An ultimate wing weekend in Buffalo, New York

Before going viral was a thing, pop singer Jessica Simpson famously captured attention in the early 2000s when she asked if Buffalo wings are made of buffalo. They, of course, are not. Perhaps the question that’s actually crossed your mind is this: were Buffalo wings invented in Buffalo, New York? 

I’m happy to report that the answer to this is yes, and traveling there to learn more about this savory bar snack will also teach you a lot about the history of the city. Sometimes food is great hook for an ultimate weekend learning about a new place – and there's a lot to love about a culinary getaway in New York state's second-largest city by population. 

Fair warning: by the end of a single day, I consumed more than two dozen wings, which was nowhere near the record set in 2023 when James Webb devoured 276 wings at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in just 12 minutes. 

What is a Buffalo wing, and why would I go to Buffalo for it?

What the world now knows as the Buffalo wing is this: a chicken wing halved, deep fried but not battered,  covered in a buttery cayenne pepper hot sauce, and served with celery and blue cheese. It pairs deliciously with pizza, beer and your favorite sports team taking down its rival. 

The wing burst into worldwide culinary attention in the 1990s, when the Buffalo Bills were a powerhouse in the National Football League, making four consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl (though you’d be polite not to remind locals that the championship trophy remains elusive). 

As the lore goes, reporters descended on the city searching for feature stories to publish in anticipation of the big event, and many of them settled on the popular local version of chicken wing, which at the time was  unique and rather low-priced pub grub. 

If you ask locals which ones are best, everyone will give you their own passionately prepared argument on why you must stop at their favorite place. (“You have to go to Duffs,” one of my Uber drivers insisted.)

When should I go to Buffalo?

My advice is to schedule this trip in summer or early fall, when the weather is pleasant. Align your trip with National Buffalo Wing Festival and you'll be able to try a lot of tasty wings in one stop. You can also have a lot of fun building this around a weekend when the Bills are playing at home to experience how passionately the city comes alive with support for their team. 

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Buffalo has absolutely brutal winters with an average snowfall of 77 inches a year due to lake effect snow. Maybe that's your cup of tea – but if not, aim for the summer or early fall. 

What is Wing Fest?

The National Buffalo Wing Festival started out as a joke. The idea came from an obscure Bill Murray movie from 2001 called Osmosis Jones. Murray played a character obsessed with Buffalo wings, and one of the major plot points is that he was headed to a Buffalo wing festival. 

At that point, there was no such festival. But once the idea was floated, Wing Fest founder Drew Cerza ran with it. It has now grown into the festival where Buffalo wing chefs compete for the title of best wing. In 2025, vendors at the festival served more than 12 tons of wings to more than 7000 visitors from 47 states and three countries in 2025. 

What else should you put on your itinerary?

You could certainly spend a weekend hoping from wing stop to wing stop. But, in order to not burn yourself out on wings forever, combine the weekend with a few of the city's other famed culinary stops as well as some of the area's cultural and natural attractions. Note that I used an Uber the entire weekend, but you might consider renting a car instead. You'll have a lot more flexibility, especially if you want to head out to nearby Niagara Falls. 

Here's a look at what I did over a long weekend in Buffalo.

Friday: arrive in Buffalo

Afternoon
I arrived on Friday afternoon and needed to kill a little time before checking into my hotel. So for my first stop I went for lunch at Bratts Hill, located in the historic Larkin neighborhood and known for its Jamaican cuisine.

The restaurant is named for the spot where Chef Darian Bryan grew up in Jamaica and during lunch, the restaurant is casual, serving filling bowls of curry and jerk chicken as well as oxtail. Do not pass up the plantains!

After lunch, check in to your hotel and relax for a bit. (For a stay with a story, check out the Richardson Hotel, which was once an asylum.)

(By the way, the restaurant transforms at night, leaning into Chef Darian's background in fine dining. if you have a special event to celebrate, plan ahead to book a reservation.)

Evening

In the evening, I grabbed happy hour with a friend at Resurgence for beers, which has a lengthy list of brews to try while catching up. For dinner, I took a ride over to James Beard-nominated barbecue restaurant Southern Junction for dinner, which blends the flavors of Kerala, India, with the slow-roasted barbecue of Texas. There was a healthy line when I arrived, but I didn't regret the wait to sample the Texas Trinity, a collection of brisket, sausage and pork ribs. 

Saturday: A day of wings

Mid-Morning
My trip was during Wing Fest weekend so I seized my chance to taste test creations from wing makers from around the US. The towns I spotted on my trip included Syracuse, New York; Waterford, Connecticut; and Dayton, Ohio. 

