Mira, the broadly Mediterranean restaurant opening on Elmwood Avenue next week, is Buffalo’s most-anticipated restaurant in years.

Exhibit 1: Last week, in the first 45 minutes reservations were open, 600 parties booked tables, said chef-owner Manuel Ocasio. Service begins Nov. 6.

Ocasio and pastry chef Gina Nalbone are newlyweds with restaurant skills honed in some of the nation’s top places. They chose to make their move in Buffalo, working for partners Brad Rowell and Caryn Dujanovich at Grange Community Kitchen until 1081 Elmwood Ave. was ready to meet the moment.

Mira means “look,” and Dujanovich’s transformation of the space into a sun-soaked seaside villa makes it easy to obey. Terracotta walls, wood paneling, and earth tones help create a chill space to focus on the pleasures of the table. Custom banquettes, lowkey lighting and expanses of tile have redefined the former Pano’s.

“The lighting at night is, like, super beautiful and moody,” Ocasio said. “You step in here and you feel like you’re in a Mediterranean restaurant, with the textures and the warm tones.” 

Warmth starts in the kitchen, home to a Basque grill and a coal oven that can sear at 1,100 degrees F, using Spanish hardwood charcoal. The menu is straightforward Mediterranean classics with artful touches.

Small plates include sesame focaccia ($9), with arribiata sauce and ricotta, suppli ($13), arancine with hearts of stretchy mozzarella, halloumi baked in pastry ($16), with honey and Sicilian pistachios, and tuna conserva ($18), with marinated onions, aji amarillo, semolina bread.

Lamb ribs ($42) with bomba rice and garlic yogurt, or sea bream ($44) with Calabrian chile breadcrumbs, fennel and arugula salad are among coal oven entrees.

Brisket and lamb sausage ($26) with scarlet runner beans comes off the Basque grill. So do salmon ($26) with pomegranate salad, harissa tzatziki, pistachio, and chicken thigh ($22), with roasted garlic tahini, pepperonata.

Pastas include culurgiones ($25), Sardinian-style braided stuffed dumplings with tomato passata, and pansotti ($28), Ligurian ravioli stuffed with squash, in brown butter and burgundy truffle.

Nalbone’s desserts include tiramisu ($10) with malted milk mascarpone, chocolate ganache, and espresso, milk and honey panna cotta with grapes and halva, gelato in milk chocolate and toasted vanilla bean, and Concord grape sorbetto.

Make reservations here. At publication time, the next available table is Nov. 12.

Mira, 1081 Elmwood Ave., mirabuffalo.com, 716-783-7000

Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, plus 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday brunch. Closed Sunday, Monday.

REVIEW: Tiny Thai is the only Thai restaurant in Buffalo that I know makes its own spice pastes. That’s what sets Kae Baramee’s restaurant apart from the Thai crowd. She’s born-and-raised Thai, and she cooks like it, too. (Thursday, for patrons.)

NIGHT OF SEVEN MOLES: In Mexico, no one goes harder on Day of the Dead than Oaxacans.

In Buffalo, no one goes harder than Maizal Mexican Kitchen, led by Leonel Rosario, a Oaxaca boy.

On Oct 27, you’re invited to join the Day of the Dead celebration and light a candle to honor your departed loves. Rosario will be cooking a once a year feast: Night of the Seven Moles, a rainbow of Mexican culinary genius, straight outta Oaxaca.

Buffalo usually only sees one or two of the complex Mexican simmer sauces, made from chiles, fruits, nuts, chocolate, spices and vegetables. Night of the seven moles is a masterclass: Amarillo and Verde. Coloradito. Manchamanteles. Rojo and chichillo. And negro.

Oaxacans love to dance. They dance for funerals, they dance for weddings. After cooking, Rosario takes off his chef hat and gets loose, turning the dining room into a dance hall with his wife Dolores.

Dinner and a show, for the liveliest Day of the Dead party ever. Night of the Seven Moles, $125 per person, Call Maizal for reservations, 716-428-5683.

PEPPER PALOOZA CHAMPS: Hundreds turned out for Pepper Palooza, the stuffed pepper exposition held last Sunday at Wings of Hope in Orchard Park.

In the traditional category, Fatman’s Pizza was proclaimed champion by both popular and judge vote  2712 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda, fatmanpizzawny.com, 716-693-7477

Osteria 166 got the judges’ nod on freestyle, with its crispy pepper risotto bites, served with vodka-sauce-like creamy tomato dip. Steelbound was the crowd’s champion, for Chef Amy Smith’s version.

Given the response, organizers said, expect Pepper Palooza 2026.

ASK THE CRITIC

Q: The Little Club is closing. It’s our go-to, hands-down favorite date night place and we are crushed, to say the least. Is there any way you can help ease the pain?

• Dave, via email

A: If you feel the loss of The Little Club, here’s some places that might help.

Waxlight Bar a Vin, for delicious, creative small plates that are unique in a good way. 

DiTondo, for principled restraint and authentic Italian touches, every ingredient honored. 

Inizio, for thoughtful small plates that can make pasta an afterthought and bonkers good bread. 

Cafe Bar Moriarty, whose alliance with French-trained butcher next door makes it the closest thing Buffalo has to a tapas bar – and a contender for the finest beef on weck in all the land. 

Beacon Grille, whose passionate small plates are celebrations of their own, before the big platters arrive.

More reading from Michael Chelus:

• Andrew wrote about the sandwiches at DaNando  [Four Bites]
• Brett wrote about the scratch made food and nostalgia to be found at Lovejoy Kitchen [Step Out Buffalo]
• WNY Beer Trail has released its 2026 WNY Beer Trail Pass [Buffalo Beer League]
• Bottles & Bites is returning to the Statler on 11/13 [Buffalo Beer League]
• The sixth annual CollaBEERation Festival will take place on 4/25/26 [Buffalo Beer League]
• Blue Eyed Baker is coming to Hamburg [Buffalo News]
• The former 7th Street home of Community Beer Works is for sale [Buffalo Beer League]
• Brian’s Buffalo Beer Buzz told us about a barrel aged celebration at Resurgence Brewing Company, the closing of Monster Beach and more [Buffalo Beer League]
• Francesca took a deeper look at cookies only found in Jamestown – pink-striped cookies [Buffalo News]
• Mr. Galarneau wrote about a Peruvian food find in Fredonia – Nana Peruvian Kitchen [Four Bites]
• Erik wrote about a Buffalo dive bar in the heart of Carolina Panthers country owned by a fellow Orchard Park High School alum – Thirsty Pallet [Buffalo News]
• Next year’s National Buffalo Wing Festival will take place on 8/29 & 8/30, the weekend before Labor Day [Buffalo News]
• Brian penned a game day guide to Buffalo Bills beers and ciders including offerings from Belt Line Brewing, 42 North and more [Buffalo News]
• Christa told us about Anthony Tringale, the man behind Eat Local New York [Buffalo Spree]
• Buffalo AKG is hosting three food-themed Pop Art studio classes this month [Buffalo Spree]
• The former Pano’s space on Elmwood will soon become Mira [Buffalo Spree]
• Chef Michael Dimmer wrote about a new bar that opened in Allentown this motnth – Equal Parts [Buffalo Spree]
• Christa asked some local food professionals to share their favorite local shops for sourcing the special items needed to make celebrations shine [Buffalo Spree]

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