By Julia Barth, Features Editor
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been able to check out a few places around Buffalo that are serving up great food and drinks. They aren’t necessarily new, and I’m sure many Buffalonians have tried at least one of these places before, but they seem a bit hidden to me. For the people who are looking to try somewhere new, these are the recommendations for you.
Wonder Coffeehouse
Right near RiverWorks in downtown Buffalo sits Wonder Coffeehouse, a cafe that serves up coffee, tea and specialty waffles. Although right amidst the hustle and bustle of the industrial area of Buffalo, Wonder Coffeehouse is a perfect place to go to with friends. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I chose outdoor, since the closed in area was lined with freight crates and shipping containers of various colors and sizes. There’re plants lining the outside and the inside, and there are cute signs and references to Buffalo all over.
There’s plenty of seating both inside and out, so there’s no need to take your things to go, but if you are on the run they have an easy access drive-thru as well. I chose to pass up getting coffee or tea when I went despite their multitude of options, and instead I turned my focus to the waffles.
All of their waffles are uniquely made, with options including “Captain Obvious” (a waffle topped with a fried egg, bacon and syrup) and “Millennial Fuel” (a waffle topped with avocado, pickled red onions, goat cheese and a fried egg). Some other, more traditional waffles include chicken and waffles, a smores waffle and the one that I got, called “I Mean Duh,” which was topped with nutella, strawberries, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It was absolutely divine and filled me right up.
To check out all of their offerings as well as their hours, check out their website at www.wondercoffeehouse.com.
Taste of Siam
In Buffalo, Elmwood is known to have some of the best restaurants, cafes and bars in the whole city. Taste of Siam is no exception. It was my first time ever going there, despite my deep love for Thai food, and it did not disappoint. My friend (former Managing Editor Steph Wetzel) and I split dumplings to start that were delectable. They were really large since they had been stuffed to the brim, but that didn’t deter either of us from digging in.
For my main course, I had their traditional pad thai, but I will certainly be going back to try other meals on their extensive menu. They have soups, salads, noodles, rice, curry and their entrees as well. The pad thai was, dare I say, perfect, and the portion was absolutely enormous. I had leftovers for days.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was bright and peaceful, as well. The outside looks like another house on the block, but the interior is decorated simply with tables all around. Our table was right near the window, so we had a perfect view of Elmwood on a beautiful, 60-degree day. To check out their full menu and hours, go to www.taste-of-siam.com.
Mike and Pops Bistro & Tavern
Lastly, I tried out Mike and Pops Bistro & Tavern, which is located on Delaware Ave. in Kenmore. I went with my family: my mom chose the place because she had gone there a few other times with friends. When we walked in, I immediately got the vibe that it was one of those hole-in-the-wall bar restaurants that not many people know about but is a hidden gem.
There were a few people sitting at the bar — probably regulars — and my family and I sat at a table in the dining room. The food was your typical pub-style food: burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads, soups and some entrees. The five of us split the Italian sausage dip to start, along with some tasty pretzel bites.
For dinner, my sister and I decided to go the classic route and split a double order of chicken fingers. They had some fun sauces like Garlic Parmesan, Chipotle Cajun and Lemon Pepper, but we went basic and got the chicken fingers hot. They came out piping hot and were perfect for two people looking for some comfort food. The fries on the side tied it all together. If you’d like to see more about Mike and Pops, check out their website at www.mikeandpops.com.