Step inside this historic Delaware Avenue mansion and enjoy a fine dining experience. The decor features brick walls, dark wooden floors, candlelight, and dual-level dining. Given its historic nature, it is not quite handicap accessible. The menu at Tempo features items like Pan Roasted Veal Chops and Grilled Lobster with Sweet Corn Risotto, along with nightly dinner specials. Save room for dessert; some of the choices include tiramisu, creme brulee, homemade cookies and gelato. Tempo also boasts a large selection of after-dinner drinks and cordials. Gift certificates are available, and they have a banquet room for your special occasions. -Christine S. Smyczynski

Located in Buffalo's West Side, this venerable restaurant has been serving homemade pasta and other Italian delicacies since 1921, when the area was home to numerous Italian families. Today, it caters to anyone looking for authentic Italian food at affordable prices in a relaxed environment. The dishes consist of your basic staples including pasta e fagiole, homemade pastas, veal parmigiana, gnocchi, and spaghetti & meatballs. West Side attractions include Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Buffalo State College. Cash only.

First things first, this West Side restaurant doesn't overlook the Seine River-it is not even near water. Nonetheless, this American bistro is quickly becoming one of Buffalo's most popular restaurants thanks to brisk word-of-mouth advertising from happy customers. It is dimly lit, a small candle and bud vase with a fresh flower adorning each table. Bold fabric drapes the windows, and the walls are cloaked in artwork. Sample entrees include carrot fettuccine tossed with shrimp, crabmeat and vegetables; and 14oz pork loin, covered with a bacon balsamic sauce.

Templeton Landing is a quaint restaurant that serves decent Steaks and a few drinks as well. The outside patio area is a great venue for entertainment. Templeton Landing hosts live music in the patio area frequently, but only during the warmer months of the year. The menu has small plates, soups and salads as the appetizers, sandwiches and grilled items among others. The restaurant is open to hosting private events. Get in touch with the management for more information. 

Since 1967, Scharf's Shiller Park Restaurant, located in an older home at the end of a residential street, has been the place to go for authentic German food in Buffalo. Start your meal with a salad topped with Margarete Scharf's German House Dressing, which is also available for purchase by the bottle to enjoy at home. The lunch menu includes traditional German foods like beef goulash with noodles, bratwurst, German potato salad, weiner schnitzel, and even a limburger cheese with onions on rye sandwich! For dinner, choose from sauerbraten, roast duck, roast pork, and potato pancakes. For the less adventurous, there are a number of American dishes on the menu too, including roast beef, pork chops, steak, and fried chicken. Seafood dishes include fried scallops, yellow pike, fried haddock, fried shrimp, and lobster tails. A children's menu is available. Desserts include Black Forest Cake and homemade pies. - Christine A. Smyczynski

This eatery has been known for its trademark pizza pods ever since they first opened their doors in 1980. Pizza pods are baked shells of dough filled with your choice of over 40 different fillings. Choose from a 10-inch major pod or a 16-inch mega pod. Other menu selections include pasta, like fettucini alfredo, spicy chicken penne, and chicken parm. They also have soup and salad, burritos, wraps, and sandwiches. Pizza is also served, including stuffed crust pizza and flat pizza. Save room for dessert - specialties include cookies, their award-winning bread pudding and the "icescreemer," two big warm cookies topped with ice cream, hot fudge sauce and whipped cream.-Christine A. Smyczynski

This small, quiet restaurant is known for their homemade Italian dishes with choices like veal scaloppini, osso buco, pollo Florentine, baked ziti, manicotti, and a variety of pastas and sauces. Specialty pastas include Jenna's pasta and peas, pasta carbonara, and spicy chicken served over linguine. They have won awards for their artichoke hearts appetizer. There are healthy options available and they even print Weight Watchers points values on the menu for many dishes. An early bird dinner menu is offered Tuesday through Friday from 4:30p to 5:30p. Bings also has homemade desserts like gelato, sorbet, tartufo, carrot cake, chocolate Godiva cake, and their Taste of Buffalo award-winning Gooo. A private meeting room is available for special events. -Christine A. Smyczynski

This upscale restaurant is noted for its extensive martini menu, featuring over 100 different martinis, including classic martinis, infused martinis and specialty martinis. The food menu is definitely Italian influenced, with a number of popular veal dishes, including veal Marsala and veal picatta, along with lasagna and fresh ravioli. Pietros is reputed to have the best braciole in the Buffalo area. Filet mignon and lobster tails are also on the menu. Be sure to save room for dessert, because they have bananas foster! You can enjoy drinks and dining on the patio or in their elegant dining room. There are daily bar specials and live music is featured on Friday and Saturday. The bar is open until midnight Tuesday to Thursday, and until 2a on Fridays and Saturdays. -Christine A. Smyczynski

This comfortable and cozy café is welcoming to all. Owned and operated by Cynthia Barrett since its 1997 opening, Comfort Zone houses a home away from home to many regular customers. The menu features specialty coffees, teas and desserts, along with daily lunch and dinner specials, including homemade soups and sandwiches, and dinner entrées like spaghetti, grilled salmon and chicken dishes. It's family-friendly too, with coloring books available to keep kids occupied. Live entertainment is featured every Friday and Saturday evening at the Hamburg and Elmwood locations. - Christine A. Smyczynski

This contemporary restaurant, located along Route Five, overlooks a captivating panorama of Lake Erie and the Buffalo skyline. The extensive menu offers American favorites like surf and turf, pork tenderloin, and chicken marsala. Lunch selections include salads like classic chicken Caesar or smoked salmon salad, along with beef on weck, Root Five burger, and turkey club wrap. Try their tempting dinner entrées like the fresh grilled salmon, cherry glazed duck, or penne pasta. They prepare homemade desserts and provide a kids menu. There are also three banquet rooms for larger parties, as well as a large patio overlooking the lake. - Christine A. Smyczynski