Twelve hours at Pano’s
By Vicki G. Marshall and Margaret M. Toohey; photos by kc kratt
A view of Pano’s newly renovated exterior facing elmwood avenue.
Pano’s fare still includes its usual favorites, including greek diner dishes and sandwiches.
The Foodies had been anxious to try out the newly remodeled and significantly enlarged Pano’s (1081 Elmwood, 886-9081). During a discussion of what we might focus on aside from the great “redo,” Margy’s husband, Tim, suggested ... breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Perfect. (Okay, so “twelve hours” is a bit of an exaggeration.) Eating at Pano’s, although not an actual twenty-four-hour restaurant, is definitely an around-the-clock experience, as we discovered on a cold, miserable, and rainy night in October. The restaurant had just reopened after a major renovation including the addition of an entire new upstairs dining room. (We will skip the controversy surrounding the project except to note that Buffalo once again underwent a divisive fight over historic preservation.) This Greek/American eatery has always been a popular place, and even though almost everything about it has changed, the food and the great variety offered have not. On a Tuesday night we had a brief ten-minute wait to be seated. The place was bustling.

On the way to Pano’s, Margy and Vicki had been chatting about food, of course. Margy mentioned the macaroni and cheese she and Tim had just had the night before from Bandana’s in Youngstown (see Spree, November 2008). She made it sound so enticing that when Vicki was presented with the menu of specials featuring lobster macaroni and cheese you can imagine what she wanted. We were joined by Keenan, Margy’s daughter, who takes her job as a “Foodie-in-Training” quite seriously and was concerned about how we could have breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at once. Once she realized that we could each order from a different place on the menu she agreed to have the lunch portion and opted for the turkey club sandwich ($8.99) served with a side of fries. Margy spied the shrimp fritters appetizer served with roasted red pepper remoulade sauce. It sounded so good we agreed to share. Then, after several “I’ll have breakfast and try your macaroni and cheese”s and “No, I always love breakfast”s, we finally agreed. Margy chose the chicken souvlaki and eggs breakfast ($9.99), and Vicki the lobster macaroni and cheese ($17.99).

When you eat at Pano’s, prepare to get a lot of food. In our experience, the Greek diner traditionally seems to lean toward gigantic portions, and Pano’s is no exception. Margy’s breakfast had a very large selection of well-seasoned souvlaki chicken pieces along with two fried eggs, home fries, and a side of warm pita bread. Keenan’s sandwich was very generous with a great pile of extremely tasty French fries on the side. And Vicki’s lobster macaroni and cheese? It was excellent, a very large bowl of penne in a rich, cheesy, creamy lobster bisque sauce filled with chunks of Australian lobster tail and spiked with wilted spinach and cherry tomatoes. It could have easily served two to three people. The menu at Pano’s is as large as the portions they serve, and one can order a broad variety of foods aside from their Greek specialties, including reasonably priced steaks, a rack of lamb, or pot roast dinner. The menu includes a chicken/baked spinach lunch and numerous breakfast items including pancakes or a pesto omelet with spinach, basil pesto, roasted red peppers, and cheese. Twelve hours, indeed.

A visit to Pano’s is worth it just to check out the remodeling job. It’s quite contemporary, its mix of booths and tables now in browns and tans. The bar area is quite extensive. Upstairs, reached by either a very steep stairway or an elevator, was equally cozy on that chilly evening thanks to the roaring fireplace. The same windows that open up to the summer air on the ground floor have been duplicated in the upper dining room and should make for a wonderful dining experience when the weather is warm. Pano’s is now open every day from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Executive chef Travis Dries came to our table when he learned we were there and shared some of the excitement over their reopening. The week prior to our arrival they had served over 10,000 meals. Not exactly a small feat for any restaurant in Western New York. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast, lunch, and dinner in less than twelve hours at Pano’s, and at $45, we think we had quite a bargain.

Vicki G. Marshall is a graphic designer. Margaret M. Toohey is CEO and owner of the Lewiston Insurance Agency.


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