WNY Insider for January 23rd

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Seth Greene

Jan 23, 2026

The News, Eats & Events Shaping Western New York

Dough, Drafts, and Daily Pasta: Frankie Primo’s Spins Off an Italian Market

Forno e Mercato has opened on Sheridan Drive in Williamsville, bringing a fresh, vibrant Italian café and market to the neighborhood.

The menu centers around the Roman-style pinsa — a crisp, thin-crust pizza topped with options like spicy sausage, burrata, and mortadella.

Local favorites include traditional Bombolone donuts, warm on Saturdays, decadent cinnamon rolls, and hearty breakfast pinsas perfect for early mornings.

Guests can shop for house-made pastas and imported Italian goods, and even watch fresh pasta being made in a unique open-factory setting.

Forno e Mercato also boasts a beer and wine license, offering signature +39 Italian Pilsner and curated table wines.

Owner Jay Manno spent over a decade crafting this inviting spot, drawing inspiration from celebrated Toronto cafés and transforming the old Walter’s Bakery space into a 4,000-square-foot destination.

The result is an everyday indulgence — a true taste of Italy now calling Williamsville home.

BestSelf Behavioral Health has opened the BestResponse Intensive Crisis Center at 430 Niagara Street, Buffalo, providing crucial 24/7 support for those facing mental health or substance use emergencies throughout Western New York.

This welcoming, trauma-informed space offers immediate care without appointments, including counseling, medication aid, and short-term stabilization.

Guests may remain for up to 23.5 hours, focusing on stabilization and seamless links to ongoing treatment.

Created in partnership with local county agencies, the new center addresses longstanding gaps by offering an alternative to crowded ERs, which often struggle with long assessment waits.

By providing rapid, compassionate support, the center aims to lower unnecessary hospital admissions and inpatient visits.

A $250,000 grant from the Patrick P. Lee Foundation helped enhance security and access features, backing this vital local resource.

Open to residents across five counties, the center ensures critical help is always accessible.

Western New York Land Conservancy is accelerating local conservation through strategic land acquisitions, strengthening the expansive Western New York Wildway.

In 2025, they secured the 226-acre Black Creek Preserve in Allegany County — a vital mosaic of forests and wetlands that helps safeguard drinking water and supports regional wildlife corridors.

The Conservancy also permanently protected the 86-acre Bush property in Wales, NY, a hardwood forest rich in streams and vernal pools near Hunter’s Creek.

These achievements are part of their “4 for ’24” initiative, which further adds the Paul and Kaiser properties in Concord and Wales Ravine to the Wildway’s network, extending crucial habitats.

Additionally, Cattaraugus County welcomed the 185-acre Janet Gallogly Allegany Wildlands with 2.1 miles of trails, further connecting key conservation lands.

Ongoing efforts aim to protect more of the Wildway’s 360,000 acres, ensuring vibrant habitats and clean water for future generations.