Buffalo is one place I never expected to visit. I only knew its beloved Buffalo Bills football team and Buffalo Wings.
But then I learned something new as I read Texas Monthly magazine. It had named the city’s Southern Junction restaurant among “The Best Places in the USA to Get Texas BBQ (Outside of Texas).” Hmmm. As it happened, we’d been planning a trip to Niagara Falls, and to get there, we’d fly into Buffalo. This was my chance to check out this city — and for this Texas girl to check out the notorious BBQ joint.
As I researched our trip to Buffalo, much to my surprise, I found countless fascinating attractions and an intriguing hotel that piqued my interest. Buffalo has a vibrant global food scene and unexpected examples of elevated art and culture. It also possesses rich historical sites, including architectural masterpieces, an improbable presidential inauguration site, a historic floating museum, and exquisite stained-glass windows.
We packed our bags and flew north.
Southern Junction, a Texish Smokehouse
Visit Buffalo Niagara)
Chef Ryan Fernandez, born in India and raised in Dallas, is one of Buffalo’s rising stars and has earned the culinary world’s attention as a James Beard Finalist for 2024 Best Emerging Chef and James Beard Semifinalist for 2025 Best Chef: New York State. The Best Chef winner has yet to be announced as of this writing. Chef Ryan’s crazy marriage of Texas BBQ and Indian cuisine has given birth to an entirely new flavor profile, one he calls “Texish.”
Started as a culinary incubator, Southern Junction is the only South Indian–Texas BBQ restaurant in the USA. It’s located on Buffalo’s West Side, and long lines are the norm, even if you show up around 4:30 p.m. opening time. While waiting in line, my appetite grew as I inhaled the aromatic smoke from the fire-licked meats.
As you enter Southern Junction, you are transported deep in the heart of Texas with rustic aesthetics and décor from the Lone Star state. It includes a full bar, dining room, and patio seating. Customers order the delectable smoked meats and sides at the chopping station. Selections are placed on a paper-lined tray, the quintessential way Texas BBQ is served.
After my first bite of Texish food, I was hooked. It was like nothing I’d ever eaten, a new awakening for my Southern taste buds. This unique combination of Texas BBQ and South Indian flavors transformed classic dishes into something extraordinary.
The Barbacurry Beef, with its rich, spicy marinade, melded the smoky tenderness of Texas brisket with the vibrant warmth of Indian spices. The Chammandhi Slaw, a refreshing twist on traditional coleslaw, brought in fresh herbs that perfectly balanced the Indian spices. The Serrano Mac and Cheese added a spicy kick that was both comforting and bold, while the Cardamom Cornbread offered a sweet, satisfying finish.
With his Texas BBQ skills and clever fusion of South Indian flavors, Chef Ryan Fernandez has reimagined Texas BBQ in a way that excites the palate and honors both culinary traditions.
As familiar as the Texas BBQ experience is to me, I quickly noted that this entire set-up is a novelty to many upstate New Yorkers in the restaurant. They loved it, and I enjoyed watching customer’s reactions as they dug into their Texish treats. I’ve never seen diners so excited about what they were eating. And I was one of them.
Beef on Weck is Buffalo’s favorite regional dish. This signature sandwich predates Buffalo Chicken Wings by decades. For those who are unfamiliar, as I was, it’s a carved roast beef sandwich served on a unique, salty kimmelweck roll. Depending on which source you trust, this food came to the area either with German immigrants or from a food stand at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Regardless of how the sandwich reached Western New York, it’s been a staple here for over a century.
Also originating locally is Buffalo-style pizza. I was amazed at the offerings of cup-and-char pepperoni, the tripled mozzarella, and the doubled semi-sweet sauce that tops the sourdough crust. The sauce runs right to the edge. Locals order the pies “well done” to ensure the crust and meat have the requisite char. Buffalo-style pizza has been a relative secret, but that’s starting to change. Travel + Leisure Magazine recently named Buffalo one of America’s favorite cities for pizza.
The Historic Richardson Hotel
Every historic hotel has a story, but the Richardson Hotel’s might beat them all. This National Historic Landmark building opened in 1880 and was once the New York State Asylum for the Insane. When built, it was a state-of-the-art facility implementing the most modern ideas in psychiatric treatment.
