It all started with a meeting of the minds and beards when in 2011 Dain Phelan and Mark Dundas met –Â an event that would lead to a change in the food options for Durhamites forever. Â They bonded quickly over a love of beer, chicken wings, and hairy faces and so began the long process towards the birth of Heavenly Buffaloes.
Roping in their brilliant wives, the Phelan-Dundas foursome began a series of long meetings, research, and development in order to finalize the concept. A major component was finding and using high-quality ingredients as the protein base, and the creation of a wide variety of sauces developed in house that would be unique to HB. After nearly a full year of arduous taste-testing (they ate A LOT of chicken wings), their sauce recipes were ready and proved to be delicious on both the chicken and vegan wing options. Â Join that with the use of local, farm-raised, steroid and antibiotic-free chicken wings, locally produced vegan soy nuggets, and a shack that would impart a chilled-out, beachy vibe, HB was set to launch.
Heavenly Buffaloes opened on September 1, 2014 and was quickly embraced by Durham locals, Duke students, and friends from elsewhere in the Triangle. Â Open late-night on the weekends, available for lunch on weekdays, and delivering wings, waffle fries, and beer to a select area in the vicinity, Heavenly Buffaloes offers a variety of ways to enjoy the food.