Last month, we introduced you to 12 places that make top-notch chicken wings that you probably didn’t know about. These are spots other than the well-known locations that appear on everyone’s best-wing list, places like Swallow’s, Change of Pace and Nibsy’s.

I knew the spots I featured were just a few in a long list of wing makers, so I asked readers to send me their favorites. Hundreds responded, many on our “Where Syracuse Eats” Facebook page.

So I got back to work and visited your choices. At each stop, I bought the most popular wings and usually one or two other unusual options. After plowing my way through 34 orders of drums and flats, I can honestly say that Central New Yorkers know wings.

While each stop was vastly different, each have a few things in common: they all order fresh chicken from local vendors, and they all do takeout. They’re ready for Sunday’s Super Bowl.

One last thing before we get on with Part Two of our wing tour: I’m certain once again that I left off a few contenders. We can always do a Part Three. Drop me an email or leave a comment on the story.

OK, let’s go.

The Blazin’ BBQ wings at Limp Lizard in Syracuse. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Address: 4628 Onondaga Blvd., Syracuse

Most restaurants spend about 15 minutes preparing an order of wings. The chicken cooks in the fryer before a quick toss in a pail of sauce. Some might spend a few seconds on the flame grill to get charred before heading to the plate or basket. That’s it.

Wings at Limp Lizard take several hours. Mike O’Connell, the pit master at the Western Lights barbecue restaurant, starts each morning by lighting the smoker and arranging dozens of raw wings on the racks. They’ll sit there for three hours, absorbing the smoke from the smoldering maple wood.

When a customer orders a dozen, the jumbo wings go into the fryer for a few minutes to get crispy. Then they’re sauced.

It’s a process perfected by owner Chuck Orlando and Nick Ford, the general manager.

“People underestimate how much time we put into our wings,” said Nick Ford, who also is a partner in the restaurant’s North Syracuse location. “When you smoke wings you keep the meat juicy. That’s hard to do with wings that are just fried.”

The smoked Blueberry Jalapeno wings at Limp Lizard in Syracuse. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Lizard sells wings by the dozen, $10.99 for regular fried wings and $12.99 for the smoked variety. (They also sell boneless wings for $10.99, but those aren’t really wings, now are they.) You can choose from 10 flavors.

The Blazin’ BBQ flavor made with the restaurant’s signature sauce is mild and light, but the smokiness of the wing adds an additional layer to the flavor profile.

Do yourself a favor, though; try an order of the blueberry jalapeño wings. It’s the perfect appetizer to the smoked brisket or barbecue ribs, or it can be an entrée itself. I had them for dessert on Tuesday night, and it was the perfect ending to a big meal. They’re sweet, like a blueberry pie, and the touch of hot peppers smacks you just enough.

TIP: Come here to watch an SU game. Wings are knocked down to $8 per dozen, and the beer is only a few bucks.

By the way, let’s all thank one reader—Exlaxer78—for this stop. He/She wanted to know if any locals smoke their wings. “I’m talking fall-off-the-bone delicious,” he/she wrote.

I’m happy to report that the chicken fell off the bones.

Jake's Grub & Grog in Central Square. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 7 E. River Road, Central Square

At 1:20 p.m. on a Tuesday, the bar stools at Jake’s Grub & Grog are all taken. The 14 men and one woman have their eyes fixed on the flat-screens above. The TV on the far left is showing the closing arguments of President Trump’s impeachment trial; the other three are broadcasting “Gunsmoke.” (It was the episode from Dec. 3, 1973, where a widow falls in love with Matt’s wounded prisoner.)

“They love their ‘Gunsmoke’ here,” said longtime bartender Heidi Doran. “They’re such a fun group. We’ve got great people here.”

This fun group also loves the grub at this gathering spot on the shore of Oneida Lake, just north of the Onondaga County line.

Wings from Jake's Grub & Grog in Central Square. From left to right are: Buck's Seasoning wings, Fireball wings, and char-grilled bourbon wings. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Jake Burgett has owned the Grub & Grog for 14 years. He and his nephew cook the food. It’s here that they came up with the unusual flavors for their chicken wings.

Wings come in orders of 10 for $10. You pick from one of 17 flavors. For an extra $1, they’ll char-grill them.

Jacob Pucci, syracuse.com’s food writer, and I wanted to try flavors other than plain ol’ Buffalo. We bought an order of char-gilled wings with a bourbon sauce, an order of wings coated in Buck’s Seasoning and 10 Fireball wings.

