Food is major part of the identity of any city.
Philadelphia has the cheeseteak and Kansas City has their barbeque, but as the City of Buffalo continues to undergo a renaissance, the identity continues to grow beyond wings and beef on weck.
"Local restaurant week is a great time to go out and try something new," Christa Hobatt tells 7 Eyewitness News.
"That’s what we encourage people to do. it’s the idea behind it’s to go and try something you’ve driven by a few times but you haven’t stopped in."
For 16 years, this week long event has featured hundreds of restaurants and this year is no exception. This year 202 locally owned restaurants are featured, 21 of them for the first time.
One of the restaurants appearing for the first time, The Mahony located at 199 Scott Street in Buffalo, is looking to make a lasting mark on the $8 million dollar local restaurant business.
"I think the strong will survive Buffalo," Brian Mahony tells 7 Eyewitness News.
"When it come to dining out and eating they find their places they like if you consistently do a good job they'll find you."