Buffalo/West Side

Unbeknownst even to many locals, the West Side is one of the most historic areas of Buffalo: its history began in 1802 when the federal government constructed a 30-mile (48-km) Military Road north from here to Lewiston. In the years after the Revolution, tensions between the United States and Britain remained high — and in case of a British incursion from Canada, the Military Road would enable troops to move as needed between Fort Niagara and Fort Tompkins, which would soon be built near what is today the corner of Niagara and Hampshire Streets. Two years later, Peter Porter, a State Assemblyman from Canandaigua and a former associate of Buffalo's founder, Joseph Ellicott, began laying out a settlement on the large parcel of riverfront land he owned along Military Road about two miles (3.2 km) north of Buffalo; he named the incipient hamlet "Black Rock" after a ledge of dark limestone that jutted into the Niagara River just north of what is today the Peace Bridge. Much larger than the modern-day neighborhood of that name, Porter's Black Rock occupied essentially all of what is today the West Side, and was made up of three parts: the larger Upper Black Rock in what is today the Upper West Side, centered around the corner of Niagara and West Ferry Streets; the smaller Lower Black Rock (later also known as Black Rock Dam for the lock and dam that was installed on the Erie Canal in 1833), which corresponds to today's neighborhood of Black Rock; and South Black Rock, what is today the Lower West Side, where streets were surveyed in a distinctive grid angled parallel to the shoreline that still exists; however, the land remained a sparsely settled forest, and none of the streets were actually constructed until the 1830s, '40s and after. Between Upper and Lower Black Rock was the harbor, located at the mouth of Scajaquada Creek and dominated by a shipyard owned by Porter.

The same year that Black Rock was incorporated as a village, the long-feared military confrontation along the Niagara River came to pass. The attempted American invasion of Canada that began the War of 1812 saw U.S. forces under General George McClure sack and loot the frontier villages of York (now Toronto) and Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake); in retaliation, before dawn on December 30, 1813, a British detachment crossed the river and landed in Black Rock, burning it to the ground then heading south to Buffalo to do the same. Though it was rebuilt quickly, Black Rock remained a battleground till the end of the war — Porter's shipyard did a brisk business building warships for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet, and a second British incursion across the river was thwarted at the Battle of Scajaquada Creek Bridge in August 1814. The war ended in 1815, but things hardly quieted down: the always-heated rivalry between Black Rock and Buffalo took on a new urgency around 1816 when planning began for a huge canal linking the Hudson River and Lake Erie. It was understood that the Erie Canal would be a huge economic boon, opening up the West to large-scale settlement, and that it would begin at Albany — but the exact location of its western end had yet to be determined. Porter used his political connections to vigorously argue that Black Rock be selected over its rival. At first, its superior harbor — sheltered by Unity Island from the strong currents of the Niagara River — as well as the fact that two more miles (3 more km) of canal would need to be dug to reach Buffalo, seemed to give Black Rock the advantage. The successful launch from its harbor of the Walk-in-the-Water, the first steamboat on Lake Erie, further aided Black Rock's cause, but after a contingent of Buffalonians finally set about dredging the harbor there to a suitable depth, Buffalo was chosen in 1821 as the canal's terminus. When it opened in 1825, the Erie Canal passed through and beyond Black Rock; as a final insult, Black Rock even lost the rock formation that inspired its name: it lay in the path of the canal and had to be blasted away.

Much like downtown Buffalo but not nearly to the same extent, the West Side riverfront is noticeably cooler and windier than other areas of the city and region. The refreshing breezes are a big part of why locals are drawn to waterfront oases like LaSalle Park during the stifling summer months, but by the same token, visitors looking to walk the Bird Island Pier during the spring or autumn would be well-advised to wear a windbreaker and long pants.

Interstate 190 (I-190) passes along the length of the West Side riverfront from downtown to Tonawanda (and onward to Niagara Falls and the Canadian border), via which the whole district can be easily accessed:

Exit 8 (Niagara Street) provides access to the West Village and the Lower West Side as well as downtown.

Exit 9 (Peace Bridge via northbound lanes; Porter Avenue via southbound lanes) leads to Prospect Hill and also Fort Erie, Ontario via the Peace Bridge. Cars headed southbound exit directly onto Porter Avenue, with the Peace Bridge onramp accessible via the roundabout on the other side of the overpass. Northbound traffic can either proceed directly to Customs and over the bridge or else keep to the left lane and exit at the corner of Busti and Massachusetts Avenues. (Despite what the signs say, there's no direct access to Porter Avenue from the northbound 190).

Exit 12 (Amherst Street) and Exit 13 (Austin Street) are accessible from the northbound lanes only, providing access to Black Rock and, in the former case, also to Grant-Amherst slightly further afield.

Exit 14 (Vulcan Street via northbound lanes; Ontario Street via southbound lanes) is located in Riverside.

As well, the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) is a short highway that begins in Black Rock at Exit 11 of I-190, passing eastward through the West Side and North Buffalo and ending on the East Side at the Kensington Expressway. The Scajaquada's Grant Street exit makes for a convenient route to Grant-Ferry, Grant-Amherst and Buffalo State College. There's also a Niagara Street exit accessible to westbound traffic only.

The main thoroughfare of the West Side is Niagara Street (NY 266), which begins downtown at Niagara Square and proceeds through the Lower West Side in a straight southeast-to-northwest orientation (in conformity with the old South Black Rock street grid); shortly after crossing Hampshire Street, it turns north and parallels the Niagara River shore through the Upper West Side, Black Rock, Riverside and on beyond the city line. As well, Grant Street, the West Side's main shopping street, runs northward from Hampshire Street through the heart of the Upper West Side and into Black Rock, where it ends at Military Road.

Other main drags on the West Side include Richmond Avenue, a verdant, tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted that extends along the inner fringe of the West Side from Symphony Circle north to Forest Avenue, and Tonawanda Street, the main street of Black Rock and Riverside which splits off Niagara Street just north of Scajaquada Creek and runs north and northwest past the city line and into Tonawanda. From south to north, major crosstown routes on the West Side include: on the Lower West Side, Virginia Street, Porter Avenue, Connecticut Street, Massachusetts Avenue, and Hampshire Street; on the Upper West Side, West Ferry Street, Lafayette Avenue, West Delavan Avenue, and Forest Avenue; and in Black Rock and Riverside, Amherst Street, Hertel Avenue, and Vulcan Street. Additionally, in Riverside, Ontario Street runs from a point on Niagara Street about midway between Hertel Avenue and Riverside Park northeastward to Kenmore Avenue, intersecting at acute angles with Niagara and Tonawanda Streets.

1 Hertz, 369 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-854-5441. Located at Sammy's Collision.

Members of Zipcar have access to their choice of three vehicles parked at Buffalo State College's Parking Lot G-22, opposite the Grant Street entrance to campus: a Honda Civic and a Ford Focus sedan are each available for a price of $7.50/hour or $69/day M-Th; $8.50/hour or $77/day F-Su, while a Ford Escape SUV goes for $8.50/hour or $77/day M-Th; $9.50/hour or $83/day F-Su. These rates all include fuel, insurance, and 180 free miles (about 290 free kilometers) per day.

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.

If you'll be doing a lot of coming and going on the West Side via public transportation, you're likely at some point to have a transfer at the 1 Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub, located at the corner of Niagara and Ontario Streets. It's a major nexus for many of the Metro buses that serve the West Side, as well as North Buffalo and the northwestern suburbs of Tonawanda and Amherst.

The West Side is traversed by a number of NFTA Metro bus routes:

NFTA Metro Bus #3 — Grant. Beginning at the city line at the corner of Tonawanda and Vulcan Streets, Bus #3 serves Riverside via Vulcan and Skillen Streets, proceeding thenceforward down Military Road and Grant Street through Black Rock and the Upper West Side, with service to Buffalo State College. Turning right on Hampshire Street, inbound buses pass through the Lower West Side via Normal Avenue, York Street, and West Avenue, emerging onto Carolina Street and proceeding downtown via Elmwood Avenue. Outbound buses serve the Lower West Side via Hudson Street and Plymouth Avenue, turning right on Hampshire Street and rejoining the above-described route.

NFTA Metro Bus #5 — Niagara-Kenmore. Beginning at the University Metro Rail Station, Bus #5 enters the West Side via Kenmore Avenue, serving Riverside via Ontario Street, Tonawanda Street, and Vulcan Street. The bus then turns left at Niagara Street, passing through Black Rock with service to the Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub, then proceeds through the West Side proper, ending downtown.

NFTA Metro Bus #40 — Buffalo-Niagara Falls. Beginning at the Portage Road Transit Center in Niagara Falls, Bus #40 proceeds through the West Side via Niagara Street, serving the Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub on its way south toward downtown, where it ends. It is important to note that Route #40 does not serve passengers whose trips are located entirely south of Hertel Avenue.

NFTA Metro Bus #12 — Utica. Beginning at the corner of Niagara Street and Busti Avenue, eastbound buses on Route #12 head northward along Niagara Street, proceeding eastward through the Upper West Side and Grant-Ferry via West Ferry Street. Turning southward onto Richmond Avenue, the route then enters the Elmwood Village at West Utica Street and ends at the University Metro Rail Station.

NFTA Metro Bus #22 — Porter-Best. Beginning at the corner of Jersey Street and Lakeview Avenue, eastbound buses on Route #22 serve Prospect Hill via Jersey Street, 7th Street, and Porter Avenue, entering the Elmwood Village at Symphony Circle and ending at the Thruway Mall Transit Center in Cheektowaga. Westbound buses proceed along Porter as far as Lakeview, then turning left and proceeding as far as Jersey Street.

NFTA Metro Bus #23 — Fillmore-Hertel. Beginning at the Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub, Bus #23 serves Black Rock via Niagara Street before turning eastward at Hertel Avenue. From there, the bus enters North Buffalo, continues through the East Side via Fillmore Avenue, and finally ends in South Buffalo.

NFTA Metro Bus #26 — Delavan. Beginning at the corner of Niagara Street and West Delavan Avenue, eastbound buses on Route #26 proceed along West Delavan Avenue through the Upper West Side, ending at the Thruway Mall Transit Center in Cheektowaga. Westbound buses turn left from West Delavan to Herkimer Street, then proceed westward again via Lafayette Avenue and return to West Delavan via Niagara Street.

NFTA Metro Bus #32 — Amherst. Beginning at the Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub, Bus #32 serves Black Rock via Niagara Street before turning eastward at Amherst Street. From there, the bus enters North Buffalo before finally ending its run at the Thruway Mall Transit Center in Cheektowaga.

NFTA Metro Bus #35 — Sheridan. Beginning at the Marina Vista Apartments, Bus #35 heads northward on Niagara Street, passing through Black Rock and Riverside with service to the Black Rock-Riverside Transit Hub. From there it crosses the city line into Tonawanda and ends its run in Amherst at the North Campus of the University at Buffalo.

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

Buffalo has made great strides in accommodating bicycling as a mode of transportation, with recognition from the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze-Level "Bicycle-Friendly Community" to show for its efforts. The quality of bicycle infrastructure on the West Side is variable, but it's generally quite good by local standards and, as in the rest of the city, steadily improving. The Lower West Side is undoubtedly the most bicycle-friendly area in the district, populated largely by immigrants whose habituation to alternative modes of transportation, including bicycles, is imported from their home countries — as well as young, middle-class "urban pioneers" for whom carfreedom is a conscious choice.

Buffalo's oldest, largest, and best-known bike path is the Shoreline Trail, a multi-use trail that connects the Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna to Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda via the West Side waterfront, for a total distance of 22.6 miles (36.4 km). The Shoreline Trail passes into the West Side near the posh Waterfront Village condos and closely hugs the shore of Lake Erie and the Niagara River for its length, with excellent views over the water and easy access to many waterfront attractions including LaSalle Park, the Fontana Boathouse, Freedom Park, Unity Island Park, and Riverside Park. Best of all, for the vast majority of its length, the Shoreline Trail follows its own off-street right-of-way with no traffic to contend with — the exception is a short, unsigned stretch of 0.4 miles (700 m) along Busti Avenue and Niagara Street between Hampshire and West Ferry Streets, but the roadway boasts wide shoulders and sidewalks that provide a modicum of safety for cyclists. The trail is paved with asphalt in its entirety, and a speed limit of 15 mph (24 km/h) is enforced.

As well as being a lovely trail in itself, the Shoreline Trail also serves as a central spine for Buffalo's larger network of bike paths. Branching off of it is the Jesse Kregal Pathway. The path follows the north shore of Scajaquada Creek opposite the expressway for a distance of 2.4 miles (3.8 km), with the attractions of Black Rock and Grant-Amherst within easy striking distance. Passing out of the West Side, the Scajaquada Creekside Trail enters Delaware Park and ends near the Buffalo History Museum. Near its northern terminus in Tonawanda, the Shoreline Trail also connects with the Erie Canalway Trail.

As indicated above, in Prospect Hill and the Lower West Side especially, bike lanes and other accommodations have also been steadily added to the street grid. Among the streets which have been improved in this way is Richmond Avenue, with "sharrows" (pavement markings on roads too narrow to accommodate dedicated bike lanes, indicating that drivers should be aware of bicyclists on the road) in place between Forest Avenue and Colonial Circle, and a dedicated bike lane on each side of the street from Colonial Circle south to Symphony Circle. The ongoing redesign of the Niagara Street corridor saw dedicated bike lanes added to the stretch between South Elmwood Avenue and Hudson Street, with sharrows north from there to Porter Avenue. Niagara Street also has bike lanes further north in Riverside, from Ontario Street north through Riverside Park to the city line. Elsewhere, Porter Avenue sports a dedicated bike lane on each side between Symphony Circle and Niagara Street plus a signed off-street bike path west of Niagara Street as far as LaSalle Park where it connects to the Shoreline Trail, and Hudson Street boasts parallel bike lanes on each side between Plymouth and Busti Avenues, with sharrows in place east to Wadsworth Street and west to 4th Street with access to LaSalle Park via a pedestrian bridge over Interstate 190. As well, sharrows lead from Hudson Street to Symphony Circle by way of West Avenue and Pennsylvania Street, and are in place on Connecticut Street between Niagara Street and Richmond Avenue, on Wadsworth Street from Symphony Circle to Allen Street, on Grant Street from Forest Avenue south to Hampshire Street, on Forest Avenue from Niagara Street to Richmond Avenue (from which point cyclists can continue eastward into the Elmwood Village via an off-street pathway), on the entirety of Hampshire Street from Grant Street to the Shoreline Trail, and in Black Rock on Amherst Street from Bridgeman Street east into North Buffalo.

The West Side has eleven Reddy Bikeshare racks:

on the east side of Niagara Street between Virginia and Carolina Streets, alongside the back end of the parking lot of the Turner Brothers Building

on the south side of Porter Avenue at the corner of Fargo Avenue, in front of the D'Youville College Center

on the south side of Porter Avenue at the corner of Jersey Street and Normal Avenue, across the street from Grover Cleveland High School

on the north side of Connecticut Street at the corner of Normal Avenue, in front of Horsefeathers Market

on the south side of Vermont Street between West and Fargo Avenues, in front of West Side Community Services

on the north side of Rhode Island Street between West and Plymouth Avenues

at the Five Points intersection, on the south side of West Utica Street at the corner of Rhode Island Street, across the street from Black Monarchy

on the south side of Rhode Island Street at the corner of Landis Place, in front of Left Bank

on the east side of Grant Street at the corner of Lafayette Avenue, in front of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church and across the street diagonally from Sweet_ness 7

on the north side of Amherst Street between Bush and Howell Streets, across from The Dapper Goose

on the east side of Military Road just north of Amherst Street, on the side of Hot Mama's Canteen

The various neighborhoods of the West Side cover a large geographic area, and it's not practical to see all of them without the aid of a car, bicycle, or public transit. Still, there are many lovely places for a stroll on the West Side. Aside from the bike paths and waterfront trails listed above, paramount among pedestrian-friendly West Side areas are the bustling Grant-Ferry commercial strip with its vibrant multiethnic street culture, as well as compact, charming Grant-Amherst. Visitors should be on guard after dark, though the West Side remains one of the highest-crime areas of Buffalo, and when the sun goes down these streets take on a noticeably sketchy character. See the Stay safe section for more information.

