Whether it’s Nashville, Korean, or Buffalo, here’s where to get your chicken wing fix in London.
Sticky Fingers is all-American, from the music to the diner-like décor, though going by the name you can guess the main draw. Go on a Wednesday for all you can eat BBQ and Buffalo wings with fries and a beer or shake for £17.50. Turns out Kensington locals don’t mind getting their hands dirty.
Louie’s
Louie’s is one of the very few joints in London to do it like they do it in Nashville. Which in this case means wings are marinated in spice, then floured, fried, and covered in a fiery cayenne sauce. Try it the traditional way – with sliced white bread and pickles – or dunked into cooling ranch or blue cheese sauce.
Big Easy are big and easy on their sharing dishes. Wings fall into that category, depending on the level of your restraint. It’s all about the BBQ chicken wings here, dry-rubbed and smoked in their pit room, partnering up particularly well with bit of slaw. Get your fix at their restaurants in Covent Garden, Chelsea, or Canary Wharf.
Flesh & Buns
If you hadn’t gathered from its Bone Daddies affiliation, Flesh & Buns is an East Asian-influenced setup, where there’s ceviche, sushi rolls, and Wagyu rump on the grill. The chicken wings pay a visit to Korea before landing on your plate, with a spicy sour sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
With sites in Aldgate and Hackney Wick, Randy’s has become a local’s favourite more than anything else. Variety is what they do well here, with seven plays on the chicken wing, from the Casablanca (infused with harissa and served with a honey, pomegranate and mint dressing) to the Gravy Train (cheddar cheese sauce, chives, and chicken gravy).
StickyWings
Portion sizes at Sticky Wings come in US and UK variants, while flavours include jerk and classic Buffalo. Be watchful, as they’re also known to occasionally dish up strawberry-sauced wings. These won silver at the prestigious National Buffalo Wing Festival in New York last year – but the jury could still be out.
The Blues Kitchen’s Buffalo chicken wings, served with blue cheese dip, is the very first thing on their menu. And for a very good reason. Make a beeline for the Szechuan wings if Asian flavours are more your bag.
Wingmans
A strong contender for best wings in London, Wingmans hold various award wins – in Europe and the UK – to their grammatically questionable name. For a distinctly American experience, settle in under a TV while the NFL’s on and let Wingmans keep you fed and watered.
Don’t feel like pandering to tradition? Chick ‘n’ Sours Disco Wings come two ways. Firstly, Kung Pao with soy, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic and chilli. The ‘Hot’ ones are slightly more down to earth, adorned with Frank’s Hot Sauce and a little Chick ‘n’ Sours sorcery.
This is a guest post from freelance food journalist Hugh Thomas. He’s contributed to Foodism, Time Out, Great British Chefs, and is part of British Street Food’s small team of vigilant writers. Find him on twitter @hughwrites.
