The award-winning motor-sports themed restaurant Quaker Steak & Lube added another award to its ever growing list of honors when it took home the 2012 Festival Favorite at the National Buffalo Wing Festival. The two day event took place on Sept. 1 and 2 at Coca Cola Field in Buffalo. Approximately 40,000 people attended the event.

"We are extremely satisfied that the excellence of our sauces is recognized by so many chicken wing fans in the Buffalo-Niagara Region," said Nick Scott Sr., president of Scott Enterprises Inc.

Dunkin' Donuts has announced plans for sustained growth and expansion in Western New York during the grand opening of a new restaurant in Tonawanda.

It was another beautiful summer evening, Thursday, Aug. 16, when four civic groups met at Five Senses Park on Ward Road to enjoy Wheatfield Lions Club's annual steak roast.

The Brickyard Pub & BBQ, 432 Center St., in Lewiston, is hosting its 15th annual Celebrity Bartending Night from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug 23.

Attendance was down a bit this year due to intermittent rain, but organizers of the Smokin' Eagles International BBQ Festival reported a lot of happy customers last weekend at Gateway Harbor in Tonawanda.

There's nothing like a barbecue festival to set your taste buds on alert.

This weekend, wander down to Gateway Harbor in Tonawanda and take a deep breath of sauce, spices and grilling meat - the Smokin' Eagles International Barbecue Festival is back.

Friday on "LIVE! with Kelly," host Kelly Ripa and guest co-host Nick Lachey announced that actress and author Marilu Henner is the winner of "LIVE's" summer-long "Grilling with the Stars" competition, and the recipient of the coveted Golden Grill trophy, plus $25,000 for her charity of choice, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Sean Conlin, a former Niagara County 4-Her from Lockport, recently took third place in the Chuck Wagon Challenge to benefit the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, N.Y.

Corpus Christi Church is once again looking for Buffalo's best pierogi. This historic east side church is hosting its fifth annual "Buffalo's Best Pierogi" contest on Saturday, Aug. 18. It begins at 4:30 p.m., and is open to all amateur cooks and businesses.

Santa Fe was named "Best for Food" in the 2012 Rand McNally/USA Today "Best of the Road" competition. The New Mexico town topped five other destinations - including Lewiston - to take the title. The official announcement was made Tuesday afternoon as part of the Destination Marketing Association International annual convention in Seattle.

Casa Antica, 490 Center St., is offering all of your favorite menu items on the patio before each "Tuesday in the Park" concert at Artpark.

The "Road Bros," the "Best for Food" travel judging team of Mike Shubic and Brian Cox, have posted a video of their time in Lewiston. Check it out:

Residents and local volunteers welcomed Mike Shubic and Brian Cox to Lewiston at The Silo Restaurant Wednesday night.

Travel judges Mike Shubic and Brian Cox, better known as the "Road Bros," visited Lewiston this week to see if the 30-restaurant-village has what it takes to become "Best for Food" in the Rand McNally/USA Today "Best of the Road" contest.

Sandy Hays Mies, event coordinator for the Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens, has announced the winners of the 2012 People's Choice Awards.

"Best for Food" judges Mike Shubic and Brian Cox are in for a treat when they visit Lewiston on Wednesday. The "Road Bros," one of Rand McNally/USA Today's Best Small Towns in America travel teams, will receive a police escort down Center Street to a gathering at The Silo Restaurant. There, they'll find a "rousing welcome."

Judges coming to Lewiston for national contest; Travel Channel will be in Lewiston accompanying judges; public reception scheduled for Wednesday at The Silo Restaurant. Watch the preview video.

Lewiston is finalist in USA Today/Rand McNally "Best for Food" contest.

Ashker's Juice Bar, Bistro and Gallery opened this past week in the Village of Lewiston. The popular Center Street eatery was a little later opening this season due, in part, to the opening of a third Ashker's location (1002 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo).

Grand Island is home to a new gasoline convenience store brand with the opening of the long-awaited Dino-Mart at the corner of Ransom and Stony Point roads.

Nominated for USA Today's "Best of the Road, 2012 Best Small Towns in America"; Lewiston fans urged to vote and write quick reviews.

Can you help promote Lewiston to a national audience? Do you have a couple of minutes to sing Lewiston's praises?

It's a Friday night and, despite the numerous best pizza and chicken wings awards on the walls of Roman Café, a hungry gaggle of people has one thing in mind: fish.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, Village of Lewiston and The Silo Restaurant, in cooperation with the Niagara River Anglers, will celebrate one of the region's most famous natural resources as they host the Lewiston Smelt Festival.

Congratulations goes out to Sanborn's Roger Drake, who won the recent www.wnypapers.com "Best Fish Fry" contest and received a $25 gift certificate to an area restaurant. He entered by voting for the restaurant he considered "king of the sea-food."

The Silo Restaurant will open for the season on Monday. Proprietor Alan Hastings has completely renovated the kitchen with all new, well, everything, he said. The goal is to accelerate the ordering process.

Dunkin' Donuts will support efforts to cure muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by collecting donations in its Buffalo-area restaurants to benefit the MDA through the "Make a Muscle, Make a Difference" campaign.

The initiative will run from April 8 through April 18 at participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants throughout the greater Buffalo area.

Tickets are now on sale for the fourth annual Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens, set for June 9 and 10. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Lewiston and Youngstown. Six entertaining and cooking spaces will be featured.

Carol Calato, board chair of the Lewiston Jazz Festival, has announced that the organization will host its annual fundraiser, "Jazz & Pasta," on Sunday, April 29, at Water Street Landing.

The 2012 event will include jazz, pastas from area restaurants, a cash bar and a Chinese auction.

Casa Antica hosted a traditional St. Joseph Day Table on Monday.

Located in Buffalo's theater district, Encore presents a sort of closure to a theatergoer's evening. The restaurant's happy hour can also represent a final and entertaining conclusion for anyone's evening, or it can stand alone as a frequent hot spot for those in need of an upscale dining experience.

Encore has two floors and outdoor seating for when the weather is warm. The hardwood floors, brick walls and beautiful fire places give a rustic and spacious feel. With so much space the restaurant can play host to large parties, and can provide a private dining area for any event you may want to hold.

The bar is also large and spacious and continues with the restaurant's rustic setting.

Buddy Valastro, star of TLC's "Cake Boss" and "Kitchen Boss," demonstrated Italian-cooking to a sold-out crowd at the Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Center Street restaurant expands, adds menu items.

It's easy to see what customers like about Sandi's Family Restaurant.

Diana Sproveri is bringing her signature dessert to Ryan Miller's annual fundraiser.

by Joshua Maloni

My brother and I don't share the same tastes.

He's a purple shirt and green Converse-clad Dave Matthews follower. Me, I'm a black and white and Nike-d fan of U2 and alt-rock. We don't agree about music, fashion, sports, politics or which "Godfather" movie is best (by the way, Matt, it's the first one).

But there's one thing my brother and I always agree on, and that's the taste of a breakfast bagel sandwich at Tommy George's The Villa Coffee House.

While actor and musician Dan Aykroyd isn't a god, that didn't stop legions of fans from telling the "Ghostbusters" and "The Blues Brothers" star "We're not worthy!" when meeting the iconic performer Saturday at Supermarket Liquors in Niagara Falls.

So ... incredibly ... tasty!

The menu at Barker's Pizza, Wings and Things is a pretty young thing.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and perhaps that's true. But it's also fair to say it's the easiest meal to miss, especially when one is rushing out to get to work on time (or at least fashionably late).

In the battle of man versus food, Grand Island won.