🔁 This Seems to Be a Recurring Theme. People move here from all over the place for a variety of reasons. But one thing is constant: they may be willing to give up some things from back “home,” but they won’t give up their food!
Whether it’s pizza, BBQ, hot dogs, or specialty regional sandwiches, we want to have our cake and eat it too. And, for the most part, you can finally do that here in Sarasota. There was a time in the not-too-distant past when you couldn’t say that.
🐔 Winging it! Wings are a thing. A BIG thing. There are entire food empires that are built squarely on the back of the smallest edible part of the bird. Buffalo Wild Wings, Wingstop, and yes, Hooters, all made their names serving up wings of all styles and heat levels.
Unless you’re from Buffalo, the most recent local entry into the wing space may not have been on your radar. Welcome Duff’s Famous Wings to the Sarasota wing party!
The “Who has the Best” debate always rages in the Queen City. Whose wings really stand at the top of the heap? The Anchor Bar, which claims to have invented the “Buffalo Wing,” is usually somewhere in the mix.
All the way back in 1964, Teressa Bellissimo of the Anchor Bar Restaurant was said to have stumbled upon what now seems like a pretty obvious thing. A deep-fried chicken wing. It seems so weird that someone pre-’64 hadn’t done this already…
📝 It must be that EVERY bar/restaurant in the city of Buffalo lays claim to having the best wings. My friend, Georgina, who is a former Buffalo area restaurant owner (Grover’s Bar & Grill), swears her wings were the best. And I think I believe her!
Not being from Buffalo, I can safely remove myself from the “Who has the Best” conversation. If we were talking pizza or hot dogs, I could use a little of my Chicago background to help make a semi-pro evaluation. But sadly, this is not that. 🥲
👀 Let’s take a look at what’s happening at the brand-new Duff’s Famous Wings.
This is a “sports bar.” There is really no way around it. I love a good sports bar, so I’m thinking this is going to be right in my sweet spot.
There are a ton of TVs in this place. You can comfortably watch your favorite team from a table or at the small bar at the front of the place. 📝 This may be a wild guess (or maybe not), but I think come football season, this will be a Bills hangout?! 🏈
It’s not a big bar, but it almost has one TV per person!
If you have sharp eyes (and I’m guessing you do!), you’ve already noticed the frozen drink machines. This could be fun!
There is also another bar in Duff’s back room.
All of these TVs and signed jerseys are great. But if the food’s not right up there, then we have a problem.
Duff’s service is personal. My server, Annalia, could not have been nicer (and more efficient). Sometimes service in these kinds of places takes a back seat. Not so at Duff’s!
⁉️ What to Order? I said that out loud like it’s an actual question. We all know what to order here (at least I think we do…).
There is absolutely no question that wings have to be ordered (and sampled). But scrolling down the menu, one other dish screams, “ORDER ME!!”
If you guessed Beef on Weck, then take a bow. (I mean right now!)
The good news here is that there is no dilemma. Duff’s is going to make this decision super easy for me. Check this out…
YES! There is a Wing + Beef on Weck Combo. And it’s priced at twenty-one bucks. Not bad for lunch in 2026!
I ordered those five wings with a mild-medium spice level, cooked extra crispy, and all flats ($1 per 10 wings for that option). The sandwich I ordered “as is” on the menu. Here’s how it all turned out…
First, the wings.
Now for the sandwich.
Now all of this together…
That’s quite a lunch!
📒 OUR TASTING NOTES
• The wings were perfectly cooked. Nice and crispy. Delicious.
• Yes, these wings are “saucy,” but not to the point where you’re dripping in it. I’m not a fan of more sauce than wing. 📝 They do provide you with a bucket for your bones and all of the napkins you’ll go through. That’s super convenient.
• The size of these wings was great. The “jumbos” aren’t my thing. But I know lots of people love that size. My experience has been that they cook up so unevenly that you never really know what you’re going to get. These are “mediums” and just right.
• I LOVED the bun that the sandwich came on! I really did! It had just the right amount of caraway seeds and coarse-ground salt. There was a taste explosion in every bite.
• The sandwich is a manageable size. It’s not one of those gigantic handhelds that we’ve written about in the past. (Looking at you, Johnny Longhots and Capriotti’s.)
• The chips they serve with this sandwich are a kettle-cooked variety. Really crunchy, a great texture difference from the soft bun and roast beef.
⭐ Are These Wings the Best? Are Duff’s wings the best I’ve ever eaten? It is a definite maybe. They are pretty damn good, that much is for sure. Like anything else, it’s a matter of personal preference. But these wings would certainly be in the running in any “Best of” competition.
Duff’s Famous Wings Info:
🗺️ Address: 3900 Clark Rd., Sarasota FL
☎️ Phone: 941-282-9199
~ LH
📝 END NOTES –
(a) I didn’t do a thorough and exhaustive wing analysis before I came to my conclusions. But Jay and Jill of the Buffalo Wing Bible sure did. And the results may (or may not) surprise you. Have a look at their Buffalo wing winners – SEE THE RESULTS HERE!
(b) Most recently, this location was the former home of Chianti Ristorante Italiano. And for those of you who have been here in town for a while, you will remember this spot as Big Kitchen. That was a great deli. I still miss it.
(c) If you’d like to try your hand at making your very own Beef on Weck sandwich, we can steer you in the right direction. Here’s a recipe from The Kitchn – BEEF ON WECK RECIPE HERE! 🥪
📌 ODDS & ENDS
🆕 Drive Time! Cadillac Jack’s and The Forbidden Tiki, on South Tamiami Trail, change hands. Troy Jenkins, owner of the popular Island House Tap & Grill on Siesta Key, is taking the helm of these two super unique venues. He will be expanding their dining options in the near future. Once things really get rolling, we’ll bring you a complete profile. Congrats and good luck, Troy!
🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD INFO🗓️
Here is some local food information that we think you might find interesting. We’ve provided you with a link to more info.
📖 BUY A COPY OF OUR 2026 SARASOTA DINING BOOK! – ORDER HERE 📖
📋 MENU OF THE MONTH!! – Stella’s Greek Cuisine – MENU HERE!
🧑🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO 🌾
EVERY SUNDAY – Siesta Key Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – Farmer’s Market at Lakewood Ranch – DETAILS
EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market (Oct-Apr) – DETAILS
EVERY THURSDAY – Englewood Farmer’s Market (Oct-May) – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS
EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Florida Farmer’s Market – DETAILS
THIRD THURSDAY EVERY MONTH – UTC Night Market – DETAILS
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I went to duffs wings. Ordered the ten wings. Could barely eat them as they were solidly over cooked, dry, and and emaciated ( too tiny). I brought the rest home to re-try. Ended up throwing them out. I figured it was a onetime error, but my friend had the same experience.