BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's been a busy summer in the Buffalo restaurant scene. Here are three new places to check out next time you're in the city and looking for a cup of coffee, a cocktail, or an ice cream cone.
Postscript Cafe
Elmwood's newest cafe is tucked away behind Bureau men's clothing store. Postscript, or PS, is recently opened up in a converted garage in the back of the property. It shares an outdoor patio with High Violet cocktail bar, which opened in the spring.
"Postscript, the afterthought, the second part of the first phase," said Co-Owner Robert Clerici. "We wanted to add something to the Elmwood Village for a courtyard and something grab and go, so we came up with the concept of Postscript."
The menu features sweet and savory crepes, breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, as well as hot and iced coffee. There are also branded prepaid postcards on display that customers can write on and send anywhere they'd like.
To find Postscript, just look for the black Bureau building at 712 Elmwood, and head down the alley.
"Again, playing up the concept from High Violet, it's all about kind of being in the know," Clerici said.
Mint Cocktails & Kitchen
It was during the pandemic that Alison Clancy and Chris Mendez decided that Buffalo needed its own mojito spot.
"We have an abundance of tacos and tequilas which we love, but I think Buffalo needed a little something different," Clancy said. "I think this was exactly the thing."
They found their dream space on Niagara Street near Breckenridge, with a large outdoor patio. They opened up in June.
"We specialize in mojitos and empanadas but we have a full bar," Clancy said "Something for everyone."
If you come, be sure the try the best-selling "southern belle" tequila cocktail and the chipotle cheese fries.
"I think we scratched that itch, we're doing something fun," Mendez said. "It's vibrant in here, it's very welcoming for everybody. It's just non-stop mojitos around here."
Rooted Lounge
When Rooted Lounge opened at 69 Allen Street in July, its co-owners Gizelle and Chris Hinson wanted it to be a place for people to rent out for showers and special events. They decided to demonstrate this feature of the space by getting married there themselves, on July 16, or "716 Day."
"We got married in the space," said Gizelle Hinson. "We are hoping to hold more intimate events. We can hold about 25-30 people in the space, and it was just our family and our children and our parents and it was an intimate occasion. It was beautiful."
In addition to serving Perry's Ice Cream, Rooted also has make your own tea, potted plants, and CBD products for sale.
"We realize there's a lot going on in the world in the world today and we wanted to create a space that felt good," Hinson said. "That let people feel like they were in a better place."
Coming up on Sept. 8, the lounge will host a "Blitz and Brew" night for people to watch the Buffalo Bills season opener in a relaxed environment.
"Our play on the brew word is because we're serving tea brews," Hinson explained. "It's $10 and you would get a pastry and a tea brew, and get to play games and ice cream and enjoy your time."