Things to do with kids in Buffalo

123 family-friendly places in Buffalo: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 123.

SeeHistory museumElmwood Village
Buffalo History Museum
formerly the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society Museum
Located just off Elmwood Avenue in the Museum District and adjacent to Delaware Park, the newly renamed Buffalo History Museum has by far the most extensive collection of artifacts relevant to the history of Buffalo and Western New York from pre-Columbian times to the present day. It was built for the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, and it is perhaps not surprising that the Exhibition is a particular focus of the exhibits at this wonderful museum. A Pierce-Arrow roadster built in Buffalo, the medal presented by George Washington to Chief Red Jacket, prototypes of the cardiac pacemaker invented by Clarence native Wilson Greatbatch, and artistic renderings of historical scenes and people flesh out the collection. Further historical records, manuscripts, photographs, and personal documents are housed at the Research Library. The Buffalo History Museum is also an invaluable resource for local residents interested in genealogy.
Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Wed until 8PM, Sun noon-5PM, Resource Center by appointment during business hours, Research Library Wed-Sat 1PM-5PM$7, seniors and students 13-21 $5, children 7-12 $2, members and children under 7 free. Research Library $7, free to members
SeeMuseumAllentown and the Delaware District
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
The only property in Western New York operated by the National Park Service, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is in Allentown, in a lovely 1838 Greek Revival mansion that was the residence of Ansley Wilcox, a Buffalo lawyer and politico. In September 1901, several days after President William McKinley died in Buffalo of gunshot wounds he sustained while greeting attendees of the Pan-American Exposition, Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt stayed at the home of Wilcox, an acquaintance of his, and the Oath of Office was administered to him there. Planned demolition of the house in the early 1960s was averted at the last minute, and today the Wilcox Mansion has been thoroughly restored inside and out, and features historical displays related to Roosevelt, McKinley and the Pan-American Exposition as well as occasional temporary exhibits. The grounds of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site are planted with herb and flower gardens in season.
Mon-Fri 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sat Sun 12:30-3:30PM$10, aged 62+ and students $7, ages 6-18 $5, families $25, free for children under 5 and members
SeeNorth Buffalo
Buffalo Zoo
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Buffalo Zoo is the third-oldest zoo in the United States (founded in 1875 on the former site of the Deer Paddock at Delaware Park) and is second in popularity only to Niagara Falls among tourist attractions in the Niagara Frontier, welcoming 400,000 visitors each year. The 23-acre (9.5-ha) Zoo boasts exciting thematic displays that play host to 1,200 different animals, such as elephants, bears, otters, sea lions, hyenas, and of course, bison. Some of the animals, such as a resident peacock, are allowed to roam freely on the walkways, allowing visitors to get closer to nature than they would in most zoos. In 2002, a new Master Plan was unveiled that will see the Zoo thoroughly modernized over the next 15 years. Under this framework, the Vanishing Animals, EcoStation, Otter Creek, Sea Lion Cove and South African Rainforest exhibits have already opened, with a new Children's Zoo and other exhibits slated for the near future.
Summer: Sat-Thu 10AM-5PM, Fri 10AM-7:30PM Winter: Daily 10AM-4PM$10, students and seniors $8, children 2-14 $7, children under 2 free. Parking $3.50. Train and carousel rides $2
SeeScience museumEast Side
Buffalo Museum of Science
Located in Olmsted's Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, the Buffalo Museum of Science is in a lovely building built in 1929 by the prominent Buffalo architectural firm of Esenwein & Johnson. The emphasis of the Buffalo Museum of Science is on natural and physical sciences; items from its collection of more than 700,000 specimens and artifacts, encompassing almost every conceivable aspect of the anthropology, botany, entomology, mycology, paleontology, and zoology of Western New York and elsewhere, are on display in the Museum's galleries. The Buffalo Museum of Science also boasts interactive science studios and a National Geographic 3D Cinema and operates the Tifft Nature Preserve, 264 acres (105ha) of reclaimed industrial land in South Buffalo.
