‘Wing Wednesday’ with the Tucson Wing Expert (October Edition)

Wee-ooo, wee-ooo, wee-ooo! Wing alert, wing alert!

Happy Wing Wednesday! There was a lot to celebrate last month: I got engaged, had a birthday, and went to my nephew’s seventh birthday party. For each one of those occasions, I celebrated by devouring wings. 

Sawmill Run Restaurant

12976 N. Sabino Canyon Park 

Located in Summerhaven on Mount Lemmon, sits this amazing hidden gem. Before heading up the mountain I asked my girlfriend if she wanted to tag along, escape the warm weather, and have some food — she obliged. Before exploring what would be one of my new favorite wings, I pulled over at Windy Point Lookout and got down on one knee to propose. She said YES! The hard part was out of the way, and it was time to celebrate with some wings. 

The wing presentation was incredible. I ordered a seasonal watermelon barbecue sauce. On the plate: microgreens, homemade pickles, pickled watermelon slices, and the meaty wings glistening in that mountain sun. These smoked-then-fried wings had a great crisp, while still being juicy and tender. The watermelon barbecue sauce was one of the best and most unique sauces I have ever had. 

Maybe I was hallucinating from the elevation (~8,200 feet) or all the excitement from the proposal, but these wings absolutely blew me away. Worth the scenic drive up the mountain to explore this fantastic restaurant.

Sawmill Run Restaurant is located at 12976 N. Sabino Canyon Parkway. For more information, visit sawmillrun.com.

Peter Piper Pizza

3741 W. Ina Rd.

The next celebration in September was my nephew Josh’s birthday (shout-out to Josh). He had his birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza. This Southwest chain has many arcade-style games, large tables for gatherings, food, and drinks, making it a prime place for a kid’s birthday party. 

When I saw wings on the menu, I had to order some. I wasn’t expecting a lot from these wings but when my buzzer went off and I approached the pick-up window, they looked and smelled good. Little wings in size (compared to most), had fall-off-bone meat with good flavor from the buffalo sauce. I was not disappointed and was satisfied. 

I wish I could have cashed my tickets in for more wings. Bonus: They have beer for the adults. 

For more information, visit peterpiperpizza.com.

Bonchon

6310 E. Tanque Verde Rd. #110

This Korean-originated chain is in 25 states and eight countries internationally. After hearing Tucson had opened its first location this year, and having gone to one in California years ago, I celebrated my birthday here. 

Known for its double-fried, extra-crispy Korean chicken, the wings were as advertised. Maybe my favorite big chain to visit for wings, this small quick-serve restaurant overdelivered. They have three wing flavors: Soy Garlic, Korean BBQ, and Spicy. The wings were huge and hard to eat in one or two bites. The meat and sauces were great. The batter was airy yet crispy. I even got a cucumber wasabi dipping sauce to dunk them in. 

These huge, crispy, and flavorful Korean wings made getting older easier. Bonchon also even hooked me up with a free Korean doughnut for my birthday, which was nice.

Bonchon is located at 6310 E. Tanque Verde Rd. #110. For more information, visit bonchon.com.

This completes my monthly Wing Wednesday, stay tuned for next month’s installment. Follow me on Instagram. Also, check out my Top 15 Wings Guide.