In the heart of Buffalo, this colossal, ten-wing Romanesque building is slowly being resurrected after being closed for over 50 years. The Richardson opened its doors in 2023 and is a destination for those who embrace the human spirit and its stories. Set on over 40 acres in the Elmwood Village neighborhood, this National Historic Landmark Hotel offers a surreal and exciting experience. Occasionally, I shuddered while lying in my luxury bed, thinking, “If these walls could talk….”
With its upscale décor and modern amenities, but massive corridors and soaring windows from the original asylum, it’s one of the most memorable hotels I’ve ever experienced. And yes, I did get a good night’s rest.
We had a behind-the-scenes hard-hat tour of areas that have yet to be renovated. My first thought as I surveyed the sprawling asylum wings in utter disarray was what a monumental undertaking this is. The sheetrock hung in tattered remnants from the walls; the ceiling sagged, exposing tangled pipes and wires. It all made me wonder: where do you even begin to renovate a place like this?
Guests can get the full story of this extraordinary complex on the ground floor at the Lipsey Architecture Center, which introduces the original design dream team — the asylum’s visionaries. Henry Richardson is the famed architect who designed this iconic building. The massive grounds were the work of landscape architect Fredrick Olmsted, who designed New York City’s Central Park.
The facility and protocol for more humane treatment for the mentally ill was the concept of Dr. Thomas Kirkbride, a physician and mental health advocate. Together, these three American innovators changed the course of history for the care and treatment of mental illness. I presume these three men could never have imagined this asylum would one day become a swanky hotel.
Historic Attractions Abound In Buffalo: Buffalo AKG Art Museum
The AKG Art Museum is a destination all by itself. A stunning $200 million donation allowed the reinvention of the former Albright-Knox Art Gallery with, among other things, a 50,000-square-foot addition. I thought the new building itself was a work of art. With its sweeping park views, the addition emerges from the lawn like a fantastic ice floe made of glass. The gallery’s three-story sheer glass walls offer giant windows to the world, welcoming everyone to come and explore.
After a three-and-a-half-year construction closure, a new name was introduced when it reopened in 2023. Buffalo AKG Art Museum honors the names of funders Albright, Knox, and Gundlach. As the doors opened, it generated community excitement, international interest, and great success. Within the first months of its reopening, it had drawn 100,000 visitors.
The AKG features a world-renowned range of art, from old masters to the most contemporary. I enjoyed a docent-led tour and saw the evolution of modern and contemporary art through the works of Picasso, Van Gogh, Pollack, and Warhol. The Wall Street Journal cites the AKG as “a required stop for cultural travelers.”
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site was one of my favorite stops. Who knew he took the Presidential Oath of Office in Buffalo? As a huge fan of Teddy Roosevelt, I knew I had to see this National Historic Site.
It documents the unfortunate events that led to the unexpected inauguration of Roosevelt. President William McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901, and died on September 14. Roosevelt, who was told McKinley was expected to recover, was on a family vacation in upstate New York. He was inaugurated as the 26th President of the United States the same day in a private home in Buffalo. As part of the National Park Service, it offers an immersive and educational experience.
But There’s More…
The Tiffany Stained Glass Windows at Trinity Episcopal Church are spectacular to behold. The 21 large, unique windows tell beautiful Bible stories. Completed in the 1880s, this is one of three places in the world where artists John LaFarge and Louis Tiffany worked together. I went in the late afternoon and witnessed the windows’ vivid colors gradually change during sunset.
The Seneca Chief Canal Boat is a historic floating museum. It was the first boat to travel down the Erie Canal when it opened in 1825. This is a full-size replica of the original wooden boat. The Seneca Chief was built by devoted local volunteers to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal in 2025. This fascinating floating museum does a great job of transporting visitors to the beginnings of this epic waterway that led to America’s westward expansion.
I never knew Buffalo was this cool. This is not just a place to fly into on your way to Niagara Falls. It’s the wild Texish BBQ, the unexpected history, the distinctive local food, the outstanding architecture, the world-class art, the welcoming neighborhoods, and people. Buffalo is a city that’s been reimagined, revived, and resurrected. I can’t wait to return.
If You Go to Buffalo
Buffalo-Niagara International Airport is located 11 miles to the northeast of the city. Public nonstop bus services and Lyft, Uber, and taxi services are available. It’s also served by Amtrak rail service. Check out the Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, and Empire Service.
For information, see the Visit Buffalo website.