2 Black Rock Historical Society, 1902 Niagara St (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-874-2863. Th F 10AM-3PM. The Black Rock Historical Society's small storefront exhibit space opened in 2015 in a building they share with the Black Rock Riverside Alliance, and its exhibits represent ten years of acquisition by museum curators from their personal collections and donations from neighborhood residents and businesses. Through a series of historic photographs, artifacts, and other exhibits, the 200-year story of the Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel neighborhoods — one of the most historic areas of Buffalo — is recounted. The Black Rock Historical Society also offers brochures for several self-guided walking tours around the neighborhood, covering everything from historic sites from the War of 1812 to modern-day community gardens. (updated Nov 2021)

3 Frances Folsom Cleveland House, 168 Edward St. (Metro Bus 3, 11, 20, 25 or 29). Privately owned, not open for tours. This delightful cottage on Edward Street is where Frances Folsom Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland, lived from her birth in 1864 to her matriculation at Wells College about 1880. Frances' father Oscar Folsom, a prominent lawyer, died at a young age in a carriage accident, whereupon his friend and colleague, Grover Cleveland, took on the responsibility of caring for his widow and two daughters. Cleveland's relationship with Frances would blossom into a romance, culminating in their marriage in 1886, the first and still the only presidential wedding to ever take place at the White House. Folsom Cleveland was immensely popular — the public was struck by her beauty, poise and intelligence, and ladies of the day slavishly copied her fashion sense — and she's still the youngest First Lady in U.S. history. Though the house at 168 Edward Street is not open for tours, the city has placed an interpretive plaque in front of it with details on Folsom Cleveland's life, historical importance, and legacy. Architecture buffs will also take note of this fine example of the mid-19th Century red brick Italianates that remain popular on the Lower West Side.

4 Karpeles Manuscript Library (Porter Hall), 453 Porter Ave (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 22), ☏ +1 716-885-4139. Su-Tu 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: Porter Hall, located in Prospect Hill at the beautifully restored former home of the Plymouth Methodist Church, and North Hall in Allentown. In addition to the travelling exhibits that rotate among all twelve branches of the library, Porter Hall houses the permanent collection of the Buffalo branch of the Karpeles Manuscript Library, including the William McKinley Room where original documents concerning the 1901 assassination of President William McKinley at Buffalo's Pan-American Exposition are displayed. Free.

In the wake of the gentrification that has lately transformed Allentown and the Elmwood Village from boho to bourgeois, the West Side is largely where the Buffalo art scene has reconvened in the 21st century. Grant-Amherst and Five Points are home to some of the West Side's more longstanding artist communities, but nowadays the bulk of the action is on Niagara Street, where many of the old warehouses of the Upper West Side and Black Rock have been transformed into gallery spaces where the luminaries of the local scene exhibit.

5 Argus Gallery, 1896 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-882-8100. Operated by the same team of folks behind the Eleven Twenty Projects gallery on Main Street in Midtown, Black Rock's Argus Gallery launched in spring 2017 with a focus on supporting and nurturing emerging artists who come from communities that are underrepresented in the art world, through the exhibition of contemporary works in a variety of media that explore thought-provoking and sometimes controversial themes. (updated Nov 2017)

6 Artsphere Studio & Gallery, 447 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-874-2863. Th F noon-5PM, Sa 11AM-3PM or by appointment. A pioneering institution in the now-burgeoning art scene in Grant-Amherst, Artsphere Studio opened in 2003, across the street from its current building. This bright, airy, and spacious gallery features the work of its owner Doreen Boyer DeBoth, a painter, photographer and jewelrymaker; her husband, noted potter Douglas DeBoth, whose works are available for sale at the gallery; and other local artists working in a diverse variety of media. As well, temporary exhibitions are frequently held whose themes are often related to the rich history and unique identity of Black Rock and Grant-Amherst: Boyer DeBoth is a founding member of the Black Rock Historical Society and spearheaded the Black Rock Historic Photo Project whose constituent works can be seen on the exterior walls of several Amherst Street buildings. As well, a modest selection of books on local history and art are available for sale.

7 Buffalo Religious Arts Center, 157 East St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-481-2350. By appointment. Located at the former St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in the heart of historic Black Rock, the mission of the Buffalo Religious Arts Center is to salvage and display some of the works of religious art contained in the many churches and other places of worship (particularly on the East Side) that have closed their doors in the wake of Buffalo's half-century of population loss. In addition to the priceless works from other churches that curator Mary Holland has collected, such as statuary from St. Mary of Sorrows, icons from SS. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Church, and various items from Temple Beth El, St. Francis Xavier itself is a magnificent old building full of beautiful and uplifting art which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was a longtime cornerstone of the Black Rock community. $10, students $5, members free.

Though Larkinville and the Old First Ward have lately usurped the title of epicenter of the incipient Buffalo craft brewing and distilling industry, the West Side retains a measure of importance as home of two of the heavy hitters of the local scene.

12 Community Beer Works, 520 7th St (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-759-4677. On a limited basis, Community Beer Works offers free, informal tours of the newly expanded production facility where it churns out such Buffalo craft-beer favorites as the zesty, piney "Frank" American pale ale and the 5.9% ABV "Whale" brown ale. As of November 2018, a permanent tour schedule is said to be forthcoming. Contact brewery staff for more information.

Resurgence Brewing, 1250 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-381-9868. Tours by appointment. With a moniker that pays tribute to the newfound ambition and vigor in Buffalo, Resurgence Brewery opened in June 2014 in the former Sterling Engine Company warehouse that's also home to the offices of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. Though they've since moved most of their production to a much larger facility in the Old First Ward, the original location remains in operation brewing seasonal and limited-edition beers in small batches, as well as developing and testing new varieties in preparation for their introduction to the public. The tasting room and beer garden remain open as well.

The West Side is the greenest part of Buffalo — in particular, the waterfront is the place to find Buffalonians basking in the summer sun and enjoying cool breezes off the lake and river. Among the West Side's parks are two that were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the eminent landscape architect who did some of his best work here in Buffalo.

13 Freedom Park (Broderick Park), West end of W. Ferry St., access via Ferry Street Lift Bridge (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40). A small waterfront green space located at the southern tip of Unity Island. This spot is historically important as one of Western New York's major crossing points into Canada for fugitive slaves travelling the Underground Railroad, as attested to by a prominent historical marker and the occasional historical reenactments that take place there. This was also the site from which the ferry service to Fort Erie, Ontario set off in the days before the Peace Bridge. Also known as Broderick Park, it was renamed "Freedom Park" in 2023 in honor of its history. Today it is a popular fishing spot where perch, yellow and northern pike, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, and other species native to the Niagara River are reeled in, and is also a haven for picnickers, sunbathers, and bicyclists who pass through the park along the Shoreline Trail. Amenities include a picnic shelter, as well as a newly constructed amphitheater, gardens, and interpretive exhibits. Freedom Park is also the northern terminus of the Bird Island Pier (see below).

14 Front Park, North side of Porter Ave. between Busti Ave. and I-190 (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40). One of Buffalo's many Olmsted parks, Front Park (or "The Front", as it was originally named) is situated along Porter Avenue just south of the Peace Bridge and contains a soccer field, tennis courts, and picnic facilities, as well as original features such as "The Hippodrome", a 3.5-acre (1.5-ha) lawn intended for picnicking or informal team sports, and a terrace concourse for carriages adorned with a handsome statue of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Intended to both showcase and enhance the beauty of the Niagara River and Lake Erie and emphasize its significance to the history and identity of Buffalo, the park once also boasted extensive formal gardens. At the north end of the park stood Fort Porter, built in the mid-1840s as a customshouse and military installation. Some time later, Olmsted was given the green light to extend the Front beyond the canal to the edge of the river itself; though it never materialized, this extension would have included playgrounds, a beach, and a boardwalk. Sadly, together with the West Side's other Olmsted park, Riverside Park, Front Park was badly damaged by the urban renewal that decimated the West Side in the middle 20th century: the construction of Interstate 190 over the former canal bed robbed the concourse of its serene lake views, and the construction of the new plaza for the Peace Bridge in 1951 culled seven acres (2.5ha) from the size of the park, resulted in the demolition of Fort Porter, and routed noisy trucks bound for Canada through the park (the latter problem will be solved by the controversial expansion of the Peace Bridge plaza slated for the next few years, after which trucks will access the bridge from a new entrance away from the park).

21 Bird Island Pier, access from Freedom Park (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40). The Bird Island Pier dates from 1822, when it was built as a buffer between the Erie Canal and the rough waters of the Niagara River, and was once a lively place of fishing shacks, canal boats, and pleasure steamers bound for Canada and Grand Island. Though those are long-gone, an extensive renovation and structural stabilization of the pier was completed in the early 2010s and, it was reopened as a scenic pedestrian walkway. Proceeding southward from Freedom Park past the Peace Bridge and onward to a point parallel to LaSalle Park — 1.3 miles (2 km) in all — walkers can experience an unparalleled view of the Niagara River and Fort Erie to their right, then turn their head and watch rowing crews from Canisius, St. Joe's, and other area high schools set off along the canal from the West Side Rowing Club. At the end, you're treated to a waterfront panorama that is simply without equal, with the Erie Basin Marina in the foreground and the downtown skyline and grain elevators off in the distance.

22 Massachusetts Avenue Project, 389 Massachusetts Ave. (Metro Bus 3), ☏ +1 716-882-5327. Staff-led tours Tu 4PM & Sa 10:30AM. Founded in 1992 by West Side residents, the Massachusetts Avenue Project's vision encompasses access to affordable and nutritious food for all, the transformation of blighted urban areas into productive green space, community education, and economic betterment on a grassroots level. Its centerpiece is the Growing Green Urban Farm, the first one in Buffalo, located on thirteen vacant lots totalling more than an acre (4,000 square meters) in area. Produce is grown in a large greenhouse as well as expansive garden beds, and the farm also features a small orchard of fruit trees, free-range chickens, and a fish hatchery — all kept green by a state-of-the-art, rainwater-fed aquaponics system installed in 2009. Farm work is performed by local youths recruited through the Mayor's Summer Youth Program, educating them with information about healthy food as well as valuable work skills. There's also a farm stand onsite where the fruits of the land are sold. $2 suggested donation.

Prospect Hill is also home to one of the Niagara Frontier's six Frank Lloyd Wright buildings:

24 Fontana Boathouse, 40 Porter Ave. (Metro Bus 22), ☏ +1 716-362-3140. Open for tours (Apr-Sep: check website for schedule, Oct-Mar: by appointment only). The only boathouse ever designed by the eminent Frank Lloyd Wright. Tours $10.

Yet once again, "diversity" is the key word when it comes to the West Side's calendar of festivals. There seems to be an annual event for every component of the area's identity — from the immigrants of Grant-Ferry, to the working-class Germans of Black Rock, to the hipster-friendly Buffalo Small Press Book Fair.

Buffalo Small Press Book Fair. Held annually in early April, the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair sees authors, artists, poets, booksellers, bookmakers, and book enthusiasts descend on Karpeles Manuscript Library's Porter Hall to break bread, exchange ideas, and interact with fans and aspiring authors. Books, zines, artwork, and other materials can be bought and sold, and lectures, symposia, poetry readings, and other cultural performances are also put on. Attendance is free of charge and open to the public.

Discover Downtown Black Rock. Every year since 1997 on the third Saturday in June, the Discover Downtown Black Rock festival has shined a limelight on the newly revitalized Amherst Street business district. A huge variety of activities, events and sales are put on by neighborhood businesses all day, culminating with a parade that begins at noon at the festival's ground zero, the historic Flemish Renaissance-style Ladder #12 Firehouse. Trolley rides and horse-drawn buggies traverse Amherst Street all afternoon, live music is performed at various places around the neighborhood, and don't forget the annual weiner-eating contest at Spar's European Sausages!

Taste of Diversity. The Taste of Diversity has been held on Grant Street every summer since 2003 on varying dates, and has become the most popular street festival on the West Side, with almost 2,000 attendees gathering on the block between Lafayette and Auburn Avenues in the heart of the strip. As might be inferred from its title, what's celebrated at the Taste of Diversity are the delicious and vibrant cuisines of each of the West Side's vibrant ethnic communities. But don't mistake this for a clone of downtown's Taste of Buffalo: rather than the area's hoity-toitiest restaurants duking it out for prize money and publicity, the Taste of Diversity takes a decidedly more grassroots approach, where the food is prepared by smaller, more humble (but, it should be emphasized, equally delicious and arguably more authentic) neighborhood restaurants and food trucks, and where the goal is to celebrate the beauty of West Side's diversity — and perhaps more importantly, the fact that a united, cohesive community with an increasingly high quality of life has been forged out of these disparate elements. Festivities at the Taste of Diversity also comprise traditional music, dancing, and other events representing the full spectrum of the West Side's cultural rainbow.

Black Rock Riverside Oktoberfest. Inaugurated in 2016 as the largest of several observances that compete for the attention of Buffalo's German-American and Germanophile communities (others include River Rocktoberfest on Grant Street and a celebration at the Central Terminal on the East Side), the festivities at Black Rock Riverside Oktoberfest begin in the afternoon at the 2 Artisan Kitchens & Baths warehouse on Amherst Street with live oompah music, a ceremonial keg tapping of special Oktoberfest beer, and kiosks staffed by various neighborhood businesses and restaurants, before continuing late into the night at a range of bars and restaurants all over Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel (shuttle service between venues lasts through 1AM), each of which have their own lineups of drink specials, delicious German food, music and revelry.

1 Ruben (Bud) Bakewell Ice Rink, 2607 Niagara St. (At Riverside Park; Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-875-4820. Su F 2-3:50PM, M 3-4:50PM, Th 5-6:50PM, Sa 1-2:50PM except during special events, Oct-Feb only. City residents $2, non-residents $3, skate rental $3.

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Tours, ☏ +1 716-852-7483. Check website for schedule. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, the community organization whose mission is to contribute to Buffalo's revitalization through the remediation of local waterways, holds a series of educational kayak tours in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and points between. The lineup of tours changes from year to year, but as an example, on the West Side the 2014 schedule included the annual Scajaquada Creek Regatta, a "leisurely paddle down the Black Rock Canal and up historic Scajaquada Creek, an underutilized resource full of history and ecology" that launched at the 3 Great Lakes Center off Porter Avenue. Participants can bring their own kayak or reserve one of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper's limited supply. Free.

2 Classic Cruises, 1 Dann St. (At Rich Marina; Metro Bus 5, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-946-7246. By appointment. Offering customized cruises for up to 6 people on the Summerlove, a 1956-model Chris Craft express cruiser with ample room on the deck for sightseeing, sunbathing or just taking in the surroundings, "Captain Rich" and "First Mate Pat" will take you anywhere you want to go on the upper Niagara River — whether it be a trip through the historic Black Rock lock, a cruise down to Canalside, a visit to the Erie Canal or Beaver Island State Park, a full circle around Grand Island, or whatever suits your fancy. A relaxing day on the water is in store for customers: as the website put it, "the way she cuts through the water, the smell of varnish, the sight of glistening mahogany wood and the rumble of a vintage motor all lend themselves to an unforgettable experience." In case of inclement weather, you can reschedule your cruise at no charge (subject to availability) or else receive a full refund. $50 per hour.

