The ambience at O'Connell's is decidedly old-school, redolent of a time when merchandise was crafted with pride and skill and salespeople knew their customers by name, which makes it fitting that the specialty here is high-end men's formalwear, almost a sartorial anachronism in this day and age. The suits, sportcoats, dress shirts, shoes, slacks, ties and accessories offered here are of a style that marries staid conservatism with quirky individuality (novelty cufflinks shaped like race cars and champagne bottles are a good example of this). Prices tend toward the higher end of things, but you get what you pay for.
Mon Thu 9:30AM-8PM, Tue Wed Fri Sat 9:30AM-5:30PM
American restaurant North Buffalo A popular dive where the latest indie tunes can be heard on the soundsystem and people-watchers can enjoy a clientele that trends heavily toward bohemian urbanites and other alternative types (not to mention students of UB's nearby South Campus), Amy's Place is among the hippest eateries on Main Street. By day they serve a range of Lebanese and other Mediterranean fare of respectable quality, including abundant options for vegetarians and vegans. However, Amy's Place is perhaps best known for their substantial, delicious and reasonably priced breakfasts. Cash only.
Daily 7AM-9PM · $10-25
Greeks & Sneaks is not only a place for UB students to purchase or rent textbooks (at prices much more reasonable than the on-campus bookstore and sometimes even cheaper than Amazon), but it also doubles as a one-stop shop for all manner of college-themed clothing and gear. Dedicated UB football and basketball fans can find a full range of t-shirts, sweats, hoodies, and other items emblazoned with the Bulls logo. Greeks & Sneaks also offers fraternity and sorority swag, as well as silkscreen prints, embroidery, and a wide range of sneakers.
Mon-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat noon-5PM
At this friendly and snazzily decorated shop, the namesake item is super flavorful without the cloying sweetness you see at a lot of other places: the folks at Lucky Koi understand that high-quality tea, even more than the flavor syrups, is what can really make or break this sort of place (choose from white, black, green, or oolong). As for the flavors, you've got your work cut out for you navigating the huge range of options; if you need help narrowing things down, the rule of thumb is the Asian flavors — ube, longan, dragonfruit — tend to be better than the Western ones. Made-to-order Hong Kong bubble waffles are a winner too.
Mon-Thu 2PM-10PM, Fri 2PM-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10PM