Citta' di Militello

This place is wonderful!  I've been searching for delicious, casual Italian food in our neighborhood and have finally found it.  The staff was polite and attentive and the atmosphere was delightfully casual.  I had the eggplant parm and my husband had the braciole, both were delicious, and the sauce on the pasta was to die for.  We had a our one year old with us and they were very accommodating.  I will definitely be returning!

I frequently drive and park right by this place when I'm going to the gym... It's a little Italian restaurant housed in a former bank! We came for Fathers Day dinner here a couple weeks ago and I was blown away! I am very picky about my Italian food, and Lisa, Bobby and staff did not disappoint! We had a party of 8 and were promptly seated and offered fresh bread with olive oil and butter to dip it in...yummy!

They have an extensive menu with so much to choose from. I really am a huge fan of Sicilian style sauce, which is a little sweeter. Lisa Militello, owner, and creator of most of their recipes, was our waitress for the evening. I absolutely appreciate locally owned places where it's evident that its a family affair and labor of love. She knows every detail of every dish impeccably and is more than happy to guide you through the menu with very thorough descriptions.

The family started with the Michael Platter, which was much like an antipasto on steroids! It was topped off with hot stuffed peppers. There was fresh veggies and meats and this was passed around and devoured! I saved room for bread then my dinner, which was chicken parm with a side of penne and meat sauce. I have found my new favorite place for chicken parm! The chicken cutlet was generous and lightly breaded, well done around the edges, just how I love it. The penne was al dente, another plus in my book. We'd be here all day if I had to describe my family's meals, and truthfully I was too into my own to inspect their's!

We were so happily satiated, but when Lisa started describing the desserts, we couldn't help but choose a few to share! The orange creamsicle cheesecake (which was a special, not on regular menu) was unbelievable. We also had Tiramasu (which I'm not a huge fan of, anywhere) but was well done in a sugar cone bowl. The Cassata cake? I've never had better!

We never felt rushed along or like we wore out our welcome. It felt like we were a part of their family, hanging out in the Militello home, and us Italians love to eat, talk and linger around the kitchen and dining room :) Bobby Militello was hanging around the entire time and when leaving, we got Dad's picture with him, as he's a huge fan of his jazz and contribution to the musical scene here in Buffalo.

Go here ASAP!

This year for Father's Day, my Dad chose Militello's for dinner. Even though he, my sister, and brother-in-law have been members of Gold's Gym which is now Catalyst Fitness (& reason for his gift of a Jawbone), for years, parking right next to this restaurant for years, no one had ever eaten here. We made a reservation for 8 people with no problem, for 5pm on Sunday.

There's plenty of parking, the staff is all friendly, the restaurant light and open, though a little dated. We ordered the Michael's Platter and shared between 8 people. It was just enough. It's kind of like a big antipasto which includes eggplant caponata, stuffed peppers, olive salad, meats, cheeses, etc. It was really good. They bring out fresh, house made bread with dipping oil that is just sooooo delicious!

I had a cup of the pasta fagiole, which I didn't really care for. It was so simple it was just meh. Butter beans, chick peas, fresh tomato, and broth. It was quite plain and just nothing to rave about. I tasted the lentil soup. Was a little better but had a curry flavor to it, which is weird for an Italian restaurant.

I ordered the cappellini (angel hair pasta) with a meatball and a sausage, and their house (Sicilian) sauce. I should add here that I had a Sicilian Grandma from Sicily (God rest her soul), who taught my Sicilian mom to make sauce, who taught me to make sauce, and I concur that Miltello's is indeed Sicilian style. A basic, rich red sauce that has had meat simmered in it. Militello's sauce is as good as what I grew up on. So, it's really good to me! Though the meatball and sausage were tasty, I prefer them simmered for longer so they are REALLY tender. But the flavors were good.

Three forkfuls in on my pasta and I was already full. Keep that in mind if ordering appetizers and soup. You may not need an entree. My Dad insisted on ordering desserts. We split 3 among 8 of us- Cassata cake, tiramisu, and creamsicle cheesecake. The cassata cake was my favorite. Tiramisu didn't have enough coffee flavor for me. And though I'm not a fan of creamsicle flavor, the texture of the cheesecake was excellent!

This is definitely the kind of place I only eat at on occasion. The food was delicious but heavy and rich. We had an overall pleasant experience, a really tasty meal, and were in good company. We'll probably be back for another special occasion!