It seems like we have lost so many amazing restaurants in the past year and a half, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two more Western New York Restaurants are closing their doors. The iconic restaurants are Lake Effect Diner and The Steer, which is located at 3151 Main Street in Buffalo. The The Lake Effect Diner, located at 3165 Main Street in Buffalo, was featured on The Food Network and Jeopardy,

A '50s diner reborn with what Guy called a "scratch cooking gone wild" style, Lake Effect Diner even cures their own ham. Try upscale versions of old classics like blueberry pancakes, or expand your palate with the Italian-style Fish and a side of mac and cheese.

Both restaurants are owned by Tucker Curtin and the Curtin Family Restaurants. The Lake Effect Diner closed its doors for good on Monday, August 16, 2021. The Steer shut down on Tuesday, August 17. Curtin says that a lack of employees is the reason for the closures.

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Credit: Swamp Yankee via Youtube

Credit: THE STEER BUFFALO via Youtube

Lancaster Diner To Close Doors, Another Victim of the Pandemic

In addition to the two restaurants above, a popular Lancaster diner announced that it is closing its doors, due in part to the financial impact of COVID-19. According to WGRZ, the beloved Aunt Robin's Diner will close permanently on August 22, 2021. Robin Finsterbach, the owner of the diner, which was formerly named Uncle Tom's Diner, was a cook there before purchasing it seven years ago.

On August 12, Aunt Robin's held one of its final dinners, providing free spaghetti meals to anyone who wanted or needed one. Finsterbach told WKBW that giving back is a tradition she has maintained throughout her ownership of the restaurant,

We did a Thanksgiving meal for everybody, same with Christmas, so we've been doing free dinners for the community for seven years now. Last year during the pandemic we got to still do our dinners, except Easter when everything was shut down.

The diner gave way more than 350 complimentary meals. Its Facebook page says that they ran out of food within 40 minutes. Aunt Robin's suffered a fate that many other restaurants in Western New York have, all due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to survive financially, closing their doors is the only option. It's sad because years from now when hopefully, we are out of the pandemic, we will look back and realize how many landmark businesses we lost.

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