Chicken Wings You'll Flap Over

Jan 13th 2011 4:02PM / by Nanette Wiser

True wing lovers debate endlessly -- drums or flats, naked or not, sauced and tossed. Buffalo-spicy style (mild to inferno) are yesterday's flavors. Tampa Bay wings go wild, favored with teriyaki, garlic parmesan, Hawaiian savory, hickory smoked barbecue, lemon pepper, Cajun, original 100 ways and other sauces. Deep-fried chicken wings served with a hot sauce and blue cheese dressing originated at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., circa 1964, and are so quintessential that chains such as TGI Friday's, Hooter's, Mugs 'N Jugs, and the Wing House made their reps on having a leg up on wings. In St. Petersburg, MidTown Sundries and Clearwater's Quaker Steak and Lube are top roosters. Here are some of our other favorite cluckers.

Green Iguana: Let her drink the frozen pupu drinks, while you down a pound of wings for only $6.99 in these scrumptious flavors: Island Chili, Lava Sauce, Sweet Caribbean barbecue, Jamaican Jerk (not named after your ex-boyfriend), spicy Honey Dijon, Southwest Chipotle BBQ and the original.
See website for multiple locations in St. Petersburg and Tampa.
Hattricks: Hattricks is a simple sports bar, its wings a variety of hot or barbecue. But if you dine in, it offers 50-cent wing specials during its daily happy hour. Buckets of beers, cheap brews during happy hour, and cheerleader-pretty servers make it all so easy to hang out all night.
107 S. Franklin St.; 813-225-4288
The Original Honey's Sports Bar: With a sister restaurant in Niagara Falls, this authentic taste of Buffalo Wings are amazing and Bills' fans love them. Try the BBQ raspberry, honey garlic and charbroiled ones as well the beef on a weck, an upstate favorite perfect for Super Bowl.
11115 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.; 813-264-1616
Walter's Press Box: With its old-fashioned newsroom bar decor, Walter's Press Box serves elegantly meaty, deep-fried jumbo wings that come slathered in mild to atomic Buffalo sauce, or Selmon Brothers BBQ, honey BBQ or Cajun, served with celery and blue cheese for dipping. Feeling healthy? Order them up in a salad or wrap.
222 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.; 813-876-3528
Varsity Club: People come for the hot garlic or Italiano wings, and stay for the Asian sesame, teriyaki, lemon pepper, Cajun and the rest of the menu, especially the sensationally smoking nachos.
36355 E. Lake Road, Palm Harbor; 727-781-4455