The Buck’s Seasoning wings are a sauceless wing, perfect for the companion cup of bleu cheese dressing. They’re almost like a salt-and-pepper wing with a little garlic and other spices. (By the way, the owner of Buck’s ‘World Famous’ Seasoning frequents Jake’s.)

The most unique flavor here is the Fireball wing. It’s got a ketchup base with a healthy amount of the cinnamon whiskey, among other secret ingredients.

“My nephew came up with this a couple years ago,” Jake said. “People were drinking a lot of Fireball so we tried it, and it’s become very popular.”

Jake's Grub & Grog in Central Square. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Jake’s has a wing special during all SU and NFL games, including this weekend’s Super Bowl. A bucket of five 16-ounce beers and 10 wings are $20. That’s a savings of at least $2, depending on the beer you’re drinking.

Wings at The End Zone in Liverpool as Jenny Griffin tends bar. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 110 Old Liverpool Road, Liverpool

You know you’ve walked into a quality spot when the lunch special is 10 chicken wings and a draft beer for $10. That explains why the bar was lined with locals munching on chicken with pints of Miller Lite at 2 p.m. on a snowy Wednesday.

“Actually, all the food is good here,” said Jenny Griffin, an End Zone server for 14 years. “You should see the BLT. It’s like getting a pound of bacon.”

As good as that sounded, I was here to sample the wings, and Brian Gawlik was here to cook them. He suggested I split the orders so I could try more flavors.

Boom Boom wings and Teriyaki wings at The End Zone in Liverpool. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

A lot of restaurants now offer Boom Boom wings, and the End Zone’s are among the best. If you like saucy wings, order these. The sauce tasted like it had a mayonnaise base with garlic and chili.

The teriyaki wings had a thin coating of sauce that left them sweet with a just enough salt.

Sweet & tangy wings and 'Benny Hot' wings at The End Zone in Liverpool. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

The best flavor at the End Zone, however, was the “Benny Hot.” Longtime bartender Benny Kneer grows his own peppers, and he works his crops into the sauce. It’s not obnoxiously hot, but it will warm you up enough to ask Jenny for a refill.

Kneer also makes his own hot mustard, a perfect companion with honey to coat some End Zone wings.

Orange Crate Brewing Co. on the SU Hill. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 731 S. Crouse Ave., Syracuse

It’s hard to imagine this place once was a Bruegger’s where people lined up each morning to get a warm bagel and coffee. Now they’re lining up to get chicken wings and cold beer.

The Orange Crate Brewing Co., formerly known as Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s Bar, moved to this location in 2017. Owner R.C. Faigle yanked out the baskets that once held fresh bagels and replaced them with 20 beer taps and shelves for booze. He gutted the kitchen and added grills, ovens and deep fryers. He redecorated the dining room with 16 big-screen TVs and SU memorabilia. He also added outside seating.

R.C. gets cases of wings delivered three to four times a week. He never partially cooks the wings in advance to ease the kitchen’s load during the busy late-night crowd because he wants everything made to order.

He also prepares the house hot sauce from his grandfather’s recipe. Don’t bother asking for the recipe.

“I don’t even share it with these guys,” he said during a recent lunch hour. “On a busy night, they’ll call me and say, ‘You’ve got to give me the recipe because we need more,’ and I’ll say I’ll be right in. So I rush down and make more.”

Orange Crate Brewing Co. on the SU Hill. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

The jumbo-cut wings are $7.95 for six or $12.95 for 10. Orange Crate customers have their choice among nine sauces, and we can mix sauces to create our own style. Rance Hansen, the manager for the past year, said medium sauce with garlic parmesan is popular among the game-day crowd.

I couldn’t decide what to order, so Rance asked me a few questions about my tastes. In the end, he suggested the sweet & tangy wings mixed with the house hot sauce.

This guy knows how to please the customer.

Rance Hansen, a manager at Orange Crate Brewing Co. on the SU Hill, chats with customers during lunch who tried the PomPom Blonde beer. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Tip: Try the PomPom Blond ale. It’s a light hoppy beer with a citrus taste on the back end. It’s made locally for Orange Crate. I wish I could’ve had more than just a sample with my wings, but I had more stops to make, and I was on the clock.

Kosta Kousmanidis brings out an order of wings with a bonus slice of pizza at Kosta's in East Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 225 E. Manlius St., East Syracuse

Kosta’s popped up while searching for the Secret Sandwiches of CNY a few months ago. I didn’t think I’d be writing about this restaurant again so soon, but several readers insisted I return for the wings.