Daily 10AM-4PM$9, seniors 62+ $8, ages 2-17, students, and military $7, museum members and children under 2 free
SeeLocal museumDowntown
Explore & More
Ralph C. Wilson Children's Museum
Explore & More was founded and spent the first quarter-century of its existence in the village of East Aurora (best known as home of the Fisher-Price toy company), but moved in 2019 to an all-new four-story space in Canalside with a revamped set of exhibits based on telling the story of Buffalo to the littlest youngsters through the medium of play. Kids can pilot boats down a miniature Erie Canal in the "Moving Water" exhibit, learn about "Being Good Neighbors" with folks of different backgrounds, or strap on a hard hat and play architect in the "Building Buffalo" exhibit, constructing their very own house or bridge using play tools and building materials. And on the first Friday of each month when they're open late, the rooftop terrace is a great place to catch the Buffalo Bisons' post-game fireworks display at nearby Sahlen Field.
Mon & Wed-Fri 10AM-4PM (first Fri of each month till 8PM), Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 11AM-5PM$11, children under age 1 free; $15 on Sunday & during special events
DrinkCaféWest Side
Remedy House
This is it, folks: peak hipster in Buffalo. An airy space with two walls of windows offering a panoramic view of Five Points' namesake intersection, Remedy House matches its straight-outta-Williamsburg vibe with a staggering range of expertly roasted coffee and tasty loose-leaf tea that's packed with nuanced flavor (for the superlative example of this, opt for the cortado), plus a selection of pastry sourced from local bakeries and even beer and wine. Best of all: if the foregoing conjures up visions of blasé service from a staff of trust-fund kids who think they're better than you, prepare for the polar opposite. The only downsides are that the space is tiny and can get cramped during peak hours (to avoid that, hit up the sidewalk patio), and prices for anything other than coffee are astronomical.
Mon-Thu 6AM-10PM, Fri Sat 6AM-11PM, Sun 6AM-5PMOutdoor seating
EatItalian restaurantEast Side
Chef's
Since 1923, Chef's has been serving hearty Italian cuisine that is comparatively adventurous for neighborhood family-style establishments of its kind. Entrees range from familiar fare such as veal and chicken parmigiana, chicken cacciatore, lasagna, and spaghetti to more elegant selections such as dandelion salad. Reasonable prices and generous portions. Buffalonians love this place.
Mon-Sat 11AM-9PM$15-40 · Wi-Fi
EatRestaurantAllentown and the Delaware District
Betty's
Betty's opened on Virginia Street in 2004 and quickly won the hearts of Allentown's hip community of bohemian urbanites with their friendly and funky staff, their cheerful ambience, and — of course — their fine food, including a legendary breakfast and Saturday and Sunday brunch. For dinner, Betty's serves a wide variety of entrees with a Mediterranean bent; the lentil salad plate is a personal favorite. Sandwiches, salads, and a kids' menu flesh out the offerings.
Tue-Thu 8AM-3:30PM and 4:30-9PM, Fri 8AM-3:30PM and 4:30-10PM, Sat 9AM-3:30PM and 4:30-10PM, Sun 9AM-2PM$20-35
BuyBookshopWest Side
Burning Books
This is not your ordinary bookstore, but if you're on the lookout for a unique gift for that hard-to-buy-for far-left radical on your list, Burning Books probably has what you're looking for: in the words of one reviewer, "books that people in power don't want you to read". Histories, biographies, reference materials, magazines, leaflets, DVDs, and even kids' books regarding a diversity of themes of social injustice and revolutionary politics — everything from the Black Panthers to the Stonewall Riots to the Zapatistas — all come at decidedly 99%-friendly prices.
