Hit the Road This Summer on the Upstate Eats Trail

Travelers looking for the next great American road trip (and really good food) will find it this summer along the newly launched Upstate Eats Trail connecting Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton.

The Upstate Eats Trail curates a 225-mile journey between the four cities through a regional food culture of mom-and-pop restaurants, corner taverns, hideaway cafes and roadside stands found nowhere else in the United States. Visitors exploring the trail will learn the origins of Buffalo wings in Buffalo, Garbage Plates in Rochester, salt potatoes in Syracuse, spiedies in Binghamton, and a host of other lesser known specialties, from century-old frozen custard and hot dog traditions to beef on weck sandwiches, hot pies and ground rounds. The guide includes 20 total signature stops – five in each city – and additional suggestions known as “Road Bites” to continue exploring.

Spreading the news of the region’s most iconic foods, the Upstate Eats Trail caught the attention of national publications like Time Out New York, Yahoo, Food & Wine, and Forbes, the last of which touted the Trail as

In Buffalo, our five signature food stops include legends such as: 

• The Anchor Bar, 1047 Main St. The Anchor Bar is the world-renowned birthplace of an American classic, the Buffalo wing, created here in 1964. 

• Schwabl’s, 789 Center Rd., West Seneca. One of the region’s oldest restaurants – dating back to 1837 – is also a legendary purveyor of its signature sandwich, the hand-carved beef on weck.  

• Ted’s Hot Dogs, 2312 Sheridan Dr., Tonawanda. Ted’s has been charcoal broiling Buffalo iconic Sahlen’s hot dogs – including footlongs rarely seen outside the region – for generations. 

• Bocce Club Pizza, 4174 Bailey Ave., Amherst –Bocce, which has been slinging pies longer than almost every other pizzeria in the area, also offers one of the best examples of “Buffalo-Style” pizza with small pepperoni that cups and chars upon baking.  

• Parkside Candy, 3208 Main St.,This impeccably preserved, century-old candy shop and ice cream parlor is also one of Buffalo’s favorite spots for its signature sweet, sponge candy. 

But the Upstate Eats Trail doesn’t stop there. Visitors looking to veer off the interstate for a scenic drive in between each city will find gems along Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal, the Finger Lakes and rolling hills of Central New York. This route winds its way past some of the country’s most inspiring historic sites and off-the-beaten path curiosities, including the Harriet Tubman House in Auburn, the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy and the “It’s a Wonderful Life” Museum in Seneca Falls.

Explore the Upstate Eats Trail and plan your delicious road trip here: UpstateEatsTrail.com