Buffalo wings were first prepared in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa Bellissimo, who owned the bar with her husband Frank. She came up with the idea of deep-frying chicken wings and tossing them in cayenne hot sauce as a quick snack for her son and his friends. This creation became the Buffalo wing known today, typically served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

However, there is a lesser-known claim by John Young, an African-American restaurateur in Buffalo, who sold breaded wings with a tomato-based "Mambo Sauce" around 1961 and opened the restaurant "Wings & Things" in 1966. Young's role as a pioneer of wings in Buffalo has gained recognition, although the more popular narrative credits Teressa Bellissimo.

In summary, the invention of Buffalo wings is primarily attributed to Teressa Bellissimo in 1964, with John Young credited as an earlier innovator who had a different style of wing preparation in Buffalo. Both contributed to the evolution of the chicken wing as a popular dish.