3 Kavinoky Theatre, 320 Porter Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-829-7668. The Kavinoky Theatre is located in Prospect Hill on the campus of D'Youville College. Over the course of its history, not only has the Kavinoky Theatre thoroughly restored the historic former Porter-View Room under the auspices of the D'Youville Capital Campaign, but this local repertory company of professional actors has produced nearly 150 plays and musicals of a consistently high quality, earning them more awards than any other troupe in Buffalo. The Kavinoky Theatre has given many actors of local extraction their start in the business.

4 New Phoenix Theatre on the Park, 95 Johnson Park (Metro Bus 3, 5, 11, 20, 25 or 40), ☏ +1 716-853-1334. Buffalo's premier alternative theatre, the New Phoenix Theatre on the Park opened in 1996 in a historic house in the West Village and has quickly gained an impressive reputation for the high-quality, diverse range of performances it has hosted in its tiny space, trending heavily towards bold contemporary works of theatre as well as avant-garde reinterpretations of old favorites. The New Phoenix Theatre on the Park hopes to foster a spirit of community collaboration not only through its exciting theatrical offerings, but also by playing an active role in the ongoing revitalization of the West Village neighborhood.

Grant-Amherst is the place to go on the West Side for live music, with a trio of venues that are among the best-loved in Buffalo. As well, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has its magnificent home stage on Symphony Circle.

5 Gypsy Parlor, 376 Grant St (Metro Bus 3 or 26), ☏ +1 716-551-0001. Grant-Ferry's live performance venue of choice. From indie rock bands and acoustic troubadours, to DJs spinning cutting-edge electronica, to big-band jazz, to such exotica as drum circles, belly-dancing and poetry slams, there's really no rhyme or reason to the array of local acts that take the stage at the Gypsy Parlor. Open-mic night is held every Tuesday at 8PM.

6 Hot Mama's Canteen, 12 Military Rd. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-783-8222. Anchoring the west end of the Amherst Street strip, the favorite watering hole of Buffalo-area shuffleboard enthusiasts and hot sauce aficionados now does double duty as a music venue, where local funk, blues, and rock bands take the stage at least three (and usually more!) nights a week. (updated Nov 2017)

7 Imagine Event Center, 71 Military Rd. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-553-6794. Owned and operated by the impresarios behind the Sportsmens Tavern (see below) yet about as far as you can get from the rowdy, raucous roadhouse vibe of that place, what the Imagine Event Center offers, in their own words, is "an intimate listening room, combined with wine, craft beers and topnotch acoustics for the best listening experience in Buffalo". What's to listen to? Local artists working in a wide diversity of genres, from rock to jazz to worship music to the "Bridging the Gap" live poetry/hip-hop series. (updated Feb 2020)

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

9 Rohall's Corner, 540 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 20 or 32), ☏ +1 716-939-2087. You can catch all kinds of performances at this hip yet unpretentious neighborhood watering hole at the heart of Grant-Amherst, but the marquee attraction happens the first Saturday of each month: the Black Rock Fiddle Jam, where local musicians get together for a rousing round of old-time acoustic music. It's an informal, freeform hoedown of fiddles, mandolins, banjos, guitars and good times. For those who would rather try their hand at playing instead of just watching and listening, lessons for all skill levels are provided free of charge.

15 Gather & Game, 212 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-248-1883. W Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-3PM. A friendly venue for West Siders and others to do the two titular activities in a chilled-out, welcoming environment. At Gather & Game $3 per visit or a $25 annual membership buys you access to the vast library of store-owned games they offer on a "try-before-you-buy" basis (everything from classic board games like Monopoly to card games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh to RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons), plus there's a full schedule of game nights, tournaments and strategy classes, and of course, game sets for sale (including many that are not available anywhere else locally!) (updated Aug 2019)

Every shopping neighborhood in Buffalo seems to have its own specialty. On Elmwood it's the latest in trendy urban fashions, Allentown has art galleries galore, and Hertel Avenue is the place for antiques and home decor. As for Grant Street — well, if you're in the market for ethnic handicrafts or exotic foods and you can't find what you're looking for here, you're probably out of luck.

1 West Side Bazaar, 25 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-464-6389. Tu-Th 11AM-7PM, F Sa 11AM-8PM. Inspired by the Malcolm Shabazz Market in Harlem and in keeping with the old tradition of large public markets like the East Side's Broadway Market that you could once find all over town, this central hub of the Grant Street's internationally-flavored business district is not only a business incubator helping newly landed immigrants on their way to successful entrepreneurship, but also a gathering place providing a friendly reminder of their native lands. At the West Side Bazaar you'll find an ample lineup of vendors selling ethnic fashions and crafts, as well as an International Kitchen of food stalls serving authentic cuisines from around the world. (updated Nov 2018)

Gadget Bazaar. At the helm of Gadget Bazaar is Romala Rajendran, who came to Buffalo after fleeing the civil war in her home country of Sri Lanka along with her husband Sujakshan. What you'll find at the oddly named Gadget Bazaar are not the latest in electronic gizmos but rather a handpicked selection of South Asian- and Western-style clothing and accessories, with a range of brightly-colored, statement-making jewelry at the forefront. (updated Nov 2018)

Gysma's African Style. Gysma Kueny moved to Buffalo in 2002 from war-torn South Sudan, and her eponymous Bazaar stall features a range of handmade goods imported from Africa: fashions and accessories such as artisan jewelry, handbags, and even scarves and gloves, shea butter and toiletries including black soap from Ghana, and a selection of crafts crowned by a line of miniature wooden figurines depicting African wildlife. Best of all, you're supporting a good cause: part of the profits go to fund a charitable initiative to promote education for South Sudanese girls. (updated Nov 2018)

Julienne Boutique. Julienne Nyiranjishi's whole family are artisans — both those in Buffalo and back home in Rwanda — and it's their work that's for sale at Julienne's Boutique. Clothing, jewelry and accessories, traditional baskets, and postcards bedecked with beautiful African imagery are on offer, but the specialty here is handmade wooden carvings: from traditional bowls to statuettes to tableware. (updated Nov 2018)

2 Bootleg Bucha, 1250 Niagara St (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40). Tu Sa 11AM-5PM, W-F 11AM-7PM, Su 11AM-3PM. Buffalo's first kombucha brewery (a lightly carbonated, fermented tea native to East Asia with a wide array of purported health benefits; the owners will be only too happy to go over these for you) offers a rotating selection of about four dozen different varieties on tap, the most popular of which include ginger beer, carrot pineapple, and blueberry lavender. You can buy kombucha in disposable plastic bottles if you like, but Bootleg Bucha will also sell you a more environmentally friendly reusable glass bottle for $2, or you can even bring your own growler to fill. (updated Nov 2018)

3 Cookie, 1197 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-878-8821. M 10AM-4PM, Tu 10AM-5PM, W 9AM-5PM, Th F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-2PM. Owned and operated by Rich Products, the famous food products megacorporation headquartered across the street, the name of the game at Cookie is an ever-evolving menu of cookies, pastries, and other baked goods made exclusively with Rich brand ingredients. The interior is decked out like an old-school sweet shop, complete with classic black-and-white checkerboard floor and a huge glass display cooler packed with tempting treats — but the Cookie experience, in practice, is decidedly a grab-and-go affair (though if the single table-and-chairs setup happens to be free, they also pour hot coffee all day!) (updated Nov 2018)

4 5 Loaves Farm, 70 W. Delavan Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 26 or 40), ☏ +1 716-803-9241. Jul-Aug: F 2-7PM. Since 2012, this farm on ten vacant Upper West Side lots has pursued its mission of promoting sustainable gardening as a way of providing neighborhood residents not only with fresh produce, but also vital education regarding healthy dietary choices. The food grown at 5 Loaves is disseminated mostly to local residents who've signed up for food shares through the Community-Supported Agriculture program, as well as to local restaurants, schools and food banks — but seasonal produce is also available at their farmhouse on West Delavan Avenue, open on Friday evenings in season. (updated Nov 2018)

5 Guercio & Sons, 254 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-882-7935. M-Sa 7AM-6PM. Guercio's history stretches back to 1961 — a time when Grant Street was the heart of a lively Italian-American neighborhood — and it remains one of Buffalo's prime destinations for gourmet groceries, with both imports and locally produced items such as sliced bread from Luigi's Bakery and Anchor Bar brand wing sauce. When you're done marveling at the colorful produce and herbs stuffed in the carts on the sidewalk out front, come on inside and stroll through the fragrant corridors stocked with everything you could ever want from an Italian grocery store: canned goods, imported pasta, sliced-to-order Italian cold cuts, a dizzying array of fine olive oils, and more. (updated Nov 2018)

8 African Market, 355 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-882-8786. Daily 6AM-6PM. Despite its name, the variety of imported foods offered here spans not only Africa, but the whole world. Though canned goods, spices, rice and other staples, and other miscellaneous groceries are sole here, the marquee item at the African Market is a wide variety of meats, many of which are halal or kosher — from everyday selections like beef and chicken to more unusual ones such as goat. A small selection of kitchenwares and ethnic clothing rounds out the stock. Best of all, unlike most small Grant Street businesses, the African Market boasts off-street parking: there's a small lot on the left side of the building, which is also where you'll find the main entrance. (updated Nov 2018)

9 All in One Global African Family Store, 83 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-436-9330. M-Th 9AM-9PM, F 9AM-5PM, Su 11AM-8PM. As its name attests, this entrant in the Upper West Side's extensive lineup of ethnic markets specializes in African goods — and as its name also attests, groceries aren't the be-all-end-all of the place. If you're hungry for African food, you've got the usual selection of staple starches such as dried beans, fufu flour, cornmeal, and rice (huge sacks of which are displayed in the front window), as well as copious other nonperishables and a smaller selection of meats and produce; if you're in the market for something else, how about a fine selection of chunky African jewelry, ethnic garb, toiletries, and housewares? (updated Feb 2020)

10 Asia Super Bazaar, 294 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-939-3210. Daily 9AM-9:30PM. This place bills itself as a specialty grocery selling "Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Burmese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Arabian, Somalian, African, Spanish, and American food and spices". But that's a bit of an exaggeration — the offerings here consist of a selection of South and East Asian packaged foods that's really nothing special by Grant Street standards, plus some convenience-store snacks, basic toiletries, and a smattering of toys, bedding, clothes and gifts. One strong point Asia Super Bazaar does boast is a large frozen food section containing some interesting exotic goodies. (updated Nov 2018)

11 Bungtla Asian Market, 540 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3 or 7), ☏ +1 716-768-2655. M-F 9AM-8PM, Sa 9AM-9PM. This shop takes its name from one of the most spectacular natural wonders of Myanmar's Chin State, and it's certainly indicative of the type of food you'll find there. Bungtla's aisles are stocked mainly with Southeast Asian staples such as rice and dried noodles, as well as snacks, dried vegetables, spices, and other nonperishables, but head for the pair of stand-up coolers on the far side of the store and you'll find a pretty good selection of fresh(-ish) produce. (updated Nov 2018)

When it comes to cute, hip clothing boutiques, Grant Street is still a long way behind more established retail areas in Buffalo such as the Elmwood Village and Hertel Avenue. However, those in search of authentic, vibrantly-colored ethnic clothing and urban streetwear should be pleased with the offerings in the area.

18 Empire Kicks, 281 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 3 or 12), ☏ +1 716-332-0820. Su-Th 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-10PM. High-fashion clothing with an urban flair is the stock in trade of Empire Kicks. An authorized retailer of Nike, Akoo, Timberland, Polo, Rocawear, and Reebok, this large store is located in a small plaza just off Grant Street. Empire Kicks is the place to go on the West Side for a wide range of authentic designer t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, and athletic shoes. Sports fans can choose from among the wide array of baseball caps and swag here, with all their favorite team logos on it. Empire Kicks also offers layaway. (updated Nov 2018)

19 Global Villages, 216 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-887-3889. M-Sa 7AM-9PM. Best described as a locally-based iteration of Ten Thousand Villages, Global Villages is where Rwanda-born Louise Sano sells a range of unique, hand-selected fashions and accessories, soaps and bath items, and fair-trade handicrafts from around the world. More interesting still is the book section, featuring a small range of literature primarily on African topics. Best of all, Sano prides herself on her extensive familiarity with her suppliers and their work, whether it be a traditional artisan in Kenya or Thailand, a local crafter on the West Side, or Sano herself, who designs much of the jewelry sold here. (updated Nov 2018)

20 Paloma Exchange, 363 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-436-7002. M-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM. If you're a fashion-conscious type with a flair for the retro, you know that scratching the vintage itch can sometimes come at a steep price. Not so at the Paloma Exchange, where the selection of secondhand men's and women's clothing and accessories is expertly curated by a repatriated local native who knows her stuff inside and out and includes a surprising abundance of souvenir-worthy Buffalo swag — and where prices undercut the competition by far. And the shopping environment couldn't be more trendy (or less "thrift store-ish"): floor-to-ceiling windows make for an airy ambience, the decor is understated yet stylish, changing rooms are ample in size, and the playlist of piped-in music is hipster heaven. (updated Feb 2020)

21 Positive Approach Press, 631 Fargo Ave. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-939-2632. M-F 9AM-4PM, Sa by appointment. Positive Approach Press works with customers to create custom-designed screen-printed t-shirts, sweatshirts, and even jackets and pants, handcrafted in-house by some of the best designers Western New York has to offer. The folks at Positive Approach offer great rates and even better turnaround times (less than seven days in most cases) and will also custom-design business cards, posters, wedding invitations, stationery, and other paper goods. (updated Oct 2019)

25 Rust Belt Books, 415 Grant St (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-885-9535. M noon-6PM, Tu W 10:30AM-6PM, Th-Sa 10:30AM-8PM, Su 11AM-5PM. One of Buffalo's best, and best-loved, secondhand bookstores, with an exhaustive selection of reading material of every genre — from old cookbooks to '70s music journalism to esoteric feminist essays to the classics of literature — and an enthusiastic and helpful staff and colorful clientele. More than that, Rust Belt Books' relentless devotion to the local community sees them playing host to a variety of community happenings, as well as poetry readings, plays and other special events. (updated Nov 2018)

26 Black Dots, 368 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-725-0010. M-Sa noon-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Black Dots' June 2013 opening in the basement of a Lafayette Avenue flat was so audacious in the face of steeply declining sales of tangible music that the Buffalo News devoted a lengthy article to it, and the fact that they've now expanded to a much larger location is more remarkable still. The store is named for the groundbreaking 1979 debut by D.C. punkers Bad Brains, and aptly so: Black Dots deals exclusively in new and used punk, hardcore, and indie releases on vinyl and cassette, as well as a selection of stickers, patches and band t-shirts. Even the hand-scrawled logo, reminiscent of an old-school concert flyer, screams "punk rock". (updated Nov 2018)

27 Sweet Sound Music, 257 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-882-4423. M-W 10AM-8PM, Th 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-10PM, Su noon-5PM. Since 2006, Luis Rodriguez has operated this small Grant Street record shop where the accent is on rap, R&B, reggae, soca, and Latin sounds, as well as racks of streetwear styled to match the hip-hop bent of the music. If you're interested in the Buffalo hip-hop scene, look no further: Sweet Sound stocks a wide selection of the latest releases by local rappers at prices that can't be beat. (updated Nov 2018)

28 Maman Samy Wa Abondoki, 314 Hampshire St. (Metro Bus 3 or 12), ☏ +1 716-884-0671. M-F 9AM-9PM, Sa Su 9AM-10PM. "100% African" is the motto that ties together the motley range of merchandise on offer here — a little bit of everything, from beauty supplies to groceries to a selection of secondhand clothes, DVDs, decorative items and other gifts. (updated Nov 2018)

29 Stitch Buffalo, 1215 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-495-9642. Tu Th 1-4PM, F 9AM-4PM, Sa 10AM-2PM. Stitch Buffalo's main mission is to help refugee women develop economic, educational, and practical skills, and it does this by employing over 55 of them as skilled textile artisans who hand-stitch a variety of goods using the native colors, styles, and methods of their respective homelands. One thing they don't make is clothing, but stop by Stitch if you're in the market for an embroidered pin (peace signs and "Buffalove" are popular motifs), a hair clip, a felt elephant figurine, or the like. And if you'd rather DIY, check their website for the date of the next "Second Stitch" pop-up event, where surplus yarn, knitting needles and other supplies are sold. (updated Aug 2019)

Amherst Street has made a name for itself as a small-business shopping district that, despite its upswing, proudly retains a blue-collar, "real Buffalo" feel. Art and antiques are a particular specialty in the area.

