First Mambo Wings in 20 Years To Be Served Up On John Young Day

Buffalo Bike Tours will celebrate its new “Wing Ride” bike food tour on "Wing King" John Young Day, by serving the first mambo wings in 20 years.

Credit: WKBW via Youtube

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John Young Day and the Wing Ride bike food tour kick-off will take place this Saturday (June 27), from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. The celebration will be held at the Buffalo Bike Tours Canalside Kiosk, located at 1 Naval Park Cove in Buffalo. According to a press release emailed to me, the event will celebrate the life of the pioneer of the Buffalo wing, John Young, as well as the launch of the new Buffalo Bike Tour Wing Ride.

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“You don’t know Buffalo until you’ve tried mambo wings. Chicken wings are inextricably linked to soul food and black culture – and John Young deserves a greater place in our understanding of Buffalo's most famous dish.” ~ Buffalo Bike Tours owner, Marc Moscato, via a press release emailed to me

The free-to-attend event will follow social distancing protocols. The first 100 people will be able to sample chicken wings covered with a special recipe, which hasn't been available for 20 years. Lina Brown-Young, John Young's daughter, will be serving samples of her mambo wings, which were made famous at her dad's restaurant Wings N' Things.

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During the mid-1960s, "Wing King" John Young owned a restaurant here in Buffalo called John Young’s Wings ’n Things. There is an on-going debate over who actually created the Buffalo wing, but John told a reporter with the New Yorker Magazine, who was doing a story about the origin of the Buffalo wing:

“I am actually the creator of the wing. If the Anchor Bar was selling chicken wings, nobody in Buffalo knew it then. After I left here, everybody started chicken wings.”

You can book your spot on Buffalo Bike Tours’ "Wing Ride," which start in July via its website. You can also stop by the Buffalo Bike Tours kiosk, or by calling (716) 328-8432. Participants may bring their own bikes or rent Buffalo Bike Tours’ bikes.

Last year, I went on the B-Side Ride with Buffalo Bike Tours. Even though it was raining, we had a really good time and learned a lot of "hidden" history in Buffalo! Marc Moscato, the owner, was an amazing tour guide!