Allentown, Buffalo

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Allentown blah blah blah

Understand edit

Allentown covers some 160 acres (65ha) north of the Theater District and west of the Medical Corridor. For a long time it was a home for hippies, starving artists, punk rockers, the LGBT community, and other assorted misfits and outcasts, and even today the neighborhood trades on a certain "alternative" identity. But bohemian Allentown is quickly being consigned to history: the Allen Street bar scene of today is miles away from the chilled-out hipster haunts of yesteryear, with an influx of rowdy college kids and twentysomethings bringing a wild and hedonistic vibe north from Chippewa Street after the government-orchestrated mass closure of the nightclubs there, and the remaining shops and art galleries catering to decidedly more bourgeois sensibilities than before. Even on the side streets, the charming old Victorian cottages are nowadays more likely to be home to trendy urban yuppies than to counterculture types.

History edit

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Allentown takes its name from Lewis Falley Allen, a native of Westfield, Massachusetts who arrived in Buffalo in 1827 and established an orchard and cattle farm on a 29-acre (10.5ha) lot that fronted on Williamsville Road, now Main Street. It was only six years later that Allen moved his farm to a much larger parcel he had just purchased on Grand Island, selling his former plot to developers hungry for new land for development for the growing city of Buffalo. Allen's land was soon joined on the market by a massive portion of the land belonging to future Mayor Ebenezer Walden; located on what is now the southern fringe of Allentown, Walden's land straddled what was then the border between the newly incorporated City of Buffalo and the Village of Black Rock, which was annexed by Buffalo in 1854.

Allen Street was once the path by which Lewis Allen drove his cattle from the pasture owned by his neighbor Thomas Day (where Days Park is today) to his farmhouse on Main Street.

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The beginning of the 20th Century saw Allentown at the height of its fortunes...

However, the area, along with the rest of Buffalo, eventually began to stagnate and decline... take care not to duplicate verbiage

Allentown, never having truly recovered from the Wall Street crash of 1929, for several decades verged on being an outright slum before its rediscovery in the 1950s by an emerging community of artists and bohemians (including what would come to be called "beatniks"), a reawakening that culminated in the founding of the North Street Association in 1960, which was soon renamed the Allentown Association.

However, the decline of Allentown was not nearly as severe as that of other parts of the city; it was the location of this district on the west side of Main Street that was its deliverance... take care not to duplicate verbiage

Remarkably, the urban renewal that permanently scarred or altered other areas of the city barely touched Allentown... take care not to duplicate verbiage

construction of the West Side Arterial, a proposed highway that would have run near Virginia Street connecting the Kensington Expressway with Interstate 190, was opposed relentlessly by a grassroots coalition of community groups and was finally cancelled in 1976.

charming red-brick Victorians of Allentown are still largely occupied by residents...

have gained a new cachet during recent years as urban life has belatedly come back into vogue among citizens of Western New York and elsewhere in the so-called Rust Belt... take care not to duplicate verbiage

Visitor information edit

The Allentown Association is the oldest neighborhood organization in Buffalo, with roots that stretch back to 1960; its website boasts a wealth of information for visitors, such as extensive historical information on many of Allentown's homes, buildings, and streets, a business directory, special event listings, and even a small selection of Allentown-related academic essays and literature.

Get in and around edit

42°53′56″N 78°52′33″W

Map of Allentown

By car edit

Allen Street main drag. North, Virginia, Edward

Delaware Avenue (NY 384), Elmwood Avenue, Franklin Street, and Main Street (NY 5).

In Allentown, on-street parking on Allen Street and the side streets adjacent to it, as well as Elmwood Avenue, can be hard to come by — especially on Friday and Saturday nights, when the bars and restaurants are packed. North Street, Delaware Avenue, Virginia Street, and Main Street are better bets. Parking meters charge 50¢ per hour and are enforced on weekdays until 5PM. Off-street parking along Allen Street is available in the lot between Nietzsche's and Flavors of Allentown (free), next to Holley Farms convenience store at the corner of College Street ($5 flat rate on Friday and Saturday nights; free other times), and in a small pay lot just west of Elmwood Avenue between Falley Allen and Jim's Steakout (same rate as the parking meters).

Car sharing edit

Members of Zipcar have access to a Honda Fit parked at Antiques Allentown on Elmwood Avenue. The vehicle is available for a price of $9/hour or $74/day M-Th; $10/hour or $80/day F-Su. This price includes fuel, insurance, and 180 free miles (about 290 free kilometers) per day.

By public transportation edit

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.

By bus edit

Allentown is traversed by a number of NFTA Metro bus routes:

NFTA Metro Bus #7 — Baynes-Richmond. Beginning at the Richardson-Olmsted Complex on Forest Avenue in the Elmwood Village, Bus #7 enters Allentown via Symphony Circle and passes eastward along North Street, turning south at Main Street with service to the Allen-Medical Campus Metro Rail Station. From there, inbound trips continue down Main and Pearl Streets on their way downtown, while outbound trips take Franklin Street north to Virginia Street, then continue eastward to Main. Bus #7 does not run Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.

8, 11, 20, 25 down Main, Delaware, Elmwood, and Delaware respectively - make these share a single bullet point

NFTA Metro Bus #29 — Wohlers. Eastbound trips begin on the West Side and proceed through Allentown via Cottage, Virginia, and Main Streets (with service to the Allen-Medical Campus Metro Rail Station), proceeding thenceforward through the East Side before turning westward again via East Delavan Avenue, ending at the Delavan-Canisius College Metro Rail Station. Westbound trips traverse Allentown via Virginia, College, and Maryland Streets. Bus #29 does not run Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.

By Metro Rail edit

The Metro Rail is an LRRT line that extends along Main Street from the University at Buffalo's South Campus in North Buffalo southward to downtown, along the eastern border of Allentown and the Delaware District. The Metro Rail serves as the backbone of Buffalo's public transit system, accessed directly by many bus routes. Like the buses, the fare for the Metro Rail is $2.00 ($4.00 round-trip); the $5.00 all-day passes available on Metro buses are also valid for the Metro Rail.

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42.899405-78.8695421 Allen-Medical Campus Station — Main Street at Allen Street (Allentown).

By bike edit

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bike lanes down Delaware Avenue throughout Allentown and into downtown (end at Niag Squ)

"sharrows" (pavement markings on roads too narrow to accommodate dedicated bike lanes, indicating that drivers should be aware of bicyclists on the road) are present along North Street from Symphony Circle to Main Street, along Wadsworth and Allen Streets between Symphony Circle and Delaware Avenue, and along Elmwood Avenue south from the Elmwood Village as far as Allen Street, thence continuing further south to Virginia Street as a pair of dedicated bike lanes. Word is that bicycle infrastructure of one form or another will eventually be added to all of Elmwood Avenue, southward into downtown.

Bike sharing edit

You'll find three Reddy Bikeshare racks in Allentown:

at the corner of Allen and Wadsworth Streets, at the east end of Days Park
on the north side of Allen Street between Elmwood Avenue and Park Street, in front of Allen Burger Venture
on the west side of Franklin Street at the corner of Allen Street, on the side of Café 59

Additionally, all of Allen Street is a free parking zone for Reddy bikes, as is the stretch of Elmwood Avenue north of Allen. Here 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.

On foot edit

Allentown is a safe, pleasant, and compact neighborhood that lends itself particularly well to pedestrians — in fact, with its dense concentration of homes and businesses and relative lack of parking spaces, walking is arguably the most common method of transportation Allentown residents employ for traveling within the neighborhood.

See edit

History edit

42.900333-78.8748711 F. Scott Fitzgerald House, 29 Irving Pl. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25). Private residence, not open for tours. A comprehensive list of all the architecturally and historically significant private homes in Allentown and the Delaware District would make this article far too lengthy to be useful; however, the two-story, front-gabled Italianate cottage at 29 Irving Place in Allentown is especially significant for a number of reasons. First and foremost, this is the house where F. Scott Fitzgerald, famous as the writer of The Great Gatsby and other magnificent works of Jazz Age literature, lived for five years during his childhood. Fitzgerald moved with his family to Irving Place at the age of seven, in 1903, after having lived briefly in the Hotel Lenox on North Street and then in Syracuse for a few years. His childhood friends said later that even at this young age, his intellectual curiosity and interest in literature as a student at Nardin Academy were apparent. Though his family was forced to move away after his father lost his job, he remembered his childhood in Buffalo fondly; even today, it does not take much imagination to envision Irving Place as a setting for some of the scenes in his novels. The later history of the house is a testament to Allentown's decline and rebirth after the stock market crash of 1929; by 1970, when its current owners purchased the place and restored it to its former glory, it had degraded into a seedy rooming house rented to scruffy transients. The F. Scott Fitzgerald House is also notable for having one of the few examples remaining in Buffalo of an intact Italianate portico — a style that is ubiquitous in Allentown.
42.902036-78.8774992 Karpeles Manuscript Library (North Hall), 220 North St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 885-4139. Th-Sa 11AM-4PM. The brainchild of California real estate magnate David Karpeles, the Karpeles Manuscript Library is the world's largest privately-owned collection of historic documents and manuscripts. The library consists of twelve branches nationwide, including two in Buffalo: North Hall, located in the former First Church of Christ, Scientist in Allentown, as well as Porter Hall on the West Side. Travelling exhibits, highlighting historic documents of all descriptions, rotate among all twelve branches. Free.