I’m always looking for a reason to visit Kosta Kousmanidis. The self-proclaimed Doctor of Hunger make an outrageous gyro, but he keeps you laughing the whole time you’re there.

“What happens if you don’t like the wings? You don’t pay,” he says. “What happens if you love the wings? You pay double.”

I ended up paying the standard $9.95 for the dozen, but I would have been happy to pay double or triple for these.

Hot wings from Kosta's in East Syracuse.(Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Kosta, who has run this restaurant for 32 years, keeps his wings simple. They come mild, medium or hot, and the hot isn’t offensively spicy. He makes the sauce himself, and it doesn’t contain butter, margarine or the standard Frank’s RedHot sauce.

He dusts each wing with a tiny amount of flour as he drops them into the oil heated to 375 degrees.

“I make my food the way I like to eat it,” he said. “If you put butter in the wings, you kill them.”

Kosta delivered the wings on a round pizza pan. The wings weren’t overly saucy on the outside, but they were juicy, almost as if they had absorbed his sauce.

Tip: See if he will make you some of his homemade chips. They’re just sliced potatoes, but the seasoning he sprinkles on top sets the tone for your entire meal.

Oh, and bring cash. He doesn’t take credit cards.

The wings from Toss & Fire Wood-Fired Pizza in North Syracuse: (left to right) Garlic Buffalo, Cajun Buffalo and Cheeky Monky. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 315 N. Main St., North Syracuse

Toss & Fire has been creating unique wood-fired pizzas since it started as a food truck five years ago. When owner Nick Sanford added a brick-and-mortar restaurant 3½ years ago, he expanded his menu to include salads, appetizers and, yes, chicken wings.

Now diners can get a Cuse Salt Potato pizza with a side of Honey Sriracha wings.

“We try to take the same approach to wings as we do with the pizzas,” Nick said. “We have unique flavors and combinations that you’re not going to get anywhere else.”

You can always order basic Buffalo wings, but that’s boring. I went with the dressed-up version of the standard: cajun Buffalo and garlic Buffalo. The foundation was a traditional hot sauce base, but Sanford built on that by adding zesty, savory and spicy flavors to the sauces.

The bar at Toss & Fire Wood-Fired Pizza in North Syracuse is full of local and state-brewed beer on tap. The taps are just yards away from the pizza oven. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

For kicks, I tried the Cheeky Monkey wings made with the spicy tomato dipping oil of the same name made locally. And that flavor turned out to the day’s winner.

I liked them so much, I got an order to go, but these were char-grilled. Now, if only Nick could figure out a way to coat the wing in fresh Pastabilities stretch bread.

Toss & Fire sells wings by the dozen ($13) or half-dozen ($7). You can have fried or char-grilled for an extra $1.

Tip: Wings are half price on Tuesdays, but you have to eat them in-house. Good thing they have a new craft beer bar full of New York State brews on tap.

Champ's Pizzeria & Fish Fry on Tipp Hill in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 1711 W. Genesee St., Syracuse

So much for writing about wing places people don’t know about. I walked into Champ’s during lunch last Friday and the guy in front of me was picking up an order of 30 wings and two calzones. In front of him was a gentleman wearing a navy suit paying for 60 wings (half hot, half medium) and two pizzas.

“We order from here all the time,” he said as he left. “It’s ready when we want it, and it’s always good.”

Zack “Champ” Yost opened this restaurant at the front of the city’s Tipperary Hill neighborhood in December 2017. A fire the following September forced him to close for eight months. He reopened in May 2019 and has been busy serving good food since.

The 'everything' wings from Champ's Pizzeria & Fish Fry on Tipp Hill in Syracuse. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Zach has at least 14 sauces for wings. But the one he swears by, and the one he says his customers like the most, is the “Everything” sauce. The recipe goes together pretty easily.

“It’s a combination of all our sauces together. I know it sounds crazy, but people love these,” he said. “It is one of the best flavor wings in the city of Syracuse, and I’m not saying that because I am the owner. I am saying that because the amount of volume we do in that flavor.”

I tried placing all the flavors with each bite I took. I even tried eating them slowly, something I never do when it comes to chicken wings. I found the parmesan, I got the sweet chili, and I identified the honey garlic. I must’ve finished the last one before I could locate the mango habanero.

What I really liked about these wings was the fresh oregano. It came out of nowhere, but it livened up an already festive wing.

