What’s not to say about this eatery? It all starts with the ambiance… a brightly lit (ala the sun), meeting place (whether it be friends, family or business) that is totally calming (low murmur of conversation) and downright comfortable. I think that the lighting is so special due to the restaurant’s location just opposite the Niagara River. If you look out the front window you can actually see across to the other side, even though the water is just out of sight. The sun floods the main dining room even with the shades half drawn; the light illuminating the white paper-clad tables gives a fresh and clean appearance to the space.
The eatery also looks out onto the old industrial warehouses, which gives off the flavor of Buffalo’s previous boomtown days. So the eating experience at Marco’s really is a Buffalo experience. A couple of us had the pleasure of eating at Marco’s today and after being totally indecisive as to what to order, we realized that we hadn’t even looked at the specials.
It’s a good thing that we did, as the grilled eggplant with pesto mayo, tomatoes, onions, roasted red peppers and melted mozzarella sandwich jumped out at both of us. Other menu items include soup and salad selections and a mix of starters and entrees. Our special came with a choice of salad or fries. The service at Marco’s is exceptional and we immediately had our drinks in front of us. It was also only a matter of minutes before we were served our sandwiches. Service goes a long way at Marco’s, and that is probably why a couple of the nearby tables were filled with a business looking crowd who obviously depend on a timely home cooked meal before heading back to the office.
The meal was exceptional. The eggplant was grilled to perfection, which is good because the sandwich was quite large and anything undercooked would have been tough to eat. If you order this selection, make sure you ask for plenty of napkins, because they are a bit messy. The sandwich was very colorful, not only in appearance, but also in taste as well. There was quite a medley of flavors going on and they all mixed very well together. We asked our hostess, Dana, how many years Marcos had been in business and she told us that they had been around for eighteen years. She also told us that if we had any other questions, the owner (her son Marco) was in the back preparing meals and would most likely want to speak with us.
Within minutes, Marco was sitting with us discussing his restaurant, talking about mutual friends, and remarking on the overall climate of the city, both weather and business. I alluded to the wonderful meal and how tasty the grilled eggplant had been, and he told us that we just had to try one of the desserts that Dana makes fresh every day. We were a bit full by that point so we opted to take one to go, but they looked delicious. I have also eaten dinner at this eatery a few times and I have never left disappointed. Once again, I can truly say how nice it is to find so many family-owned and operated businesses in the city of Buffalo. Photo: Marco and his mother, Dana.
If you know where the Peace Bridge is, then you know where Marco’s Fine Italian Dining is. Come casual and prepare to be comfortable at Marco’s 1085 Niagara Street in Buffalo. 716-882-5539.