Aside from its main significance as the site where Theodore Roosevelt was administered the Presidential oath, the Wilcox Mansion is historically significant as the last remaining building to have been part of the Poinsett Barracks, a military installation built in 1838 to guard against a British invasion from Canada, and as the former home of Buffalo mayor Joseph Masten.

42.901665-78.8726743 Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, 641 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-0095, fax: +1 716 884-0330. M-F 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sa Su 12:30PM-3:30PM. The only property in Western New York operated by the National Park Service, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is located 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. A 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. $10, aged 62+ and students $7, ages 6-18 $5, families $25, free for children under 5 and members.

Architecture edit

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The 42.898916-78.8753524 Allentown Historic District. Located north of downtown, Allentown was the first Buffalo neighborhood to be listed on the National Register, with a history that dates back to the middle and late 19th century. It's characterized by small but lovely two-story brick houses in the Italianate, Gothic Revival, Second Empire, and other typical styles of the time. Among Allentown's most architecturally exquisite buildings are the Allendale Theatre and the seven houses that make up the Tiffts Row, both of which are located on Allen Street; the William Dorsheimer House on Delaware Avenue, and the former Buffalo Catholic Institute building on Main and Virginia Streets that is now home to the Church of Scientology. (updated Sep 2017)

Art edit

Allentown boasts perhaps the largest and most longstanding community of artists in Buffalo, with an abundance of galleries for every taste. A good time to experience the art scene there is during First Fridays — a free gallery walk that takes place on the first Friday of each month (hence the name), when the galleries of Allentown and the lower Elmwood Village stay open late and often hold openings and other events, and folks can take in live music and performances or enjoy special deals at nearby shops and restaurants.

In addition to the places listed here, the Buy section includes a listing of galleries that offer works for sale, rather than display only.

42.900431-78.8772735 Atrium 124 Gallery, 124 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 631-5777. Opening hours vary by exhibition. Located in the Elmwood Avenue offices of Autism Services, Inc. — a disability services organization that's famous for using art therapy as a cornerstone of its treatment plans — Atrium 124 Gallery shows changing exhibitions of work by local artists with autism, Asperger's syndrome, and related disabilities. (updated May 2016)
42.901042-78.8772736 ¡Buen Vivir! Gallery, 148 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 536-5669. Open for special events or by appointment. The ¡Buen Vivir! Gallery is located in the former B West Studios, right next door to the headquarters of the Global Justice Ecology Project that operates the space under the curatorship of its board chairman, local photojournalist Orin Langelle, an intrepid artist-cum-activist who has risked his life in some of the most geographically and politically inhospitable regions of the world to create works with a focus on the effects of climate change and other environmental catastrophes, as well as other social and human rights injustices — "concerned photography", he has dubbed his genre. The gallery's name in Spanish translates to "living well", which is meant to signify the harmonious coexistence of humans with the Earth, and which is fitting of the hopeful and uplifting message that shines through in the work displayed here despite the harshness of its subject matter.
42.896388-78.8735137 C. G. Jung Center Gallery, 408 Franklin St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 854-7457. The C. G. Jung Center is not only the home of the Analytical Psychology Society of Western New York, but it also doubles as an art gallery featuring works by well-known and up-and-coming local artists, as well as symposia, lectures, and workshops on a wide variety of topics relevant to Jungian psychology.
42.899574-78.8733068 El Museo, 91 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 578-3782. Th-Sa noon-5PM. El Museo has been open in Allentown since 1981, serving its mission of exhibiting contemporary works by artists of color. Its initial focus on works by Latino artists has been complemented in recent years by representations of African, African-American, Asian, American Indian and Caribbean culture, in visual art as well as other media. El Museo presents six to eight exhibitions per year and is an excellent place to appreciate groundbreaking works created by emerging artists from the local area who reflect cultures that are traditionally underrepresented in the art world. Donation.
42.899535-78.8718299 Indigo Art, 47 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 984-9572. Tu-F noon-5PM, Sa noon-3PM, also by appointment. Elisabeth Samuels curates this neighborhood art gallery on Allen Street that opened in 2008 and is located at the former East End Salon. Supporting emerging artists from Buffalo and the surrounding region working in such diverse media as drawing painting, sculpture, photography, textile art and printmaking, Indigo Art displays changing exhibitions of the work of Western New York's vibrant arts community.
42.901936-78.87433410 Nina Freudenheim Gallery, 140 North St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 882-5777. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa & M by appointment. An award-winning art appraiser and philanthropist who was responsible for, among other accomplishments, directing the selection and inclusion of public art displays in the NFTA Metro Rail system, Nina Freudenheim has operated her eponymous art gallery on the first floor of the Hotel Lenox since 1975. Both the permanent collection of the gallery and the traveling exhibitions that are held reflect the curator's enduring commitment to showing the finest contemporary art, craft and photography by both well-established and emerging artists. The Nina Freudenheim Gallery has placed works in a number of prestigious institutions including the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. as well as Buffalo's own Albright-Knox Art Gallery. In addition, fine art consulting and appraisal services are also offered. (updated Nov 2018)

The scene at Sisti Park on a sunny summer day.

If it's a sunny day and you'd rather enjoy some al fresco art than be cloistered inside a gallery, head to the north edge of Allentown, where you'll find...

42.902066-78.8710811 Sisti Park, 42 North St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Summer-Best). Sisti Park is a small public sculpture garden at the corner of Franklin and North Streets established in 1981 in homage to sculptor Tony Sisti (1901-1983), who lived and operated his studio in Allentown beginning in the 1930s, and taught at the prestigious Art Institute of Buffalo. The park contains two untitled metal sculptures by local artist Duayne Hatchett, as well as attractive plantings and benches to stop and relax on. (updated Aug 2019)

Parks edit

Located just south and east of Symphony Circle in Allentown, Arlington Park is arguably the loveliest of Buffalo's three "residential parks".

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42.898792-78.88102212 Days Park is a two-acre (0.9 ha) green space on the site of a former cow pasture at the west end of Allen Street, which its owner, Thomas Day, donated to the city in 1854. Some time later, Days Park was redesigned by Frederick Law Olmsted, whose plan to eventually integrate it into his park and parkway system never materialized.

42.901315-78.8796713 Arlington Park is a smaller residential park a short distance northeast of Days Park, which is most famous as the place Frank Lloyd Wright lived while designing the Darwin D. Martin House in North Buffalo. Both of these beautifully landscaped swaths of greenery still boast beautiful and fashionable Victorian cottages around their perimeters, in Italianate, Second Empire, Gothic Revival, and other styles popular in the late 19th Century. They are lovely places for a picnic or leisurely walk on a warm day.

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Festivals and events edit

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Spring edit

Buffalo St. Patrick's Day Parade. Since 1940, on the closest Sunday to March 17th, Allentown, as well as downtown, has been the scene of New York State's second-largest St. Patrick's Day celebration, held by the Buffalo United Irish-American Association. Traditionally, Mass is said by the Bishop of Buffalo at St. Joseph's Cathedral on Franklin Street immediately before the participants gather at Niagara Square, marching up Delaware Avenue through Allentown as far as North Street. The grandeur of this event is testimony to the continuing importance of Buffalo's Irish-American community.

Summer edit

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

Theater edit

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

Theatre of Youth, 203 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 819-9653. The Theatre of Youth is a not-for-profit professional theatre company that is the only one in the Niagara Frontier dedicated to presenting works for young people and families. At the 42.899596-78.8776951 Allendale Theatre, the Theatre of Youth stages performances such as Pinkalicious and Charlotte's Web for 30,000 audience members per year with a goal of instilling in young people an enduring appreciation for the performing arts.

Live music edit

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

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

Allen Street Hardware, 245 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 882-8843. In addition to the local rock bands and stand-up comedians that perform at Hardware on a frequent basis, the "Back Room" plays host to free jazz concerts every Monday night.
Duke's Bohemian Grove, 253 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 240-0359. The small concert space at the rear of Duke's presents live music and/or DJ sets four nights a week — and, increasingly, nationally famous acts from time to time.

The graffiti on the ceiling at Nietzsche's is an encyclopedia of the last 30 years or so of Buffalo's local music scene.

Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 885-8539. Nietzsche's stands out from the pack on Allen Street through sheer longevity; it's been presenting first-rate live music since well before most of the hipsters at the bar were born. In addition to the usual slate of local rock bands and singer-songwriters, Nietzsche's has been known to sneak in a nationally-known name here and there. (updated Jan 2020)
42.900074-78.879932 PAUSA Art House, 19 Wadsworth St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20). This brand-new combination café, art gallery and boutique concert hall opened in February 2013 in a beautifully restored Italianate cottage on Wadsworth Street. Presented here is an exciting range of music that is more adventurous than the typical Allentown fare, with chamber music, Latin jazz, tango, and a diverse range of other artists sharing space on the schedule. The work of local artists hangs on the walls, and the bar features a selection of fine wines and a limited menu of light meals.

