The opening of Bidwell – “A different kind of restaurant in Buffalo, NY”

This morning I posted on the opening of Days Park Tavern in Allentown. And now, right across the street, Bidwell (dinner club) is preparing for its opening.

Bidwell is the brainchild of Matt and Courtney Gunther, who initially came up with the idea for a 12-seater restaurant in Buffalo when they were living in NYC (see back story). At the time, they were experimenting with a dinner club concept in their apartment, which proved to be a big hit with their friends and acquaintances. So much so, that they decided to run with a similar concept upon moving/returning to Buffalo. Instead of an apartment however, they opted to build out a swank restaurant at 242 Allen Street. 

Cozy tables for 2, 4, or 6 diners, or pull up a chair at the counter-height seating

Since I initially wrote about the couple, they have been busy with the restaurant buildout, which took longer than expected. With the pandemic running rampant, there were supply chain issues. On top of that the City and the SLA were sluggish, with limited hours and staffing.

Other than the pandemic-related slowdowns, Matt and Courtney say that the are now prepared for the big opening day. They have already held two soft openings, with two more scheduled for this coming Friday and Saturday.

As of today, they have opened up their reservation bookings for subscribers on their e-blast list. Already there has been a rush to book one of the limited number of tables, where 12 guests will be treated to a 9 course menu, composed of 3 smaller starter plates, five savory course dishes, and two desserts. Adding to the demand for a table, there is a limited one seating per night – making the experience very dinner club-esque.

A taste of what diners might expect to find.

Starting February 1, the public will be invited to book reservations. According to Matt and Courtney, the best way to get the jump on the early bird reservations is to sign up for the Bidwell email list. From there, special invites will be sent out, allowing for ‘first dibs’ booking opportunities. Be sure to join the email list – there is a link on the Bidwell website.

“So far, people have been very excited. Since the email was sent out, we’ve seen a lot of people making reservations,” said Matt and Courtney. “We’ve also gotten a lot of feedback that our restaurant concept is filling a gap in the Buffalo dining scene. There are other restaurants with tasting menus, but we’re the only one with a one-seating supper club dinner party atmosphere.”

Reservations for February seating will open to the public on January 27. In the meantime, join the Bidwell email list to see what all of the hype is about. You are guaranteed to never miss a beet, or any other farm-to-table vegetable that chef is preparing for a special evening in Allentown.

www.bidwellbuffalo.com

Find Bidwell on Instagram

hello@bidwellbuffalo.com

Bidwell | 242 Allen Street | Facebook

All reservations begin at 6:30pm | Dining experience is approximately 2 hours | Choose table seating or counter seating