Wed-Sun 11AM-7PM
EatThai restaurantWest Side
Family Thai
If you've been to the West Side before, you may remember Family Thai from their lengthy stint in the West Side Bazaar's International Kitchen a couple years back. If so, you know the drill: the menu does not stray far from usual standards like pad thai, tom yum soup, red and green curry, and the like, but rest assured that the flavors are far more vibrant and the preparations far more authentic than your average American Thai joint. Sadly, it's not completely the same experience — many popular favorites from the Bazaar days (including the spicy yum nua beef salad) have been axed from the menu — but there's now a selection of Burmese specialties on offer that rivals the Thai ones in deliciousness. Service is friendly, portion sizes are huge given what you pay — what more could you ask for?
Mon Wed-Sat 11AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-6PM$10-25
EatItalian restaurantAllentown and the Delaware District
Giacobbi's Cucina Citta
Giacobbi's is not a cooler-than-thou hipster hangout by any stretch of the imagination, but also not out of place in the Allentown restaurant scene: the overall rule of thumb is casual Italian with a few upscale flairs here and there, and favorites on the menu include magnificent takes on chicken parmigiana and Milanese, an "Italian Nacho" appetizer (a flat pasta sheet fried crispy and topped with Italian sausage, hot peppers, olives, cheese and spicy marinara sauce), copious pasta dishes available either in individual portions or "family style", main course salads, and — above all — a slate of a half-dozen specialty artisan pizzas (or create your own). A decent selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails are available at the bar, and service is topnotch.
Mon-Thu 5-10PM, Fri Sat 5-11PM, Sun 5-9PM$15-40
EatMexican restaurantNorth Buffalo
Gramma Mora's
Owned for over 30 years by the Mora family, there's perhaps no Mexican restaurant in Western New York about which local opinions are more polarized. Pretty much all anyone can agree on is that Gramma Mora's food is as far from authentic as it gets: some Buffalonians continue to sing the praises of this place's pleasantly mediocre Tex-Mex comfort food; others curse it as bland, uninspired, overpriced dreck. Since Buffalo's introduction to bona fide Mexican cuisine courtesy of places like Rancho La Delicias, La Divina in Kenmore, and Cheektowaga's Taquería Los Mayas, the balance has been tipping more and more toward the naysayers — but Gramma Mora's still packs 'em in on a pretty consistent basis, so who knows?
Mon Tue 4PM-9PM, Wed Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri 11AM-11PM, Sat 11AM-midnight, Sun 2PM-9PM$10-20
EatGreek restaurantNorth Buffalo
Kostas
Of Buffalo's many, many Greek diners and family restaurants, Kostas has one of the most interesting and extensive menus: they've been serving familiar standbys such as souvlaki, gyro, and Greek salad since 1977, as well as harder-to-find Greek specialties such as tirokafteri and taramosalata. Sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and other such fare is also on offer, as is a modest selection of wines.
Mon-Thu 6:30AM-midnight, Fri Sat 6:30AM-1AM, Sun 8AM-11PM$10-35
SeePlanetariumElmwood Village
Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium
The original Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium was showing its nearly half-century of age when it was demolished in 2012 to make way for yet another round of new construction on the campus of Buffalo State College. The permanent replacement will be a state-of-the-art facility that will be a centerpiece of the new Science and Mathematics Complex whose opening is slated for 2019, but until then, programming continues on a temporary basis in a 24-foot (7-meter) inflatable planetarium in Buckham Hall. Though the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium gives you the opportunity to see pretty much any star, planet, constellation, galaxy, nebula, or other astronomical feature you could possibly imagine, it's not an observatory per se — it's actually a 70-seat indoor theater, with a 360°, dome-shaped overhead "screen" immersing visitors in a high-resolution digital image of the night sky that's displayed through a state-of-the-art projection system. General admission is available by reservation, but the majority of visitors to the planetarium come as part of special public programs and exhibits, where dazzling recorded programming educates the public in layman's terms on issues of astronomy.