Buy edit

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Clothing edit

42.899574-78.8731921 Allen Street Dress Shop, 89 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 883-0871. M-Fr 10:30AM-6PM, first F of each month till 9PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. A purveyor of "beautiful clothing for interesting women", the Allen Street Dress Shop is the place to go in Allentown for creative and chic clothing and accessories at reasonable prices, from such brands as Kiko, Anthropologie, and Cut Loose, as well as by new designers on the cutting edge of fashion whose lines are displayed on the store's website.
42.899275-78.8714542 Class Act, 40 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 602-8128. M-Fr 11AM-7PM, Sa noon-6PM. At Class Act, fans of urban fashions will be in heaven among a selection of bold apparel for the trend-setting urbanite: the colors are bright (if you look good in gold, this is your place), the patterns are vibrant and often display a hint of Afrocentric flair, and the styles are sassy and make a strong statement. Accessories such as handbags and jewelry continue along those lines, and perfumes, colognes and stylish gifts are available from J's House of Fragrances co-located in the same storefront. The interior is interesting, too: the wood-panelled walls and dim lighting make for a strangely hip "basement rec room" ambience. (updated Jul 2018)
42.89772-78.8726933 Lace & Day, 445 Franklin St. (Metro Bus 11, 15 or 29‪; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-1580. Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM. Named for the versatility of the shop's inventory — these items are suitable for any environment from the boardroom to the bedroom — Lace & Day is an upscale lingerie and ladies' sleepwear boutique where intimate apparel from such top designers and brands as Marie Jo, Empreinte, and Bedhead, is on offer in two floors of retail space: airy, high-ceilinged rooms are bathed in natural light for a pleasant, relaxing shopping experience. You'll also find a small selection of men's underwear including boxer-briefs from Saxx. Knowledgeable sales staff will not only happily direct you to the right product, but also offers custom bra fitting. (updated Jul 2018)
42.901542-78.8773034 My Cuzin Vintage, 168 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 908-5111. Tu-F 1:30PM-8:30PM, Sa 11AM-6PM. Thirtysomethings rejoice: the 1990s never ended! Or at least you can pretend as much at this quirky Elmwood Avenue vintage shop. Old sports jerseys and gear are a specialty at My Cuzin, especially souvenirs from the glory days of the Buffalo Bills — original Jim Kelly jerseys, Zubaz pants, and Super Bowl merchandise from the four years Buffalo competed are highlights of the collection here. But even if you're not a football fan, My Cuzin has your nostalgia needs covered with t-shirts, jackets, hats, hoodies, sneakers, and other clothes emblazoned with quintessential relics of '90s pop culture, from the Atlanta Olympics to Garth Brooks to 3rd Rock from the Sun. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899596-78.8775135 Rick's Sports Apparel, 201 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 883-8615. M-Sa 10AM-7PM, Su noon-4PM. Rick's Sports Apparel has been, in their own words, "Allentown's Athletic Footwear Store Since 1984". Shoes are the main stock in trade here — the newest and best from brands like Nike, Timberland, and K-Swiss — but Rick's also carries athletic apparel like Champion tracksuits and jogging pants, New Era caps, as well as track and dugout jackets.
42.899574-78.8730776 Trend Up/MS Eye Candy Boutique, 85 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 347 962-6162 (Trend Up), +1 716 308-2093 (MS Eye Candy). M-Sa 11AM-6PM, Su 11AM-4PM. The former Black Cat Vintage on Allen Street is the new home of this dynamic duo of fashion boutiques that moved in 2018 from downtown and the Elmwood Village respectively. Aside from that, though, little has changed: Trend Up is still where Giovanni Centurione purveys his über-stylish collection of contemporary clothing for modern urban males, with a range of hard-to-find designers such as DOPE, European Apparel, and Other UK represented, while MS Eye Candy is still a place to go for contemporary and fashionable women's clothing whose subtle yet eye-catching style quirks make them stand out from the mall brands. (updated Jun 2018)

Art and art supplies edit

42.899335-78.8729697 Buffalo Big Print, 78 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-1777. M-F 9AM-5:30PM, call for Sa hours. Since 1985, Buffalo Big Print's focus has been the production of custom prints for such industries as fine art, advertising, and pre-press. A wide variety of specialty films and papers are used, such as digital photobase papers of the highest quality, artists' canvas, and 100% cotton rag papers. As well, services such as high-resolution digital image capture, digital restoration and enhancements, and custom finishing are provided to local artists. Buffalo Big Print also boasts a large gallery where the work of many local artists is displayed.
42.90011-78.8772738 El Buen Amigo, 114 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 885-6343. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 11AM-5PM. El Buen Amigo — "The Good Friend" in Spanish — is the name of the storefront gallery in Allentown run by the Latin-American Cultural Association of Buffalo. Aside from the works of art that are on display and for sale in the gallery, El Buen Amigo also hosts a wide variety of activities and programs reflective of the vibrancy of the local Hispanic community, including music, cultural enrichment programs, and Spanish language classes. El Buen Amigo also offers fair-trade crafts, clothing, and coffee for sale.
42.899568-78.8726199 Pine Apple Company, 65 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 275-3648. W-Th noon-6PM, F-Sa noon-11PM, Su 11AM-6PM. The Pine Apple Company is gallery and event space run by a sextet of local artists, and the operative word is "local": the Buffalo art world tends to be insular by necessity, a concept reflected in the name of the gallery (google the 2016 feature story in The Public that quotes co-owner Tom Holt for an explanation). Aside from the focus on local solidarity, though, there's no way to succinctly summarize what you might find here on any given day: come by to check out anything from watercolors to pen-and-ink cartoons to handmade plush toys to digital pop-art pieces, all representing the best of the Buffalo scene. (updated Jul 2018)

Antiques edit

42.900947-78.87727310 Antiques Allentown, 146 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 882-9535. Tu-Sa noon-5PM and by appointment. Antiques Allentown is a funky shop that's housed in an unmissable white and pink cottage on Elmwood Avenue just north of Allen Street. Specializing in primitives as well as small items from the 1960s and earlier, Antiques Allentown stocks antiques and collectibles for all budgets in a friendly environment. Layaway and estate management is also offered.
42.89937-78.87876811 The Antique Man, 234 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 883-2121. M-Sa noon-8PM. A frequent winner in the "Best Antique Shop" category in Artvoice's annual "Best of Buffalo" poll, the Antique Man's specialty is music: LPs, cassettes, and CDs hang in the window and occupy a prominent place on the shelves here, with timeless classics from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Frank Sinatra for sale or even playing on the turntable in the store. As well, the Antique Man stocks a quirky selection of books, pamphlets, magazines, comic books, art, and miscellaneous trinkets to accompany the records.
42.898653-78.87690812 Carl Slone - L'Été Antiques, 65 Elmwood Ave (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 884-0211, buffalolight@email.com. Tu-Th by appointment, F-Sa 11AM-5PM. Founded in 1978 by its eponymous owner, Carl Slone, and located in an 1883 wood-frame Stick-style house, L'Été Antiques specalizes in a wide variety of gas and early electric light fixtures, with a particular emphasis on Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Sheffield-style chandeliers and sconces, as well as stained and leaded glass of all varieties. Restoration and estate consultations are also offered. (updated Jul 2019)
42.901897-78.8769613 Larry's Antiques, 181 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 883-6255. "Top Dollar Paid On the Spot" is the credo at Larry's Antiques. Since 1980, a wide range of unique and interesting antiques and collectibles has been on display and for sale at this charming store on Elmwood Avenue. Items such as fancy leaded glass and lamps, clocks, garden items, cabinets and furniture of all types are specialties at Larry's.
42.899536-78.87172614 Patricia's Antiques, 43 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 886-5486. Patricia's is nothing if not a fleeting glimpse of a bygone, pre-gentrification Allentown: it's a rather ramshackle junk shop at first blush, but dig deeper into the clutter and you'll come up with unique finds pretty much every time in the realm of vintage fashions, furniture, and decorative bric-a-brac. The prices, too, seem to have changed little since back in the day — they're a far cry from what you'll find at most of Allentown's remaining antique shops. Opening hours seem to be purely by chance; there are none posted either at the store itself or anywhere online. (updated Jul 2019)

Gifts edit

42.898751-78.87690915 HeadSpace Glass & Gifts, 67 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 844-8907. M 1PM-9PM, Tu-Sa noon-9PM, Su 1PM-6PM. Located on Elmwood Avenue just south of Allen Street, HeadSpace is Allentown's premier "head shop", stocking a wide variety of scientific glass pipes, artistic and decorative glassware, vaporizers, and other smoking accessories, as well as (interestingly enough) a modest selection of baseball caps.
42.899574-78.87296316 Saibo African Imports, 81 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-9481. Featuring a bevy of imported fashion accessories and gifts: handcrafted necklaces, bangles, beads, earrings, sterling silver rings, handbags, a selection of Afrocentric literature, toiletries such as shea butter and essential oils, and hand-carved art imported from Mali, Senegal, Ghana and elsewhere. Dr. Lonnie Smith, the store's eponymous owner, is a friendly and interesting fellow — a local jazz musician renowned for his prowess on the Hammond B3 organ who's always around for a chat about politics, art, or current events, and often hosts readings of poetry and literature in his shop. (updated Jul 2018)

