Santasiero’s was a longtime favorite lunchtime destination of mine. I was a big fan of their pasta e fagioli that came with perfectly spiced sautéed peppers. For years, I looked forward to eating that dish on a cold winter’s day, and it was consistently prepared quickly by a dedicated kitchen crew and delivered by a no-nonsense, friendly wait staff.
A little over a year ago, I arrived for lunch and was asked by a waitress if I had made a reservation. “A reservation?” I asked. There were only two other people seated at the restaurant at 2pm. “Yes, we’ve changed our policies.” I looked at her dumbfounded and replied, “So you’re not going to seat us?” She thought about it for a minute, and said, “Ok, but just this time.” I never went back.
I hadn’t thought about Santasiero’s for a while, until I heard the sad news that John Brands Jr. – the fourth-generation owner of the restaurant – had passed away earlier this year. Word on the street was that the eatery, founded in 1921, was closed until further notice. Not only had the casual – and iconic – West Side lunch and dinner spot shuttered, its status as one of the oldest operating restaurants in the city of Buffalo had abruptly ended…