Additionally, proximity to campus makes Tops Plaza, on the southwest corner of Grant and Amherst Streets just across the bridge, a handy destination for the everyday shopping needs of Buffalo State students — it contains locations of Family Dollar and Tops supermarkets, as well as Burger King, a pizzeria, and a Chinese take-out.

Among the small neighborhood shops of Grant-Amherst are a number of purveyors of urban fashions.

30 Doll House Boutique, 440 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-877-1555. Tu-Sa 2-7PM. If a pair of thigh-high distressed-denim high-heeled boots sounds like something you absolutely must have in your closet, and if fur trim and sequins are staples of your fashion repertoire, you'll find everything you need (and, probably, a lot of stuff you didn't know you needed) at this urban fashion emporium. Shoes are the specialty at Doll House, but you'll also find a line of jewelry that's a good bit more subdued in style, plus sunglasses, scarves, handbags, and Doll Face by Ashley: a makeup and beauty bar in the back of the store whose eponymous owner's CV includes a stint as beautician for VH-1's "Black Ink Crew". (updated Nov 2018)

Grant-Amherst is an emerging local destination for antique enthusiasts.

31 Chotchky's Antiques and Collectibles, 352 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-877-9692. Open by appointment or chance. Bravo for truth in advertising: this spacious antique shop is indeed crammed to the gills with tchotchkes of all descriptions; rare, original and unique examples of housewares, toys, clocks, baskets, and every miscellaneous trinket you could imagine that are the end result of over 100 years of family collecting. This is the kind of place you'd see on "American Pickers". Despite the vast variety of stuff to be found here, Chotchky's is at heart a small family business and a labor of love — owner Kathleen Arries has been the sole employee of this shop since it opened in 1998. This place does a brisk mail-order business as well. (updated Nov 2018)

32 Junk & Disorderly, 979 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-628-2792. F 6-9PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. The bountiful selection of merchandise at this shop represents the personal collection of antiques and vintage collectibles that the owners have been accumulating for north of 30 years. As you might have suspected from the name, there's a lot of retro kitsch to be had at Junk & Disorderly, but that's not the end of the story: it's difficult to sum the selection up succinctly, but midcentury vintage knickknacks seem to handily outnumber outright antiques (the cutoff date seems to be around World War II) and specialties seem to include lamps, kitchenware, and above all, a treasure trove of decorative Christmas baubles, vintage ornaments, and other holiday-themed items. (updated Nov 2018)

33 Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 501 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-852-6607. Tu-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-6PM, Su noon-4PM. Wherein Habitat for Humanity operates what basically amounts to a huge thrift store for furniture and housewares: the shelves are stocked with gently used (and some new!) chairs and tables, sofas, bedroom sets, lamps, cabinetry, doors and windows, building materials, and appliances donated to them by the public. Best of all, this place operates with very little overhead — it's staffed by volunteers, so almost all the money you pay goes to help Habitat for Humanity build new homes and rehab old ones to help out the less fortunate. (updated Nov 2018)

34 Interior Design Resources, 463 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-874-1737. M-W F 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-1PM, or by appointment. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but step through the doors and you'll be confronted with a somewhat jumbled showroom that's a lot bigger than you're expecting — not to mention an absolutely mind-boggling selection of merchandise, including what the owner claims to be the largest selection of fabrics on the East Coast. Beyond that, you'll find furniture, lamps, wall covers, and miscellaneous interior accessories from designers hailing from all over the country and world — including hard-to-find lines that folks used to have to travel to New York City to get — all available at a fraction of retail price. (updated Nov 2018)

Though it's of decidedly less interest to foodies than Grant-Ferry and the Lower West Side, Grant-Amherst's variety of specialty food markets ably mirrors the diversity of the West Side.

35 Barrel + Brine, 155 Chandler St (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-248-2761. W-F 11AM-9PM, Sa 3-9PM, Su 11AM-4PM. With Barrel + Brine's long-awaited move to Chandler Street has come a hugely expanded customer experience — nowadays it's not only a shop but a full-fledged restaurant serving upscale pub grub. But if you're just here to shop, you can expect the same merchandise as before, except more of it: from creative twists on sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickled cucumbers (try the "Southern Tier IPA Pickle" with fresh hops added to the spice blend) to more exotic finds such as fennel-pickled beets, Chinese-style pickled peanuts and Korean kkakdugi, pickled watermelon rind, and pickled sausage sourced from Spar's. They brew their own kombucha, too. (updated Aug 2019)

36 Fresh Arabic Sweets, 560 Amherst St (Metro Bus 20 or 32), ☏ +1 716-768-3826. Daily 10AM-9PM. Syrian sweets, to be exact, courtesy of owner Mohammed Altahla, who was a bakery owner in his hometown of Homs before fleeing the civil war in 2016 and resettling Stateside as a refugee. Baklava is the specialty of the house, and it's easily the tastiest in town; buttery, sweet, stuffed with pistachios, and a steal at $7.99 a pound. But that's just the tip of the iceberg: ma'amoul date cookies are winners too, and those without a sweet tooth can instead nosh on not-quite-as-exquisite-but-still-not-bad shawarma and falafel sandwiches. (updated Feb 2020)

37 Lucky 7 Asian Market, 150 Military Rd. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-541-0396. Daily 10AM-7PM. It's not the largest Asian food store on the West Side, but Lucky 7 is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside — and far better-organized than most of its competition! This store stocks mostly Burmese and Thai items and is set up mostly for those in search of the essentials of Asian cuisine, with a friendly staff that is eager to assist those who may still need a bit of help finding what they need. Lucky 7 stocks all the usuals: staples such as noodles and rice, nonperishable packaged groceries, fresh Asian produce, frozen meats (including unique items such as frog and eel), and a range of health and beauty items. (updated Aug 2019)

38 Spar's European Sausage Shop, 405 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-876-6607. Tu W 10AM-5PM, Th F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-3PM. Founder and namesake Eric Spar hails from Augsburg, so it's no surprise that German wursts dominate the selection here. But Spar's is no one-trick pony: they carry everything from chorizo to andouille to merguez to double-smoked kabanosy; Swedish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Polish, Italian, and on and on, all handcrafted in-house. Aside from sausages, there's also a selection of deli meats and specialty groceries to choose from, including local favorites such as Weber's horseradish mustard, the Broadway Market's Famous Horseradish, and Johnnie Ryan craft sodas. (updated Nov 2018)

40 Allentown Music, 497 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-886-8742. Daily noon-7PM. Allentown Music may no longer be located in its namesake neighborhood, but it's still the same one-stop used musical instrument emporium that Buffalo musicians know and love, packed to the rafters with a wide range of merchandise: guitars (Fender, Yamaha, Danelectro, Ibanez, and Gibson are among the models), drum kits, violins, and brass-band instruments; oddities such as dulcimers, ukuleles, and bagpipes; amps, picks, and other supplies; instructional books and videos for beginners. Though this isn't the place to go for high-end gear, the instruments sold here are generally mid-range in quality and sold in decent condition for decent prices. (updated Nov 2018)

41 Bike & Sign Shop, 247 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-235-7935. W-Sa 11AM-7PM. Two businesses in one at the western entrance to the Grant-Amherst business strip: if you're in need of Jake Moslow's custom sign-painting services, you're probably not reading a travel guide, but if you're in the market for a previously-enjoyed bicycle to hit the Jesse Kregal Bike Path or the Shoreline Trail with, Jordan Kubik has got you covered with his half of the operation, dubbed "All Cycles". Kubik's hobby since childhood has been garbage-picking and repairing old bikes, and he brings his autodidactic expertise to bear in both sides of his business: selling carefully restored used bikes at down-to-earth prices as well as servicing, repairing, and selling parts for existing ones. (updated Nov 2018)

42 The Fretted Buffalo, 466 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-913-6487. Tu Th noon-7PM, Sa noon-6PM. If you want to pick up a new guitar during your visit to Buffalo, you have several options, but none quite like the Fretted Buffalo: this is the only shop on the Niagara Frontier that specializes solely in acoustic guitars. You'll find many brands in stock, such as Huss & Dalton, Dana Bourgeois, Furch/Stonebridge, and Avalon (in fact, the Fretted Buffalo is America's largest volume dealer of those latter two), and if those names ring familiar to you, you know that means these guys know their stuff and don't bother with anything but the best. Sound intimidating? Not at all: the vibe here is cozy, friendly, and no-pressure. (updated Nov 2018)

Niagara and Connecticut Streets are the Lower West Side's main thoroughfares for shoppers. By comparison with each other, Connecticut Street is smaller in size but noticeably more upscale, while bustling Niagara Street is larger and more typically "West Side", with a wide array of urban clothes stores, Grant Street-style ethnic food markets, and other shops. There's a smattering of more out-of-the-way shops on other streets as well.

43 Kings of da West, 461 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-855-0555. M-F 1-7PM. The central node of a trio of related shops on the corner of Niagara and Hudson Streets, Kings of da West sells West Siders a variety of new and secondhand urban clothing, shoes, jewelry, and fashion accessories as well as a small variety of cigarettes and smoking supplies. Ladies aren't left out in the cold either: Queens of da West extends the business into the storefront next door, with ladieswear, purses and other accessories, wigs, and fragrance on offer in similar styles. Lastly, Kings Wireless is a destination for cell phones and accessories as well as electronics repair. (updated Nov 2018)

Those who've come to the Lower West Side in search of delicious Puerto Rican food are better off heading to a restaurant than a specialty grocery store; Hispanic cuisine is mainstream enough around these parts that its ingredients are easily available in ordinary supermarkets such as Tops on Niagara Street (which boasts what must be the best selection of Goya products Buffalo has to offer). However, if you were intrigued by the multiethnic cornucopia of immigrant-run food shops on Grant Street and are thirsty for more, the Lower West Side has what you're looking for.

44 Community Beer Works, 520 7th St (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-759-4677. M W Th 3-10PM, F 3PM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-8PM. With a motto of "Embeer Buffalo", Community Beer Works proudly produces a range of award-winning craft beer that's available not only in their own tap room and at local bars and restaurants like Allen Street Hardware and Pano's, but also in a small retail store where beer aficionados can come and fill their bottles and kegs or buy branded merchandise such as T-shirts, glasses and growlers. Best of all, Community Beer Works' commitment to the well-being of the Buffalo area is legendary, and spent grain from the brewery is donated to the Massachusetts Avenue Project to be reused as fertilizer. (updated Nov 2018)

45 Five Points Bakery, 44 Brayton St (Metro Bus 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-884-8888. M-Sa 7AM-7PM, Su 7AM-4PM. Quoting their website, Five Points Bakery is all about "raising the bar on local food" and "striv[ing] to overcome the limitations of our food system and reclaim our food heritage through education... and a dedication to sustainability". Sound a bit high-concept and pricey? It is, but those who persevere past the sticker shock will find the homemade artisanal multigrain, whole-wheat and ciabatta bread worth splurging for — and it's all made with organic locally-grown grain. If you've got a sweet tooth, the cinnamon rolls are among the hugest in town, and that's just for starters. All this goodness is available to grab and go, but if you like, you can also linger at the toast bar. (updated Nov 2018)

46 Mineo & Sapio Italian Sausage, 410 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7), ☏ +1 716-884-2398. M-F 9AM-4PM, Sa 9AM-2PM. Along with the Armory Restaurant, Mineo & Sapio is along the last remnants of the old Italian Village: they've been on Connecticut Street since 1920. They sell a variety of sausages, but the classic-recipe Italian is unsurprisingly the marquee selection: 100% pork, no preservatives or artificial colors, all-natural hog casings. Best of all, despite the fact that the bulk of their sales nowadays are to supermarkets and restaurants, the atmosphere at the retail shop is friendly, cozy, and fragrant with the aroma of sausage spices. You can buy it frozen like at the grocery store if you want, but since you have the opportunity, you really want to go for the fresh stuff. (updated Nov 2018)

49 Á Châu International Market, 833 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-882-3867. M-Sa 9:30AM-7:30PM, Su 9:30AM-6PM. "International", yes, but let's be more specific: the bulk of the inventory on Á Châu's shelves comes from Southeast Asia. Here you'll find fresh meats and fish, a blockbuster selection of produce such as durian, bok choy, and flaming hot Thai chilies, frozen foods, and to quote one reviewer: "every kind of spice, edible sea critter, and sauce you could ever ask for". Authentic and gritty with none of the supermarket gloss of Wegmans or Tops, the squeamish may need to avert their gaze from sights like whole frozen bullfrogs in the coolers, buckets of freshly eviscerated organ meats, and whole ducks, chickens and rabbits strung up as window displays. (updated Nov 2018)

50 Arbin Grocery & Fresh Meats, 397 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7), ☏ +1 716-262-0981. Daily 9AM-9PM. Situated on bustling Connecticut Street a stone's throw from Masjid al-Eiman, Arbin Fresh Meat's inventory goes far beyond what's in its name: you'll find a mishmash of goods geared toward Buffalo's growing Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Indian immigrant communities, including Indian spices, large sacks of channa daal and other grains, Western-style snack foods, a surprisingly ample range of household items, and a modest selection of fresh produce. At Arbin the aisles are cramped and the shelves are not particularly well organized, but the small size of the store means that if they carry it, you'll probably find it before too long. (updated Nov 2018)

51 Chez La Camer & Rock Centero Market, 941 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-715-5969. M-W 10AM-7PM, Th-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Along with a range of hair and beauty supplies, braiding, cosmetics, and ethnic clothing, African food is the specialty at this newly established market at the north end of the Niagara Street strip. A modest variety of both fresh and frozen groceries are available for aficionados of the cuisines of West and Central Africa. Also, for anglers who are keen on trying their luck at nearby Freedom Park or elsewhere along the West Side riverfront, live bait is offered for sale. (updated Nov 2018)

52 Karibu Market, 469 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-322-6632. Su-F 10AM-8PM. Karibu Market's inventory of "African Foods & More" places an especial emphasis on nonperishable staple grains such as cornmeal, semolina, and ground cassava fufu — you'll see enormous sacks of these stacked up in front of the windows as you walk in. But there are also more modest selections of fresh produce and meat (goat is a specialty), as well as a few Western-style groceries and snacks. (updated Dec 2018)

55 Blue Table Chocolates, 44B Brayton St. (Metro Bus 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-866-3725. M-F 10:30AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-7PM. In review after review, these gourmet artisanal chocolate truffles are described almost more as miniature works of art than as food, and when you get the box open it's not hard to see why. But don't discount Blue Table's creativity in the culinary department either: from lemon-pistachio to coconut-passionfruit to delightfully crunchy sunflower seed, you'd be hard-pressed to find flavors like this anywhere else. And if all of this sounds unattainably expensive, think again. (updated Feb 2020)

56 The Chocolate Shop, 871 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-882-5055. M-F 9AM-5PM. West Side native Frank Caruana entered the confectionery business way back in 1950, and The Chocolate Shop is where you'll find him still busily custom-molding chocolates to his customers' specifications, whether it be reproducing a sample item or bringing their zaniest fantasies to life in chocolate form. The bulk of the business here is corporate orders and fundraisers, but at their Niagara Street retail location can be found a range of chocolates and candies (including sponge candy, Buffalo's favorite chocolate treat) as well as personalized gift packs made fresh daily with only the finest ingredients. (updated Nov 2018)

57 La Flor Bakery, 544 Niagara St (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-812-0187. Daily 8AM-9PM. After you get done munching on some of the most delicious Puerto Rican food in town, don't forget to make a stop at the attached bakery for dessert, with bizcocho, several varieties of flan, pastelillos, and other delectable tropical desserts to take home. (updated Dec 2018)

58 Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7 or 22), ☏ +1 716-881-0719. W-Su 11AM-7PM. This is not your ordinary bookstore, but if you're on the lookout for a unique gift for that hard-to-buy-for far-left radical on your list, Burning Books probably has what you're looking for: in the words of one reviewer, "books that people in power don't want you to read". Histories, biographies, reference materials, magazines, leaflets, DVDs, and even kids' books regarding a diversity of themes of social injustice and revolutionary politics — everything from the Black Panthers to the Stonewall Riots to the Zapatistas — all come at decidedly 99%-friendly prices. (updated Nov 2018)

There's a number of worthwhile shops along the main thoroughfare of Niagara Street, especially in Black Rock. However, the main business district in this part of the city is centered around the corner of Tonawanda and Ontario Streets in Riverside.