Furniture and home decor edit

42.896304-78.87477517 Nest Interiors, 443 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 445-6163. Tu-Sa 11AM-6PM, Su noon-4PM. A component of the Buffalo Design Collaborative, Nest Interiors was founded by Brooke Pelc, a Buffalo State College graduate who sees her hometown as (to quote a recent write-up in Buffalo Rising) "a great canvas to work with", onto which she and her talented staff "paint" their truly innovative and lovely design ideals. Nest Interiors' retail store on Delaware Avenue sells a bevy of unique and original furniture, window treatments and other interior elements, with employees on hand to help customers brainstorm ideas on interior design and space planning using conceptual rendering and other state-of-the-art technology.
42.897537-78.87428918 Très Beau Interiors, 489 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 912-5646. M-F 8AM-9PM, Sa 9AM-1PM. Amid the architectural splendor of Delaware Avenue's Midway — a block of posh row houses of the type that is commonly seen in East Coast cities such as New York and Philadelphia, but is comparatively rare in Buffalo — can be found the splendor of some of the highest-quality contemporary and traditional furnishings, lighting elements, garden decor, and other interior elements in Buffalo. More than just a store, however, Très Beau's staff has almost thirty years of experience working with their clients every step of the way in crafting the optimum interior space in terms of aesthetics, individual needs and budget. (updated Jul 2018)
42.898857-78.87690919 Wrafterbuilt Furniture, 69 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 913-5313. Showroom open by appointment. Wherein Sean Wrafter offers up his own high-quality, one-of-a-kind, custom-built furniture, as well as a small range of national brands of the same caliber, at surprisingly affordable prices. The Wrafterbuilt aesthetic is simple and elegant, inspired by but not enslaved to Midcentury Modernism, and all pieces are upcycled from locally-sourced wood and other materials, the better to preserve the old-school workmanship while helping out the environment. The shop's interior balances art-gallery minimalism with rustic hominess, punctuated by some whimsical decorative elements — check out Wrafterbuilt's line of custom-refurbished axes and hatchets! (updated Jul 2018)

Miscellaneous edit

42.89937-78.87824220 Mundy Cakes, 220 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 370-2834. Tu-W 10AM-6PM, Th-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. This garishly decorated building, set incongruously amidst the party-bar district at the west end of Allen Street, is where you'll find Amanda Bernardini six days a week, whipping up a lovely spread of house-baked goodies that includes cinnamon rolls, an extensive line of gourmet specialty cupcakes, and a cookie selection crowned by the ever-popular Mexican Wedding Cakes. Grab-and-go is the usual procedure, but if you'd rather linger in these cheery, aromatic surroundings (perhaps on a cold winter's day over a cup of Tipico coffee), the dining room couldn't be more pleasant. (updated Jul 2019)
42.899535-78.87201921 Rick Cycle Shop, 55 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 852-6838. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. Founded in 1898 by brothers Frederick, Otto, and Thomas Rick, this is the second-oldest continually-operating bicycle shop in the U.S. — in fact, Buffalo native Albert Krushel, who helped the American time trial team to a bronze medal in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, rode a bike from Rick. Today they stock new and used bicycles from all the top brands, as well as helmets, bicycle shorts, patches, pumps and tool kits, lights and reflectors, water bottles, and other accessories. Professional staff are always on hand to recommend the right product for your individual needs. (updated Jul 2018)

Eat edit

section lede

This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink:
Budget	Under $20
Mid-range	$20-40
Splurge	Over $40

Budget edit

42.899385-78.8789921 Allen St. Poutine Company, 242 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 883-7437. Tu-Th 11:30AM-1AM, F-Sa 11:30AM-4AM, Su 11:30AM-11PM. Allen Street Poutine Co. is Buffalo's first poutinerie, and like any good one, it offers not only the basic fries/gravy/cheese curd setup but also a host of different specialty toppings including General Tso's (with hot peppers and the namesake chicken), Montreal Smoked Meat (another classic Canadian specialty making its Buffalo debut here), and the huge Boss Poutine with five kinds of meat. The vibe is spot-on — a trendy, foodie-friendly take on the familiar greasy-spoon snack bar template — and so is the service, which really lives up to the stereotype of Canadians as unfailingly friendly, polite and self-effacing. $10-20. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899596-78.8769852 Cantina Loco, 191 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 551-0160. M-Th 4PM-10PM, F-Sa 4PM-11PM, Su 4PM-8PM. Cantina Loco offers an upscale and eclectic take on Mexican cuisine that's among the most interesting and best-loved in the city. Tacos, burritos, and carnitas are prepared with aplomb using high-quality ingredients; one of the more interesting choices on the menu is the fusion-style Koreatown Taco, with barbecue short ribs and kimchee served in a flour tortilla. $15-25. (updated Jul 2018)

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

42.899595-78.8753473 Gabriel's Gate, 145 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 886-0602. Su-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F-Sa 11:30AM-2AM. Located in a two-story brick house on the historic mid-19th-century Tiffts Row, Gabriel's Gate has been a popular restaurant and bar in the heart of Allentown practically forever. Ask a Buffalonian the best place to go for chicken wings that's off the beaten tourist path, and they're likely to direct you here. Apart from that, menu favorites such as ribs, sandwiches, and souvlaki are tasty and a bit more elaborate and upscale than your usual pub grub, and the back patio is undeniably a pleasant place to enjoy food and drink on a summer evening. $10-30. (updated Nov 2018)
42.899385-78.8791754 Melting Point, 244 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 768-0426. Tu-Th 11AM-8PM, F-Sa 11AM-2AM. The specialty at Melting Point is a series of creative, upscale takes on everyone's favorite grade-school lunchbox treat, the grilled cheese sandwich, made with high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and ordered by number rather than name. Highlights include No. 17 (Swiss cheese on pumpernickel bread with hand-carved Virginia ham, mustard, and a pickle), No. 25 (chèvre with arugula and house-pickled beets), and the ineffable No. 50 (ricotta on cinnamon swirl bread with banana coins, Nutella, and — get this — candied bacon). Add a side order of tomato basil soup (available in cup, bowl, or quart sizes) and you've got the kind of meal that can really warm you up on a dreary winter day in Buffalo. $10-15. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899756-78.8735955 Panaro's, 571 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-1033. M-F 11AM-6:30PM (take-out only after 3PM). 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. $10-20. (updated Nov 2018)
42.897218-78.8708316 Roly Poly Sandwich Shop, 846 Main St. (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 885-7659. M-F 10AM-6PM. The only Western New York location of this little-known but delightful national chain serves a delicious assortment of hot and cold wrap sandwiches, salads and other light fare in the historic Granite Works buildings on Main Street at the east edge of Allentown. Though the food here gets decidedly mixed reviews (some have complained of unpleasant temperature contrasts in the filling of the hot sandwiches, which are stored chilled and heated after assembly, and many find the chicken to be bland and flavorless), the options are creative and gluten-free versions of everything are available on request (for no upcharge!), prices are decent, and the friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable service is a point in their favor. $10-15. (updated Jul 2018)
Savoy, 149 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 768-3100. W-Th 5PM-midnight, F-Sa 5PM-2AM. First of all, don't be fooled by the fact that this place is in the "Budget" section — though the low prices reflect the light fare on offer, the Savoy experience is a decidedly upscale one. The small menu is divided about equally into appetizers (from classy takes on Buffalo standbys like chicken wings, stuffed banana peppers, and "loaded potato bites" to exquisitely executed truffle frites and a luxurious cheese plate) and delightful sandwiches, flatbreads and main-course salads. "Free Chicken Wing Fridays" pack the house (not a difficult thing to do at a place as small as this) until 8PM. But the real attraction here is the bar — see below. $10-20. (updated Jul 2018)
42.89936-78.8768187 Towne Restaurant, 186 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 884-5128. Su-M 7AM-10PM, Tu-Th 7AM-2AM, F-Sa 7AM-3AM. Back in the '70s and '80s, the Towne was the place to wind down after a night of Allen Street bar-hopping, with a motley crowd of neighborhood bohos, drag queens, and starving artists congregating over a cup of coffee or bowl of hot soup until well past daybreak. Those days are long gone, and the Towne of nowadays is a shadow of its former self (it doesn't even stay open 24 hours anymore!), but if you want an authentic old-school Greek diner experience without crossing the city line, it's pretty much your only option. Souvlaki meat is dry and bland, miles away from the delectable flavor of what you'll find at Pano's and the Acropolis, but the avgolemono soup and Greek salad are still impressive. $10-25. (updated Nov 2018)

