Over this past winter break, I made it my priority to look around Buffalo for some great food and a great hang out spots.

One of the things I hear the most from my friends and others is that Buffalo is boring and there is nothing to do. This, however, is wrong.

First, I decided to check out the meal scene here in Buffalo. I am a big foodie so I’m very open to going to almost anywhere and trying almost anything.

My first stop was La Tavola Trattoria located at 1458 Hertel Ave., which is an Italian restaurant.

One thing that I have come to learn is that you truly pay for not only the quality of the food but the entire dining experience.

From a scale of one money sign ($) to five ($$$$$), I would have to rate this restaurant as two ($$). The meal that I had was around $15 but with the enjoyment of a Moscow Mule, my bill jumped an extra $10.

However, the entire meal was delicious and they have plenty of gourmet pizza options along with building your own pasta!

My friend ordered a surf and turf that was not quite to his liking but still enjoyed it so he only explained his critique to the rest of our table. However, our waitress overheard his slight concern and brought a ginormous slice of cake and spoons for the inconvenience. This was a pleasant surprise considering my friend did not plan on complaining.

That just shows the great service La Tavola Trattoria has to offer!

Misuta Chow’s

The next spot I went to was an arcade/bar in downtown Buffalo called Misuta Chow’s located at 521 Main St.

This is a great place if you’re just looking to get out of the house (or dorm) and hang with friends while playing some classic games. Chow’s has some older original games like Pac-Man and Galaga along with pinball machines and ski-ball.

There is no cover charge to get in and they have this amazing hot pink staircase great for some insta pics!

The games are only 50 cents to play and the drinks are decently priced too! There is a bucket drink deal where you get a cold bucket of six beers for only $10.

This bar is a very gender friendly space, so everyone can feel comfortable and have a great time.

So, on a Friday night when you and your friends are bored and looking for something to do, see what Buffalo has to offer. Have some tasty food at La Tavola Trattoria or sit back and enjoy some gaming at Misuta Chow’s!