Flavors · Buffalo

Buffalo wings

Fried chicken wings not breaded and coated in a hot pepper and butter sauce, served with celery and blue cheese dressing. They were created in Buffalo in 1964, according to the most accepted version.

Traditional dish from Buffalo, New York

Also known as: Buffalo chicken wings, Hot wings

Updated October 2026

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Buffalo wings — Buffalo, the United States — Buffalo wings

Buffalo wings — Buffalo, the United States

Buffalo wings are chicken wings cut at the joints, fried without breading until the skin is crisp, and tossed in a red hot-pepper and butter sauce. They come to the table with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, which cool the heat.

The most accepted origin points to the Anchor Bar, a family-run Italian bar and restaurant in Buffalo. According to a resolution of the New York State Senate, Teressa Bellissimo created the dish on March 6, 1964: she fried wings that would have been used for soup, tossed them in a hot sauce, and served them with celery and blue cheese. The region’s tourism office says her son Dominic asked for a snack for friends who arrived late at the bar.

There are other versions within the family, and a local competitor, John Young, also claimed to have created sauced wings around the same time. The stories remain disputed.

The heat level ranges from mild to very hot depending on the sauce chosen, and wings are served by the dozen to share.

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Where it comes from

Buffalo , New York
Created in Buffalo in 1964, according to a New York State Senate resolution.

Ingredients

Chicken wings, red hot-pepper sauce (cayenne-type) with butter, celery, and blue cheese dressing.

How it is eaten

With your hands, dipping the wings in blue cheese dressing and alternating bites with celery. They are usually ordered by quantity and heat level.

When it is eaten

Year‑round, as a snack in bars and on game days.

Your questions

Questions about Buffalo wings

Where were Buffalo wings invented?

In Buffalo, New York. The most accepted version attributes creation to Teressa Bellissimo at the Anchor Bar in 1964.

Why are Buffalo wings served with celery and blue cheese?

Since the earliest version, celery and blue cheese dressing accompany the wings and help balance the heat of the sauce.

Are Buffalo wings very spicy?

It depends on the sauce: there are options from mild to very hot, and the heat level is usually chosen when ordering.

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