Cornelia

1285 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222
$$ Contemporary

The Buffalo AKG Art Museum offers a fast-casual dining experience at Cornelia, located in the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Town Square. The menu was designed to push traditional boundaries by placing an artful spin on classic dishes. Enjoy morning pastries with tea, coffee, or espresso drinks. Stop in for fresh breakfast and lunch offerings served counter service, or make a reservation for table side dinner Thursday and Friday evenings, or Sunday Brunch. Please note that the cafe opens every day at 10AM and the kitchen opens every day at 11AM with the exception of Sunday Brunch. Cornelia will close from 4 to 5 pm for dinner reservations.
Hours of Operation:
Monday, 10 am–5 pm
Thursday, 10 am–8 pm (Dinner*: 5-8PM)
Friday, 10 am–8 pm (Dinner*: 5-8PM)
Saturday, 10 am–5 pm
Sunday Brunch, 10 am–3 pm*
*Denotes Table Service, reservations recommended but not required. From 3PM-5PM Sundays the kitchen will offer a small plates menu with grab and go options.

Reservations

Booking Notes:

Accepting reservations for Thursday and Friday dinner service and Sunday brunch.

Business Info

  • Address: 1285 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222
  • Cross Street: between Elmwood Ave and Lincoln Parkway
  • Cuisine: Contemporary | New American | Vegetarian |
  • Cost: | Inexpensive
  • Category: Casual Dining
  • Star Rating:
  • Reservations: Recommended
  • Dress Code: Casual
  • Meals Served: Breakfast | Brunch | Lunch | Dinner |
  • Parking: Street | Underground Garage |
  • Payment Options: VISA | Amex | MasterCard | Discover | Diners Club | Cash | Apple Pay | Debit |
  • Corkage Fee: N/A
  • Phone: 7162708228
  • Features: Full Bar, Outdoor Seating, Takeout Available, Tasting Menu, Wheelchair Access, Lounge / Bar, Healthy Options, Free Wi-Fi,
  • Occasion: Child Friendly, Romantic Dining, Dining Alone, Business Dining, Meet for a Drink, People Watching, Special Occasion, Vegetarian, Quick Bite, Trendy / Hip,

Photos

Business Hours

Reservations Available
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
False

Customer Reviews & Ratings

4.71 out of 5 stars based on 262 votes

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Sep 11, 2024
Karen S.
Service was excellent

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Aug 31, 2024
Laura R C.
Restaurant is too cold. Again. Best risotto ever though.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Aug 26, 2024
Joan B.
Excellent service. Would have been better if you had almond milk available for coffee.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jul 30, 2024
Tamara D.
Really wonderful food and a beautiful intimate setting. Would highly recommend!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jul 07, 2024
Kelly C.
Always amazing !

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jun 30, 2024
Angela J.
Lovely experience, nice spot to have a drink and meal. Kind courteous staff, in an intimate setting.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jun 22, 2024
Robert M.
It was a pleasure to dine at Cornelia! Kevin D. took exceptional care of us and chef Jessica is a visionary with a talent. Thanks to all for a fine dining experience.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 6/10
Value: 8/10
Jun 11, 2024
April T.
We sat in the enclosed area, so between the music and full room it was hard to hear. I wish I had asked to be seated outside of the enclosed room.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jun 04, 2024
Paul C.
We had a great time. Thank you!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
May 29, 2024
Brian K.
A wonderful surprise for a first experience. Will be back

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
May 26, 2024
Marc M.
Amazing artistry fusion of flavor with every plate, 10/10, recommend all your friends, and we will be back! Service and staff was as expected for the dining experience, exceptional. There was an extra treat of a live electric violin through dinner just outside the doors. I would recommend to dress business casual at least for this fancy yet casual dining scene.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Apr 22, 2024
Carol R.
Great Experience!! The entire staff was very attentive and professional! I will definitely return!!!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Apr 16, 2024
David R.
Magnolia was our server; she was excellent. Nice relaxing pace for brunch

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Mar 26, 2024
Molly P.
Delicious brunch!!! We’ll definitely be back!!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Mar 23, 2024
Michael L.
Food was exquisite. Our party of 3 had 2 duck entrees and a scallop entree. A little pricey, but worth every penny.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Mar 21, 2024
Sue C.
We had a great brunch! Food was outstanding as was the service! And as always, great to see Kevin!!!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Mar 19, 2024
Walidah A.
Would be nice if their were high tops or bar seating in the dining area!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Mar 19, 2024
Lindsay K.
Everything was fabulous! Thank you so much for a great evening.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Mar 18, 2024
Marlyce J.
The overall experience was AMAZING!! The food was delicious! The service was great! Magnolia is super sweet!! It was a nice sunny day, so the ambience was perfect! Will definitely return for brunch soon!!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Mar 09, 2024
Jess B.
The only thing really was disappointing with the cheese and charcuterie board was advertised falsely. Make that correction and 10/10

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Mar 03, 2024
Anne D.
A little pricey but wonderful overall experience!

