Little Italy is losing a longtime wing spot. Today the team behind Duff’s Famous Wings confirmed they are permanently closing their College Street location after nearly 20 years. The announcement, posted on Instagram, ends the run for the 558 College St. storefront that has served fans of classic Buffalo wings since 2007.
Duff’s history goes back much further. In 1946, Louise Duffney opened a corner “Gin Mill” in Amherst, just north of Buffalo. The first batch of chicken wings appeared in 1969, quickly building a reputation that rivaled the legendary Anchor Bar. By 1985, the “famous” label was official, and Duff’s had become a destination for anyone seeking authentic Buffalo wings.
That tradition came to Canada in 1998, when twin brothers Hy and Rob Erlich worked with the original family to bring the recipe north. The first Toronto location opened on Bayview Avenue, followed by the College Street spot, which became a neighbourhood staple for nearly two decades. The West End location stuck to the 1969 approach: large, never-frozen wings, with a “medium” sauce hotter than most competitors’ “hot.”
The Duff’s team thanked staff and the Little Italy community in their statement, but the closure marks the loss of one of the few places in Toronto still serving a proper Beef on Weck, a Buffalo sandwich staple.
The Canadian flagship at 1604 Bayview Ave., remains open, still following the same methods Louise introduced over 50 years ago.
