Step Out Buffalo

This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOB advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers. The Shores Waterfront Restaurant / Photo x Stephanie Dubin for Step Out Buffalo When someone tells you that there’s a tropical island getaway hidden in North Tonawanda, you may call them crazy. But the only crazy thing is that you haven’t heard about it yet. Judging by the three-hour wait every weekend, it’s all anyone is talking about.

Photo courtesy of Buffalo Chophouse Buffalo has no shortage of spots worth getting dressed up for, but when it’s actually your birthday, you want somewhere that feels like an occasion. These are the restaurants locals keep coming back to for the big ones, whether you’re doing a intimate dinner for two or a full table of your favorite people.

Kitchen Sink / Photo x Sarah Parry for Step Out Buffalo King Condrell’s has been a Kenmore institution since 1966, and if you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out on one of the best ice cream and candy shops in all of WNY. And if you have been, you already know the King Condrell’s Kitchen Sink is reason enough to go back. Here’s what you need to know about this local icon before you go.

Old City Pizza / Photo x Brett Llenos Smith for Step Out Buffalo Pearl Street Grill & Brewery is one of the most familiar landmarks in Western New York. Chances are, you’ve been there multiple times for a post-game pint or a patio happy hour. But unless you know exactly where to look, you’ve probably been walking right past a massive secret.

Galbani Italian Heritage Festival, Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26 / Photo courtesy of Galbani Italian Heritage Festival Summer in Buffalo is short, sweet, and absolutely packed. If hitting up a cultural festival for good food, live music, and a cold drink in the sun is your thing, you’re in good company. WNY does this better than most places, and 2026 is no exception.

This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOB advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers. Plato’s Closet / Photo x Haley Tyno for Step Out Buffalo No more hiding your outfit with an oversized sweater or a puffer jacket: it’s summer, which means it’s time to surf Pinterest until you curate the perfect 2026 aesthetic. Pinterest comes to life at Plato’s Closet.

This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOB advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers. Clothes Mentor / Photo x Haley Tyno for Step Out Buffalo Summer is almost here, and you know what that means. Time to bring out the freshest fits, because Buffalo’s got her sparkle on. And if your summer wardrobe is feeling a little… tired, there’s a resale boutique in West Seneca that’s got your back.

Every season we round up the most noteworthy new restaurants that have opened in the past few months. Summer is officially here, and so is a whole new batch of restaurants, bars, bakeries, and cafés ready to make it the best one yet. The patios are packed, the drinks are cold, and Buffalo’s food scene is showing out. Here are 20 essential new spots to try this summer.

Some Buffalo shops don’t need a sign. They don’t need a window display or a spot on the main drag. They’re tucked away, quiet, and waiting for the kind of person who actually pays attention. These two aren’t hard to find once you know where to look. But that’s the thing — most people don’t know to look. Photo courtesy of The Old Chapel Antique & Artisan Market 172 Robinson St, North Tonawanda Here’s the thing about this one: there are actually two layers of hidden.

This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOB advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers. Oh Sugar / Photo x Stephanie Dubin for Step Out Buffalo Somewhere in Lockport, nestled between cornfields, lies a seasonal ice cream shop where the menu is BIG and the scoops are BIGGER. We won’t sugarcoat Oh Sugar’s appeal: they scoop generously. The customer service is top-notch — probably because the staff knows they’re the best of the best, serving the best of the best.