When the storied Riverside Men's Shop packed up and moved to a suburban strip mall in 2004, it left in its wake a retail scene much reduced in size and vibrancy, which consists today mostly of small thrift stores and urban fashion boutiques.

59 Eve Fashion & Beauty Supply, 431 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32 or 35), ☏ +1 716-877-4780. Daily 9AM-10PM. If you're a claustrophobe, beware: the walls are covered from floor to ceiling with merchandise on hangers, and the sales floor is packed with displays to the point where it's tough to walk around. But if you're in the market for urban fashions, cosmetics, and hair care products at logic-defying prices, you'll find a selection that goes toe-to-toe with the big department stores. Vivacious styles abound, jewelry trends toward the chunky and flashy, and you'll find baseball caps representing pretty much any sports team you can think of. But the specialty at Eve is barrettes, beads, pins and clips, and other hair accessories, as well as styling products for all hair types. (updated Nov 2018)

60 Hearts Thrift Store, 890 Tonawanda St (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-876-7346. M-Sa 11AM-5PM. This large thrift store in the heart of Riverside is one of Buffalo's best, but it's not known for the great diversity of its selection, nor are folks who come looking for the usual thrift-store fare — kooky vintage clothing, hip band t-shirts, designer jeans, and the like — likely to leave satisfied. Instead, the order of the day at this "businesswoman's thrift store" (as one reviewer put it) is high-end office attire and formalwear, sold in tip-top condition for prices that can't be beat. Best of all, the money you spend here could not go to a better cause: the store was set up to benefit Hearts for the Homeless, a faith-based charity that feeds, counsels and ministers to Buffalo's homeless. (updated Nov 2018)

61 3 Star Fashion, 2211 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-995-6039. Su-Th 9:30AM-10PM, F Sa 9:30AM-11PM. 3 Star Fashion is owned by the same folks who run'Empire Kicks on West Ferry Street, and if you like the designer sneakers sold there, this place will be right up your alley. Like its sister store, the fundament of this place's inventory consists of Nikes, Timberlands, Air Jordans and other well-known brands of footwear, but there's also a full range of name-brand clothing for the streetwise man, woman or child on your list, as well as a blockbuster selection of fitted New Era caps. Notably, 3 Star is also a great place to seek out designer jeans at reasonable prices. (updated Nov 2018)

63 CooCooU, 111 Tonawanda St., second floor (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-432-6216. Daily 11AM-5PM. The alpha and omega in Buffalo when it comes to everything Midcentury and Scandinavian Modern, CooCooU sports a myriad of one-of-a-kind items with a fanciful postwar aesthetic: whether it be furniture, lamps, decorative baubles, architectural elements, objets d'art, or even musical instruments and jewelry, the vast selection and impeccable quality are right up there with the best that places like Toronto and New York City have to offer. You could easily spend a whole day here. Hours of operation are variable — don't be surprised if the owner opens the place up early or stays late, especially during special sales and promotions or around the holidays. (updated Nov 2018)

64 Gothic City Antiques, 1940 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-874-4479. Th-Sa 11AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM. The big, 1950s-looking "Streng Oldsmobile" sign just past Exit 13 is a familiar landmark to those Buffalonians whose daily commute takes them along the northbound 190, but what many of them don't know is that the junkyard where it sits isn't a junkyard at all: it's Gothic City Antiques, Buffalo's longest-standing dealer in architectural antiques and artifacts. Outside you've got a full acre (4,000m²) of garden tchotchkes, old lampposts, and that famous sign that once stood guard outside the dealership on Main Street; inside is another wonderland of furniture, lamps, doors and doorknobs, mantels, vintage plumbing fixtures such as sinks and claw bathtubs, and on and on. (updated Nov 2018)

65 Fowler's Chocolates, 100 River Rock Drive (Metro Bus 23), ☏ +1 716-877-0083. M-F 8AM-5PM. An anonymous-looking industrial park backed up against the old Belt Line railroad in the back end of Black Rock may seem like an odd place for a location of Buffalo's favorite chain of chocolate shops — but after all, this is the same building where their factory has been located since 1993. Unsurprisingly, the small retail space just off the production floor keeps abbreviated hours compared to the other Fowler's locations, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood on a weekday morning or afternoon and have a hankering for sponge candy, chocolate truffles, or any of the other goodies these folks are famous for, you're more than welcome to stop in. (updated Nov 2018)

66 Gondola Macaroni Products, 1985 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-874-4280. M-Sa 9:30AM-6PM. First-generation Italian immigrant Guido Colla has been cooking ravioli with his own self-designed pasta maker since 1958, and now on the cusp of his seventh decade in business, his cramped little shop in Black Rock is a throwback to old times. You can get all kinds of pasta at Gondola, but ravioli is what they're most famous for — scratch-made daily in house with a simple recipe of durum flour, water, eggs, and various meat fillings; there are no additives or chemicals in this stuff, which is likely why its quality puts supermarket fare to shame. Service comes with a smile and obvious appreciation for your business, even if the owners' English isn't quite up to snuff. (updated Nov 2018)

It was only a matter of time before the ethnic food markets that are commonplace elsewhere on the West Side began to filter north. In Riverside the balance is tilted a bit more toward African groceries rather than Asian, but there's plenty of variety to choose from nonetheless (and more and more options each year, it seems).

67 Fartun Express, 860 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-431-0218. M-F noon-10PM, Sa Su 10AM-10PM. In the former location of Ricotta's Pizza on Tonawanda Street in the heart of Riverside is where you'll find this Somali-owned grocer. The specialty at Fartun is meat — and whether it's familiar staples like beef, chicken, and fish or more unusual selections like goat or camel, everything they sell is 100% halal. There's also a small selection of ethnic produce and general groceries to choose from. (updated Nov 2018)

68 Htar Ni Asian Market, 472 Ontario St. (Metro Bus 3 or 5), ☏ +1 716-876-3085. M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su 9AM-7PM. Yet another in the seemingly endless parade of Burmese grocery stores on the West Side, Htar Ni Asian Market is located on Ontario Street toward the north end of Riverside. Inside, you'll find walls lined with rows upon rows of canned goods, jars of preserved vegetables, packaged groceries, frozen foods, and crunchy snacks. If you like Sriracha and other spicy Asian sauces and condiments, Htar Ni is the place for you. (updated Nov 2018)

69 International Market, 916 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-597-2305. Tu W noon-9PM, Th-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su noon-8PM. If you were intrigued enough by the tantalizing aromas of the cuisine at Lucy to want to try your hand at cooking tasty Ethiopian specialties of your own, head to the African food market next door, run by the same folks. The inventory at the succinctly but accurately named International Market trends heavily toward Ethiopian spices such as berbere, shiro, mitmita, and keba, but that's not all you'll find there: if your tastes run more toward Asian or Caribbean cuisine, stop in to pick up fresh banana leaves, the only place in Buffalo where they're available! (updated Dec 2018)

70 Lin Asian Market, 929 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-235-8982. M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su 9AM-6PM. Lin moved to Riverside in 2014 from its old location on Grant Street, but aside from more spacious digs, the story is largely the same: specialty Asian groceries, the same ones they use in the kitchen at Lin Restaurant next door, the better for those who just finished enjoying Buffalo's best Burmese food and want to try their hand at making their own version of the specialties served there. (updated Nov 2018)

72 Steel Crazy Iron Art, 70 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-876-7510. M-F 8AM-4PM. Using the latest in computerized design technology and their own shared background in structural iron and steel work, artists Ed & Brian Hogle — the same folks who forged the bright blue "buffalo head" bike racks you see along the sidewalk in trendy neighborhoods like the Elmwood Village and Allentown — custom-create functional "gifts for the ungiftable" ranging from key racks to desk mounts to clocks (and for those who served in the military, personalized medallions, dog tags, and the like are also favorites). (updated Dec 2018)

73 Big Catch Bait & Tackle, 2287 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-877-0971. M-Sa 7AM-6PM, Su 7AM-4PM. An odd duopoly of items on offer here. The name is not inaccurate — they offer pretty much any type of bait you want, live or otherwise, along with various other outdoor goods, and you can get New York State hunting and fishing licenses here — but it only tells half the story. Big Catch is also a destination for Buffalo paintball fanatics in search of guns and supplies. Tippmann brand products abound (the A-5 and X7 Phenom guns are particular favorites sold at great prices), and CO2 refills don't come cheaper anywhere in Western New York. (updated Dec 2018)

74 Obersheimer's Sailor Supply, 1884 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-877-8221. M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Even nowadays, there are still a lot of folks who come to Buffalo by boat. If you're one of them, and you're in the market for some new gear, stop in to this huge chandlery in the heart of Black Rock for a full range. If you've got a sailboat, you're in especially good hands here — halyards, furlers, adjusters, and other supplies are sold for reasonable prices, ropes and wires are spliced, and the entire second floor serves as a full sail loft where expert technicians happily fit out, sew or repair sails with spars up to 65 feet (20 m) — but motorboaters aren't left out in the cold either, with a range of motors (especially Nissan and Tohatsu models) sold and serviced. (updated Dec 2018)

With the notable exception of the West Side Bazaar's International Kitchen, Grant Street's restaurant scene lags somewhat behind that of other West Side areas like Five Points and Riverside — oddly enough given that this is ground zero for the district's ethnic grocery stores. As a counterpoint, further west on Niagara Street you have Marco's, Santasiero's, and other holdovers from the West Side's days as Buffalo's Little Italy.

1 Boomerang's Bar & Grill, 995 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-833-0408. M-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10PM. While it's certainly not the West Side's most adventurous culinary experience, Boomerang's menu covers quite a lot of ground: between beef Stroganoff, BBQ spare ribs, sandwiches and burgers, pork chops with a variety of interesting toppings, and above all, a lengthy selection of Italian fare, there's no really succinct way to sum it up, except maybe "maddeningly eclectic". And the adage "the food's so good, you'll keep coming back" (hence the name of the place) holds true. Portions are huge and prices aren't, but it should be said that service is this place's Achilles heel: it's not so much bad as inconsistent, ranging wildly from warm and friendly to bitter and sarcastic. $10-25. (updated Dec 2018)

2 Gourmet Lao Foods, 643 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3), ☏ +1 716-882-4664. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. Remember that brief, glorious window in time, around 2015, when Gourmet Lao Foods' West Side Bazaar location (see below) served full meals? Well, now you can head north on Grant Street to Campus Square and relive those halcyon days. Buffalo could hardly ask for a better (re-)introduction to Laotian cuisine: the menu is brief and sticks to the classics (khao poon soup, larb with your choice of chicken, pork or beef, etc.), which are executed in a way that neither compromises on authenticity nor gets overly creative and fusion-y. There's also a roster of Thai and Burmese dishes on offer that are equally as good (this includes a version of le peth salad that's a contender for the best in town). And in the place that introduced Buffalo to dok jok cookies, it hardly needs to be said that you should save room for dessert. $10-20. (updated Nov 2018)

3 Grant Street Bazaar, 68 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12). M-F 10AM-10PM, Sa 10AM-7PM, Su 9AM-7PM. The problem with the West Side Bazaar is one of supply and demand. They occupy a fairly small space, yet the pool of wannabe entrepreneurs among Buffalo's immigrant community is large and growing. By 2019, the waiting list was reputed to be years long. Enter Sue Chauhan, owner of Vineeta International Foods down the street, who took the bull by the horns with this similar small-business incubator. The Grant Street Bazaar boasts a cell phone shop and a small area devoted to brightly-colored ethnic fashions, but (wisely, given where West Side Bazaar customers tend to focus their attention) the food hall comprises the vast bulk of its space, with eight booths that run the gamut of international cuisines and an ambience that's decidedly grungier than the competition (though foodies know that's usually a mark of authenticity, and that's certainly the case here). Hungry visitors can choose from: (updated Mar 2020)

7 Freddy J's BBQ, 195 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-551-0572. Daily 10AM-8PM. There's a tsunami of flavor packed inside the tiny, cramped space where Fred Daniel cooks up — with fresh ingredients sourced as often as possible from West Side neighbors like Guercio's — what some describe as the best barbecue in Buffalo. The recipes are as authentic and time-tested as it gets, yet Freddy also manages to incorporate subtle Creole, Caribbean, and hometown influences into his dishes: on the menu alongside classics like ribs and brisket is a take on jerk chicken where subtle but noticeable heat is alleviated by sides of yellow rice and "Honey Hush cornbread", and a Southern-style approximation of classic Buffalo fish fry: fried haddock with mac & cheese, green beans, and (once again) cornbread on the side. $15-30. (updated Dec 2018)

8 Gypsy Parlor, 376 Grant St (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-551-0001. M-Th Sa 5PM-midnight, F 2:30PM-midnight, Su 4PM-midnight. Don't be confused by the red neon sign in the window that says "PSYCHIC READINGS" — this isn't that kind of gypsy parlor! This comfortable yet garishly decorated combination gastropub, bar, and performance venue is named and themed in an homage to owner Gabrielle Mattina's Roma ancestry, but the menu is a full-throated tribute to the multicultural diversity of the surrounding neighborhood. So-called "West Side Delicacies" include surprisingly authentic pastelillos, samosas, and a delicious banh mi poutine that would be right at home on the menu of the Allen St. Poutine Company. For those with more timid palates, mouth-watering half-pound burgers are the way to go: try the "Black Sheep" of peppercorn-crusted ground lamb topped with dijon & beet coleslaw. $15-30. (updated Dec 2018)

9 Marco's, 1085 Niagara St (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-882-5539. M-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F 11:30AM-10PM, Sa 5-10PM, Su 4-8:30PM. Nowadays, chef Marco Sciortino is better known for his eponymous chain of Italian delis, but this cozy old place on Niagara Street is where he first made his name. Marco's has all the no-frills ambience of a humble neighborhood bar, and the menu doesn't venture far beyond the usual red-sauce Italian standards (starters of antipasto salad, pasta fagioli, and stuffed banana peppers; veal and chicken served in marsala, parmigiana, piccata and Florentine styles, pasta pomodoro, linguine with clam sauce), but don't let that fool you: this is creatively conceived, artfully executed food served in copious amounts for fair prices. Fans of spice might want to try the "Paesano Inferno", a fiery delight of hot Italian fennel sausage and sautéed hot peppers served over penne pasta. $15-35. (updated Dec 2018)

13 Roost, 1502 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 26 or 40), ☏ +1 716-259-9306. W-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-3PM. Located in the Crescendo building and named for the huge mural painting of a red rooster that's the centerpiece of the cavernous dining room, Roost is the newest restaurant from local chef Martin Danilowicz. He's well-known locally for the eclecticism of the menus he constructs, and Roost doesn't disappoint in that department. Small plates are the name of the game here, meant to be ordered in multiples and shared around the table tapas-style; offerings change weekly, but think in terms of bone marrow with bacon onion jam, beef carpaccio with cucumber, microgreens, and miso pineapple dressing, and fig and prosciutto pizza with smoked blue cheese (cooked in a rotating Mariana Forni wood-fired pizza oven, one of only two in the United States). $25-65. (updated Dec 2018)

The following pizzerias are located in Grant-Ferry and the Upper West Side. 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.