After admission to the festival and then buying a pack of tickets to buy wings, I made my way around vendors.  The menus were clever assortment of flavors. Sushi Tempura, Sofrito Loco, Go Blueberry. I stood in a lengthy line in front of Holy City Publick House from Gloucester, New Jersey, for the Peppermint Patty, a brown and green sauced wing. I know how it sounds – but it actually tasted pretty good after eating a half dozen spicy wings. 

Several tents offered souvenirs dedicated to the chicken wing. I spotted blue Buffalo chicken wing patterned bucket hats and everything from kitchen towels to life-size replica chicken wing earrings, complete with glitter to celebrate Buffalo’s home football team: the Buffalo Bills. 

Planning tip: If you can’t plan your trip around Wing Fest, don’t worry. The city has a Buffalo Wing Trail, and you can use it to hop between a few spots in town. 

Afternoon

One of the reasons I suggest a summer or an early fall trip to Buffalo is Buffalo Bike Tours' Wing Ride runs until snow hits. Researched and run by owner Marc Moscato, it sends visitors on a bike ride winding through Buffalo’s neighborhoods to investigate a crucial question: who invented the Buffalo chicken wing?

“Wings are a working class food for a working class city,” Marc told my group of travelers just before we pedaled through one of the neighborhoods that historically faced segregation and redlining, the racially discriminatory practice of refusing loans and other financial services to residents in “financially risky” areas.

Throughout the ride, Marc pointed out landmarks of the city’s history through the story of the Buffalo wing. One of the most interesting stops was where we met Lina Brown-Young, whose dad, John Young, was the “King of Wings," having opened a popular wing shop in Buffalo in the 1960s.

Lina shared the story about how her dad got inspiration for his beloved mumbo sauce consisting of tomato and fruit flavors. She then gave us a chance to taste it, serving his legendary seasoned full wing covered with the sweet sauce. 

The tour then crossed town to Anchor Bar, founded by Frank and Teressa Bellissimo in 1935 and largely credited with what we readily recognize as the Buffalo wing today. It's a wing cut in half, fried but not battered, then slathered in a spicy sauce. It's served with blue cheese and celery. 

The lore is this: in 1964, Teressa’s son was working the bar when his friends came in hungry, looking for something to eat. Teressa quickly cooked up a delicious treat for them, using the inexpensive chicken wings typically reserved for the stock pot.

I left the tour with a full belly, pondering the history of the chicken wing and the city. 

Evening

If somehow after a full day of eating wings, you haven't run out of steam yet, spend the evening at Duende for live music and a nightcap. 

Sunday: stroll and see art

By this point, I was ready to do a few things other than sample the wing scene.

Morning

In the morning, the city was still sleepy as I grabbed breakfast at Five Points Bakery, which is known for its toast and has a delectable collection of pastries. 

After fueling up, I did my favorite thing: see the city by foot. I wandered over to Elmwood, popping into some of the local stores along the way. My favorite stops were French Girl Boutique, around the corner from Five Points Bakery, whose owner has a beautiful collection of clothing and items from her hometown in the South of France, as well as Talking Leaves Bookstore further down on Elmwood. 

My walk then took me to the AKG Art Museum, where I wandered through the enjoyable Northern Lights exhibit featuring artists from Scandanavia and Canada. A heads up: a Yayoi Kusama exhibit is open through March 2026 at the museum.

Afternoon

After filling my mind with artistic inspiration, I was ready to go back outside. I headed to Canalside to soak in the sun in the park (and enjoy a beer). After a bit, I took a break to learn some history, popping into the Waterway of Change exhibit for a quick visit. The exhibit gives a brief history of the Erie Canal, and you'll gain a new perspective about the dramatic impact of it on Buffalo and the region.

Monday: check out Niagara Falls

Morning

There's really no way to explain the feeling of the mist from the three powerful waterfalls straddling the US-Canada border that make up Niagara Falls. The first US state park, Niagara Falls State Park, is only about a 30-40 minute ride from downtown Buffalo. I had never been before, so I carved out time to learn more about this natural wonder.

Get close to the falls by water by boarding the Maid of the Mist (fun fact: the boats run on electric power) or on foot at the Cave of the Winds. You can also do both! The state park is also enjoyable to walk around and gives some great views from above the falls.

Planning tip: Build in some time to go across the border to Canada to see the falls from another perspective. 

Afternoon
Back in Buffalo, I scratched the itch of my inner historic architecture nerd by going to the Martin House, a Prairie style home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Buffalo businessman Darwin Martin. Built in 1903, the home has a fascinating arch of history, abandoned at one point before being preserved by the community.

After learning more about this city treasure, I had to make my way back home. If for some reason you don’t get your fill of wings while you’re in the city, you have one last chance back at the airport where there is an Anchor Bar location perfect for a last minute order before your board your flight.

Melissa traveled to Buffalo on invitation from Visit Buffalo Niagara. Lonely Planet does not accept freebees in exchange for positive coverage.