Mid-range edit

42.899596-78.8764778 ABV, 175 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 768-0386. M-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F-Sa 11:30AM-1AM, Su 11:30AM-10PM. Allen Burger Venture's menu comprises burgers of dry-aged, grass-fed, hormone-free Angus beef ordered by number — standouts include #2, their take on beef on weck with au jus and caraway horseradish aioli, and #5, topped with bacon, jalapeños, and peanut butter — as well as "alternative burgers" made from pretty much every kind of ground non-beef protein imaginable, served in a dimly-lit, "Brooklyn hipster bar" ambience wherein seating is at long, warehouse-style tables and benches made of salvaged wood, walls are covered from floor to ceiling in vinyl album covers, and found objects are employed in novel ways as decorative baubles. And the acronym is no coincidence: those who've visited owner Mike Shatzel's other restaurants will be similarly impressed by the beer list. $15-45. (updated Jul 2018)
Allen Street Hardware, 245 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 882-8843. Kitchen open Su-Th 5PM-11PM, F-Sa 5PM-midnight; bar open till 4AM. Named for its location in a former hardware store, Allen Street Hardware is only the first in a long line of places on this stretch of Allen Street that were originally conceived as an upscale experience for a more refined clientele, only to throw in the towel and devolve into just another frat-bro party bar. Which is not to say, depending on what day and time you come, that you won't still feel a hint of the old identity: the menu (a selection of creative sandwiches, salads, burgers and panini, appetizers including a cheese and charcuterie board, and a few heartier entrees where seasonal ingredients abound) is a cut above the usual Allentown dives, and if you're in and out reasonably early you can avoid the obnoxious riffraff. For better and worse, a true Allentown experience. $15-40. (updated Jul 2018)
42.896721-78.8785919 Betty's, 370 Virginia St. (Metro Bus 20 or 29), ☏ +1 716 362-0633. Tu-Th 8AM-3:30PM and 4:30PM-9PM, F 8AM-3:30PM and 4:30PM-10PM, Sa 9AM-3:30PM and 4:30PM-10PM, Su 9AM-2PM. 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. $20-35.
Billy Club, 228 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 331-3047. M-Th 5PM-1AM, F-Sa 5PM-2AM. The chilled-out Billy Club is, simply put, a breath of fresh air on the west end of the Allen Street strip, otherwise dominated by party-hearty frat-boy pubs: situated in a bright and airy space in Noel Sutton's stunning Puritan Building, newly renovated after some four decades of vacancy. A small but expertly crafted selection of upscale pub grub is served up from the kitchen by head chef Scott Crombie — check out the "House Grind Burger" topped with arugula, pickled onions, and blue cheese; the hanger steak that comes dressed with braised onions and mini potatoes and drizzled in a blue cheese jus; and a yummy cheese and charcuterie plate — but the real highlight at Billy Club is the bar; see below. $20-45.
42.899513-78.87082210 Buffalo Tikka House, 25 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 240-9324. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11:30A M-11PM, Su noon-9:30PM. At Buffalo Tikka House, the operative question is: how flexible are you? That is to say, if your waiter served you something different than what you ordered, and your protestations were met with only a vague promise to "take care of you next time", would you take it in stride? If not, that's understandable; normally it would be hard to recommend that kind of place under any circumstance. But it's tough to complain when the food is so good; miles ahead, in fact, of any other local Indian restaurant. Options range from the usuals (the namesake dish comes in a sweet-ish iteration perfect for those with tender palates) to specialties available nowhere else in Buffalo (fiery Chicken 65 packs an authentic flavor straight off the streets of Chennai), all 100% halal. $15-40. (updated Jul 2019)
42.899335-78.87254711 Café 59, 62 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 883-1880. M-Th 8AM-10PM, F-Sa 8AM-midnight, Su noon-10PM. Though the heart and soul of the menu is still elegant yet affordable Italian fare, the slate of offerings at Café 59 has diversified considerably of late: rubbing shoulders with the pasta-and-sauce mains are delightful specialties such as salmon niçoise salad, a ratatouille tart, and Moroccan spiced chick peas. Lunch features a range of specialty sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. The ambience is airy and minimalist, and there's an ambitious range of local craft beers, imports and microbrews available at the bar, as well as a modest selection of Italian wines and locally bottled Johnnie Ryan sodas. $15-30.
42.898112-78.87053712 Coco, 888 Main St. (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 332-1885. Daily 8AM-11PM. Fans of French food in the local area have faithfully followed the seemingly neverending saga of local restaurateur Maura Crawford, from the original Le Metro in the Elmwood Village, to the suburb of Williamsville, and finally to the newest incarnation of the business, now renamed "Coco", on Main Street in Allentown at the former site of The Eights Bistro. Compared to other French restaurants in Buffalo, the cuisine at Coco trends more toward lighter bistro fare, offered at correspondingly more reasonable prices. The moûles frites are the star of the show on the dinner menu, which also includes a variety of salads, ciabatta, pasta, pizza, and — in a nod to France's former colonies in Indochina — an innovative (and vegetarian-friendly) take on Vietnamese pho. $15-35.
42.89959-78.8736813 Colter Bay Grill, 561 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 24; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 436-5197. Su-Th 11AM-2AM, F-Sa 11AM-4AM. Along with the Towne, Gabriel's Gate, and a few others, Colter Bay is one of a dwindling rank of "old guard" Allentown eateries that has persevered relatively unchanged (despite new ownership and recent renovations) for decades. The place takes its name from a small bay on Jackson Lake in Yellowstone National Park, and indeed a Western theme manifests not only in the ski-lodge decor (wood panelling and mounted antlers abound) but also on a menu where sandwiches, burgers, and pub grub-style appetizers come with unique flourishes. Notable are the Elk Alley burger, which features a patty of the namesake meat topped with crusted goat cheese croquette and seasonal fruit jam, as well as Pepi's Run Poutine, an authentic take on the Canadian classic. $15-40. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899574-78.87284814 Don Tequila, 73 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 939-2807. M 11AM-10PM, Tu-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-10PM; bar open later. Genuine Mexican cuisine didn't arrive in Buffalo until the 2016 opening of Casa Azul downtown, but Don Tequila was a major precursor. There, chef Sergio Mucino cooks up the usual slate of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas, as well as fare like carne asada and mole poblano that bridges the gap between the bastardized and the uncompromisingly authentic. The ambience is chic yet friendly, a lively Allentown approximation of an old Mexican cantina, and the staff displays a genuine flair for customer service. All meals are preceded by a delicious serving of complimentary chips and salsa, with guacamole also available for a nominal upcharge. And if you like tequila, head to the bar. $10-35. (updated Jul 2018)
42.89936-78.87761615 Falley Allen, 206 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 464-3903. Daily 4PM-1AM, bar till 4AM. Taking its name from the 19th-century landowner whose cattle farm later became the neighborhood of Allentown, Falley Allen's menu of classic American pub grub and comfort food with an eclectic range of ethnic-fusion flourishes was described in Step Out Buffalo as "modern but approachable", with "just enough going on in the kitchen to keep foodies happy [without] scaring Grandma away with... ingredients that sound like they're straight out of Hogwarts" (which perhaps explains the mixed clientele this place attracts; thirtyish Allentown hipsters rub shoulders freely with older patrons coming from a night out at Kleinhans or Shea's). All this in a rustic, hipster-friendly ambience of exposed brick, reclaimed lumber, and dim lighting ably summarized by one reviewer as "industrial steampunk". $15-40. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899574-78.87273416 Fast 'N Tasty, 69 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 881-1832. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM. This place has always been a conundrum: opened in 2012 as one of the first Ethiopian restaurants in Buffalo, locals were torn between their love for the delicious food and their dismay at the unreliable opening hours and service that ranged from merely adequate to downright surly. As time went by and more Ethiopian eateries emerged, the owners responded by jettisoning half the menu and replacing it with Middle Eastern standards such as fatoush, kofta, and shawarma, further complicating matters. Still, if you're arguing with a traveling companion with a hankering for Lebanese, Fast 'N Tasty remains recommendable. $10-35. (updated Aug 2018)
42.897925-78.8733917 Fat Bob's Smokehouse, 41 Virginia Pl. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 887-2971. M-W 11:30AM-10PM, Th 11:30AM-11PM, F 11:30AM-midnight, Sa 2PM-midnight. Generous helpings of slow-cooked Southern comfort food. A carnivore's paradise of St. Louis pork ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, barbecued chicken, catfish & more. Sinful sides include collard greens, cornbread, creamy mashed potatoes, baked beans, sausage gravy, and mac & cheese. Come hungry. Decent selection of domestic and imported beers. $15-35.
42.899568-78.87238718 Giacobbi's Cucina Citta, 59 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 834-4000. M-Th 5PM-10PM, F-Sa 5PM-11PM, Su 5PM-9PM. 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. $15-40. (updated Aug 2018)
42.897393-78.87312319 Hamlin House, 432 Franklin St. (Metro Bus 11, 15 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 885-8084. Tu-F 11AM-3PM, F also 4PM-9PM, Su brunch 9AM-1PM. Located in a handsome two-and-a-half-story Italianate villa built in 1866 for wealthy dry-goods merchant and landowner Cicero Hamlin, the experience at the Hamlin House preserves the dignified, old-school ambience expected in such a place while also offering serviceable food at surprisingly reasonable prices. The lunch menu can be accurately described as a slightly more upscale take on pub grub, with the usual assortment of burgers, and sandwich and salad selections that each include some interesting choices — but it's dinner where all the stops are pulled out; delicious steaks, chicken dishes, and seafood selections are the rule on Friday nights. A modest brunch is offered on Sunday. $15-30. (updated Aug 2018)
42.898818-78.87032320 Homegrown Kitchen, 916 Main St. (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 235-8211. M-F 7AM-7:30PM, Sa 11AM-3PM. Veggie lovers who were dismayed over the closure of Merge on Delaware Avenue a while back can dry their eyes: while not everything at Homegrown Kitchen is 100% animal product-free, vegans are well cared for on an extensive menu encompassing build-your-own salads, a selection of non-dairy smoothies, and plenty in between. (And if honey is on your "okay to eat" list, you're in luck: the avocado sesame tofu salad, topped with crispy wontons and honey sesame dressing, is a real crowd-pleaser!) The place is set up to grab-and-go, but if you prefer to indulge onsite, the dining room sports a rustic yet modern decor, and there's even an indoor porch swing as seating! The main downside is a price point that's on the high side, a problem that's exacerbated by stingy portions. $15-25. (updated Jul 2019)
42.902093-78.87465121 Lenox Grill, 140 North St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 884-1700. M-Th 3PM-2AM, F-Sa 3PM-4AM, Su 11AM-2AM. Nestled inside the Hotel Lenox on North Street well off the beaten Allentown path, the Lenox Grill opened in 2012 with a menu of sturdy, blue-collar favorites reinterpreted in an upscale style. Start out with one of their slate of appetizers, mostly deep-fried offerings (including some great calamari), then move on to a juicy steak, delicious pork chop, or one of a range of chicken and pasta selections for the main course. If you'd prefer something lighter, try a "Pittsburgh-style" steak sandwich garnished with coleslaw and French fries in an imitation of the Primanti Brothers chain. Thumbs up for consistent service and an unpretentious ambience that "feels like it was carved out of an old Elks lodge" (says one reviewer); thumbs down for inconsistent food quality and prices that are a tad high for what you get. $15-45. (updated Aug 2018)
42.897724-78.87348622 Mother's, 33 Virginia Pl. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 882-2989. M-Sa 5PM-3AM, Su 5PM-midnight. Virginia Place is a narrow, one-way side street off Allen where some of Allentown's best off-the-beaten-path restaurants and bars can be found, and Mother's is number one with a bullet on that list. Mother's boasts a menu that makes up for in quality and creativity what it lacks in length (it is one page long), featuring exciting takes on chicken and steak, as well as a host of seafood options. Look for the image of the classic "Mother" tattoo that serves as the restaurant's sign. $25-40.
42.897597-78.87377623 The Quarter, 26 Virginia Pl. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 322-5188. Tu-W 5PM-midnight, Th-Sa 5PM-4PM, Su 4PM-midnight. After a half-decade of constantly changing names and concepts — first Scarlet, then the Twilight Room, then the gay bar Fierté for a hot minute — the bar and restaurant at 24 Virginia Place seems to have finally settled on a New Orleans-style identity, one that is committed to with perhaps more aplomb than any other local Cajun joint: not only do superlative takes on gumbo, muffuletta, the shrimp po' boy, and the French dip sandwich all make their requisite appearances on the menu, but deep-fried alligator tail is a frequent visitor to the specials list! All this in an aesthetic that's classic "old Buffalo" to the hilt: two floors of exposed brick and ceiling rafters, oozing with charm. $20-35. (updated Jul 2019)
42.901164-78.87701524 Teton Kitchen, 153 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 405-2599. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F 11AM-1AM, Sa noon-1AM, Su noon-11PM. Another Allentown restaurant named after a spot in the Wyoming Rockies? Yes indeed, but if you're expecting a menu inspired by the cuisine of the American West, as at Colter Bay, you've got another think coming. The name of the game at Teton Kitchen is a fairly incongruous mix of Thai specialties and sushi: the former is a limited range of extraordinarily well-executed renditions of the usual standards that suffer a slight bit from lack of heat (though if your spice tolerance is low, you may consider this a point in the place's favor); the latter are equally excellent and a good deal more numerous and creative as well. Customer service is another strong suit; these folks really go out of their way to please. $15-40. (updated Jul 2019)

