If choosing a cozy bar or restaurant were like playing Bingo, the following characteristics would fill a card: dim lighting, flickering flames, crowded bookshelves, exposed beam ceilings and decor that belongs in a fancy living room. The cozy dining room makes for a nice night out at This Little Pig in Clarence. To get to Bingo, you need the final square: top-notch food and drinks.
The following Buffalo-area restaurants and bars could fill a Bingo sheet with their quaint ambiance and quality fare. Art’s Cafe 5 East Main St., Springville With its huge windows and tall ceilings, the Art’s Cafe is bright and airy as soon as you walk through the front door.
But stroll to the back where you’ll find a cozy library nook with a few tables and chairs. Munch on a sandwich made on fresh sourdough bread, or a ham and cheese croissant bursting with crispy cheese while sipping a coffee from the espresso bar or a glass of wine and devouring a book from the shelf. The menu includes paninis, soups and a rotating selection of baked goods, from morning buns to almond croissants.
Banshee Irish Pub 257 Franklin St. In Ireland, fireplaces have long been a fixture in bars and restaurants, offering respite from the cold. Banshee Irish Pub continues the tradition in Buffalo with two fireplaces that radiate warmth and light.
One fireplace is flanked by bookshelves of mostly Irish books in the bar's library, where patrons sit on cushioned stools and drink Guinness. Food offerings range from Irish.