Where to eat / Restaurant reviews in brief
Bakery llll 5668 Old Saunders
Following are some restaurants visited by News restaurant reviewers. New restaurant reviews generally appear the first Sunday of every month in Niagara Weekend.
Yai-Yia’s Diner ★★★½ 6124 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls. Offers “The best breakfast value in the city,” according to our Niagara restaurant reviewer. It’s also open for lunch Sunday to Tuesday, and for lunch and dinner the rest of the week. Think comfort food that tastes good, at a reasonable price.
Carson’s Country Deli and Settlement Road, Town of Lockport (433-2248) If you’re looking for top-notch beef-on-weck and homemade meatloaf, you can get both at Carson’s. Our restaurant reviewer declares the beef-on-weck here is the best he’s had in the area.
Murphy’s Cafe on Third ★★★½ 250 Rainbow Blvd., at Third Street, Niagara Falls (205-8341) One of the newest restaurants in the Falls is worth seeking out inside the Jefferson Apartments. Gourmet coffee, solid breakfast fare and great lunchtime wraps and sandwiches should soon make this a city staple.
Ridge Family Restaurant and Tavern ★★½ 4494 Ridge Road, Cambria (433-9741) This is a good place to go for comfort food, especially the cabbage rolls, and especially if you’re a grown-up. The restaurant sits alongside the tavern part of the establishment and colorful language filters into the dining area.
Bandana’s Bar and Grill ★★★½ 930 Lake Road, Youngstown (745-1010) The place is pretty standard looks-wise, except that there are a lot of pictures on the walls of stars sporting bandannas. The food is a solid, the portions more than ample, and the prices quite reasonable.
The Meeting Place Restaurant and Lounge ★★½ 2469 Niagara Road, Bergholz (731-3662). Some of the meals can be hit or miss, although our restaurant contingent loved the fish dishes. Something all agree on, however, is that the restaurant’s specialty dessert, “Pizzookie” is worth a visit all on its own.
The Silo ★★★½ 115 N. Water St., Lewiston (754-9680). This spot, overlooking the Niagara River, is reopened for the season and may have the best view of any restaurant on the Niagara Frontier. It certainly has one of the top signature sandwiches, the Haystack: a concoction of thinly sliced ribeye steak topped with melted mozzarella, slathered with crispy shredded hash browns and stuffed in a sub roll.
Wine on Third ★★★★ 501 Third St., Niagara Falls (285-9463). This upscale spot, with reasonable prices, sticks out in the Falls bar district for it tantalizing food and beverage of choice. Worth the change of Third Street pace.
Salisa’s All American Diner ★★★½ 2214 Niagara Falls Blvd., Wheatfield, (731-5616). Top-notch sandwiches and daring menu items like stuffed sweet pepper soup underline the notion that sometimes it’s good to be cheap. This place spares the expense.
Lighthouse Grill-n-Spirits ★★★ 5885 E. Main St., Olcott (778-5580). Nestled in a waterfront hamlet near a lighthouse, of course, this spot offers a simple, satisfying menu anytime of year.
Suzanne’s Fine Dining ★★★½ 2843 Niagara Falls Blvd., Wheatfield (694-6562). This friendly place pulls off elegance without excessive stuffiness, and the prices are reasonable considering the fine quality of the food.
Country Roadhouse ★★★½ 2989 Ridge Road, Ransomville (791-4316). This affordable restaurant is worth hunting for and includes such hearty fare as Hungry Man Platters and the Roadhouse Omelet. Closed Mondays.
Old Falls Sports Bar and Grill ★★★ 300 Third St., Niagara Falls (285-3361). Soup, sandwiches and plenty of sports are on the menu at this plush new hot spot in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and there are beer specials during Buffalo football and hockey games.
China Garden ★★★½ 722 Portage Road, Niagara Falls (282-8100). This Asian restaurant has given a nod to American cuisine, including knocking down the spice that comes with some Chinese food. Jumbo shrimp and steak kew are among the tastier dishes.