Fri Sat 7PM-8:15PM or by reservation$6; seniors, children 5-17 and students $4; Buffalo State students free; children under 5 not admitted
DrinkCaféNorth Buffalo
JAM Parkside
JAM offers "coffee and community" across from the Buffalo Zoo, right at the heart of the Parkside action: the former is locally-roasted by the good folks at Tipico (the house special "JAM Blend" is accurately described on their website as "exquisite and world-class, but also approachable and well-balanced"); the latter is embodied by their unique not-for-profit ownership structure with over 70 local shareholders, the schedule of community events they host, and even their interior decor, airy and inviting and furnished with upcycled materials from ReUse Action. Decent prices, too.
Daily 7AM-7PM
EatItalian restaurantWest Side
Santasiero's
A relic from the days when the West Side was Buffalo's "Little Italy", hearty family-style Italian meals have been served at Santasiero's for almost a century now. The Italian wedding soup is spectacular, and sandwiches and dishes such as chicken parmigiana are available, but Santasiero's is most famous for the heaping portions of pasta they serve along with legendary red sauce. Reasonable prices, too.
Daily 11AM-10PM$10-25
DoBoat tourDowntown
Spirit of Buffalo
Serene and scenic cruises on Lake Erie and around the harbor are to be had on the Spirit of Buffalo, an unmissable 73-foot schooner that affords them the opportunity to experience a trip aboard a traditional 19th-century sailing vessel. Day cruises, sunset sails, and a Wednesday "Wine in the Wind" Cruise featuring local vintages from the Niagara Peninsula are all offered; kids love the Pirate Cruises that sail on Saturdays and Sundays. All cruises leave from the Commercial Slip at Canalside. Private charters are available as well.
Cruises leave May-Oct, call for schedule and availability$28, children $18, Pirate cruise $23, children $19, Wednesday Wine in the Wind cruise $38
EatRestaurantNorth Buffalo
EXPO Market on Hertel
Though it makes a game effort, the EXPO Market's smaller North Buffalo satellite doesn't quite pull off the same hip, millennial-friendly vibe as the main location downtown — the concept doesn't really translate to the low-rise, quasi-suburban Hertel neighborhood, not to mention the fact that its location in a former Family Video rental outlet lends it a more prefab air, more like a miniature shopping-mall food court than anything. Still, if you're in it strictly for the food and not the ambience, you've got a veritable cross-section of Buffalo cuisine (and specifically North Buffalo cuisine) at your disposal.
Daily 11AM-10PM
SeeAllentown and the Delaware District
Delaware Park
With an area of 234 acres (93 ha), Delaware Park is the central node in Buffalo's park system, by far the largest park in Buffalo, and one of the largest and best-preserved examples of Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape architecture anywhere. All the classic Olmsted features are present here: a large, grassy Meadow that is now the site of the Delaware Park Golf Course, thick stands of trees, and Hoyt Lake, the 46-acre (18.5-ha) pond in the southwest corner of the park that Olmsted originally named "Gala Water". An essay by Charles Beveridge on the Olmsted park system in Buffalo describes how well Delaware Park continues to fulfill its intended role as a place for Buffalonians to experience nature and greenery without leaving the city limits; Delaware Park, as per his essay, is "the only public space designed by Olmsted in Buffalo that met his definition of the term 'park' — a setting of pastoral scenery extensive enough to provide complete escape from the artificiality and noise of the city." Delaware Park is popular year-round, but is most often enjoyed during the warm months, when walking, bicycling, jogging, tennis, golf, and basketball are popular activities, and the renowned Shakespeare in Delaware Park outdoor festival, which takes place here each summer and which is described more thoroughly in the Festivals and Events section below. Hoyt Lake is surrounded by a lovely walking/biking trail and features rowboats and paddleboats for rent at the Marcy Casino during the summer months. Delaware Park is also the site of the Buffalo Zoo.
