My mom likes nothing more than talking about the Atlanta she she grew up in, where she spent Friday nights dressed up as Magenta for “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” saw RuPaul cutting their teeth in the city’s blossoming drag scene, and occasionally cut a rug at the Limelight before grabbing a night cap at Disco Kroger. This is mostly what we do when I come to visit: I sit in a chair and ask her to tell me how things were “back then.” Without fail, however, she comes back to one thing: the afternoons she spent with her mom at South Dekalb mall, and the chicken wings they split for lunch at their favorite food court spot. A simple joy, but one Atlantans of any generation can appreciate.
More than any other food, chicken wings have emerged as the signature dish of the city. Unpretentious, packed with flavor, and perfect for snacking, sharing, or diving into with a bib and a few wet wipes, chicken wings are beloved across the nation — but in Atlanta, we don’t keep it casual. Wings are serious business here; across the city, restaurants are constantly presenting new sauces, new flavors, and ever-evolving takes that elevate the classic dish from game-day snack to full-on culinary experience. To help you navigate this delicious landscape of saucy goodness, I’ve gathered five of the best wing spots in Atlanta.
Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
For the most part, Atlanta wing spots are grab-and-go locations; think walk-up counters with a few booths and tables for the errant dine-in customer, serving wings fried fresh and coated in whatever sauce you please. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is not a wing spot. Since partners Beau Nolen, Jonathan Fox, and Justin Fox opened the first location in Candler Park in 2007, it’s become one of the most beloved barbecue spots in the city.
While I love coming here for said barbecue, my favorite item is the wings. Unlike other Atlanta wings, which are fried, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q smokes its wings and coats them in the chain’s signature sauce to create the perfect blend of smoky barbecue flavor and chicken wing deliciousness. They’re a great choice for anyone wanting something a bit more hearty. The wings come with a blue cheese or ranch dip, plus you can order them with a ton of Southern sides, including collared greens, macaroni and cheese, and corn bread, to make your wings a more well-rounded meal. When I come here, I usually order the wings to share as a delicious preamble to a pulled pork plate. Oh, and don’t skip dessert; the banana pudding is so good that I order it whenever I pay a visit — even if I have to get it to go…