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Feb 23, 2024
Mary K.
All of the above deserve a 10. Magnolia, our server was delightful.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Jan 23, 2024
Nadia G.
Cornelia is outstanding, even better than I'd expected. We'd arrived when just the lunch menu was available for the dinner service, but that got us incredibly excited about what the dinner menu is going to be! We loved the beet hummus, the cheese plate, and the scallops, the atmosphere was warm and lovely, and the service was attentive and prompt.

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Dec 17, 2023
Molly R.
The scallops were wonderful

Overall: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 8/10
Nov 05, 2023
JAN D.
Very pleasant meal. Really enjoyed the apple and walnut salad.

Overall: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Sep 15, 2024
Elizabeth H.
What a wonderful experience! The food was superb and the presentation was second to none of our previous dining experiences. The wait staff was attentive without being intrusive. There was only one thing that was less than excellent. My partner ordered soup and the special salad and I ordered the hummus. We were expecting a very leisurely dinner. After some period of time we were asked if we were ready for our entree. We weren't, so we told the server we would be ready in 10 minutes. It would have been nice to have continued our leisurely meal. Thanks so much for a very delightful dinner.

Overall: 9/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Aug 26, 2024
Todd K.
Very, very good…we both had the hash and it was excellent! Beautiful space and the service was awesome! Thanks, Ryan! Hope to see you again!

Overall: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Jun 17, 2024
Tracey M.
What a great find! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The menu offered a little bit of everything and was well thought out. Service was excellent. Would have appreciated a quick run-down of what pastries were available (what a great partnership with Butter Block!). We had a reservation, but the staff was unprepared for us when we arrived. Sitting with a view to the atrium is lovely, but sitting with a view to the wall is not worthy of the rest of the excellent experience.

Overall: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Mar 09, 2024
Dot B.
the service was great. It was a really busy night at the AKG, loud

Overall: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 8/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Dec 01, 2023
John W.
Wow! The food was wonderful. We weren't expecting to have such a sumptuous feast! Thank you!

Overall: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 5/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 8/10
Nov 18, 2023
Monica S.
We arrived at 5:30, thinking that would be plenty of time for dinner prior to the 7PM concert right across the hall. We were the 2nd group there and ordered by 5:40. We ordered and watched all the tables around us being served. finally at 6:35, I asked why we were not being served. We were told that one at our table had ordered a meal (braised lamb) which took extra time. I’m not sure why, since braised lamb was surely prepared in advance and just re-heated. But at any rate, we could have been told that one meal was going much longer. but the service was otherwise great and the food, when it’s finally arrived was good. BTW, the bread was fantastic.

Overall: 8/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambience: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Nov 13, 2023
Marg F.
You all did a great job on the first night of the jazz concerts. Continue to provide an excellent menu and good service,
Business Response:
Dear Ms Flynn, Thank you so much for your kind words.

Overall: 8/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Ambience: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Nov 06, 2023
Mary Ann B.
Venue is beyond compare! Dinner was great. Greeting upon arrival needs work. Service started off slow. All is forgiven as it was one of the opening nights

Overall: 7/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 2/10
Ambience: 7/10
Value: 8/10
Jun 30, 2024
ilana s.
Delicious food but really amateurish deplorable service with 45 minute wait for the appetizer and almost on top of that arrival of delicious entrée but not well timed. Also, there was absolutely deafening music coming from the atrium that made conversation difficult.

Overall: 7/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 9/10
Value: 9/10
May 01, 2024
Todd K.
We visit Buffalo often from Toronto and have recently joined the AKG as members. We have tried Cordelia a couple of times. What works is the space and the food is very good. The service was good (thanks Magnolia) with a couple of exceptions. Firstly, we arrived at 10am for our reservation and the food didn’t arrive till close to 11, despite the fact that others who arrived after us received their orders quite some time before we did. Secondly, when we arrived at 10, the manager (I assume) offered us a table right near the front desk…no one else had yet arrived and this is arguably the least desirable space in the restaurant. We asked to be moved and were moved, but why start out with worst table? Maybe the manager is trying to provide a superior experience for his regulars…hence the delay in our meals and the table. We are regulars in many places and have benefited from this sort of thing; but, I would say that it’s generally managed with more finesse. I’m sure you understand that creating new regulars requires that level of finesse.

Overall: 7/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Ambience: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Mar 27, 2024
Maggie N.
We were there on Sunday One, March 24 at 1:30. Party of 4. One of our party got a piece of plastic in her food. When she took it back the waitor said that had happened once before. So that was a bit disturbing. She didn't want another one, and she was not charged for her entre. We also got all of our drinks comped which was nice. Overall nice place except for that experience.

Overall: 7/10
Food: 3/10
Service: 8/10
Ambience: 8/10
Value: 3/10
Nov 11, 2023
Tom L.
Staff was super friendly. Atmosphere was great except music was too loud. But the primary criticism (shared by all four of us) was the food quality. The scallops were tasty but the accompaniment was too heavy-handed. Similarly the lamb dish was heavy and the lamb flavor totally overpowered. There should be a side element like a green vegetable or small salad. You get the scallops and starch and nothing else or the lamb and starch and nothing else. Less starch and add a vegetable. For the prices the food should be better. We've had lunch at Cornelia and that was better than the dinner.