Dawn to dusk
SeeRuinsDowntown
Canalside
Situated on 20 acres (8 ha) of formerly idle land at the harbor, Canalside combines the celebration and preservation of Buffalo's rich history as a rough-and-tumble canal town with an expansion of waterfront recreational opportunities for Buffalonians of today to enjoy. At Canalside, amenities such as tour boats offering cruises of the harbor, river, and lake, a lengthy slate of festivals, and one of the city's favorite new restaurants (Liberty Hound) can be enjoyed in an environment that also pays tribute to history with features such as a recreation of the Commercial Slip — once the western end of the mighty Erie Canal — on the side of which are the restored foundations of old Canal District buildings, dating to the mid-19th century and rediscovered in the early 2000s. As well, a restored canal bridge, interpretive plaques, and the enthralling Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park are on the scene. With further expansion of the offerings slated for the near future, such as two new hotels, a children's museum, a sports complex, and restaurants and shops, Canalside is only going to get better as time goes on.
EatGreek restaurantAllentown and the Delaware District
Eggsperience Vasilis
Described succinctly in the Buffalo News as a "Greek family restaurant posing as a friendly neighborhood bistro", 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, the classic Greek diner staples: the Buffalo chicken finger pita is a Hellenified nod to local cuisine, 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.
Sat-Thu 8AM-3PM, Fri 8AM-9PM$15-30
SeeWest Side
Riverside Park
Situated on 39 acres (16 ha) in the far northwest corner of the city, Riverside Park features facilities for every outdoor activity imaginable: baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts, a swimming pool, a playground, and the Ruben "Bud" Bakewell Ice Rink. Riverside Park was the last addition to Buffalo's Olmsted park system — it was not conceived and built until after Frederick Law Olmsted's death, commissioned by the city in 1898 and designed by his two sons. Riverside Park was intended to finally fulfill the elder Olmsted's dream of a true waterfront park for the city and included all the classic Olmsted elements — a meadow, footpaths, wooded thickets, and a carriage concourse — as well as pleasant minnow pools along its northern boundary. It was to have been connected to the rest of the park system by Roesch Avenue, a parkway leading north and west from Delaware Park which was never built. Sadly, Riverside Park is probably the least well-preserved of Buffalo's Olmsted parks today, owing to the construction of Interstate 190 along the canal bed and the removal of many of the historic Olmsted features. However, the scenic overlook still provides a stunning view over the Niagara River (with direct access to the shore provided by the Irene K. Gardner Pedestrian Bridge over the expressway), and the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy unveiled River Rock Gardens in 2014 on the former site of the minnow pools, now reinterpreted as a large chain of stone-bedded rain gardens peppered with greenery, traversed by footpaths, and centered on an elegant stone arch bridge.
SeePublic artDowntown
Shark Girl
A work of local artist Casey Riordan, Shark Girl is a life-size fiberglass statue of a young girl with an old-fashioned blue dress, bright red shoes, and a great white shark for a head that's been perplexing — and polarizing — visitors to Canalside since it was unveiled in 2014, borne of a partnership between the city government and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery aimed at promoting works of public art around Buffalo. Shark Girl is a recurring character in Millard's repertoire of paintings and drawings — a representation, she says, of "the existential conundrums of life, love, family, and loss". She sits atop a boulder on one of the whipple-truss bridges over the restored canal.
EatSandwich shopDowntown
Chris' NY Sandwich Shop
Chris' is a family-run operation, which cuts both ways: the food itself is good enough to ensure consistent crowds during their brief lunchtime opening hours, but it's hard to fire your own flesh and blood, which makes for inconsistent-at-best service: friendly and efficient if you luck out, but more often slow, indifferent, and downright surly. Sandwiches come on your choice of ten different breads with a variety of optional toppings, with chips on the side by default or sweet potato fries for $3 extra. Try the smoked turkey salad sandwich, blended with fresh dill for an incomparable flavor. Grilled fare such as burgers and steak sandwiches, specialty salads, and Friday fish fry round out the menu. Prices are on the high side, but — if you're willing to put up with the lousy service — you really do get what you pay for.
