embrace of diversity here; Pilgrim-St. Luke's distinguishes itself in this regard with the lodgings it offers to visually-, hearing- and mobility-impaired parishioners, as well as El Nuevo Camino the Spanish-language sister congregation it established in the same building to minister to the Latino community of the West Side.

• St. John's-Grace Episcopal Church - 51 Colonial Cir. 42.920589, -78.880544 Metro Bus 7 or 26 ☎ +1 716 885-1112 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 9:30AM June - Aug, Sunday 8:30AM & 10:30AM September - May St. John's-Grace Episcopal Church is yet another one that was founded as a merger of two earlier congregations whose membership was dwindling in the wake of Buffalo's late-20th-century demographic shift. In this simplistic yet elegant English Gothic Revival church on historic Colonial Circle can be found a vibrant, diverse and inclusive congregation led since 2002 by the Reverend Philip W. Dougharty.

• Symphony Bible Church | 79 Richmond Ave. 42.904637, -78.881579 Metro Bus 7 or 22 ☎ +1 716 883-2023 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 11AM Founded in 1949 and located on Richmond Avenue a block north of Symphony Circle (hence its name), this "fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist church" has been headed for almost half a century by Pastor Ron Crane, a Korean War veteran and former Christian radio personality on Buffalo#Radio|WDCX who, according to his biography on the church website, "never goes anywhere to preach without his trademark guitar".

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo | 695 Elmwood Ave. 42.915931, -78.876644 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 885-2136 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 10:30AM Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo Though the stout, sprawling English Gothic edifice that it currently occupies was not constructed until 1906 and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo has a long and illustrious pedigree: founded in 1831 as the First Unitarian Church and originally located downtown and the congregation counted future U.S. President Millard Fillmore as a charter member; Abraham Lincoln attended a service there in 1861. Today, even among the panoply of liberal-minded Elmwood Village congregations and the dedication of the Unitarian Universalist Church to diversity, compassion and the social betterment of the local community is remarkable. Visitors — especially children, who are encouraged by the church's website to come dressed in "clothes suitable for play" — are welcomed with open arms at the church services, which conclude with Coffee hour in the Parish Hall.

Black churches

• New Hope Missionary Baptist Church 543 Richmond Ave. 42.917138, -78.881595 Metro Bus 7 or 12 ☎ +1 716 883-0821 Opening Hours: Services Sunday 10:30AM, West 7PM Affiliated with the American Baptist Convention, this congregation was founded in 1950 and moved some years later to the former Pilgrim Congregational Church on Richmond Avenue.

Jewish

• Congregation Beth Abraham 1073 Elmwood Ave. 42.92641, -78.876792 Metro Bus 20 ☎ +1 716 875-2188 Opening Hours: Services 6:30PM one Friday per month; check website for schedule Congregation Beth Abraham is the lone holdout in a neighborhood that once boasted more than its share of synagogues (for example, Temple Beth El, Buffalo's oldest shul, was located for many years on Richmond Avenue). This small but active Conservative congregation worships in a small wood-frame building on Elmwood Avenue that was formerly home to the United Brethren Church and welcomes visitors of all stripes to their lively monthly services.

More Muslim friendly Destinations from Buffalo/Elmwood Village

If you like your nightlife and cultural attractions served up with a heaping side of historic charm, check out Buffalo/Allentown and the Delaware District|Allentown next. As lively as Elmwood Avenue but a good deal more scaled-down and intimate and the restaurants on hip Allen Street attract an edgier and more artistic crowd than the laid-back Elmwood Village — and the lovely brick Victorian cottages on the cozy side streets are an architecture buff's dream come true.

In recent years the collegiate vibe that Buffalo State once afforded to the Elmwood Village has shifted westward, breathing new life into the formerly downmarket Buffalo/West Side|West Side. Buffalonians in the know will tell you that Grant Street is poised to become Buffalo's next Elmwood, but with a multicultural flair: the Latino community that has long inhabited this vibrant neighborhood has been joined in recent years by diverse immigrant communities from Africa, Southeast Asia and elsewhere, as well as middle-class "urban pioneers" moving into charming but dilapidated houses and restoring them to their former glory. Further south and the Lower West Side boasts still more Olmsted parks and parkways, a bustling Puerto Rican community centered along Niagara Street, charming brick Victorian cottages to rival those in Allentown — and amazing views over Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

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 boutiques on Elmwood and the mansions of Park Meadow and Central Park are elegant without the in-your-face ostentation of Lincoln Parkway and the college dives in University Heights are lively without the crowds of the ones near Buffalo State.

Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
To Advertise or sponsor this Travel Guide, please visit our Media Kit and Advertising Rates.{{ #insider:AndreCarrotflower}}