Meet the American who gave the world Buffalo wings
Teressa Bellissimo served the very first batch of Buffalo wings at Anchor Bar on March 4, 1964. They're now America's most iconic appetizer.
National Chicken Wing Day was first proclaimed, appropriately enough, by former Buffalo, N.Y. Mayor Stan Makowski in 1977.
The day of deliciousness is celebrated each July 29.
But every day is chicken-wing day to millions of hot-wing enthusiasts around the United States.
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Here's a look at six all-American hot-wing hotspots.
These are independent businesses that boast huge local followings and the most fiery, delicious and flat-out best chicken wings in America.
Booty’s – Surprise, Ariz.
Surprise indeed! Booty’s was voted the fan favorite wing last year at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, beating out the best poultry peddlers from around the nation.
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It also won first-place honors at the festival for its traditional medium sauce.
Booty's now boasts several other locations around Arizona and routinely tops national lists of best wing joints in America.
It offers an impressive array of nearly three dozen different wing sauce and rub flavors.
Wendell's is a hidden-gem hot-wing joint in Norton, Mass., offering what loyal fans say are the best wings in the nation. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
Dave’s Grill & Grocery – Aiken, S.C.
One of America’s most unique places to eat, Dave’s offers wings only on Wednesday. But wing aficionados say they're some of the best in the nation and are worth waiting for until hump day.
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"A cool place. It's also a butcher shop and an ethanol-free gas station," Michael Stern, publisher of RoadFood.com and author of the many "Road Food" travel guides, told Fox News Digital.
"Dave's wings are wonderful!"
Double Dubs – Laramie, Wyo.
Double Dubs earned national acclaim last year when it won first-place honors in the "extra hot" sauce category at the National Buffalo Wing Festival.
With a fleet of five Wyoming food trucks, Double Dubs founder Trent Weitzel has big ambitions.
He announced on Friday, in honor of National Chicken Wing Day, that he will attempt to set a Guinness World Record next July by selling 55,000 wings in a single day at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Double Dubs, of Laramie, Wyo., boasts a fleet of five food trucks offering wings made with hot sauce voted the best in America. (Double Dubs)
The current record holder is the Village Casino of Jamestown, N.Y., which sold 40,210 wings in 24 hours.
Duff's Famous Wings – Amherst, NY
Tourists go to Anchor Bar. Buffalonians go to Duff’s.
At least that's the word in hot-wing circles in Buffalo, the physical and spiritual home of the hot wing, an American obsession.
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This beloved local wing joint has since expanded to more than half a dozen other locations in Western New York and Ontario.
All Duff's wings come with a warning: "Medium IS HOT! Medium Hot is VERY HOT! Hot is VERY VERY HOT!" the company proclaims.
Legend Larry’s – Sheboygan, Wisc.
This is a no-frills but beloved Wisconsin wing joint where customers order wings by filling out a paper slip with their favorite options.
"Very delicious, very consistent, very old school," says "Wing King" Drew Cerza, founder of the National Buffalo Wing Festival.
Legend Larry's is "very delicious, very consistent, very old school." — ‘Wing King’ Drew Cerza
Legend Larry’s is famous for its signature D.O.A. sauce. "This one will burn," its website says, "but unlike many other extra-hots, it'll taste great, too!"
The original location opened in 2001. The store has since expanded to Green Bay, Manitowoc and Sheboygan Falls.
Wendell's – Norton, Mass.
This is the ultimate hidden-gem wing joint.
National Chicken Wing Day is celebrated on July 29 around the nation, including at Wendell's in Norton, Mass. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
The family-owned small-town favorite boasts only one location and — its loyal fans say — the best hot wings in America.
Wendell’s offers a rare combination of intense heat paired with a savory mouth feel.
The wings are served in wooden salad bowls with plenty of sauce.
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Instead of carrot and celery sticks, Wendell's wings come with a fresh-baked Portuguese roll.
The new Wendell’s Reaper sauce is made with insanely hot Carolina reaper peppers. They look and taste amazing.
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