14 La Nova, 371 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-881-3303. Su-Th 10AM-12:45AM, F Sa 10AM-1:45AM. (updated Dec 2018)

15 Mister Pizza, 643 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3), ☏ +1 716-881-6500. Su-Th 9AM-midnight, F Sa 9AM-1AM. (updated Aug 2019)

16 Save-a-Lot, 142 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-886-0022. Daily 8AM-8PM.

17 Vineeta International Foods, 98 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-883-5020. M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su 9AM-7PM. Let there be no understatement: Vineeta is the place to come on the West Side for an all-encompassing range of imported groceries from the Indian subcontinent, East and Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, including spices, curries and chutneys, frozen foods, packaged groceries, an impressive line of Goya products, a butcher section including a modest range of halal meats, as well as housewares, toiletries, and on and on. The sole sticking point is the produce section, which as often as not consists of an uninspiring range of past-their-prime vegetables, but things seem to be improving on this front lately. (updated Dec 2018)

Five Points has taken the lead lately in the contest for the West Side's swankiest upscale restaurant scene, but don't count Amherst Street out yet: there are some interesting options on the strip, at generally more reasonable prices to boot.

18 Hot Mama's Canteen, 12 Military Rd (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-783-8222. M-Sa 4PM-4AM, Su noon-4AM. Usually at a restaurant the condiments are little more than an afterthought, but at Hot Mama's Canteen they're the raison d'être: the place was conceived by co-owner Valerie Meli as a showcase for Headstone Heat hot sauces, which she owns and whose company headquarters share space with the restaurant. The menu is short and to the point, described in a recent Buffalo Rising article as "comfort food with a twist... familiar, but just different enough for you to think about why you had never thought to do that before": homemade sandwiches and burgers, heartier mains such as meatloaf dinners, and even breakfast fare are each paired with a fiery Headstone Heat sauce to accentuate the delicious flavors. And Hot Mama's hand-cut French fries are some of the best you're ever likely to taste. $10-20. (updated Dec 2018)

19 Nick's Place, 504 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-871-1772. Daily 7AM-3PM. What sets Nick's apart from other Buffalo-area Greek diners are little homestyle touches like the delicious homemade bread baked daily, as well as its Texas sauce which is used not on hot dogs (as is customary in Buffalo) but as a topping for some of the omelettes that dominate the breakfast menu. These are huge and uniformly delicious, with items like feta cheese, souvlaki and gyro meat available alongside the usual ingredients as part of the "create your own omelette" option. Lunch is characterized by open souvlaki and gyro and the other Hellenic-American usuals, with burgers, wraps and club sandwiches rounding out the selections. Portions are huge and prices aren't, and a full kids' menu is available. $10-15. (updated Dec 2018)

20 716 Cafe, 388 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-931-5453. Tu-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 10AM-6PM. When a restaurant advertises its food as "100% halal", what do you envision? Middle Eastern cuisine? Indian or Pakistani? Whatever it is, it's probably not what's served here, namely all-American diner food. Though 716 Cafe's owners first envisioned it as a breakfast destination (omelettes and breakfast wraps come with your choice of beef bacon, beef sausage, turkey ham, or just egg and cheese), customers reserve their highest praise for the lunch and dinner menus: burgers, melt sandwiches, and other familiar standbys, but above all, the glorious Sweet Chili Crispy Chicken Wrap. These folks took over the old location of HaliBoyz Mexican-American Grille, and as before, parking is available across the street at the Polish Cadets lot. $10-25. (updated Aug 2019)

21 Barrel + Brine, 155 Chandler St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-248-2761. W-F 11AM-9PM, Sa 3-9PM, Su 11AM-4PM. No longer just a place to buy a comprehensive range of house-made fermented products, Barrel + Brine is now a full-fledged restaurant/kombucha tasting room where those same items are used to garnish a short but creative and constantly changing menu of small plates: lunch and dinner are all about gourmet sandwiches and upscale bar snacks (how about fried bologna with kimchi?), while breakfast sandwiches served on locally-baked BreadHive bagels rule the roost at their ever-popular Sunday brunch. They've done a spiffy job renovating the old Linde Air Products Factory, too: the ambience is spacious yet cozy, and the decor is sleek yet rustic (think long tables made of wooden planks and flights of kombucha served on wooden paddles with built-in coasters). $15-30. (updated Aug 2019)

22 The Dapper Goose, 491 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-551-0716. Tu-Sa 5PM-1:30AM, Su 11AM-5PM. Though best known for its wine and cocktail bar, the food menu at the Dapper Goose is no afterthought: diverse influences from Continental, Asian, and (especially) Latin American cuisines make their mark on a short but sweet, vegetarian- and locavore-friendly menu that's New American cuisine at its best. Shareable small plates abound — favorites include crispy golden-fried cauliflower drizzled in a dill-rich Green Goddess dressing, as well as snapper ceviche with coconut broth and hot peppers (deliciously fresh and not as daunting as it sounds for those who can't handle spice) — but easily the most popular item is sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken over kimchi fried rice and spicy pickled cucumbers. Best of all, you won't break the bank on the bill that comes at the end of the meal. $20-45. (updated Dec 2018)

23 The Phoenix at 269, 269 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-447-1100. Tu-Sa 5M-11PM. Opened in March 2013 with a name that pays homage both to the renovation of the building after a devastating fire and the resurgent neighborhood in which it's located, this "American Tavern" is a place for simple but delectably-prepared food served in an ambience that is a pleasant blend of classy and casual. The menu betrays diverse influences — from Polish (lazy pierogi and kielbasa, one of the Phoenix's most popular main courses) to Belgian (steak frites) to South American (flatiron steak with chimichurri sauce). Reservations are highly recommended for Friday and Saturday nights especially; in warm weather, try for a table on the patio out back, whose pleasant coziness is an extension of the dining room's. $20-45. (updated Dec 2018)

The following pizzerias are located in Grant-Amherst. 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.

26 Joe's NY Style Pizza, 345 Amherst St. (at Tops Plaza; Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-447-0165. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-10PM.

27 Tops, 345 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-515-2170. Daily 6AM-midnight.

28 Wegmans, 601 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 20 or 32), ☏ +1 716-877-0500. Daily 6AM-midnight.

If you like Puerto Rican food, the Lower West Side is the place for you: this is the heart of Hispanic Buffalo. But that's just the beginning of the story: fans of upscale cuisine will want to head to Five Points, whose gentrified ambience is more redolent of Allentown or the Elmwood Village.

29 Armory Restaurant, 311 Connecticut St (Metro Bus 3 or 22), ☏ +1 716-881-2430. M-F 11AM-2PM. Located in the shadow of the gargantuan Connecticut Street Armory (hence its name), the order of the day at this throwback to the old Italian Village is simple, homestyle red-sauce fare. There's no set menu, only a changing slate of about eight or nine daily specials at any given time; favorites include lentil soup, sandwiches of spicy Mineo & Sapio Italian sausage, and a concoction known as "The Brick": an ample portion of baked ziti with a blend of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses as well as the most mouth-watering sauce you've ever tasted. The Armory has been a favorite meeting place and hangout for Buffalo politicians since the 1960s, when the West Side's own Frank Sedita served as mayor, and its low prices and remarkably quick service have also won it a loyal following among D'Youville College students. $10-15. (updated Dec 2018)

30 BreadHive Cooperative Bakery, 402 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7), ☏ +1 716-980-5623. Tu 8AM-6PM, W-Su 8AM-3PM. BreadHive first made its name with delicious fresh-baked bread (the flagship "West Side Sourdough", multigrain, deli rye and Danish-style rugbrød) and bagels (eight varieties, all baked with locally-grown organic flour and wild yeast). But with their expansion from a mere walk-up window to a full-size restaurant has come additions to the menu in the form of delicious sandwiches all named for the owners' favorite female musicians — favorites include "The Robyn" (their version of what Jewish delis call the "Rachel", with beet caraway sauerkraut sourced from the West Side's own Barrel + Brine) and "The Bjork" (a vegan-friendly concoction with tempeh "bacon"). In the morning there's a somewhat smaller range of breakfast sandwiches, plus locally-roasted Public Espresso. $10-20. (updated Dec 2018)

31 Custard Corner, 211 Porter Ave. (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-881-9936. Daily 11AM-11PM, Apr-Oct. Once upon a time, hot dogs at Ted's followed by delicious soft-serve at Custard Corner was the classic West Side waterfront double-shot. Though Ted's Porter Avenue location closed in the '90s, its counterpart still hops during the warm months — and as if to make up for the loss, Custard Corner's now serves hot dogs, burgers, fries, chicken fingers, and other summertime snack-bar favorites. But of course, the main draw is still a changing selection of hard and soft Perry's ice cream (try the sponge candy flavor for a true taste of Buffalo!) that comes in cones, sundaes, or as part of an "Arctic Swirl" — their knockoff version of Dairy Queen's "Blizzard". There's nothing better on a summer day than relaxing here with a sweet treat on an umbrella-shaded picnic bench and taking in the view across the street to Prospect Park. $5-10. (updated Dec 2018)

37 Bellini's Bistro, 350 Pennsylvania St (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 22), ☏ +1 716-342-2388. Tu-Sa 5-10PM. Everything about Bellini's says "old school", from the decor (white tablecloths, warm-toned walls, subdued lighting) to the small but well-stocked bar to the menu of traditional upscale Italian fare with a few creative flourishes here and there: highlights include chicken saltimbocca in a beurre blanc sauce over real mashed potatoes (a solid step above the instant glop other places serve, according to a consensus of diners), as well as an appetizer of meatballs in a zesty but not fiery arrabbiata sauce. It doesn't take much imagination to picture a trenchcoat- and fedora-clad Don Draper lookalike in the 1960s taking his wife out on the town to a place like this. Parking is on-street, but usually easily available — the exception is when there's a performance at Kleinhans Music Hall; do the best you can in that case. $25-50. (updated Dec 2018)

38 Pho Lantern, 837 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-240-9680. Tu-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. Owned by the same folks as Á Châu International Market across the way, it's no surprise that Vietnamese cuisine is the name of the game at Pho Lantern, but it is surprising that the specialty of the house is not the namesake soup but seafood: selections include steamed mussels, crab, shrimp, clams, oysters, crawfish, lobster, and a fairly faithful rendition of Buffalo-style fish fry. Sadly, most of the non-seafood options are not as good; exceptions to that rule are some not-half-bad banh mi sandwiches and the pho itself: it comes in one variety only, with tendons, meatballs, and (optionally) thinly sliced filet mignon, but it's a contender for Buffalo's best. $10-35. (updated Dec 2018)

39 The Black Sheep, 367 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7), ☏ +1 716-884-1100. M-Th 5-10PM, F Sa 5-11PM. Building on the eclecticism of Bistro Europa, the previous eatery from owners Steve and Ellen Gedra, Black Sheep's brief but kaleidoscopically diverse menu is not just a grand tour of Europe, as before, but a round-the-world adventure: selections change frequently, but shareable small plates have included classic pierogi, pakora with squash and onion drizzled with spicy basil lime aioli, and (as always) the famous cheese and charcuterie boards, while full-size mains tend to be a touch less adventurous (think in terms of roast or fried chicken, pasta preparations, and gourmet burgers). The common threads running through everything are an emphasis on locally-sourced farm-to-table ingredients, and, in the words of one reviewer, "eyes-rolling-in-the-back-of-your head delicious[ness]". $35-75. (updated Dec 2018)

40 Las Puertas, 385 Rhode Island St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-807-1141. Tu-Sa 5-10PM. Casa Azul downtown is Victor Parra Gonzalez's innovative take on Mexican street food, but it's here where his culinary majesty truly comes into bloom. No mere upscale Mexican restaurant, Las Puertas' menu is an eclectic fusion of some of the most daring cuisine Buffalo has to offer, where French cooking is easily the most prominent (but hardly the only) secondary element. Standouts include ceviche with a spicy tomato sauce that's an interesting addition to the flavor profile, a guacamole appetizer garnished with salty caramel brittle (!) and crushed spicy crickets (!!!), and an exceptionally creative take on bone marrow: puréed into a mousse, dressed with beef consommé, tomatillo, and onion ash, and stuffed back into the bone before being served. Small plates predominate, so come prepared to mix and match. $30-75. (updated Dec 2018)

41 Left Bank, 511 Rhode Island St. (Metro Bus 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-882-3509. M-Th 5-11PM, F Sa 5PM-midnight, Su 11AM-2:30PM (brunch) & 4-10PM. Would you believe Left Bank was once a daring innovator on the Buffalo restaurant scene, serving an eclectic menu of upscale New American cuisine since 1992 in a neighborhood that, in those days, many had left for dead? Fast forward to the present and it's largely the same menu; nowadays many people describe Left Bank as staid and dated, but why fix what isn't broken? Offerings are categorized into small plates of rustic "peasant fare" (featuring the best fried calamari in the city) and more upscale "bourgeois fare" (the ahi tuna tartare is a particular standout), and a slate of artful full-size mains of steak and chops, seafood, and pasta, all served in an ambience that's arty meets industrial meets pub. Off-street parking is available, too; a rarity in this part of town. $25-55. (updated Dec 2018)

The following pizzerias are located in Prospect Hill, Five Points, and the Lower West Side. 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.

43 Pizza Town, 859 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-881-7117. Daily 11AM-midnight.

44 Ricotta's, 349 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-768-8966. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10PM.

45 Tops, 425 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-852-6112. Daily 6AM-midnight.

46 Horsefeathers Winter Market, 346 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 3 or 22), ☏ +1 716-881-0046. Nov-May: Sa 10AM-2PM. Every Saturday morning during the winter months, the ground floor of Horsefeathers Market is transformed into a winter farmers' market where over twenty farmers and vendors from all across Western New York sell fresh produce and locally crafted artisanal food products — cookies, jams and jellies, even organic dog treats and local wine. (updated Dec 2018)

Black Rock and Riverside's restaurant scene is in a state of flux. Of course you have the working-class, "real Buffalo" greasy spoons that have been here since time immemorial, including a surprising wealth of pizza and homestyle red-sauce Italian fare that's among the best in the city (Hertel, eat your heart out). But meanwhile, the dazzling multicultural diversity of the West Side proper has been bleeding northward, and there's now a healthy roster of Asian, African, and Latin American options to choose from as well.

