As much as we love a folding table filled to the brim with barbecued wings, dips and sheet pizzas, even tailgating favorites can start to feel like a rerun by Week Three.
If you’re looking to level up your gameday spread without firing up a grill at 8 a.m., these local businesses offer ready-to-eat options that deliver big flavor and bragging rights with zero prep. Bring any one of these to your next tailgate to ensure you’ll get invited back every game.
The Bagel Jar
9 E. Union St., Hamburg
6940 Erie Road, Derby
The Bagel Jar's bagel box includes 24 fresh bagels, three half-pound tubs of whipped cream cheese and a half pound of butter.
If your squad is tailgating before the sun’s fully up, then The Bagel Jar has your back. Their bagel box ($75) includes two dozen fresh bagels, three half-pound tubs of whipped cream cheese and a half pound of butter, providing the ideal base for a full day of tailgating. Stop by their Hamburg location on your way to the stadium, and your fellow mafia members will thank you.
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Pro tip: The loganberry cream cheese, created in homage to their Buffalo roots, is a must-try.
Barrel + Brine
155 Chandler St. Suite #3, Buffalo
Barrel + Brine's flavor options range from Honey Chipotle, classic Chesapeake Bay dills and garlic dill sauerkraut.
Relish in the flavors of traditional pickling perfected by husband-and-wife duo RJ and Lindsey. Their fresh fermentation techniques make Barrel + Brine’s artisan pickle trays bold, briny and endlessly snackable. The trays ($45) deliver color and crunch to any tailgating spread, loaded with your choice of pickles and serving up to 20 people. Flavor options range from Honey Chipotle to classic Chesapeake Bay dills.
Pro tip: Looking for a perfect way to top off your brat? Try B+B’s garlic dill sauerkraut.
Moneybag Dumplings
69 Chenango St., Buffalo
Moneybag Dumplings can be ordered on Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash, and fillings include classics like Sesame Chicken and vegan options like Jerk Cabbage.
Juicy, crispy and easy to serve: Moneybag Dumplings’ 50-piece platter ($46) is a tailgate gamechanger. Choose from classic flavors like Sesame Chicken and Black Pepper Beef or go local with options like their Buffalo Cheddar Chicken. These pockets of perfection come with sweet Thai chili sauce and individual serving sticks so everyone can get in on the action. Order via phone (716-345-7901) or Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Pro tip: Check out their equally delicious vegan varieties, such as Soy Mushroom and Jerk Cabbage.
Southern Junction
365 Connecticut St., Buffalo
Southern Junction's Kerala-style meatballs and Texas twinkies: bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with brisket and cream cheese
It’s not just any tailgate dish that comes courtesy of a chef who’s been nominated twice for a James Beard Award. Southern Junction’s catering menu is stocked with crowd-pleasing appetizers, available by the pan. They include meatballs smoked in their signature Kerala-style curry ($30); turkey croquettes deep-fried in beef tallow ($30); and their famous Texas twinkies ($60): bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with brisket and cream cheese. Forks and knives are optional, but don’t forget a Texas-sized stack of napkins.
Pro tip: Orders must be placed at least five days in advance. Set that phone reminder now!
