It’s a mistake many folks make simply through assumption. But Buffalo is neither the official nor the unofficial Wing Capital of the US. The real Wing Capital of the the US is Memphis!
Authentic Memphis BBQ: With Spicy Honey Dry Rub!
With over 200 wing joints packed into the mid-sized city, wings outnumber even its famed BBQ spots 2 to 1. According to self-appointed Wing Specialist
Unlike other civic obsessions in other great American cities with long, unique histories, Guinto notes, “The city runs the wing game: it has its own festivals, signature sauces and rubs, and a wing trail that draws travelers from across the country.”
Memphis is the unofficial home of Honey Gold BBQ – making it one of the newest ‘traditional’ Amer-ican BBQing centres. In fact, Guinto notes, only since the ’90s, when the Memphis wing scene exploded into a full-blown culinary movement has it led the US Wings parade.
More than just Honey…
But there’s more to the ascendance of Memphis as the new Wing lovers’ Mecca. Fans such as the nouveau-leaning Guinto have been popularizing it as the ‘origin’ of other new, 21st Century classics. Classics such as the parallel phenomenon known as the Pickle Craze, which remains the ‘big US culinary thing’ half way through 2025.
By the way… did you know that well-established Memphis Spicy Honey Garlic and flamin’ hot Mem-phis Buffalo flavours are already sweeping the nation?
My take
And that’s just the start. On reflection, I have to agree that, if ever was there was another southern cultural centre to vie for the title ‘culinary capital’ of anything, it’s Memphis and BBQ. It’s a natural pairing of cuisines.
I predict we’re going to be hearing a lot more about Memphis and Memphis Wings through the impending future!
~ Maggie J.