Splurge edit

42.899969-78.87354625 Tempo, 581 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 885-1594. M-Sa 5PM-11PM. The brainchild of locally famous chef Paul Jenkins, Tempo serves innovative Italian-inspired cuisine in an upscale environment, with an extensive and high-quality wine list. Dinner is served nightly at 5PM; reservations are recommended. $30-65.

Local chains edit

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

42.89936-78.87719926 Jim's Steakout, 194 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 886-2222. Daily 10:30AM-5AM.

Pizza edit

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

42.899596-78.87727327 Allentown Pizza, 94 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 885-0529. Su-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Sa 11AM-4PM.
42.89836-78.87045928 Lovejoy Pizza, 900 Main St. (Metro Bus 7 or 8; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus). M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM.

Groceries edit

42.89755-78.87676729 Family Dollar, 400 Virginia St. (Metro Bus 20 or 29), ☏ +1 716 885-1104. Daily 8AM-10PM.

Drink edit

Allen Street boasts one of the densest and liveliest concentrations of bars in Buffalo.

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

ABV, 175 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 768-0386. Come for the burgers, stay for the beer: while ABV's selection is not quite as expansive or eclectic as the one at Blue Monk — the storied, sadly short-lived Elmwood Village spot that had the same owner — it's nonetheless impressive, emphasizing craft beers from the local area and elsewhere around the Northeast plus a few West Coast microbrews and imports thrown in for good measure. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899613-78.879211 Allen Street Hardware, 245 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 882-8843. If you're a hipster foodie looking to quaff the obscurest beer you can find, show up at Hardware earlier in the evening and prepare to gawk at one of Buffalo's longest and most impressive selections thereof, spanning everything from big names like Bud and Labatt, to microbrews hailing from the local region and all over the U.S., to a decent selection of imports. If you're a frat guy looking to make an ass of yourself, show up past midnight when it gets rowdy. If you're a live music fan, check their Facebook page to see what's on in the Back Room. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899596-78.8773932 The Alley Cat, 197 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 235-8215. If there's any bar on Allen Street that could be described as a "where everybody knows your name" type place, the Alley Cat is it. The ambience is stylish but not pretentious, the vibe is lively but not rowdy, the clientele is a mix of all different types of people — and drinks come cheap (case in point: a daily "beer and shot special" with Jameson, Crown Royal, or Cuervo sets you back a paltry $7). Free popcorn and Cheez-Its to munch on while you drink. (updated Aug 2018)
42.89937-78.8786043 Billy Club, 228 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 331-3047. A more relaxed alternative to the usual Allentown party bars and dives, catering to a decidedly older and more upscale crowd. Owners Jake Strawser and Dan Hagen claim to be going for a "modern speakeasy" vibe, a nod to the real-life one that operated in the basement of this same building during Prohibition. But in reality the sleek lines, pastel tones, minimalist decor, and spherical hanging lights say "midcentury" much more than "Roaring Twenties", a perfect match for the Mad Men-worthy range of top-shelf whiskey, bourbon, and Scotch poured here. (updated Aug 2018)
Colter Bay, 561 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 24; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 436-5197. Colter Bay was one of the first places in town to tentatively dip its toes into the craft beer craze that would go on to take Buffalo by storm in the 2010s, and anyone who's ever been lucky enough to experience Blue Monk, the sadly-missed gastropub that launched Colter Bay's owner, Mike Shatzel, to local fame, knows what that means: there are some four dozen national and local microbrews on tap at the bar, as well as some craft ciders and house cocktails, all expertly mixed and poured in a refreshingly chill environment where the tightrope walk between hipster-friendliness and stifling pretentiousness is successfully mastered. (updated Jul 2018)
Don Tequila, 73 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 939-2807. The Mexican food served up in the kitchen is the best in Allentown (albeit a far cry from, say, Rancho La Delicias on Niagara Street), but the real pièce de résistance is the bar, where you'll find not only a range of Mexican beers such as Pacifico and Tecate, but over 75 different varieties of tequila — true to its name, this place boasts what must be the best selection of tequila in Buffalo. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899613-78.8793324 Duke's Bohemian Grove, 253 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 240-0359. The best of both worlds here: the same party-hearty clientele as the other bars on the strip, but an ambience that's just a bit less scruffy, a food menu kicked up a notch from the competition (smoked Buffalo chicken wings are a perennial favorite), a beer list to rival Allen Street Hardware's, and live music in the back room. (updated Aug 2018)
Falley Allen, 206 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 464-3903. Another Allen Street nightspot that started out hoping to offer a more upscale and chilled-out experience only to prove unable to stave off colonization by the usual rowdies, the typical clientele at the bar portion of the Falley Allen operation is as mixed as that of its restaurant. Choose from about a dozen house cocktails that continue the trend of old favorites with creative new twists, as well as a down-to-earth selection of beer composed equally of big-name domestics and imports as well as a few not-too-pretentious craft beers. (updated Jul 2018)
42.899395-78.8795915 Flavors of Allentown, 256 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20). The Allentown bar that can't seem to keep a steady tenant is back for another go, this time with a heaping side order of LGBT pride. It's not a gay bar per se (you'll find those at the other end of the strip), but the rainbow-flag motif that's all over the decor at Flavors of Allentown testifies to its inclusive philosophy, and its all-female ownership team have crafted a much less fratty and testosterone-fueled (yet still divey) atmosphere than neighboring spots. Stop by for a beer or a cocktail, occasional live DJ sets, or Tuesday night league darts. (updated Feb 2020)
42.899323-78.875216 Frizzy's, 140 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 883-5077. Another dive bar catering to the usual Allentown crowd, Frizzy's serves up cheap beer in a low-key location away from the busy end of the strip. If a night at the bar is about more than just drinking for you, you can enjoy a round of darts, pool or foosball in the game room, play your favorite song on the jukebox, or even snap a selfie in the photo booth. (updated Aug 2018)
Gabriel's Gate, 145 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 886-0602. Gabriel's Gate is most famous for their chicken wings, but for folks of a certain age who've grown out of the "party 'til you puke" mindset, the chilled-out ambience of the bar and its location away from the brouhaha on a relatively quiet stretch of Allen Street are just what the doctor ordered. Enjoy a modest but diverse selection of big-name beers, local craft brews from the likes of Community Beer Works and Big Ditch Brewery, and house special Gabriel's Brown Ale. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899619-78.878587 Mulligan's Brick Bar, 229 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 881-0545. Opened in 1973, Brick Bar has been a haven for the obnoxious frat-boy crowd since back in the days when most of the bars on the strip were still populated by a mix of starving artists, gay men, and neighborhood weirdos. Of course, the bohos have mostly decamped for the West Side and the Allentown scene has gotten a lot rowdier since the clubs on Chippewa closed, but Brick Bar still lays a strong claim to the title of king of Allen Street party bars. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899395-78.8794018 Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 885-8539. The quintessential Allen Street dive, and the one where you're most likely to get a hint of what the neighborhood was like before the douchebros took over — to the extent that "colorful neighborhood characters" are still a thing in Allentown nowadays, you're more likely to find them hanging out here than any of the other bars on the strip. Kick back with a cold beer or stiff mixed drink in the affably grungy, whimsically decorrated barroom, or enjoy performances by local bands or comedians (the Rust Belt Comedy Showcase happens every Tuesday at 8PM) in the back room. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899619-78.8782969 The Old Pink (Allen Street Bar & Grill), 223 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 884-4338. The dive-iest of the dive bars on the west end of Allen Street, the Old Pink was one of the main stomping grounds for Buffalo's punk, hardcore, and goth crowd in the '80s, and still looks the part today. Cheap beer plus a short menu of bar snacks including a killer steak sandwich in an ambience brimming with grungy character. And old habits die hard: on weekend nights, longtime DJs EVR and Dr. Know (sorry punkers, not the guy who plays guitar for the Bad Brains!) spin a diverse profusion of left-of-the-dial favorites. (updated Aug 2018)

