Like a beacon of light, the sun illuminated a path to lead us to the reported birthplace of the Buffalo Wing. Local legend has it that Teressa Bellissimo was at the Anchor Bar in 1964 when her son Dominic made a desperate late night plea to feed him and his friends. With limited options to consider she improvised and chose to deep fry some chicken wings, typically meant for the stock pot for soup, and flavored them with a “secret sauce.” This improvisation was an instant hit and quickly advanced from local legend to global phenomenon.
Wanting this historical narrative to be true, but armed with at least a little skepticism, I just had to discover if all of the hype was warranted. It took me all of my first bite to release any doubts that I possessed and I found myself contemplative while awaiting the multitude of flavors to arrive. These wings are immediately addictive, have an inexplicably crunchy exterior, are accompanied by an abundance of sauce to complement their juicy and tender interior, and I was shocked at how quickly that first one was followed by 21 others. 🤯
I would highly recommend that you study the sauce spectrum carefully prior to ordering and select at least two for comparison purposes. One of my selections was the “Spicy Garlic Parmesan” (which is only 1 rung above “Medium (Original)” and it featured a delayed, but joyful burn. Hesitant to express itself initially, it draws comparisons to a rocketship afterburn, so when your server provides you a glass of water it’s not just for show. Neither is the celery or that stack of napkins lying in front of you. You’re gonna get real familiar with those 3 amigos early on during your meal to help extinguish that fire in your pie hole. They’ve been at this for more than 60 years and know what they’re doing and exactly what necessary equipment you’ll need!
Your wait to get a table can be long (especially if a Bills game is imminent) so plan your visit strategically.
As my wing boneyard will atest, time flies here as your unbridled ravenous urges are manifested!
And that’s…Henry’s Take.
Photo credit 📸 @danavoros
#buffalowings
Anchor Bar
1047 Main Street
Buffalo, New York
(716) 883-1134
