Anchor Bar, the Inventor of Buffalo Chicken Wings, Flies to Vegas

The chicken wings wars of Las Vegas are about to feature the original warrior. Buffalo's Anchor Bar, the accidental inventors of the Buffalo chicken wing concept back in 1964, will include Las Vegas in their franchise expansion plans.

Slim, early details hint that the quick-service restaurant will reside within a Strip resort. Epicurean Strategic Partners, who recently helped bring Gelato Messina and Ribs & Burgers to Downtown Summerlin, are guiding the venture.

The mythical origins of Buffalo chicken wings began at 11.30 p.m. one night in 1964, when Dominic Bellissimo and several college friends asked his mother Teressa to make them a snack. Ten minutes and an impromptu fried chicken in cayenne pepper meal later, a legend was born. Around 2,000 pounds of wings are fried at the Main Street bar every day, served with celery and the all-important blue cheese dip.

Anchor Bar already operates outposts in Ontario, Canada, and Williamsville, N.Y. The Las Vegas location will mark their farthest trip west.

Anchor Bar is the winner of a 2003 "America's Classics" award from the James Beard Foundation. No timetable for their arrival in Las Vegas has been announced.