Classic Buffalo Spotlight: Charlie the Butcher

When it comes to food, we sure have a lot to be thankful for here in Buffalo.

Of course this time of year all the talk is of turkey and fixins and pies. Nothing beats this annual home-cooked feast, that’s for sure. But there’s a gravy boatload of places to greet you as you arrive back home or break you from your tryptophan comas before you leave.

Possibly none more noteworthy than Charlie the Butcher.

The local icon and staple in the food scene is deserving of every bit of hype you hear about beef on weck. That slow cooked roast beef, piled high on the kummelweck roll and topped with Broadway Market horseradish….just yum!

But what might surprise you is the menu. Admittedly, I didn’t expect to see a long list of options, but there is a heck of a lot more than just the beef on weck being served. There’s a sandwich for every day of the week, burgers and dogs, tenderloin and fried bologna steaks – the works. And stuff for kids!

Now they’ve got a few locations around town, but with the original right around the corner from the airport at Cayuga and Wehrle, your first stop is seconds away. It’s got a great old-fashioned diner feel where you can watch Charlie and his master carvers at work and enjoy the pleasant company of patrons in the city good neighbors.

And no matter which ‘wich you go with, invest $1.50 into one of their fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies to round out your order. It’s literally the size of your face and amazing. That is all.

Happy Thanksgiving, and to all of you visiting family and friends in Buffalo, welcome home!