Spicy Ranch wings from Champ's Pizzeria & Fish Fry on Tipp Hill in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

At Zach’s suggestion, I bought an order of his spicy ranch wings ($10 for 10). I usually scoff at people who ask if I want bleu cheese or ranch with my wings, but I obliged because the ranch is actually part of the sauce. What’s more, Zach knows food better than I do.

After eating these wings, I’ve decided I will only put ranch dressing on my salad if I can mix it with hot sauce. They’re messy, they’re spicy, and they’re darn good.

Town Tavern in Mattydale. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 2119 Brewerton Road, Mattydale

We’ve got nine men, two women and a dog relaxing at the bar at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday.

Norman, an 11-year-old West Highland Terrier, has traveled to the world with his owner, Robert. But the Town Tavern, Robert figures, is probably his favorite stop. He’s won a few Super Bowl boards here and hopes to win another this weekend. (Robert fronts him the cash.) Norman especially likes the hot dogs here.

“Yes, he does. Loves them. I get the soup,” Robert said, declining to give his last name because he’s retiring in a few days, and he doesn’t want his boss to know he was here before hopping onto one last conference call. “I’ve been coming here since the ’70s, and the food has always been good.”

The Town Tavern opened in 1946 in the spot that once was Blodgett’s Cafe. It’s the oldest bar in Mattydale, and it’s had six owners in its 74 years. Chris Benz is owner No. 6; he bought it from John Pogorzelski, who’s sitting at the bar next to me.

Chris says he makes it his mission to serve fresh food at a reasonable price: A $5 fried chicken sandwich, $5 pizzas with dough from nearby Di Lauro’s Bakery, and a $7 whole ribeye steak sandwich.

The 'Emily' wings from Town Tavern in Mattydale. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

The Town Tavern wings are $10 for 10, $18 for 20. Linda Cavallaro, the server, recommended the Emily wings. They’re named after a co-worker.

“They’re a little sweet, a little heat and a little sassy. Just like Emily,” Linda said.

Jake Pucci, my colleague from work, guessed the wings were a mix of garlic parm, hot buffalo and barbecue.

The 'Tangy Carolina' wings from Town Tavern in Mattydale. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

The Tangy Carolina wings are a honey mustard base mixed with barbecue sauce and just enough hot pepper sauce.

Chris develops his wing sauces at home and has customers try them out. That’s how he perfected the Tavern Sauce, a mixture of his house-made hot sauce and bleu cheese.

“People now put them on fries and tenders, not just wings,” he said. “It has to be just perfect before I start using it.”

Mark Hordies with his daughter Melissa at Pizzaz Pizza in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 1916 South Ave., Syracuse

Pizzaz is an old-school pizza shop in the city’s Valley neighborhood. Owner Mark Hordies bought it in 1987, and he hasn’t changed it much.

He’s had many of the same people churning out pizza and wings for years. His 19-year-old daughter, Melissa, now helps in the kitchen and makes all the desserts.

“We still make our own dough and cut our own cheese,” he said, spinning a ball of dough into the air for an upcoming order. “We still make wings that are saucy and very fresh.”

The medium wings from Pizzaz Pizza in Syracuse. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Wings here are either breaded or traditional bare wings. The breaded have long been the most popular, with traditional Buffalo wings a close second. You pick among the 15 sauces offered.

I bought five of the plain breaded and five medium Buffalo-style ($11 total). Before you start rolling your eyes, you should know I’m a wing purist and rarely order breaded wings, but I figured I should try them if they’re so popular.

I’m glad I did because they were delicious. They were nothing like chicken you’d find at KFC. You taste the chicken instead of the breading with Pizzaz wings. The flour and breading adds a little flavor and crispiness. It was a pleasant change.

The tradition wings here are exactly what you’d expect Buffalo wings to taste like with a homemade red pepper sauce. Next time, I’m going to turn up the thermostat and order the “Wow” wings, and if those aren’t hot enough, I’ll get the rowdier “Super Wow.”

The 'Crunchers' from Pizzaz Pizza in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Quick tangent: While Mark still sells dozens of wings every day, customers are starting to buy more of his chicken “crunchers.” These are fresh chicken breast cut into strips, coated with his own batter and fried like tenders. The light and airy breading resembles tempura.

“This is what people are gravitating to,” he said. “You’re getting a better product that is more filling that’s probably better for you.”

Mary Celletti, the owner of The Golden Spike in East Syracuse, sends out an order of wings. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 411 W. Manlius St., East Syracuse

Everything about the Golden Spike Pub is welcoming, from the staff and patrons laughing around the bar to the hot food coming from the kitchen. Heck, the parking lot sign reads “You’re only a stranger ... but once.”