Mon-Fri 11AM-2:30PM$15-25
BuyFarmers marketElmwood Village
The Farm Shop
Aside from the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer's Market, this 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, and the constantly-changing selection is crowned by some of the best yogurt you'll ever taste. Aside from dairy products, there's also a modest range of other locally-sourced goodies, such as fresh produce from Buffalo's own WestSide Tilth Farm, artisan chocolate from Dark Forest Chocolates out of Lancaster, and real New York maple syrup.
Fri noon-7PM, Sat 9AM-7PM
SeeArt museumElmwood Village
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
The centerpiece of the Museum District, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery boasts one of the premier collections of modern and contemporary art in the nation, with the impressionist, cubist, surrealist, abstract expressionist, and pop art styles — and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol — all well-represented among its permanent collection. Works of other styles and periods are also on display, and the Albright-Knox plays host to travelling exhibitions on a frequent basis. The Albright-Knox is housed in a magnificent Neoclassical structure that is a work of art in itself, emulating the Erechtheion in Athens, with caryatids designed by eminent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and, at the time of its construction, more columns than any building in the United States other than the U.S. Capitol. If you can't make it to the museum itself, another option is to check their website and/or social media for the whereabouts of the Albright-Knox Art Truck, a "mobile center for hands-on artmaking" hosting fun activities and classes for all ages and skill levels.
Daily 10AM-5PM (Fri until 10PM)$12, seniors/students $8, children 6-12 $5, free for children 5 and under, museum members, active military, and on first Friday of each month; $5 parking fee ($3 for museum members)
EatRestaurantNorth Buffalo
The Sterling
The Sterling's menu is a real "sausage party", as the kids say — changing selections incorporate everything from everyday standards like Wardynski's hot dogs to such offbeat, exotic "rare game" blends as wild boar with cranberry and red wine, smoked bison with Burgundy and thyme, and duck with foie gras and Sauterne wine — but if that's not your thing, there's plenty more in the way of well-executed pub grub to wash down your beer with, including a renowned selection of burgers. Best of all, the ambience oozes class and historic charm, with a copious collection of antique breweriana and mementos from the Brinkworth family's nearly century-long tenure in the local restaurant industry: check out the 1901 Ludwig & Company piano that was commissioned for the Pan-American Exposition.
Mon-Fri 4PM-3AM, Sat Sun noon-4AM$15-30
DoSightseeing tour agencySouth Buffalo
Buffalo River History Tours
Choose your own adventure with this boat tour outfit operating from the Central Wharf at Canalside. The classic Buffalo River Tour aboard the River Queen leaves five times daily, destination Elevator Alley: you'll feel the wind whip through your hair as you listen to the captain recount the history of the grain elevators and their contribution to the huge importance of Buffalo Harbor in the 19th and 20th centuries. Other tours include the Silo City Tour, which also offers a brief walking tour inside three of the grain elevators themselves, and the Silos and Steamships Tour for a close-up look at the SS Columbia, which at the time of its retirement in 1991 was the last of the old passenger steamers that once plied the Great Lakes. For something a bit less in-depth, non-narrated one-hour cruises around the harbor and Canalside are offered on a separate boat.
Buffalo River Tour departs daily 10:30AM, 12:30PM, 2:30PM, 4:30PM & 5:30PM, Silo City tour daily 11:30AM, Silos and Stemships Tour daily 2PM, harbor cruises daily 12:30PM, 2PM & 3:30PM; season runs May-OctBuffalo River Tour $23, children $12; harbor cruise $15, children $10; all other tours $33, children $18
EatItalian restaurantAllentown and the Delaware District
Panaro's
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, pasta dishes, and homemade specialty pizzas offered. Panaro's slate of appetizers includes a pasta fagioli soup that is beloved by many locals, 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.