Tuscana Ristorante ★★★½ 515 S. Transit Road, Lockport (434-6151). The chef doesn’t skimp on garlic in this Italian-style eating spot, located poolside in the Lockport Holiday Inn. Create-your-own pasta was our reviewer’s recommended menu choice.
Hideaway Grille ★★★½ 399 Division St., North Tonawanda (694-2710). The sweet potatoes alone are worth the search for this indoor/outdoor establishment, which specializes in ribs and offers nightly specials at a reasonable price.
La Cascata ★★★½ 310 Fourth St., Niagara Falls (877) 873-6322. The service and understated decor in this Italian restaurant in the Seneca Niagara Casino&Hotel will make you feel at home. The food will make you feel like you’re in a fine restaurant. You’ll be glad you ordered dessert.
Tina’s Place ★★½ 5835 Buffalo St., Sanborn (731-2444). One of few dining options in Sanborn, this breakfast and lunch spot also serves dinner on Fridays. Pancakes, omelettes and French toast are on the menu. Nothing fancy that’s going to break the budget.
Koi ★★★ 310 Fourth St., Niagara Falls (877) 873-6322. This Pan-Asian restaurant in the Seneca Niagara Casino&Hotel, which means “brocaded carp” in Japanese, presents an ambitious menu, including Malaysian satays, Japanese sushi and sashimi, Hong Kong-style dim sum and traditional Szechuan and Hunan-style Chinese dishes. A couple can easily enjoy a luxurious dinner with appetizers and dessert for less than $80—if they don’t go wild on the sake.
Spices ★★★½ 135 Charlotte St., Lockport (439-1516). Some have tried to coax owner Basil Davis to move this Jamaican restaurant to Buffalo, but he likes his spot on a Lockport side street. Island favorites include jerk chicken and the surprisingly tasty carrot cheesecake.
Garlock’s ★★★★ 35 S. Transit St., Lockport (433-5595). The plain facade belies the incredible food this city landmark restaurant serves. A top choice for a special occasion or a special meal. Don’t bother looking past the surf and turf on your first stop.
Half Moon Bay ★★126 Wheatfield St., North Tonawanda (692-3171). Black Angus pot roast and creative decor are among the draws at this restaurant.
Granny’s Cafe ★★★ 276 Oliver St., North Tonawanda (692-0165). You won’t lose any weight eating in this diner, but boy does Granny know how to cook breakfast and lunch favorites.
Fatima Shrine ★★½ 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston (754-7489). The cafeteria-style restaurant in this world-renowned shrine might not be the most divine restaurant in the world, but its prices allow enough change to leave a little something in the collection plate.
Peppertree Restaurant ★★ 114 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls, in the Four Points by Sheraton (285-2521). The food is sound, but the menu needs expansion, and attention to detail needs to improve if this dining spot is to compete with the nearby Seneca Niagara Casino.
Sunshine Cafe ★★8649 Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls (236-0051). This busy restaurant features some nice dishes, such as Shelly’s Eggplant, but it may take a while to get your food.
Muscoreil’s Bistro and Dessert Gallery ★★★½ 3960 Niagara Falls Blvd., North Tonawanda (692-9081). Soups, salads and sandwiches are super here. The only thing that will force you to stop at an ATM before you get here is a desire to get married and buy one of Muscoreil’s wedding cakes.
Knead the Dough ★★★★ 3678 Ransomville Road, Ransomville (791-4991). This converted Agway store from the 1940s passes the great restaurant test with flying colors.
Willowbrook Golf Course Clubhouse ★★★ 4200 Lake Ave., Lockport (434-0111). The clubhouse, open to the public, is above par when it comes to the standard pub fare at affordable prices.
Goodfellas Pizzeria ★★754 W. Market St., Niagara Falls (285-8448). This themed restaurant in the Central Market is a good place to grab pizza and wings—for takeout.
Chu’s Dining Lounge ★★★ 1019 Main St., Niagara Falls (285-7278). The Chu family swam against the tide by moving this place from the Ontario side.
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