You can thank Mary Celletti for all of that. She and her husband, Jim, bought the restaurant five years ago this May. They and their two children renovated the building and turned it into a successful (and friendly) nightspot.

“It’s a true family-run business,” she said while working in the kitchen with her son, Derec. “We all work so hard to make this what it is. We love it, and we hope they all do too.”

The family appreciates the people who walk in here so much that they even named a chicken wing after one customer. The kitchen had created a hot sauce mixed with deluxe creamy bleu cheese dressing. It quickly became this woman’s favorite. She’d order 50 to 100 of the wings at a time to bring to her co-workers nearby. When she died recently, the family added “Cyndi’s Wings” to the menu.

Brittany Piraino delivers Stinging Garlic Honey wings at The Golden Spike in East Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

The stinging honey garlic wings were a pleasant surprise because it started sweet with plenty of fresh garlic, but then the hot sauce kicked in. My order of five ($5.99) didn’t last long.

Tip: If you’ve had enough wings, try the chicken tenders. These are inch-thick pieces of fresh chicken coated in seasoned breading here. They come with a honey mustard sauce that’s been in the family for 25 years.

Guilfoil's Irish Pub on Burnet Avenue. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 501 Burnet Ave, Syracuse

Kevin Schulz pretended he was a customer when it came to pricing his chicken wings when he bought Guilfoil’s Irish Bar a couple years ago. He’d call bars to place wing orders and note the price. He’d visit restaurants to see what they were charging.

“I did my homework, and because of that, I can honestly tell you that ours are a great bargain,” he said.

You’re not kidding. You get 10 jumbo—JUMBO—wings for $8 and 20 for $15. From 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, they’re $6 per order.

Honey Hot wings and salt and pepper and butter wings from Guilfoil's Irish Pub on Burnet Avenue. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Kat, the daytime bartender, said the salt and pepper and butter wings are her favorites. Mind you, I’ve had hundreds of salt and pepper wings at Swallow’s bar over the years because I love the true fried chicken flavor without sauce. What struck me about these wings was that you could barely see the spices because of the butter, but you could taste them. The butter also made the wings extra moist.

Aside from making his wings cheaper than most, he also uses less sauce.

“I don’t like wings that are swimming in a bath of sauce,” he said.

Preach on! The honey hot wings at Guilfoil’s could have easily fallen victim to an overzealous pour. Instead I was treated to a piece of chicken that had a thin layer of honey-sweetened pepper sauce.

I didn’t even need a Wet-Nap.

A fresh batch of breaded wings from Sabatino's on Ballantyne Road in Syracuse. The secret chicken wings of CNY. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)Charlie Miller

Address: 121 Ballantyne Road, Syracuse

Sabatino’s is your basic convenience store on the city’s South Side that’s been around for 40-plus years. But several readers urged me to try their wings. One said she had moved away years ago, but stops at “Sab’s” for wings during every family visit.

She’s not alone. Shameka Lawrence of Syracuse has been coming here for at least 20 years. “I get the breaded wings, put the sauce in the container, close it and shake them up,” she said as her wings cooked in the fryer.

While I didn’t shake my order of 10 wings ($9) with the sauce, I did dip them into the cup for each bite. The “sassy” sauce is made by Country Sweet, and you can buy bottles of it at Sab’s. (It’s also available online and in supermarkets.)

Sam Shehadeh shows part of today's shipment of wings at Sabatino's on Ballantyne Road in Syracuse. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)pCharlie Miller

Sam Shehadeh, 61, has been working in his family’s store for more years than he can remember, so he knows Super Bowl Sunday is unlike any other day of the year when it comes to chicken wings.

He’s already got 30 cases in his refrigerator. Each box contains 40 pounds of fresh wings, which could be up to 200 wings. That’s 6,000 wings.

“That’s nothing,” he said. "We cook 35-45 at a time so they’re always hot as people come in to order. We will go through them all because people know our wings.

“Chicken wings are chicken wings. The way you cook them, though, is what keeps them coming back.”

Each place on the above list has its own approach to chicken wings that obviously works. Their loyal customers keep coming back. I know I will.

READ MORE

Hidden Gems of CNY

Secret Sandwiches of CNY: 12 great spots you didn’t know about

Secret Sandwiches of CNY, Part 2: 12 great spots you shared (pass it on)

Birthday freebies: Here’s everything I ate and drank for free

Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drink and fun across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984, or by email at cmiller@syracuse.com.

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