Oliver's Restaurant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Nearly a Century on Delaware Avenue

Frank Oliver opened this restaurant in 1936, and the address on Delaware Avenue has been a reference point for fine dining in Buffalo ever since. When David Schutte took ownership in 2013, he brought with him a resume that reads like a map of American hospitality: a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, graduate work at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, a wine internship in Napa Valley, and years working with legendary restaurateur Joe Baum at venues including the Rainbow Room in New York City. A full renovation in 2021 sharpened the space into something that honors the landmark's bones while feeling unmistakably current.

The People Behind the Experience

Executive Chef Chris Keller is a Buffalo native who trained at Niagara Falls Culinary Institute and built his craft at well-regarded local restaurants before stepping into the executive role in 2020. His approach centers on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and he has pushed the kitchen's American cuisine into territory that feels new on each visit. Chef and partner Ross Warhol, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America and spent time in Texas refining his love of seasonal cooking, describes each plate as a blank canvas — an ethos that runs through the kitchen's work.

General Manager Mike Ciancio joined the team in 2013 as a backserver and worked every station before taking the GM role in 2017. His beverage program is the foundation of something genuinely serious: Wine Director Anthony Pandolfi oversees a list that draws on France, Italy, and California with enough depth — typically 350 or more selections — to earn Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence, a distinction held by only 1,704 restaurants worldwide. It is a rare honor in Western New York, and one the team has earned more than once.

A Program Built for Wine Lovers

The wine commitment extends beyond the dining room. Oliver's Wine Club invites members to help shape the list directly, with access to exclusive selections, customizable tastings, and subscriber-only events. It is a natural extension of a restaurant that takes its American cuisine seriously enough to pair it with one of the most carefully curated cellars in the region.

Buffalo Business First readers have voted Oliver's the number one restaurant in the city three years running — a local verdict that aligns with the international recognition. Private dining rooms, catering across the region, and a separate venture at Kleinhans Music Hall round out an operation that has grown well beyond a single dining room without losing the focus that made the original address matter.