Further east, you'll find the remnants of the old gayborhood, another facet of Allentown's identity that's fast disappearing into history. The two blocks between Franklin and Main Streets feature a cluster of LGBT bars catering to a tight-knit community that's held fast in the face of the changes that have swept over the area in recent years.

42.899302-78.87092510 Cathode Ray, 26 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-3615. For better and for worse, walking into this longstanding pillar of the Allentown gay-bar district is like walking into a John Waters movie — a seedy place with a dated, dive-ier than dive-y ambience that's populated by a delightfully trashy rogue's gallery of neighborhood misfits whose abrasive attitudes will either charm you or put you off, depending on your personality. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899911-78.87190411 Fugazi, 503 Franklin St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 881-3588. Off the main drag and not very well signed, Fugazi is where you go if you want a classy gay bar experience in Allentown — but that class comes at the expense of character; with no dance floor, karaoke, or any of the fun diversions of its competitors, the place comes off as bland and a bit pretentious. Still, Fugazi is clean, the staff and customers are actually friendly, and they'll pour you a nice stiff drink. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899302-78.87067512 Funky Monkey Nite Club, 20 Allen St (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 884-3616. The "new kid on the block" in the Buffalo gay district at least tries to live up to its name, with a small dance floor and tunes blaring on the stereo, but otherwise Funky Monkey is just more of the same — cheap drinks poured in a dated, dive-y ambience. For an alternative, the back patio is one of the more pleasant in Allentown. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899632-78.87001613 Preservation Pub, 948 Main St (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 332-0510. The erstwhile OHM Ultra Lounge — Western New York's only lesbian bar, under the same ownership — has relaunched in a way that's true to its roots but expands the concept in different directions. No longer just another spot in the gayborhood to dance the night away and get your drink on, Preservation Pub is an LGBT-friendly but not LGBT-specific place where a diverse clientele enjoys not only a full range of domestic, imported, and locally-brewed beers but also an expansive menu of upscale pub grub. Indulge in the spic-and-span renovated interior if you like, but the patio out back is one of Allentown's best-kept secrets. (updated Aug 2018)
42.899275-78.87165414 Q, 44 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 332-2223. Not the most well-known gay bar in Buffalo, but easily the most well-liked, Q is a breath of fresh air for those who are put off by the cliquish cattiness of the customers at Cathode Ray or Funky Monkey, the stodgy pretension of Fugazi, or the obnoxious straight women who've lately colonized Club Marcella. Frequented but not packed by a diverse and accepting crowd that skews older than other places in the gayborhood, Q offers a modest but bargain-priced selection of beer and mixed drinks, and Tuesday-night karaoke is always a winner. (updated Aug 2018)

Off the beaten path of Allen Street, things are a lot more calm and chilled-out.

42.89579-78.87421915 Founding Fathers, 75 Edward St. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 855-8944. One of Buffalo's most unusual bar experiences awaits you at Founding Fathers: the owner is a former social studies teacher famous for quizzing patrons on American history from behind the bar, and the cozy interior is bedecked with portraits of all 45 U.S. Presidents as well as other historical memorabilia culled from said owner's private collection. Enjoy a pint while noshing on complimentary nachos and popcorn, choose from an abbreviated food menu of sandwiches and burgers, or if you're in town on the first Tuesday of the month, show up for trivia night — history-themed, of course! (updated Aug 2018)
42.896953-78.87091716 Just Vino, 846 Main St. #1 (Metro Bus 7, 8, or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 725-0166. The Granite Works buildings on the corner of Main and Virginia Streets make for a somewhat oddball location for an upscale wine bar, but that's precisely where you'll find Just Vino. Indulge in an extensive selection of vintages from all over the world in a cozy ambience that oozes charm (exposed brick abounds). Best of all, this place manages to pull off a chichi feel without devolving into snobbish pretension; these folks really bend over backwards to make you feel welcome. (updated Aug 2018)
Lenox Grill, 140 North St. (Metro Bus 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 884-1700. The late-night menu at the Lenox Grill is expansive and perfect for sobering up after a night of Allen Street bar-hopping — but if your night on the town is only just beginning, the huge beer selection, including local microbrews from Community Beer Works and others, is great for doing the opposite. (updated Aug 2018)
Mother's, 33 Virginia Pl. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 882-2989. Equally popular with downtown businesspeople as with Allentown hipsters, Mother's bar is a perfect setting to imbibe your choice of wine from a list that's high-quality and reasonably priced, nosh on a selection of upscale bar snacks, or order off the dinner menu that's available in its entirety until 3AM. Dark lighting and wood-panelled walls bring a relaxed, genteel vibe to the interior, or enjoy gentle summer breezes on the patio. (updated Aug 2018)
The Quarter, 26 Virginia Pl. (Metro Bus 11, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 322-5188. Downstairs at The Quarter is a lively bar and restaurant serving a yummy food menu of Creole specialties and an ample slate of well-prepared craft cocktails (not surprisingly, New Orleans' signature cocktail, the sazerac — cognac, absinthe, peychaud bitters, and a sugar cube — is the specialty of the house). Upstairs you've got the far more chilled-out "Llama Lounge", with darts, pool, foosball, a slew of vintage arcade and pinball games, comfy couches to relax on, and the only bathrooms in the building. And everywhere you go, the vibe is convivial and classics from the '70s and '80s bump on the jukebox (that is, when the place isn't hosting a live jazz concert). (updated Jul 2019)
42.901034-78.87701517 Savoy, 149 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 768-3100. Serving creative, award-winning cocktails crafted with pride by owner/bartender Noel Sutton in an ambience that's a careful, Art Deco-inflected recreation of a Prohibition-era speakeasy: fitting for a restaurant named after London's Savoy Hotel, where American tourists flocked in the 1920s to enjoy legal booze and concerts by jazz greats like George Gershwin and Lena Horne. (updated Aug 2018)

Coffee shops edit

Allentown's long-lackluster coffeeshop scene got a major shot in the arm in 2015, when not one but two new cafés opened their doors to accompany longtime neighborhood stalwart Intersection Cafe.