Mon-Fri 11AM-6:30PM (take-out only after 3PM)$10-20
SeeArt galleryElmwood Village
The Benjaman Gallery
The Benjaman Gallery has been operated since 1970 by Barry Johnson, a local artist, art expert, and a former instructor and advisor at Buffalo State College and the University at Buffalo. What began as part of the thesis Johnson completed to obtain his MFA from Buffalo State has grown into a family-owned and operated institution in Buffalo's booming arts community, situated in a gorgeous Victorian mansion on Elmwood Avenue whose exquisite architecture and decor make it a work of art in itself. The Benjaman Gallery's collection includes the works of Buffalo and Western New York artists such as Hal English, Milton Rogovin, Martha Visser't Hooft, and Barry Johnson himself, as well as nationally and internationally famous names such as Salvador Dalí, Peter Max, and Charles Burchfield, the renowned watercolorist who was a resident of the nearby suburb of Gardenville at the height of his career. The Benjaman Gallery also offers custom framing, restoration, appraisal, research, and design consultation services, and buys and sells antiques.
Thu-Sat 11AM-5PM, Sun-Wed by appointment
EatBreakfast & brunch restaurantNorth Buffalo
The Kitchen Table
The Kitchen Table moved in July 2014 to a larger location in West Hertel, but otherwise it's the same deal as before: they still serve up classic, unpretentious, all-American comfort food in a downhome atmosphere described in Buffalo Rising as "a mix between a greasy spoon and a country kitchen". Burgers (served with heaping sides of fresh-cut fries that customers rave about), club sandwiches, fish fry, and multitudinous flavors of Turkey Hill ice cream can be had, but the Kitchen Table's true claim to fame is their hearty, homestyle all-day breakfasts. The staff here really goes out of their way to please, and they treat customers like family.
Mon-Fri 8AM-3PM, Sat Sun 8:30AM-4PM$10-15
EatThai restaurantWest Side
Nine & Night Bistro
It's perhaps a testament to the singular nature of the West Side Bazaar that Nine & Night is its least "exotic" dining option. Though they can't hold a candle to Family Thai, the predecessor in this location within the International Kitchen (the tom yum soup is a flavorless disappointment; most of the yum salads, with the exception of the seafood one, are gone from the menu), these folks still serve a decent selection of Thai specialties where the emphasis is still on authenticity rather than pandering to the American palate. Service tends to be slow, so be patient.
Mon noon-6:30PM, Tue-Thu 11AM-7PM, Fri 11AM-8PM, Sat 10AM-8PM$5-15
See
Delaware Park
With an area of 234 acres (93 ha), Delaware Park is the central node in Buffalo's park system and one of the largest and best-preserved examples of Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape architecture anywhere. All the classic Olmsted features are present here: a large, grassy meadow (now the site of the Delaware Park Golf Course), thick stands of trees, and Hoyt Lake, a 46-acre (18.5-ha) pond. Delaware Park is also the site of the Buffalo Zoo.
Dawn to dusk
DrinkLounge barEast Side
R&L Lounge
Perhaps the best description of R&L was given by the reviewer who compared it to "sitting around the kitchen table with relatives". Grandmotherly barkeep Lottie Pikuzinski is nothing if not fully engaged with her customers — the philosophy she expounds ("A bartender is like a psychiatrist... a lot of bars don't make it because they're not trained to be people's people; they're only trained to pour drinks", as quoted in the Buffalo News) means she's liable to come over to your table and talk your ear off, dishing on the latest neighborhood gossip or showing off old family photos. And if you're hungry, handmade pierogi or Friday fish fry make for the perfect accompaniments.
BuyFlea marketElmwood Village
The Peddler
The Peddler is more than just a flea market — it's a neighborhood institution, a social gathering place, and a real slice of Elmwood Village life, where an underused parking lot becomes an emporium of vintage and antique furniture, home decor, and clothing that's inspired by the Chelsea Market in New York City. Vendors — some steadfast regulars, some more itinerant — offer an interesting and diverse selection of upscale goods to a customer base ranging from hipsters to families with kids to old folks to a growing legion of folks who come from out of town in search of bargains. In the winter, The Peddler moves indoors to The Foundry on the East Side.