47 Angie's Pizza House, 1904 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-873-2212. Lunch: M-F 10AM-2PM; dinner: daily 4-9PM. Don't come expecting textbook Buffalo pizza: Angie's version is a hybrid, sporting a thin crust and wide, flat pepperoni that are more typical of the New York style, but also the same odd, off-putting sweetness in the sauce that you'll find elsewhere in Western New York. Pizza is only the beginning of the story, though: simple but reliable Italian favorites like ravioli, eggplant parm, and spaghetti and (homemade) meatballs earn raves, and there are also hot and cold subs, more elaborate fare like steaks and chops, and a surprisingly competent rendition of chicken souvlaki. Friday fish fry packs the house, too. Cash only. $10-15. (updated Dec 2018)

48 El Encanto, 2179 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-424-1891. Tu-Sa 11AM-8PM. El Encanto is Buffalo's largest Puerto Rican restaurant not only in terms of physical size, but also the variety on its menu. You'll find all the standards of boricua cuisine, of course, but also a selection of more obscure specialties not available elsewhere in the local area: bacalaitos (battered codfish fritters), asopao de pollo (a mildly spicy chicken and rice stew that is Puerto Rico's national dish), and jibarito de bistec (not on the regular menu but offered frequently on special, this shaved steak sandwich with lettuce and onion comes on slabs of fried plantain that substitute for the bread). The environment is bright and cheery, the flavors are as authentic as any you'll find in the city, and the owners really aim to please. They also offer delivery on orders of $15 or more. $15-25. (updated Dec 2018)

49 Emily's, 183 Hertel Ave (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32 or 35), ☏ +1 716-871-5991. M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 8AM-3PM. Emily's could be accurately described as a classic blue-collar, mom-and-pop Greek diner, but that would be selling the place a bit short: for one, a small slate of Lebanese specialties including kofta over rice and homemade labneh are also served; for another, the food is a cut above what you'd expect. In a delightfully dated ambience is served a host of hearty, homestyle American fare like meatloaf, liver and onions, and porkchops; sandwiches, burgers, and wraps (including that old-school Buffalo standby, fried bologna); and — of course — all your favorite Greek-American standards such as souvlaki and gyro, served either "open" or as full-size entrees with a side of potatoes prepared how you like them. $5-20. (updated Dec 2018)

50 Family Thai, 863 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-783-9285. M W-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM. If you've been to the West Side before, you may remember Family Thai from their lengthy stint in the West Side Bazaar's International Kitchen a couple years back. If so, you know the drill: the menu does not stray far from usual standards like pad thai, tom yum soup, red and green curry, and the like, but rest assured that the flavors are far more vibrant and the preparations far more authentic than your average American Thai joint. Sadly, it's not completely the same experience — many popular favorites from the Bazaar days (including the spicy yum nua beef salad) have been axed from the menu — but there's now a selection of Burmese specialties on offer that rivals the Thai ones in deliciousness. Service is friendly, portion sizes are huge given what you pay — what more could you ask for? $10-25. (updated Nov 2018)

54 Faso's, 2126 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-873-4147. M-F 11AM-9PM, Sa Su 4-9PM. The building is all decked out in red, white and green, prices are low, and the decorative elements are delightfully tawdry (colored Christmas lights up all year, framed portraits of the Rat Pack, and plaster Virgin Mary sculptures abound). But if you're expecting yet another cookie-cutter red-sauce joint, think again: with an owner who's "actually from Italy, not an nth generation [Italian-American who doesn't] know any Italian except throwing paisan' into conversation" (to borrow the words of one reviewer), what Faso's serves is the genuine article. Pasta is scratch-made in house, the "best seafood menu on the Buffalo Harbor" includes shrimp fra' diavolo, swordfish steak Italiano, and scallops cooked any way you like, and sandwiches and the like are on offer for those who want (marginally) smaller portions. $10-35. (updated Dec 2018)

55 Lin Restaurant, 927 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-260-2625. Daily 11AM-10PM. Yet another addition to the roster of options on the West Side for fans of Southeast Asian cuisine. Though more than half of Lin's menu is comprised of Thai dishes (mostly the standard lineup of curries, fried rice, and noodle dishes available with chicken, beef, pork, or seafood, but with a few surprises mixed in if you look), it's in the Burmese section where the cooks here really strut their stuff in terms of creativity and authenticity: savory samosas are the star of the show in the appetizers department, tea leaf salad rivals the stuff at Sun, and mohinga is made the authentic Burmese way. Copious options are available for vegans and the gluten-free crowd, but those who like spicy food might not be quite satisfied with the preparation here (for best results, have them make your food "Thai hot"). $15-35. (updated Dec 2018)

56 Sun, 1989 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-447-0202. M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su 11:30AM-9:30PM. It's old hat for local foodies these days, but Sun was the first place in Buffalo to serve Burmese food — back when it opened, owner Kevin Lin, unsure how locals would take to his homeland's specialties, hid them on a section of the menu labeled "Vietnamese". Today the range of offerings is gargantuan, with a menu broken down into Burmese (labeled as such), Thai, and Asian fusion sections featuring curries, rice and noodle dishes, soups, and yummy appetizers. Specialties include pickled tea leaf salad (Sun's version is no longer the best in town, with a more subdued flavor profile, but locals carry a torch for it), as well as the "black rice menu": a range of sushi rolls, salads and desserts prepared using an unusual variety of rice once reserved for the elites of the Chinese imperial court. $15-45. (updated Dec 2018)

57 Viking Lobster Company, 366 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-873-1079. W-Sa 5-9PM. A classic case of "don't judge a book by its cover": hidden inside a somewhat shabby-looking building in a residential area is arguably the finest restaurant in Black Rock. Viking Lobster's menu comprises all the seafood basics while also making room for a few interesting innovations, such as steak-stuffed lobster and a creative take on paella. The prices are justified by the impeccable quality of the food, which either comes from Upstate New York's largest live-lobster holding pens located onsite, or is shipped directly from coastal processors for maximum freshness. If seafood isn't your thing, the modest range of steaks, ribs, and roasted chicken dishes tend to be lower in price than the rest of the menu. Summertime sees folks flock to the raw bar on the patio. Reservations required. Cash only, but there's an ATM onsite. $25-65. (updated Dec 2018)

58 Riverside Market, 740 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32 or 35), ☏ +1 716-877-5483. Daily 8AM-9PM.

The following pizzerias are located in Black Rock and Riverside. 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.

59 Angelo's Pizza Plus, 955 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-875-1249. Tu-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 2-10PM, Su noon-10PM.

60 Doyle's, 1981 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-875-5550. Daily 9AM-10PM.

61 Pat's, 544 Ontario St. (Metro Bus 5), ☏ +1 716-874-1233. M-Th 10AM-midnight, F Sa 10AM-1AM, Su 2-11:30PM.

Grant Street has a growing coffeeshop scene, but as for actual nightlife, the Upper West Side is decidedly lacking. If you're in the mood for a drink, your best bet is to head east to Elmwood.

1 Albert's, 296 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-886-3642. "The Flavor of Old Times" is the slogan, and on a stretch of the West Side where the only constant lately has been change, Albert's is certainly a throwback to a different era. Albert's is an honest-to-goodness blue-collar gin mill serving cold beers and simple cocktails at cheap prices in a no-frills environment, along with a food menu highlighting classic Greek diner specialties and a renowned fish fry each Friday. (updated Dec 2018)

2 Free Street Tavern, 1469 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 26 or 40), ☏ +1 716-424-1022. Although it dates back only to 2019 — and although the drink list is as heavy on craft microbrews as any other Buffalo-area watering hole these days — there's something very old-school about Free Street Tavern. That's very much by design: from the cozy dimensions of the place, to the exposed brick walls covered with old "Jimmy Griffin for Mayor" swag, to the hearty comfort-food menu, to its very name (an homage to childhood days spent at his grandma's house on the namesake Portland, Maine street), owner Joshua White is aiming to hit customers in the nostalgic feels with a chilled-out, carefree ambience. If beer isn't your drink of choice, check out the cocktail menu, which sticks to the classics but does so with skill and verve. (updated Feb 2020)

3 Gypsy Parlor, 376 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-551-0001. By comparison with the diversity of the West Side as a whole — and even of their own food menu and events calendar — the Gypsy Parlor's mood-lit, loungey barroom comes off as an anomaly, almost a throwback to the Grant Street of old. But if you want a break from the constant multicultural exploration, this might be just the place for you. Interesting specialty cocktails abound, the clear favorite among which is the "Gypsy Juice" (apricot, ginger, lemon and blackcurrant added to your choice of booze; the flavors complement each other a lot better than you’d think). (updated Dec 2018)

4 Resurgence Brewing, 1250 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-381-9868. The original location of this popular craft brewery boasts a German-style outdoor beer garden featuring homemade brews and light snacks, as well as bocce courts and a fire pit. In the winter, the operation moves to an indoor tap room with ample views over the brewhouse. (updated Nov 2018)

6 Tailored Tea & Coffee, 68 Grant St (At the Grant Street Bazaar; Metro Bus 3, 7 or 12). M-F 10AM-10PM, Sa 10AM-7PM, Su 9AM-7PM. It's not only the namesake caffeinated libations that are on offer: Tailored Tea & Coffee affords Grant Street Bazaar customers the opportunity to relive their childhood breakfasts courtesy of pretty much every brand of sugary cereal you can imagine. $10-25. (updated Mar 2020)

7 Sweet_ness 7, 220 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-883-1738. M-F 7AM-9PM, Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 8AM-6PM. Since 2007, Prish Moran has operated her friendly old-world coffee shop in this beautiful and historic old Victorian building on Grant Street. Popular with artists, hipsters, and Buffalo State College students, Sweet_ness 7 serves fresh gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, and pastry along with the coffee, and their breakfast is also very popular with locals. (updated Dec 2018)

The ascent to hipness of the Grant-Amherst bar scene is still in its early stages, so a night out here is still a good way to experience Buffalo's unpretentious, blue-collar side. These places really pack 'em in during Bills and Sabres games, and if you're on the lookout for a good fish fry, you're in luck.

8 Barry's Bar & Grille, 277 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-873-1206. Barry's is a lovably scruffy dive where a cross-section of Grant-Amherst residents — everyone from blue-collar construction workers to college kids to the hipsterati — come to enjoy cheap cold beer in an unpretentious environment. But they're probably best known for their superlative food menu, which includes a great beer-battered fish fry made with Yuengling beer. Don't expect much in the way of customer service, though; these folks tend toward the surly. (updated Dec 2018)

9 BlackBird Cider Hall, 155 Chandler St., Suite 4 (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-240-9689. Hip Chandler Street is home to this second location of Niagara County's farm-to-table craft cidery of choice (the original is located next to their orchard in Barker), with over 30 ciders and beers (their own and those of other New York State producers) to enjoy either in the indoor barroom, which has preserved all the rustic charm of the former Linde Air Manufacturing building, or outside in the courtyard on a patio complete with bocce ball court and a couple of firepits for those nippy autumn evenings. (updated Nov 2018)

10 Casey's Black Rock, 484 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-436-6959. Back after an extensive renovation process, the venerable Casey's Tavern has upped the ante. No longer just another in the lineup of Amherst Street gin mills; the new owners have revamped the place into a friendly neighborhood haven for fans of old-school bar games (there are four pinball machines and an old school Pac-Man arcade console to whet your competitive whistle), a solid beer list and competently-made classic cockatils, and a comfort-food menu lauded in the pages of Gusto (if you're a soul food aficionado with a big appetite, try the chicken & waffles bucket). But the most shocking development of all? Casey's 2.0 is a Kansas City Chiefs backer bar (owner Vincent Garofalo is an expat), which as you can imagine takes cojones in a town where loyalty to the Bills runs deep. (updated Feb 2020)

11 The Dapper Goose, 491 Amherst St (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-551-0716. Though the food menu is no slouch, it's the bar that has earned the Dapper Goose most of its hype thus far — served in a rustic, pastel-painted dining room with what Step Out Buffalo described as a "turn-of-the-century supper club feel" is a modest but carefully selected range of creative cocktails that highlights locally produced craft spirits from the likes of Lockhouse Distillery and Tommyrotter, as well as an impressive wine list founded on European (especially French) vintages and a respectable selection of beer and cider too. (updated Dec 2018)

18 Ashker's, 414 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-235-8328. M-Sa 6AM-9PM. For a description of this local chain of juice bars, see the main Buffalo article. (updated Aug 2019)

Though D'Youville College is located in Prospect Hill and much of the area is populated by students, there is no real agglomeration of greasy spoons and watering holes around it as there is near Buffalo State College or UB South Campus. This is likely because the nightlife of the Elmwood Village and Allentown is within easy striking distance. There is a small cluster of spots in Five Points, but those are hipster hangouts, not college bars.

19 The Black Sheep, 367 Connecticut St (Metro Bus 7), ☏ +1 716-884-1100. At this Connecticut Street destination better known for its maddeningly eclectic menu of locally-sourced gourmet cuisine, you can also enjoy a selection of beers curated by Community Beer Works at a bar made of wood salvaged during the thorough restoration process that preceded the Black Sheep's opening. (updated Dec 2018)

20 Community Beer Works, 520 7th St. (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-759-4677. Community Beer Works was founded as Buffalo's first nanobrewery, but now that it's moved into its spacious new production facility on the Lower West Side, it's questionable whether that description applies anymore. At the attached taproom, you'll find 20 different beers on tap at any given time — from CBW perennials like "Frank" and "The Whale" to a rotating selection of seasonals, test batches, and "guest" brews — along with bar snacks and even a game room. (updated Nov 2018)

21 Essex Street Pub, 590 Rhode Island St. (Metro Bus 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-883-2150. If you've read Wikivoyage's coverage of the bars in neighboring Allentown and thought to yourself "that seemed like it was a really nice scene before the knucklehead frat bros took over", head to Essex for the closest thing to it that's left. This small, cozy dive bar offers cheap drinks, a food menu of house-smoked barbecue, a couple of pool tables and a dartboard, and a chilled-out ambience where you don't have to shout to hold a conversation. Come down for left-of-the-dial DJ sets on "Attack of the Vinyl Mondays", or on Tuesday nights for "Kold Az Ice Karaoke". (updated Dec 2018)

Despite the aforementioned lack of a D'Youville-area bar district, the coffeeshop scene in Prospect Hill (along with nearby Five Points) is among the most vibrant in Buffalo, with an übertrendy vibe very much in sync with the West Side's emerging identity.

22 Remedy House, 429 Rhode Island St. (Metro Bus 7 or 12), ☏ +1 716-250-7724. M-Th 6AM-10PM, F Sa 6AM-11PM, Su 6AM-5PM. This is it, folks: peak hipster in Buffalo. An airy space with two walls of windows offering a panoramic view of Five Points' namesake intersection, Remedy House matches its straight-outta-Williamsburg vibe with a staggering range of expertly roasted coffee and tasty loose-leaf tea that's packed with nuanced flavor (for the superlative example of this, opt for the cortado), plus a selection of pastry sourced from local bakeries and even beer and wine. Best of all: if the foregoing conjures up visions of blasé service from a staff of trust-fund kids who think they're better than you, prepare for the polar opposite. The only downsides are that the space is tiny and can get cramped during peak hours (to avoid that, hit up the sidewalk patio), and prices for anything other than coffee are astronomical. (updated Aug 2019)

23 Tipico Coffee, 128 Fargo Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-331-3954. M-F 6AM-9PM, Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 7AM-8PM. With an out-of-the-way location in a leafy residential area, Tipico is the best-established of the Lower West Side's hipster coffeeshops: if you can't make it to the shop, you'll find their coffee poured at restaurants all over Buffalo. If you can make it there, the experience is a mixed bag: thumbs up for the coffee itself (locally roasted and served in both drip and pour-over iterations; smooth, full-bodied and above all strong); thumbs down for high prices and omnipresent flies (the latter an unfortunate side effect of keeping the floor-to-ceiling windows open in summer); "meh" for a pleasant but grungy ambience (chipped flatware and dusty tabletops are almost the rule rather than the exception). (updated Aug 2019)

And for cat lovers, Niagara Street is where you'll find...

