Essex Street Pub, one of the city’s greatest watering holes, is now serving food as a full fledged restaurant. It struck me that maybe I was overdue for a non-beer visit when I ran into a couple of friends who told me that they had hired a babysitter so that they could go have a nice dinner at Essex. I actually had to think about that one for a while. Nice dinner… Essex?
Not that I’m surprised that owner Macky Moberly would have great food, since whatever he sets his mind to usually works out for the best, as long as he set his mind to it… it’s just that I’m a creature of habit when it comes to certain things, and it’s going to take a few times before I start to equate Essex with dining out.
Yesterday I decided that it was time to stop in and grab a beer…er… order some lunch. Per usual, I sat at the bar, and Macky sat by my side (as I ordered a glass of water). I looked over to see what he was feasting on, and it turned out to be one of the “snackatizers” – a plate of smoked surfer bourbon barbecue chicken wings.
Even though I don’t eat meat, the wings looked delicious and I ended up snapping a photo anyways. I also snagged his plate of smoked jalapeño casino and took a photo of those while I was at it. I was happy to see that both “snackatizers” were super appealing, and although I almost went with an order of the jalapeños, I ultimately opted for the soup of the day as a starter – the gazpacho made with watermelon, tomatoes, strawberries and cucumber. The bowl was a slightly tangy and refreshingly sweet thanks to the watermelon. It was one of the more unusual tastings gazpachos that I had ever tried, and while not made with the most traditional ingredients, they complemented each other nicely, creating a real hit with end result.
Next I tried the vegetarian “pulled pork”
sammich made with spaghetti squash. In the past I had tried a similar sandwich made with jackfruit, so I was curious to see how this version compared. The sandwich was hickory smoked and was an excellent vegetarian representation of its meat-based counterpart. I only wish the sandwich had been a touch bigger, as I was enjoying the smoky flavors immensely. For meat-lovers, you must see
the menu, where you will find all sorts of carnivorous delights.
Over the last couple of years, Essex Street Pub has put itself on the map for being a bike-friendly, jukebox-loving, beer swilling, and now food-friendly establishment, in a part of the city that has seen a number of exciting developments unfold. There’s a patio to sit at while enjoying your food too.
Open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 1am, and Sunday from 3pm to 1am, there is a window for just about everyone to come in and try this new tasty pub grub in Buffalo. I have always loved the relaxed atmosphere and the neighborhood feel… and now I love the fact that I can grab something to eat that is served up fast and delicious right around the corner from my house.
6 Essex Street
Buffalo, NY 14213
(716) 883-2150
Here’s the menu, since the website is still partially under construction:
SOUPS & SALADS
Soup du Jour $3.50
Chicken & Dumplings $3.50
P.L.T. Salad $4.50
Romaine lettuce, Roma tomatoes, crisped Pastrami and crumbled blue cheese, topped with housemade roasted garlic cilantro dressing
House Chef Salad $2.75
Mixed field greens, tomatoes, onion citrus balsamic dressing
SNACKATIZERS
Smoked Bourbon Surfer BBQ Chicken Wings $5.00
Rubbed and smoked then dry fried in our Bourbon Surfer BBQ Sauce – 6 per order
Smoked Jalapeño Casino’s $6.00
Half Jalapeño smoked with marinated water chestnut, cream cheese and bacon – 6 per order
Macky’s Grand Champion J.D. Chili $3.50
Slow simmered with cheddar jack
Chili Cheese Nachos $4.50
Baked with cheddar jack cheese and topped with Pico de Gallo, house made salsa verde and sour cream
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All smoked items slow hickory smoked!
Housemade Pastrami and Corned Beef All sammiches served with your choice of field greens or chips and a pickle and on a Luigi seeded twist unless otherwise specified
BURGERS
Smoked Burger $8.00
Rubbed and smoked then seared with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, and Bread & Butter pickles
Grilled Burger-Cheeseburger $7.50
Fresh 8oz burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, melty American cheese
Fully Custom starts @ $7.50
Price includes choice of 1 cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and any regular condiments (upon request) Plus any additional custom options
Mac-Attack Burger $10.00
Hickory smoked burger, melty American cheese, jalapeño casinos atop
SAMMICHES
Roast Beef $7.50
Slow roasted, hand carved on a custom kimmelweck roll
P.L.T. $7.50
Crisped Pastrami, lettuce, tomato and Chipotle mayo on sourdough
House Smoked Center Cut Pork Chop $8.00
Sweet tea brined, smoked, covered in a spicy mushroom cream sauce on a costanzo roll
Rufus Kay Atomic Bomber $8.50
Smoked Lorigo family hot Italian sausage, banana peppers and onions, spicy marinara, mozzarella on a Luigi’s sausage roll
DELI STYLE
Hot Pastrami $8.50
Choice of cheese on marble rye
Macky’s Famous Corned Beef $8.50
Choice of cheese on marble rye
Reuben $9.50
Corned beef, kraut, swiss cheese and grilled on marble rye
Bobstrami $9.50
Housemade Pastrami, kraut, swiss cheese and grilled on marble rye
The Swingin Pete $7.50
Hot Soppresatta, Nana’s marinated eggplant, lettuce shreds, Roma tomatoes, and Italian oil
VEGETARIAN
Vegetarian Plate $5.50
Roasted garlic, red pepper and basil hummus roasted Mediterranean vegetables and warm pita
Grilled Three Cheese with Tomato $6.50
Cheddar, pepper jack and Land O’Lakes American cheese on Texas toast
<di
v>Vegetarian Burrito $6.50
Roasted vegetables, black beans and rice with or without cheddar jack, served with tortilla chips and Pico de Gallo
FULLY CUSTOM OPTIONS
$0.25
Bread & Butter pickles, Dill pickles, Chips, Thousand Island Dressing, Blackened
Additional Cheese
American cheese, swiss, provolone, pepper jack
$0.50
BBQ Sauce, Spicy BBQ Sauce, Carmelized Onions, Chipotle Mayo, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde, Roast Garlic Cilantro Dressing, Sour Cream, Spicy Marinara, Steamed Mushrooms, Coleslaw, Kraut, Jalapeños, Banana Peppers, Peanut Butter, Pepper ‘n Onion, Sweet Relish
$0.75
Bacon, Crumbled Blue cheese
$1.00
Crisped pastrami, Baked beans, Black beans, MacDaddy mac-n-cheese, Chili, Corned Beef
$2.00
Casinos