CLOSURE: Top wing spot permanently closing after almost 20 years in Toronto
Published March 2, 2026 at 4:42 pm
One of the top restaurants for a good old saucy basket of chicken wings has announced that they are closing after nearly two decades in business in the city of Toronto.
Duff’s Famous Wings has a formidable reputation for their Buffalo wings, and even has ties with the actual city of Buffalo south of the border, making their hot wings some of the most authentic around.
Now, the restaurant has announced that one of their long-running locations found in Toronto is closing its doors for good.
“We have made the difficult decision to permanently close this location,” reads a message from Duff’s Famous Wings on social media and the restaurant’s official website.
“The restaurant has been a huge part of our lives, and we are sincerely grateful to our amazing staff, our loyal customers and the community that supported us over the years.”
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Although they serve other food, the restaurant’s claim to fame has always been their extra fiery hot authentic Buffalo chicken wings, available in a wide range of flavours and heat levels, some of which can be apocalyptic. They’re known for their saying, “Medium is hot, medium hot is very hot, and hot is VERY, VERY HOT.”
Duff’s Famous Wings is family owned and operated, and has a long history that stretches all the way back to 1969.
“In 1946 Louise Duffney opened a corner Gin Mill at Sheridan Drive and Millersport Highway in Amherst, New York, just north of Buffalo. It was in 1969 that the local tavern known simply as Duff’s served up their first batch of chicken wings. Selling nearly 20 pounds of wings a week, Duff’s began to create a name for itself and a reputation for having the best wings in Buffalo,” reads the official Duff’s website.
“It was around 1985 that it was established that Duff’s wings were indeed famous, and the name became official. Duff’s Famous Wings in Amherst, New York still operates in the same original location. With the abundance of Canadian visitors, Duff’s Famous Wings was approached by twin brothers, Hy and Rob Erlich to bring the Buffalo wing recipe north of the border. In 1998 Duff’s Famous Wings opened its first Canadian restaurant in Toronto, Ontario.”
Fortunately for lovers of Duff’s Famous Wings in Toronto, there is still one other location in the city. A location of the restaurant is still open near the intersection of Bayview and Eglinton at 1604 Bayview Ave.
There’s also still one other location of Duff’s Famous Wings open in Ontario, in Vaughan at 9360 Bathurst St. Both locations are available for online delivery.