SIGNED

Great Italian food! My wife and I almost literally licked our plates clean. All dishes come shareable too so I recommend ordering a bit of this and that. Dishes are a la carte but doesn’t feel like you’re getting cheated at all. Well worth the money. Bonus points for automatic gratuity to pay their staff fairly and help you avoid doing math after a satisfying meal.

I was a huge fan of the former DiTondos on Seneca Street, so this new variation had a lot to live up to. First off, the updates and renovations are amazing - and were much-needed. The atmosphere inside is completely different from the "hole in the wall" cram of the previous Tavern, and it feels very authentic and welcoming. I have dined twice - once for lunch, and once for dinner, and both times went with the Lasagna Bolognese. I think perhaps it is the best I have ever tasted - absolutely delicious. The staff is very friendly and professional, and service was good. We tried numerous of their desserts - both amazing. Prices are not cheap, and portion sizes are moderate, so I would only rate the overall value as "acceptable" for the money we spent. Lots of free parking nearby on Seneca and adjacent streets (very short walk). Will definitely return based on the setting, and based on the quality of the food.

I’ll start by saying this would’ve been a good meal if I had spent a hundred dollars less than I did. The food is not on par for the price tag, unfortunately. The service was amazing in the atmosphere was beautiful, but I come to a restaurant to eat food, not admire exposed brick walls. The drinks were great and the Parmesan puff are probably my favorite part of the meal, but when the pasta puttanesca came, I was nervous from there on out. It lacked the flavor and funk that I expect from puttanesca. It was acidic with little else. Moving on with the meal, I ordered their Bavette steak with a green peppercorn sauce, and my partner ordered their swordfish. The flank steak was cooked to perfection, but the green peppercorn sauce was nothing more than a butter sauce with a couple whole peppercorns floating around in it. It also lacked flavor. There is no salt and pepper shakers, nor Parmesan to add to any of the meals, they come, as is. This would be perfectly fine to me if the meals themselves were seasoned appropriately. My partner swordfish was cooked well, but it was over powered by the herb topping they placed over it. The dish was being carried by the olive oil drizzled over the top. We decided to give them a make or break moment with dessert. Needless to say, it was a break. “ the best tiramisu in the city” as per Buffalo news, it’s such a thick layer of cocoa powder, dusted over the top that I genuinely choked when taking a bite. Their polenta dessert that they had listed on their menu was described as polenta with an almond crumble topping. Without any further description, I assumed that this would be creamy polenta with a crunchy topping. I was given a small plate of a polenta cake that was more akin to a nature valley granola bar. Perhaps this was on me for assuming, but a more detailed description should’ve been provided. The same problem happened with the steak’s green peppercorn sauce. It tasted like a butter sauce with barely any peppercorn brightness or floridity. Luckily, I ordered a cappuccino that I could dip it into, but the cappuccino didn’t have very much foam on top, and was scorching hot. Once again, I will repeat that I had such high expectations going into DITONDO because of the price tag and upscale atmosphere it exudes. The best service and ambience in the world means little if the food isn’t up to snuff. With the small portion sizes and lack of wow factor in their meals, I will not be dropping another 200 dollars on a meal at DITONDO again.

DiTondo is like an escape to Italy for the most delicious, authentic meal you will experience in Buffalo. If you have been to Italy, you will appreciate the simplicity of the dishes and the quality of ingredients. The space is well thought out, so beautiful, cozy, and still casual. There isn't a better lunch spot in Buffalo. The owners are so warm and personable and it couldn't be a better experience! Specials seem to change frequently and the wine is amazing!