Buffalo’s best wings

Nine-Eleven Tavern

Named after the two pieces of land it occupies, 9 and 11 Bloomfield Ave., Nine-Eleven Tavern is the only restaurant on this list that does not use traditional Frank’s Hot Sauce for their wings. Instead, owner/chef Mark Gress has created his own secret from-scratch recipe, which is so closely guarded that (rumor has it) even thousands of dollars could not buy access to it. The wings are coated in a sauce that has flakes of Parmesan and a sweet and tangy flavor wing purists will either love or hate. Hidden on a side street in a residential area, this is a true chicken wing gem that is a favorite of many highly respected foodies. Like many small Buffalo bars, make sure you stop by an ATM before you’re visit because they only take cash. It’s my favorite wing in Buffalo and they took home an award in Chowzter’s 2013 North American Awards in San Francisco.

Donnie Burtless is the Chief Chowzter for Buffalo, N.Y., and the author of BuffaloEats.org . To contact Donnie, email buffaloeats@gmail.com.