Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Buffalo by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Buffalo using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#23. Buffalo Chophouse
- Rating: 3.7/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 282 Franklin St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Sinatra's
- Rating: 3.8/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 945 Kenmore Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Oliver's Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2095 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sto Lat Bar
- Rating: 3.8/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4475 Transit Road Ste 108 Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Bars, Polish, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. CRāVing Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1472 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Aroma On Bryant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (301 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 307 Bryant St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Street Asian Food
- Rating: 3.9/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Thai, Pan Asian, Burmese
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Bobby J's Italian American Grille
- Rating: 4.4/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 204 Como Park Blvd. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Panorama on 7
- Rating: 4.0/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 95 Main St. Buffalo Marriott Harbor Center Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Frankie Primo's +39
- Rating: 4.1/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 51 West Chippewa St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Hutch's
- Rating: 4.1/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1375 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Las Puertas
- Rating: 4.1/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 385 Rhode Island St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Toutant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (610 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 437 Ellicott St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Southern, Barbecue, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Osteria 166
- Rating: 4.3/5 (640 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 166 Franklin St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. San Marco Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2082 Kensington Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (365 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 56 West Chippewa St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ristorante Lombardo
- Rating: 4.4/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1198 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Ballyhoo
- Rating: 4.4/5 (289 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 211 South Park Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Phoenix at 269
- Rating: 4.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 269 Amherst St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Lucky Day Whiskey Bar
- Rating: 4.4/5 (253 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 320 Pearl St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Whiskey Bars, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Inizio
- Rating: 4.5/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 534 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. The Dapper Goose
- Rating: 4.5/5 (301 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 491 Amherst St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Daniela
- Rating: 4.6/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 387 Forest Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
