Break out the wet naps! With the return of Tom Brady to the Patriots line-up and the Red Sox in the playoffs, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about something very near and dear to my heart: the infamous chicken wing. We all have our vices, right? Well I’m pretty sure this one is shaving a few years off my life because of my obsession with these succulent bites.

So my gift you to you this football season is a sneak peak at a few of my favorite places to grab some wings in Boston. But, keep in mind that this is a highly biased list based largely on neighborhoods in Boston I live in or frequent. So if your favorite spot isn’t on here (by all means) please feel free to send me it and I will research accordingly. But please refrain from sending me any breaded wings (sorry Hooters) or Buffs Pub in Newton (they get plenty of press).

The Pub – Ball Square on the corner of Broadway and Boston Ave: Hands down my favorite wings in Boston. Nestled in Somerville’s Ball Square, The Pub is everything you want from your local watering hole. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the name (or their apparent lack of existence online) as this place punches well above its weight. The Pub boasts friendly staff, big TVs, a juke box, and a highly competitive Foosball table. Oh, and those wings. They are deep fried, tossed in buffalo sauce and then finished off on the grill. Perfect char grill crisp on the outside while maintaining a juicy plumb core. These wings are so good sometimes the Lenox team goes all the way there for an office lunch. Trust me, give them a try.

Blackstrap BBQ –  This BBQ joint in Winthrop is a bit off the beaten path but well worth the trek. I often find some of my favorite wings come out of BBQ restaurants. Any time you can get a Chef to spend the time to slow cook wings you are in for a treat. And with the Blackstrap wings, this is time well spent. They come in a bunch of flavors but I recommend the dry rub or the Buffalo. The restaurant also features a great beer list to wash it all down so go check it out.

Red Hat –  Red Hat has been around for about a thousand years and they know how to put out a plate of Buffalo wings. Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary, just a well-fried wing covered in a well-balanced Buff sauce. Red Hat is a great dive bar in the West End and a sneaky good pregame spot for B’s or Celts games.

Enjoy!