Buffalo’s Famous Is Open! Western New York Cuisine With Deep Brooklyn Roots

Buffalo’s Famous, a restaurant specializing in emotionally nostalgic favorites from Western New York, is now open at 1111 Church Avenue between Stratford and Westminster Roads (the old Nine Chains Bakery and Cafe).

We sat down with co-owner John Marren this morning to chat over wings and fries, and learn about the restaurant’s roots–and of course, the food.

Buffalo’s Famous is mainly a takeout and delivery spot; seating is limited to a few barstools. But with bright counter tops lined with squeeze bottles and a milkshake machine, the place feels cozy. Bills & Sabres memorabilia dot the walls, opposite a striking grafitti-style mural of the Buffalo skyline by local Brooklyn artist Kara Daving.

Buffalo’s Famous gets their food from traditional NY family-owned vendors. Signature items include Sahlen’s hot dogs, Chiavetta’s marinade, Crystal Beach Loganberry drinks, and Webster’s horseradish mustard (just to name a few). And of course, milk shakes made with Perry’s Ice Cream ($6 for a small).

“Every corner in Buffalo has place that serves this cuisine,” said John. “But what’s unique is the sit-down service that offers everything–hot dogs, shakes, wings, and roast beef—open year round.” Marren believes that they’re tapping into a real Brooklyn market; a place for that delivers homestyle food after 10pm on weeknights, and open until 2am on weekends for bar goers at Sycamore, Bar Chord, and Shenanigans.

While the menu includes a diverse list of items like subs and pierogies, the star of this show is clearly the Buffalo-style chicken wings, ranging from mild to extra hot and barbecue. With Chiavetta’s marinate mopped on, this dish is another nod to Buffalo tradition. “Our moms would pass by a Chiavetta’s chicken dinner sign, pull over, order 10 chicken dinners with German potato salad and cole slaw and plop it in front of the family.” said John.

We split a plate of 10 mild wings ($13) and an order of cajun-spices fries ($3), and were delighted by the spicy kick from both. Try a small order, 5 wings for $7–or go big with 50 wings for $50.

The Famous Plate, modeled after the traditional Rochester dish the garbage plate, is the real deal. “It reads like you get a burger and fries,” said John, “but its a pile.”

The first thing I noticed while sitting at the counter of Buffalo’s Famous was the genuinely warm customer service. Even with a line of eager people snaking out the door, John patiently spent time with each customer. It really looked like he was having fun, and not bothered at all by the chaos of opening week.

“We’re used to getting to know everyone’s name and making everyone feel comfortable,” said John. “Especially for kids in the neighborhood. I train my employees to ask how people are doing, before asking what they want to order.”

Owners and Buffalo natives Matthew Fortune and John Marren have been working in Ditmas Park restaurants for 8 years. Fortune used to be a barista at Vox Pop, and the financial manager at Mimi’s Hummus; and Marren manages the Market at Mimi’s. “The ability to only step foot on the train 5 times in over a year was so important to me,” said Marren, who is putting down his own roots in the neighborhood with a new baby coming any minute!

Sycamore regulars might already recognize their chef Johnny Lupiani, who has been hosting the Pop Up BBQ food court at Sycamore for 5 years. Lupiani has been experimenting with menu items that could make their way onto the menu at Buffalo’s Famous, which already boasts regulars and reviews like “it may have been the best milkshake I ever had.”

Marren’s immediate goals for Buffalo’s Famous are to ramp up delivery and get involved with the Church Avenue community, like the Bonnie Youth Club or local little league sponsorships. And “I want to make sure the firefighters get a bucket of wings on us,” he said.

Marren has found a chord that runs through both Western New York and Ditmas Park: “People are supportive of local businesses around here, and there’s a huge community of people from our area who support those values.”