I Got Taken in Buffalo

Miami Herald

a day ago

Buffalo didn't just surprise me—it ran up on me and kidnapped my whole perspective. I come from a New York where anything outside of the five boroughs might as well have been farmland. Truth be told, when you live down the street from Yankee Stadium, even heading to the neighboring borough of Queens might as well have been a road trip to the Carolinas. And the idea of going 'upstate'? Man, that felt like exile. I wasn't checking for Buffalo. I wasn't even curious.
But this city caught me slippin'. Fed me soul with a side of sazón, introduced me to people who felt like family, and told stories that hit like a history lesson and a homecoming all at once.
It peeled back my biases, shook up my mental map, and reminded me that domestic travel, if done right, can feel like therapy, too. I came looking to document a destination. But Buffalo didn't just make the itinerary, it took the wheel.
See, what's not on the Niagara Falls/Buffalo brochure is that Buffalo's got a whole lotta soul. This is a city where history is honored and creativity in the arts and music runs wild. And somewhere between the first bite and the last museum, it stole something.
I didn't just leave impressed. I left held hostage… in the best way possible.
I remember I touched down from my flight, and within the first five hours, I was already seduced by this hardworking city's charm. After four years of living in the South and getting used to a version of down-home hospitality, I didn't expect to find a similar kind of welcome in a place more famous for its winters than its warmth. But Buffalo really surprised me. The people's hearts were as wide open as former Bills defensive end Bruce Smith.
The Hideout
Right in the middle of Buffalo's artsy Elmwood Village neighborhood is InnBuffalo, a restored 19th-century mansion that feels like walking on the set of Downton Abbey. The overused term 'boutique accommodations' doesn't even begin to describe the storybook elegance of this inn.
Check-in started with a calligraphy envelope reading my name and a vintage skeleton key to the Sarah Dutro suite. No plastic key cards here, and no elevators. As I climbed the deep cherrywood staircase—two full flights—each step creaked just enough to remind me this wasn't some prefab Victorian knockoff - this bed and breakfast was Buffalo legacy.
From antique chandeliers and bold, textured wallpaper to a parlor and library you could post up in for hours listening to jazz playing from their in-house phonograph, InnBuffalo blends that old-school soul with new-school comfort, high-speed Wi-Fi, spa-level bedding, and breakfast is included. No surprise it's been ranked the #1 hotel in Buffalo, just 20 minutes from Niagara Falls.
But the real gem here is owner Joe Lettieri. He welcomed my family and I like old friends, pouring wine and sharing Buffalo's storied past as we relaxed on the inn's front porch. Joe confirmed what I was already starting to feel: in Buffalo, the connection is real. And that kind of authenticity? It's rare.
Captured by the Food
If you really want to get to my heart, the most direct route is through my stomach. And Buffalo's culinary scene? It didn't just show up, it showed out. The food wasn't just good—it was tied to the city's lesser-known identity and strong Latin culture that runs deeper than most folks realize.
At Aguacates Bar & Grill, Latin flavor takes the spotlight without trying too hard. It's a small joint with a big personality. Yes, it's Mexican on paper, but the whole vibe is Buffalo. Judging by the heavy Buffalo wall decor, I didn't expect much when I ordered their ropa vieja which was slow-cooked, tender beef. But the second I caught that aroma coming toward the table, I knew I was in for something worth writing about. Paired with perfectly salted tostones that were just the right kind of crispy, I had to pause mid-bite and revel. Washed it all down with a house margarita rimmed in sweet tamarind and jalapeño, creating a chef's kiss of sweet heat and slow burn.
Then there was Niagara Café, a Puerto Rican classic where every dish feels like it came straight from abuela's kitchen. As a Dominican man, believe me when I say the pernil didn't miss. Juicy, seasoned to perfection, served in a no-frills setting that let the food speak loudest. The arroz con gandules took me right back to Nochebuena dinners when you couldn't get up from the table until that plate was spotless. Nothing changed. I didn't leave those unpretentious booths until I was full and full of respect. This wasn't performative food culture, this was generational love on a plate.
For drinks, you gotta slide through to Deco Lounge, a Black-owned speakeasy near Buffalo's City Hall, where curated cocktails are the real headline. Skip the cocktail menu, and just let the bartender do his thing.
Snatched By The Stories
One of the most inspiring people I met was Michelle Agosto, co-founder of Los Artistas Del Barrio. Her collective of Latino creatives has turned Buffalo's streets, galleries, and walls into living expressions of culture and resistance. Here, murals aren't just big paintings—they're declarations of pride, struggle, and power. Michelle's not just an artist—she's also the Director of Arts for Buffalo Public Schools and sits on countless boards pushing for real social change in connection to the arts. Basically, she walks it like she talks-- and paints it.
Tied Up In The Past
My first landmark stop was Freedom Park (Broderick Park), once a vital Underground Railroad crossing point. It's a humble one-room museum, but with the help of its main advocate George Johnson who moonlit as our guide, the story it tells hits deep. You don't just read about freedom here—you feel the weight of what it still costs for some organizations in Buffalo to thrive to this day.
A few blocks over, Buffalo Naval Park and Canalside offers a fully layered experience. On one side, you've got live music, riverside energy, and family-friendly events, but on the other, powerful memorials to Black and Latino veterans—names and faces too often overlooked in our American War history. This wasn't just another tourist stop, it felt like sacred ground.
Outside the city, The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center takes Buffalo's rich Black cultural history even further. Here you realize how much Canada played a critical and often time risky role in helping enslaved people not just escape—but truly live free. The museum's design pulls you in, the storytelling keeps you there. It corrects the watered-down versions of the Underground Railroad we were taught in school and tells the truth with clarity and care.
And if you want to further understand Buffalo's Black legacy, the African American Heritage Corridor walk is a must. Start with the Michigan Street Baptist Church, where freedom seekers once found refuge. Hit the Nash House Museum, home to civil rights leader Rev. J. Edward Nash. Then end at the Colored Musicians Club—still active, still vibrant, still the only Black-owned music club of its kind in the U.S. The walls don't just echo jazz—they echo resistance, resilience, and Black brilliance.
And for a nightcap with soul? Silo City's Duende is where Buffalo's industrial past has transformed into a creative designed area for you to enjoy Buffalo after dark. Massive grain silos turned into art spaces that host raw live music, poetry, and no fluff, just puro vibes.
End your trip with a visit to Buffalo's City Hall which surprisingly, one of the country's best examples of art deco architecture. Take the elevator to the observation deck and let the panoramic view sink in. It's the perfect vantage point to realize you didn't just visit Buffalo. You got taken.
How Buffalo Got Away With It
Buffalo didn't just welcome me, it reminded me how rich, layered, and full of heart the 'other' New York really is. I came looking for content, I left with a connection. Buffalo pulled a heist on my whole perspective. This city, its food, its people, its past, has snatched my heart and rewrote my map of what 'New York' actually means.
I came here thinking I'd capture Buffalo. But the truth is? Buffalo captured me.
Rafael Peña is a travel advisor, member of the International Luxury Hotel Association, and founder of the BLUX Travel Club, which curates solo and group trips, as well as relocation services tailored for BIPOC travelers. With over a decade of experience as a travel strategist, journalist, and public speaker, Peña is dedicated to reshaping his community's approach to travel.