By Francesca Bond
BY FRANCESCA BOND
July 2, 2025
What’s happening on the Buffalo-area food scene
As long as you don’t know Italian, the name is appealing enough.
A culetto is a type of Italian sandwich that Nando Silenzi’s family has been making for at least 150 years − and may have invented. Silenzi opened a new fast-casual restaurant, da Nando, built around the sandwich at 4401 Transit Road in Clarence.
The sandwich’s defining quality is its vessel. It’s served in a hollowed-out half loaf of bread, which Silenzi bakes in the kitchen. He scoops out the loaf’s fluffy innards to form a crusty pocket, similar to a bread bowl, and stuffs it with whatever fillings the customer desires: imported Italian deli meats and cheeses, housemade meatballs and vegetables. He squishes everything down with his fingers.
“You follow football? You know the ‘tush push?’ ” Silenzi said while squeezing some salami into a sandwich. “When a guy gets behind the quarterback and pushes him from behind? This is the culetto push.”
Which brings us to the name. Culetto, in Italian, means “little a**.”
“A lot of people have dipped their bread in. And a lot of people have taken the middle out,” Silenzi said. “But we label it ‘the little a**.'”
da Nando is not your average strip plaza sandwich shop.
The clues are there as you walk to the counter. First, you pass a wall of framed portraits of deceased mothers. You may spot a crucifix sprouting from a display of Lay’s potato chips. Then Silenzi will hand you a free small sandwich to eat while you deliberate your big sandwich order.
“I remember everyone, and their problems, too,” Silenzi said. “The most important things in life are neglected and taken for granted: food, conversation and family.”
Business is personal for Silenzi. His family members have died, so he treats his customers like family. One of his restaurant’s taglines: “Strangers become friends and friends become family.”
Silenzi also has dedicated his restaurant to mothers. “We have a reverence here for strong, independent women,” Silenzi said. “This is not the city of friendly neighbors only, it’s the city that loves their mothers.” He invites his customers to bring in framed portraits of their late mothers for him to hang on the wall. Within four months of opening, he already has 92. Silenzi sits with each customer and their mother’s portrait while playing their mother’s favorite song over the speakers.
Silenzi builds each culetto according to the customer’s taste. He uses imported Italian deli meats − mortadella, capicola, soppressata and salami − and cheeses, such as a sharp, aged provolone and creamy fontina. He also makes his own meatballs and chicken cutlet. Each sandwich bursts with toppings, such as a housemade caponatina (a salad of grilled zucchini, olive oil, olives and capers). Culetto sandwiches are $15 to $19. Silenzi also serves salads ($14 to $16) with housemade croutons and meatballs ($20 to $30).
da Nando is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and noon to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Restaurant news
Chiavetta’s won’t be opening a new location in Lancaster. The barbecue restaurant and catering business has called off its plans to open a third location at 5389 Genesee St. in the former Al-E-Oops restaurant. “The timing simply isn’t aligned for us right now,” said Chiavetta’s on social media.
Squeeze Juicery is moving its Williamsville location down the street. The smoothie bowl and juice restaurant is closing its original Williamsville location at 5419 Main St. and opening a new restaurant about a half mile down the road at 5712 Main St. next to Jersey Mike’s and Chipotle.
East Aurora has a new butcher shop. Stocked with sausages, steaks and burgers in time for “your Independence Day grilling needs,” Golden Calf Artisan Butcher is open at 603 Oakwood Ave. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Owner Tyler Stewart used to operate a butcher shop with locally sourced meats in the Finger Lakes.
Food events
The 42nd annual Taste of Buffalo is returning. Sample foods from around 40 local restaurants from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 12 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 13 at booths along Delaware Avenue, from Chippewa Street to Niagara Square. Festival newcomers include Dimples Pancakes (traditional Dutch mini pancakes), Is That Grandma (Louisiana-style gumbo) and MAC Lady Catering (lobster mac and cheese and vegan mac and cheese). Admission is free, but each food and drink sample must be purchased with tickets. Ten-ticket sheets cost $7. Each food costs between four and 10 tickets. Read more about what’s new for this year’s festival.
Elmwood Village cheese shop Amabel Provisions is holding a one-year anniversary cheese party at 6 p.m. Aug. 3 at The Beer Keep (1002 Elmwood Ave.). There will be a “dope cheese spread.” Tickets are $50 and include a free drink from the bar.
Have an idea? Email fbond@buffnews.com.
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