Envision ‘Vintage Room’ – Buffalo Rising

Restaurateur Paul Jenkins (of Remington Tavern) has a vision for Chippewa Street that many people have shared over the years. Chippewa was once considered Buffalo’s party hotspot. It was a wild ride, with bars packed until the wee hours of the morning. Trying to drive down the street took way too long, which is why so many drivers avoided it. Other drivers liked to spend time roaming the street, watching all the people. The sidewalks were filled with partygoers, bar-hopping from place to place.

From the red light district to the party zone to… well, Chippewa is in something of a state of flux. One of the newest additions to the street is Vintage Room, which is owned by Jenkins. Vintage Room is part of the “restaurant movement” that Jenkins hopes will revitalize the street.

“There are six hotels nearby,” Jenkins said. “There are a lot of businesses and the New Era headquarters is around the corner. I wanted to open a place aimed at an older crowd, many of whom party on the streets during the day, but who may now have a negative perception, especially later at night. I’m a fan of everything my friend Jay Manno has done, with SoHo and Frankie Primo’s. The street is ripe for a full resurrection as a dining district. There is also a good mix of young children on the street, which helps to add to the vibrancy of the neighborhood and broaden the feeling of real community. The Vintage Room is right next to the Emerson School of Hospitality. When school lets out, there are young people everywhere. They are nice, fun kids who add life to the streets. Then there are the professionals who work nearby. I love seeing a mix of different types of businesses and people in Chippewa – they all add to the vibrancy.

In order to properly build Vintage Room, Jenkins and his business partner/son, John Paul, gutted the space, which formerly housed Crocodile (very popular at the time). The focal points are dynamite stained glass components that were once part of Mulligan’s (disco era) on Hertel.

I stopped by a few nights ago (early evening) and was greeted by bartender Giovanni Ingrao who previously worked at Encore and Falley Allen. I was hoping to recover some energy, so I ordered the “house” espresso martini, which I later learned was powered by a nitrogen tap. My friend was hungry and ordered a steak sandwich with hand cut fries, along with the Sandiarita (El Jimador, triple sec, watermelon, jalapeño, lime and Tajín). While my boyfriend waited for his sandwich, I headed for my next drink; Ingrao suggested I try one of his specialties – an old-fashioned drink, expertly smoked in a glass carafe. While the espresso martini was divine, the smoky old fashioned was awesome. The smell of hickory (I think) was equally captivating, as was the entire hypnotic smoking process.

The kitchen is run by Carrie Donohue (formerly at The Cheesecake Factory), who, Jenkins told me, has volume experience and knows how to do things. Between Ingrao’s attention to detail behind the bar and Donohue’s hand in making my friend’s steak sandwich (very rare – exactly how he wanted it), everything went as planned during our recent visit – especially since the place has only been open for a short time. for a few months.

Vintage Room joins a plethora of other restaurants on Chippewa, including Bacchus, Ted’s Hot Dogs, Bada Bing, Rachel’s, Waves, Salsarita’s, Spot Coffee, Jim’s Steakout and Sue’s Deli, which moved to the corner not long ago of Main and Chippewa. .

Jenkins admits Chippewa has seen a lot of ebbs and flows in the past, but he’s confident there’s an upward trend that should pay off, as long as people continue to come back to the streets to see what’s happening. is new and different. I’m pretty sure the more people discover Vintage Room, the more they will feel “at home” in Chippewa. Supporting these types of pro-Chippewa businesses is how we can all fuel change in the heart of the city.

Vintage Room | 88 W Chippewa St, Buffalo, NY 14202 | (716) 356-3113 | Wednesday is karaoke night | Kitchen open until 1 a.m.