Reports now claim the UK is the global epicentre for chicken wings - even Wing Fest agrees. Buffalo started it. London perfected it. Korean gochujang. Thai fish sauce. Nashville hot. Chipuffalo. Wings dusted with bonito flakes. Baggio Burger at The Nag's Head E17 even went there with tiramisu chicken wings. Wing Fest - the world's largest chicken wing festival - runs right here in London for a reason. This isn't a side order anymore - it's the main event.
At Wing Fest London 2025, Wingmans dominated the judge's picks across multiple categories. FOWL took 3rd for Best Buffalo Wing. Badboy Wings and Gurt Wings swept the people's vote. The Korean Cowgirl won People's Choice for Best BBQ. The standard is high.
We've rated 800+ chicken spots across the city. These are the 8 where the wings are worth the trip on their own.
Smoking Goat
Shoreditch, E1
“The fish sauce wings here are legendary. Impossibly crispy skin, sticky umami glaze. These will ruin all other wings for you.”
The fish sauce wings at Smoking Goat are the standard by which all London wings should be measured. Impossibly crispy. Coated in a sticky, salty, sweet umami glaze that hits every flavour note at once. They're not cheap, but they're worth every penny.
Shoreditch, sharing plates, natural wine, loud music. The wings are the reason you're here but everything else is excellent too.
Order this: Fish sauce chicken wings. Non-negotiable.
Best for: The wing that converts people who think they don't like wings
Supawan Thai
King's Cross, N1
“Thai stuffed wings done properly. The wing is deboned, stuffed with minced chicken and glass noodles, then deep-fried. Nothing else like it in London.”
Supawan's stuffed chicken wings are unlike anything else on this list. The wing is deboned, stuffed with minced chicken, glass noodles, and Thai herbs, then deep-fried until the skin shatters. It's a technique you rarely see outside Bangkok, and Supawan has been doing it quietly on Caledonian Road since 2017.
A small, proper Thai restaurant near King's Cross. No fusion, no gimmicks - just authentic Thai cooking from a chef who knows what they're doing. The rest of the menu is excellent too.
Order this: Stuffed chicken wings, larb, green curry
Best for: The most technically impressive wing in London
Thunderbird Fried Chicken
Brixton, SW9 (flagship) + 5 locations
“Wingfest champions. The Chipuffalo wings - chip-spiced buffalo with blue cheese ranch - are unlike anything else in London.”
Wingfest 2019 champions for a reason. The Chipuffalo wings are Thunderbird's signature - chip-spiced buffalo sauce with blue cheese ranch. It sounds like something you'd invent at 2am, but it works brilliantly. Korean BBQ and habanero options too.
All branches are fully halal. Brixton Market Row is the flagship, but they've expanded across London. Consistently one of the best wing operations in the city.
Order this: Chipuffalo wings, then Korean BBQ wings to compare
Best for: Wingfest-level wings without leaving zone 2
Coqfighter
Islington, N1 + Soho + Liverpool St
“The laksa wings are unlike anything else in the city. Rich, fragrant, with a kick that builds. Nashville meets Thai and it works.”
Coqfighter's laksa wings are the wildcard on this list - and the one most likely to become your new obsession. Rich, fragrant, with a kick that builds. Nashville hot meets Thai and somehow it all works. The Nashville hot wings are excellent too, but the laksa is the reason Coqfighter stands apart.
All chicken is UK-farmed and halal. Multiple branches. The lunch deal is one of the best in London.
Order this: Laksa wings first, Nashville hot wings second
Best for: Wing flavours you won't find anywhere else
CheeMc
Elephant & Castle, SE17 + Soho
“Seven different KFC flavours. The honey chilli is the move. The batter shatters, the meat stays juicy. A cult Korean spot since 2014.”
Seven Korean fried chicken wing flavours. Seven. The honey chilli is the move - sweet heat with a batter that shatters. Mad Garlic and Korean Buffalo are the other standouts. Running since 2014, long before Korean fried chicken became every food market's default offering.
They do a wing challenge if you're competitive. Karaoke at the Soho branch if you're brave. All chicken is halal. CheeMc also features in our date night guide - the wing challenge is genuinely a great date move.
Order this: Honey chilli wings, then the wing challenge
Best for: Korean wing variety - seven flavours means seven visits
FOWL
Haymarket, SW1
“Wings dusted with bonito flakes from the Fallow team. This is what happens when fine dining meets chicken wings.”
What happens when a fine dining team turns its attention to chicken wings? You get FOWL's bonito flake wings - delicate, umami-rich, and completely different from anything else on this list. From the people behind acclaimed Fallow, the beak-to-feet philosophy extends to every wing. Placed 3rd for Best Buffalo Wing (Judge's Choice) at Wing Fest London 2025.
The chicken salt fries are the essential side. Also in our luxe chicken guide if you want the full upmarket chicken experience.
Order this: Bonito wings, chicken salt fries, karaage
Best for: Wings that feel like fine dining but eat like street food
Randy's Wing Bar
Hackney Wick, E15
“Named No.1 Wing Restaurant in Europe. 20+ flavours on rotation. This is London's dedicated wing destination.”
Randy's Wing Bar has been named the No.1 Wing Restaurant in Europe - and the menu backs it up. 20+ flavours on rotation, from classic buffalo to jerk to truffle parmesan. The wings are smoked before they're fried, which gives them a depth most wing spots can't match.
Hackney Wick location, open late. They take wings seriously enough to have built an entire restaurant around them. That counts for something.
Order this: The signature smoked wings, then whatever weekly special catches your eye
Best for: London's only dedicated wing restaurant - and Europe's best
Wingmans
Soho, W1D
“Wing Fest 2025 multi-category winners. Best Buffalo (Judge's Choice), podium finishes across the board. The wing spot with the most hardware in London.”
Wingmans dominated Wing Fest London 2025 - winning Best Buffalo Wing (Judge's Choice), placing in Best Wild Wing, and finishing on the podium in the People's Vote across multiple categories. No other wing spot in London has that kind of competitive pedigree.
Soho location. The buffalo wings are the signature and the reason they keep winning. Classic American-style wings done with precision and consistency.
Order this: Buffalo wings - the ones that won Wing Fest
Best for: The wing spot with more competition wins than anyone else
The Verdict
London's wing scene covers every continent and every flavour profile. Smoking Goat's fish sauce wings for the purist. Wingmans for Wing Fest-winning buffalo. Thunderbird for the Chipuffalo. Coqfighter for something you've never tried before. Supawan for a technique you won't find anywhere else. Randy's for the dedicated wing restaurant experience. CheeMc for sheer Korean variety. FOWL for fine dining meets street food.
Four of the eight are halal. Prices range from a few quid at Randy's to fine-dining territory at FOWL. Whatever your budget, whatever your flavour, London has a wing for it.
For the full fried chicken picture beyond wings, check our best fried chicken guide. And if you're specifically looking for halal options, the halal chicken guide has you covered.
All restaurants reviewed are in The Chicken Bible's database of 800+ chicken spots across London. Scores reflect our chicken-focused rating system. Find more on chickenbible.com →
Last updated: March 2026
