History of Buffalo Chicken Wings

Fort Walton Beach's favorite wings since 1990!

An experiment on a cold, windy night in 1964 was the creation of Buffalo Wings. Several regulars at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. were drinking beer and getting HUNGRY. Dominic Bellissimo was behind the bar while his mother, Theresa, was in the kitchen improvising a snack for the grumbling customers. She deep fried some chicken wings, basted them in hot sauce, and served them with celery sticks and bleu cheese. They were an instant sensation and soon “mamas” late night snack had everyone talking about the “chicken wing lady!” The snack soon became the most popular at their restaurant, and eventually spread to other restaurants in the area and from there down the coast to Fort Walton Beach.

Mama Bellissimo isn’t with us anymore, but the bar she and her husband, Frank opened in 1940 still is. Dominic’s daughter Donna, operates it now and mama’s secret recipe lives on - the same recipe Buffalo’s Reef uses today to make our delicious wings.

You may never make it to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., but trust us, our wings are prepared the same way and you just saved yourself a 20-hour drive!

Mike Hanley, Owner