The Anchor Bar is a bar and restaurant in Buffalo, New York, located north of Downtown Buffalo at the intersection of Main and North Streets. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. The bar is most famous for allegedly being the birthplace of spicy chicken wings known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings.
History
The Anchor Bar, on Main Street in Buffalo, New York, was established in 1935 by Frank and Teressa Bellissimo. It became famous for trademarking the Buffalo-style chicken wing. Frank Bellissimo died in October 1980 at the age of 84. Teressa Bellissimo, who opened the Anchor Bar with her husband Frank, and is credited with inventing the Buffalo Wing, died in her apartment above the bar in November 1985. She was 84. Dominic, the son of Frank and Teressa, who later owned the establishment and actively promoted the bar and its wings, died in March 1991 at the age of 68. On November 20, 2018, Ivano Toscani, owner of the Anchor Bar, died from a long illness eight days before his 69th birthday. Toscani began working for the Bellissimos at the bar in the mid-1970s.
Chicken wings
Buffalo, New York's now-famous Anchor Bar Restaurant's association with Buffalo wings originated in the 1960s after . On March 4, 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar. Late that evening, a group of Bellissimo's friends arrived at the bar. He asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat. With little food left, Teressa took some chicken wings, which were normally used for soups or thrown out, deep-fried them and put a spin on Young's original recipe using a mixture of Frank's RedHot sauce, butter, cayenne pepper and other ingredients on them. She brought out some cut celery and blue cheese for dipping as hors d'oeuvres. That began the Buffalo tradition started by John Young. The wings were initially offered free of charge. Authentic Buffalo Wings are never battered. They are not grilled, but only deep-fried and slightly crispy. The sauce is added after the wing has been cooked. “Wings,” as they are called in Buffalo are traditionally served with chunky blue cheese dressing and celery. Today, Anchor Bar sauces are sold in the United States at Tops Friendly Markets, Wegmans and in Canada at Sobey's and Metro stores. In 2007, Iron Chef and Food Network personality Bobby Flay appeared at the Anchor Bar for a Buffalo wing "throwdown" with the self-proclaimed "Wing King", Drew Cerza.
Other locations
In the summer of 2012, it was announced that a second location would open in Hamilton, Ontario. The second location will be located in the Jackson Square mall. In 2013, a quick service version of The Anchor Bar opened at the Darien Lakeamusement park about half an hour away from Buffalo. This location has a limited menu compared to the original, but still offers the original wing sauce both on wings and sold in bottles along with other menu choices. On October 1, 2014, another Anchor Bar location opened on Transit Road outside of the Eastern Hills Mall. On October 22, 2015, the newest Anchor Bar location opened in the Millcroft Shopping Plaza, located at Appleby Line and Upper Middle Street in Burlington, Ontario. In 2015, it was announced that a franchise would open in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian in Las Vegas. The location closed February 19, 2016. In September 2016 a third Ontario location opened in Toronto, Ontario located at Dixon and Martin Grove roads. On May 17, 2018, Anchor Bar opened in New York City. In June 2018, a fourth Ontario location opened in Mississauga, Ontario on Hurontario Street. The Anchor Bar has a restaurant location in the Main Terminal at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Besides the restaurants in New York state, there are others: in Frederick, MD, Rochester Hills, MI, and two in Texas: San Antonio & Schertz. The first location in the Southeast opened in Kennesaw, GA in June of 2020.