42.899511-78.87092618 Cafféology, 23 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 427-3147. Daily 6AM-10PM. If your requirements for a cafe begin and end with "good coffee", than any of the three in Allentown will do the trick. But if you're looking for ambience — particularly of the laid-back variety — then stop into this spot on the more off-the-beaten-path east end of the strip, with a quiet, studious vibe courtesy of a clientele that draws from the student body of the nearby UB Medical School. And that's not to downplay the quality of the drinks: an extensive menu of the kind of stuff that, as one reviewer said, "you keep thinking about until the next morning when you find yourself going back to get more". Breakfast sandwiches, sourced from BreadHive, are a hit too. (updated Jul 2019)
42.899359-78.87600219 Grindhaus Café, 160 Allen St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 725-6300. M-Th 7AM-7PM, F 7AM-8PM, Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 8AM-6PM. On the other hand, if good coffee is your paramount criterion, Grindhaus is at your service with Allentown's fanciest gourmet third-wave cold-drip pour-over yada yada yada. If that sounds like a knock on the place, it's not — everything here is tasty, the vibe is super welcoming, and most notably, everything on the menu is 100% vegan. And unlike the similarly hipster-focused Intersection Cafe, the place is big enough to linger rather than just grab-and-go, so if you want to actually take time out to (let's say) admire the work of local artists on the wall over a slice of avocado toast, that's a viable option. Prices are a touch high, but worth it. (updated Aug 2019)
42.899695-78.87727320 Intersection Cafe, 100 Elmwood Ave. (Metro Bus 7 or 20), ☏ +1 716 557-4359. M-F 7AM-6PM, Sa-Su 8AM-6PM. The name may no longer be Cafe Taza, but little else has changed at this postage stamp-sized space on Elmwood: the smooth-flavored, creatively concocted drinks still exude caffeinated excellence without trying too hard (despite the straight-outta-Portlandia arty-hipster vibe, The Intersection is about good times and community spirit, not coffee snobbery), and if the name wasn't enough to clue you in that the LGBT+ community is still welcomed with open arms, the rainbow-flag decor certainly drives the point home. Best of all, added to the mix is a delicious slate of baked goods courtesy of BreadHive. Lines can be long, but efficient service keeps them moving. (updated Jul 2019)

Sleep edit

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	Under $100/night
Mid-range	$100-200/night
Splurge	Over $200/night

Allentown boasts a modest selection of accommodations, including a pair of grand old historic hotels that have soldiered on to the present day, catering to travellers in search of a more distinctive experience.

Mid-range edit

42.898266-78.8747791 Best Western Inn on the Avenue, 510 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11 or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 886-8333. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. If you're looking for a predictable, decent-quality chain hotel experience without breaking the bank, the Best Western is pretty much the only option within a five-mile (8 km) radius of downtown Buffalo. Here you have basically the same slate of amenities as the myriad other Best Westerns around the country — business center, fitness room, free WiFi, continental breakfast; climate-controlled guest rooms with cable TV, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and workstation — in a central location only steps away from the Allentown action and within easy striking distance of pretty much everything else too. Free parking is a relative rarity inside the city line, as well. $146-209/night in high season. (updated Aug 2018)

The Lenox Hotel has been in business since 1896.

42.902038-78.8744412 Lenox Hotel & Suites, 140 North St. (Metro Bus 7, 11, 20 or 25), ☏ +1 716 884-1700. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. The oldest continually operating hotel in Buffalo, the Lenox Hotel and Suites began its existence as a luxurious hotel and apartment building that counted a young F. Scott Fitzgerald among its early residents. Under new ownership, this stately old beauty has recently been renovated to its former glory. The Lenox's ground floor is occupied by the Nina Freudenheim Gallery and a restaurant, the Lenox Grill, and it also boasts lovely views of downtown Buffalo and the waterfront from its upper floors. $114-142/night in high season. (updated Aug 2018)

Splurge edit

42.895636-78.8755843 The Mansion on Delaware Avenue, 414 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 11, 20, 25 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 886-3300. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Rated 4 diamonds by AAA and named one of the top 5 hotels in the United States by the 2007 Zagats survey, the Mansion on Delaware is a luxury boutique hotel located in the Sternberg House, a beautifully restored 1870 French Second Empire-style mansion near the border of Allentown and downtown that was owned by a succession of wealthy Buffalo aristocrats of the 19th century. Free WiFi and wired Internet access, as well as a business center. Butler service, fine dining, working fireplaces in most rooms. Popular for formal receptions such as weddings. $300-330/night in high season. (updated Aug 2018)
42.90107-78.8737524 Residence Inn by Marriott Buffalo Downtown, 620 Delaware Ave. (Metro Bus 7, 11, or 25; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 247-5252. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. The only extended-stay hotel inside Buffalo's city limits, the Residence Inn opened in 2018 after a thorough modernization of the 1960s-vintage building once home to the Holiday Inn. At this all-suite property, choose from studios with one king bed or one-bedroom suites with two queen beds, each of which come with sofa bed, workstation, Samsung SMART TV equipped with a variety of streaming services, and separate, fully equipped kitchen and dining area. As well, the hotel itself boasts a fitness room, indoor pool, guest laundry and dry cleaning, and — best of all — free parking. If you're in town on business, an extra $4.95/day upgrades your free WiFi to enhanced high-speed service perfect for videoconferencing and such. $239-289/night in high season. (updated Jul 2019)

Connect edit

The nearest post offices are located downtown at 229 W. Genesee St. and 701 Washington St.

The service area of BuffaloConnect, Buffalo's free municipal WiFi network, extends north from downtown into the east edge of Allentown, along Main Street as far as North Street. Signal strength drops off pretty rapidly the further you get from Main, though; don't expect anything past North Pearl Street. WiFi is also available at Café 59 on Allen Street and Tim Hortons on Delaware Avenue.

Stay safe edit

Despite the fact that Buffalo's crime rate has fallen steadily since the 1990s, it is still higher than the national average for cities its size. By Buffalo standards, Allentown has a moderate-to-high crime rate. The general rule is that the closer you are to Delaware or Elmwood Avenues, the safer you are. Despite (or perhaps because of) the rapid gentrification that is taking place there, a particularly troubled area is the blocks west of Wadsworth Street, straddling Allentown and the Lower West Side. Reports of assaults and robberies in Days Park occur with some frequency. That being the case, visitors should by no means allow these occasional incidents to put them off from experiencing this part of Allentown — the lush greenery of the park and the splendid Victorian cottages surrounding it are simply magnificent, police patrols have increased sharply, and perhaps more than any other area of Buffalo, residents of the Days Park area are working diligently to "take back their streets". Those who exercise common sense — locking car doors, keeping valuables out of sight — will be fine. The Main Street corridor is another problem area.

The Allentown bar district's devolution from a chilled-out hipster scene to obnoxious frat-bro hijinks has been a headache for the increasingly (and incongruously) well-heeled, settled-down population of neighborhood residents, to the point where comparisons to the bad old days of Chippewa Street (from which many current Allentown bar patrons have indeed decamped) are apropos. Bars in Buffalo close at 4AM, and the rule of thumb is the later you stick around, the more things degenerate. If you arrive early in the evening and finish up by midnight, you'll be gone before most of the craziness begins. Alternatively, those who want to take their chances later into the night should be aware that assault, pickpocketing, vandalism, and similar phenomena are routine occurrences on Friday and Saturday nights. That being said, the Buffalo Police have stepped up their weekend presence on Allen Street, so if trouble finds you, help is never far away.

As in downtown and the Elmwood Village, panhandlers are present in Allentown. The homeless tend to congregate around the west end of Allen Street where it veers right and becomes Wadsworth Street, near which there is a soup kitchen. As elsewhere in Buffalo, aggressive panhandling in Allentown is unheard of; a firm "no" will usually do the trick.

Cope edit

Newspapers edit

The Allentown Association publishes a quarterly newspaper, the Allentown Neighbor, that covers neighborhood news such as business openings and closings, urban development and historic preservation, Buffalo Common Council proceedings, community events, and other issues.

Hospitals edit

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

Places of worship edit

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Roman Catholic edit

42.895629-78.8718481 St. Louis RC Church, 35 Edward St. (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 852-6040. Mass Su 9AM & 11AM, Sa 4PM, M-F 12:05PM. St. Louis, the first Catholic church in Buffalo, was founded in 1829. At this early date in Buffalo's history, most of the city's Catholics were of French descent, and it was Louis Stephen LeCouteulx de Chaumont, a French nobleman from Rouen who had settled in Buffalo, who donated the land where the church stands today.

Protestant edit

42.901484-78.8818262 First Presbyterian Church, 1 Symphony Cir. (Metro Bus 7 or 22), ☏ +1 716 884-7250. Services Su 11:15AM. The name of this church, as well as its nickname, the "Mother of All Churches", is literal — founded in 1812, this is the oldest religious congregation of any denomination in Buffalo. Since 1891, 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.

Other edit

42.896596-78.8710973 Church of Scientology, 836 Main St. (Metro Bus 7, 8 or 29; Metro Rail: Allen-Medical Campus), ☏ +1 716 856-3910. The Buffalo chapter of Scientology has occupied the wonderfully restored former Buffalo Catholic Institute Building since 2003.

Go next edit

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

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

Delaware District

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