Sat 8:30AM-4PM, mid-Apr through late Oct
DoLive music venueDowntown
The World's Largest Disco
The largest event of its kind in the world, the World's Largest Disco brings back the 1970s for one day each Thanksgiving Day weekend, with the transformed into New York State's largest dance floor. Every year, thousands of locals and visitors age 21 and over dance the night away to the retro tunes that are played on the festival's 500,000-watt soundsystem, and have the chance to meet disco-era celebrities that have included Henry Winkler, Erik Estrada, Leif Garrett, and the cast of The Brady Bunch. The World's Largest Disco has been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as well as such television programs as CBS This Morning, VH-1's Where Are They Now, and the Travel Channel's Secrets. All proceeds go to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times, a local summer camp for children with cancer.
EatJapanese restaurantWest Side
Thang's Family Japanese Ramen
Like the folks who run the dim sum place around the corner, owner Kap Thang is a Myanmar native who worked as a chef in Malaysia before coming to the U.S., so naturally, there's a Burmese-fusion element to the menu here (seafood lovers will want to check out the tom yum ramen). But that's not the most unusual aspect of the experience at Thang's: the love-it-or-hate-it ingredient that all the soups have in common is smoked paprika. Perhaps the most objective thing you can say is it works better in some varieties than others (it cuts the acidic tang of the Korean kimchi ramen perfectly, but the flavor overpowers the spicy chicken ramen so utterly that the best analogy is chicken paprikash in soup form).
$10-20
SeeTransport museumEast Side
Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
Operated by James Sandoro, a former curator of exhibits at the Buffalo History Museum and a lifelong collector of historic artifacts, the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum draws 10,000 visitors per year to their museum complex in a historic neighborhood just east of downtown, despite minimal advertising. As one might expect, the exhibits at the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum run heavily towards antique cars and automotive memorabilia, especially Pierce-Arrows, the luxury sedans produced in Buffalo in the early 20th century to which the museum owes its name. The museum's pièce de résistance debuted in June 2014: Buffalo's seventh and newest Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building, a filling station constructed according to an original 1927 blueprint which Wright intended for the corner of Michigan Avenue and Cherry Street a short distance north of here.
Thu-Sat 11AM-4PM$10, seniors $8, children $5, guided tour $15 · Wheelchair accessible
EatRestaurantWest Side
Five Points Bakery
If you're in search of a full hearty meal, look elsewhere. But if you just want to nosh (and especially if money is no object), Five Points Bakery's toast bar is a popular West Side locavore destination. Choose from their selection of locally-grown organic breads, pop a slice in the toaster, top it with your choice of honey, peanut butter, or various fruit compotes and cheese spreads, then find a seat either indoors at a table or along the bar, or if the weather is nice, on the rear patio, whose rustic furniture and adobe-colored stucco walls give it a distinctly Southwestern feel. Laptop jockeys can take advantage of multiple Ethernet ports, and both dining room and patio have kids' play areas that are fully stocked with toys, games and books.
Mon-Sat 7AM-7PM, Sun 7AM-4PM$10-15
BuyWine shopWest Side
Paradise Wine
The inventory at this hipster wine shop in Five Points eschews the big names completely in favor of a small, handpicked selection of organic, biodynamic, sustainably crafted wines (and ciders and craft spirits) sourced from small family-owned vineyards in the local area. If that sounds too high-concept for your price range, think again: an integral part of this place's mission is making holistically produced products available to those of all budgets. Eponymous owner Paula Paradise is enthusiastic about sharing her treasure trove of wine knowledge to serve each customer's individual needs and palate.
Wed-Fri 11AM-7PM, Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-5PM

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Buffalo (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps.