Buffalo food guide: wings, beef on weck, sponge candy and fish fry

Buffalo is famous for one dish that the rest of the country calls by its name, but the city's food is broader than that. It is a Great Lakes city built by German, Polish, Italian and Irish immigrants, and its classics reflect that: chicken wings, a roast beef sandwich on a salted roll, honeycomb candy dipped in chocolate, and the Friday fish fry. If you are visiting, eat these four things and you will understand the city.

Where did Buffalo wings come from?

Buffalo-style chicken wings are widely credited to a Buffalo bar, where Teressa Bellissimo is said to have served them. The wings are deep-fried, tossed in a sauce of hot sauce and butter, and served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, not ranch. Locals often call them wings, not Buffalo wings, since for them the city is the point. Today you will find wings in nearly every tavern and pizzeria in Western New York.

When you order, you will be asked about heat: mild, medium, hot, or something stronger. Medium is a good place to start. Ask for them well done if you like a crisp wing. A dozen or twenty is typical for a table. Wings come on the bone, without breading, and the sauce is the whole point.

What is beef on weck?

Beef on weck is a roast beef sandwich served on a kummelweck roll, a roll topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds. The beef is sliced thin, the roll is dipped in the beef juices, and horseradish is spread on top. The sandwich is thought to go back more than a century, possibly connected to German bakers in Buffalo, and its exact history is debated. The salty roll and sharp horseradish together are what makes it distinct. Eat it with a pickle and a beer. Ask whether the beef is carved to order, which is the best way, and whether the horseradish is fresh. Plenty of taverns serve it with au jus on the side, and a few offer a larger portion with fries. If you only have time for one meal, share a plate of wings and a beef on weck between two people, so you can compare.

What is sponge candy?

Sponge candy is a light, airy honeycomb toffee that is cracked into pieces and dipped in chocolate. It is a Buffalo specialty that appears in local candy shops, especially at Easter and Christmas. Long-running Buffalo candy makers make sponge candy, and it is a local specialty. It is crunchy and melts in your mouth. It is sold in boxes, and it does not travel well in hot weather, so keep it cool.

What is the Broadway Market?

The Broadway Market, on the East Side, is Buffalo's historic public market and a center of Polish-American food. Vendors sell kielbasa, pierogi, rye bread, pastries and cold cuts. The market is at its busiest in the weeks before Easter, when shoppers buy butter lambs, a traditional Polish Easter decoration made of butter or sugar, as well as Easter ham and sausage. Check the market's hours, since it is not open every day.

What is Dyngus Day?

Dyngus Day is the Monday after Easter, a Polish-American tradition marked by parades, polka music, pussy willow branches and a good deal of eating. Buffalo hosts one of the largest celebrations in the country, with parties in bars and halls across the city. If you want to join, book transport and tables early, because it is a big day. Check dates each year, because it depends on Easter.

What is a Buffalo fish fry?

On Fridays, particularly during Lent, many Buffalo taverns, churches, firehouses and restaurants serve fish fry: battered and fried haddock or cod, served with fries or potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw. The fish is large, often hanging off the plate, and the batter is crisp. Lines can be long on Lenten Fridays, so arrive early or call ahead. Church and community fish fries are a good option for local color. Many are open to the public, with a set price per plate and simple sides, and they are a good place to meet people. Takeout is common, so you can collect your plate and eat at home. Most fish fries finish after Lent, though some taverns serve it all year, so check the day and season.

Which neighborhoods are good for eating?

The West Side has an array of restaurants reflecting newer immigrant communities. Elmwood Village and Allentown are walkable areas with cafes, bars and restaurants. Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo is the Italian-American heart of the city's east-west food. The waterfront has seen a revival, with new restaurants and outdoor spaces. The city has a number of breweries, and a Taste of Buffalo festival in summer gathers vendors in one place. Dates change, so check. Winters are long and snowy, which shapes the food, with a lot of hearty, warming dishes, and locals take pride in eating through the season. In summer, patios and lakefront spots along the waterfront open up, and the city is at its most welcoming.

What will it cost and how do you tip?

Western New York is more affordable than New York City. New York State and Erie County charge sales tax on restaurant meals, so the total will be higher than the menu price; check the current rate. Tipping at table-service restaurants is typically 18 to 20 percent. Wings and beef on weck are bar food, and a tip of 20 percent is standard at the bar too. On Mosey you can rate the dishes you order, with photos, and compare your favorite wings with your friends' picks.

More guides to read next:

• Hudson Valley food guide: Hudson, Beacon, Kingston and the CIA
• Ithaca and the Finger Lakes: farmers market, wine trails and where to eat
• Long Island North Fork guide: wineries, farm stands and Greenport

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