24 Buckminster's Cat Café, 577 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-436-6000. Tu-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Buckminster's is one of two cat cafés in Buffalo, and by comparison with its competition, it's less expensive and sports a somewhat longer and more diverse menu (local craft beer and cider are served, and breakfasters should check out the French toast sandwich, wherein bacon, egg and cheese are set between two slices of the namesake treat!), but with somewhat shorter business hours. As usual, the dining room is strictly separated from the cat area, and there are additional rules and restrictions governing the latter: to wit, Buckminster's charges $5 a head to enter the Cat Zone, no more than five people are allowed in at a time (in the warm months when the "Catio" is open, that number doubles to 10; advance reservations are a good idea in either case), and kids under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. But if you just want to nosh in the café, fear not — you can still watch the kitties frolic and play through the glass dividing wall! (updated Feb 2020)

The bars of Black Rock and Riverside are real, honest-to-goodness blue-collar gin mills. No fancy microbrews or other pretenses here, just a room full of neighborhood Joes knocking back cold ones after a long day on the job. If you want local color, you can do no better.

25 Croatian Club (Holy Name of Jesus Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge #557), 226 Condon Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-877-7725. Like the Ukrainian Center on Military Road, this is another of Buffalo's dwindling roster of ethnic social clubs that testify to the true melting pot that this part of town was in the early 20th century. If you're picturing a dimly-lit, wood-panelled barroom with neighborhood old-timers warming the stools, you're on the money, but since the Cro Club was bought from its former owners by longtime city councilman Joseph Golombek, the ethnic identity has been as much Polish as it is Croatian: yes, you can still get šljivovica plum brandy imported from Croatia, but also ice-cold Tyskie beer on tap. (updated Dec 2018)

26 Parkside Tavern, 1125 Tonawanda St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-200-8838. It's not called Kate's anymore, but the "friendly neighborhood watering hole on the corner" vibe is intact at this newly reopened spot in the heart of Riverside. The cozy Parkside Tavern sports a limited yet gamut-running selection of beers on tap (plus a range of hard liquor that's describable in similar terms) sold to you in a spotlessly clean and warmly convivial environment at down-to-earth prices. (updated Feb 2020)

27 Poize, 2081 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-551-6062. If you're looking to dance the night away at a club but don't want to deal with the parking hassles of Chippewa — and especially if you like hip-hop music — then Poize might be the nightlife option for you. A classy experience tailored to an urban clientele, here you can sip on top-shelf liquor at a bar lit up with rainbow LED lights, have a snack from a food menu featuring the best lemon-pepper wings you've ever tasted, or bust a move on one of two dance floors during Friday and Saturday night DJ sets. (updated Dec 2018)

28 Unknown Club, 44 Saratoga St. (Metro Bus 5, 35 or 40), ☏ +1 716-877-0671. This unusually-named, delightfully rough-around-the-edges neighborhood dive has been pouring cheap cold beers since 1970 to a rogue's gallery of regulars who all know each other, which is not to say that you as a newbie will be made to feel left out. The Unknown Club really packs 'em in on Sunday afternoons when the Bills play, as well as during the annual Black Rock Riverside Oktoberfest celebration. (updated Dec 2018)

The West Side Times and the Riverside Review are sources for news and business listings in their respective neighborhoods.

The nearest hospitals are Buffalo General Hospital, at 100 High St. in the Medical Corridor, and Kenmore Mercy Hospital, at 2950 Elmwood Ave. in Tonawanda.

For non-emergency situations, 9 West Side Urgent Care is located on the Lower West Side at 564 Niagara St., between Jersey and Pennsylvania Sts.

10 Ferry Street Laundry, 277 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 3 or 12), ☏ +1 716-783-9898. Daily 8AM-9PM.

11 The Laundry Spot, 584 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3 or 7), ☏ +1 716-884-2134. Daily 10AM-8PM, later on weekends (flexible).

12 Connecticut Coin Laundry, 401 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7). Daily 7:30AM-10PM.

13 Niagara Coin Laundry, 546 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-885-9467. Daily 8AM-11PM.

14 Porter Avenue Coin Laundry, 136 Lakeview Ave. (Metro Bus 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-424-0034. Daily 24 hours.

15 Vega's Exclusive Dry Cleaners, 233 Niagara St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 20 or 40), ☏ +1 716-362-0316. M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 11AM-2PM.

16 Riverside Laundromat, 252 Ontario St. (Metro Bus 5). Daily 7AM-9PM.

Though the Catholic Church is still a formidable presence on the West Side, its once-unquestioned domination of the district's religious life has been eroded notably, by Hispanic Evangelicalism. Much like in the East Side but not nearly to the same degree, palatial churches that once housed Catholic congregations have been closed and in many cases repurposed, such as the former St. Francis Xavier in the heart of Black Rock which is now the Buffalo Religious Arts Center, as well as St. John the Baptist on Hertel Avenue.

Also, though the area where it's located would be better described today as part of downtown, the weekly Italian-language Mass at St. Anthony of Padua RC Church is a great way to get a taste of what the West Side was like 50 or 60 years ago, as Lower West Siders of years past stream back into the old neighborhood to catch up with their neighbors and wax nostalgic about days gone by.

17 All Saints RC Church, 127 Chadduck Ave. (Metro Bus 5), ☏ +1 716-875-8183. Mass Su 8:30AM & 11AM, Sa 4PM, M-F 8:30AM (in parish center). All Saints Catholic Church was founded by Bishop Charles Colton to serve the largely Irish population of the then-new neighborhood of Riverside. The present building — the third to house the congregation — is a handsome Colonial edifice dedicated in 1937 and home to a "Mighty Wurlitzer" organ donated by famous hotelier and local native son Ellsworth Statler. All Saints remains a robust congregation headed by longtime pastor Angelo Chimera.

18 Assumption RC Church, 435 Amherst St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-875-7626. Mass Su 9AM & 11AM, Sa 8AM & 4PM, M-F 7AM & 8AM. With the completion of the New York Central Railroad's Belt Line in 1883, the eastern outskirts of Black Rock began to develop into Buffalo's second Polish neighborhood — a sort of little brother to Broadway-Fillmore — and Assumption Church, headed at the outset by the Rev. Theophil Kozlowski, was its nucleus. The current church, a majestic "Polish Cathedral style" edifice built in 1914 to a design by the local firm of Schmill & Gould, is still a fairly active one of about 2,500 registered members.

19 Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church, 348 Dewitt St. (Metro Bus 3, 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-882-2650. Mass Su 9AM, Sa 8AM & 4PM, M-F 8AM. Located on the Upper West Side, Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is where Mass is received by Buffalo's Vietnamese community.

20 Holy Angels RC Church, 348 Porter Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 22 or 40), ☏ +1 716-885-3767. Mass Su 9AM, 10:30AM & noon (Spanish), Sa 8:30AM & 4PM, M-F 8:30AM. Located in Prospect Hill, Holy Angels is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Buffalo, founded in 1859 in what was then a middle-class Irish community on the outskirts of town by Bishop John Timon, in conjunction with several Oblate Fathers from Marseille. The addition in 1874 of the transept, sanctuary, and choir completed the building to its present appearance. Holy Angels has been a West Side anchor in the midst of the myriad changes that have taken place since then — neighborhood demographics have shifted from Irish to Italian to Hispanic (one Spanish-language Mass is still said every Sunday) to a multicultural pastiche, and the building is now an island in the middle of the greatly expanded D'Youville College — but the friendly and welcoming church community, 1,400 families strong, soldiers on.

These are largely concentrated in Black Rock and Riverside, where the majority of the West Side's remaining Protestants live.

23 Charity Baptist Church, 350 Austin St. (Metro Bus 3 or 32), ☏ +1 716-598-7363. Services Su 11AM. The former First Hungarian Baptist Church — a humble yet handsome wood-frame building on Austin Street in Grant-Amherst erected in 1912 as one of the few surviving works of local architect John Coxhead — has been reborn as the home to an "independent, fundamental, Bible-believing, soul-winning, compassionate gospel-preaching Baptist church" where the imposing Pastor Pete Wigdor offers old-fashioned, plainspoken solutions to the real problems of modern-day people. Charity Baptist Church's dedication to community outreach is exemplified not only in the Sunday morning services where regulars and visitors alike are welcomed with open arms, but with programs such as a weekly "Movie Night", a community food pantry, and occasional special events. (updated Jan 2016)

24 First United Methodist Church, 332 Baynes St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-885-6641. Services Su 11AM. If you're a Western New York history buff, sorry to say that this is not the same First Methodist Church that was founded in 1819 in what was then the Village of Black Rock and led for many years by the Reverend Glezen Fillmore, cousin of the former president Fillmore — it's actually an unrelated congregation that was founded in 1912 and so named because it was the only remaining Methodist Episcopal congregation in the city at the time. Weekly services are held for a small but vibrant and welcoming flock in the austere but lovely skylit interior of this handsome stone church. (updated Jun 2016)

25 Grace Community Church, 175 Potomac Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 26 or 40), ☏ +1 716-881-9888. Services Sa 6:30PM. With an innovative and community-based approach to ministry, Grace Community Church is a multiethnic Wesleyan congregation that seeks to "put the neighbor back in the 'hood". At the "House of Grace" on Potomac Avenue on the Upper West Side, its flock teams up with three other congregations to steward a wide gamut of community outreach programs.

26 Nazareth Lutheran Church, 265 Skillen St. (Metro Bus 3 or 5), ☏ +1 716-876-1787. Services Su 9AM. Nazareth Lutheran Church has been a steadfast presence in Riverside almost since the dawn of the neighborhood's history: it's been located on the same site since it was founded in 1914 as a mission of Calvary Lutheran Church in Cold Spring, and its current building — a charming little red-brick church in a simplified English Gothic style, with stained-glass windows from Pike Studio in Rochester — was erected in 1949. Nazareth remains a friendly and welcoming congregation affiliated with the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. The church also does double duty as home of the Boys' & Girls' Clubs of the Northtowns, a testament to its commitment to community betterment. (updated Sep 2016)

Though the community is still overwhelmingly Catholic, evangelical Protestantism has begun to make major inroads among Buffalo's Hispanics. The West Side's Hispanic Protestant churches are occasionally large enough to worship in proper church buildings, but as with the African-American churches of the East Side, far more often they are small congregations that meet in converted storefronts or residences. There are far too many churches to include all of them on this list; below are the largest and most important ones. Except where indicated, all services are held in Spanish.

33 Asamblea de Iglesias Cristianas Buffalo (Assembly of Christian Churches), 213 Ontario St. (Metro Bus 5), ☏ +1 716-883-1739. Services Su noon. Erected in 1931, the former Ontario Street Presbyterian Church is now home to Buffalo's chapter of this Hispanic Pentecostal denomination. Asamblea de Iglesias Cristianas is "a church that loves the Lord and our community" and visitors, too, with an approach that emphasizes evangelism and community outreach. Sunday services are followed by a free lunch for all congregants. (updated Dec 2018)

34 Buffalo Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist Church (Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día), 213 Vermont St. (Metro Bus 3), ☏ +1 716-882-4105. Services Sa 9:30AM, W 7PM. On Saturday nights at 7PM, a congregation of about two dozen faithful meets in a handsome Lower West Side brick building.

35 Community Church Jehovah Jireh, 62 Virginia St. (Metro Bus 5, 29 or 40), ☏ +1 716-845-6097. Services Su 11AM. Active for over three decades and counting, the newly renamed Jehovah Jireh is Buffalo's first Hispanic Methodist congregation, active for over three decades and counting. Services that blend traditionalism with a contemporary, even innovative, touch that speaks to modern-day Hispanics in a gleaming new church building a few blocks from Niagara Street. Jehovah Jireh is a congregation that is inclusive, welcoming to visitors, and at the forefront in working to address the issues facing the Lower West Side community.

36 Destiny Church (Iglesia el Destino), 172 15th St. (Metro Bus 3). Services Su 10AM, W 7PM. At the former Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church, rousing, modern-style Pentecostal services conducted bilingually and with an emphasis on youth-oriented ministries. At El Destino, music, dancing, and other performances are incorporated liberally into worship services to better reflect the concerns and lifestyles of real-life people. (updated Jan 2016)

37 Iglesia El Calvario, 221 East St (Metro Bus 5, 32 or 40), ☏ +1 716-440-3410. Services Su 2PM. This friendly, family-oriented Assemblies of God congregation meets weekly in the former Ripley Memorial Methodist Church, a handsome Romanesque Revival building in Black Rock that dates back to 1889. Services at El Calvario are generally in Spanish, but the congregation is bilingual and welcoming to folks of all stripes — and the rousing sermons and loving environment make for a moving faith experience. (updated Aug 2019)

44 All Nations House of Prayer, 104 W. Ferry St. (Metro Bus 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-462-6300. Services Su 11:30AM. The stout, red-brick Richardson Romanesque edifice that was once home to the West Avenue Presbyterian Church — a storied congregation of old whose roots stretch back to 1831 — was pressed into use in 2010 by pastors Sean and Tammi O'Brien as the home of ab independent Pentecostal church. In addition to joyous, energetic services attended by a congregation that's multiracial but majority African-American, All Nations hosts frequent revivals, youth-focused events, and other happenings.

45 Debre Selam Medhane Alem Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, 700 Tonawanda St (Metro Bus 5, 23, 32 or 35), ☏ +1 202-710-0752. Services Su 8AM. Buffalonians of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo faith — a growing community of immigrants from Ethiopia, Eritrea and neighboring countries that's centered around Grant Street in the Upper West Side — now have a place of worship to call their own. The former West Side Hungarian Evangelical & Reformed Church, a stout brick edifice in Riverside that dates back to 1923, has been repurposed as the Debre Selam Medhane Alem Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Lively, friendly, and multiethnic services take place weekly.

46 Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses (Salón del Reino de los Testigos de Jehová), 152 Albany St. (Metro Bus 3, 5, 12 or 40), ☏ +1 716-884-2114. Services Su 9:30AM & 3:30PM.

With a steady stream of incoming immigrants from the Horn of Africa (among other places), the West Side is a growing center of Muslim culture in Western New York.

47 Al-Khulafa Mosque, 215 Forest Ave. (Metro Bus 3, 5 or 40), ☏ +1 716-563-2741. This humble storefront mosque on an out-of-the-way stretch of Forest Avenue on the Upper West Side serves a largely African congregation.

48 Masjid al-Eiman, 444 Connecticut St. (Metro Bus 7 or 22), ☏ +1 716-432-0233. A combination mosque and Islamic community center that is a gathering place for a wide variety of events relevant to the West Side Muslim community, al-Eiman is a small, quaint mosque with a diverse congregation and a traditional Sunni orientation. Services are held bilingually in English and Arabic and comprise all prayers, including formal jum'a. (updated Feb 2020)

49 Masjid Bilal (Buffalo Islamic Community Center), 358 Grant St. (Metro Bus 3, 7 or 26), ☏ +1 716-534-8673. After nearly 20 years tending to the needs of the Upper West Side's burgeoning Muslim community from its former home on Potomac Avenue, in 2019 the Buffalo Islamic Community Center finally completed its move into this larger space down the block, where daily prayer services and Friday jum'a are conducted in Arabic and later translated into Somali and English. In addition to that, Masjid Bilal plays host to a wide range of other spiritual and educational activities as well. (updated Feb 2020)