Photograph by Matt Walljasper
It’s kinda funny how something like lemon pepper wet chicken wings are as synonymous with Atlanta as the Braves, Tyler Perry, or CNN. The flavorful bites have been the subject of rap songs like “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” by Lizzo and Rick Ross—and who can forget the classic scene from Atlanta when Paper Boi gets the wings hookup at J.R. Crickets with the off-menu item. It had people across the nation asking, “What the heck is lemon pepper wet?”
Since then, content creators, foodies, and visitors have sought out the hometown creation that cements Atlanta as the culture capital of America. As a bona fide Grady baby, I’ve been chowing on this flavor most of my adult life.
It was summer in the early ’90s. My roommate and I were shopping at our local Kmart on Bankhead Highway. Normally we’d grab a fish plate from the spot next door, but that day we decided to eat at J.R. Crickets across the street. Three-Mile Island was my favorite flavor at the time, but as we walked up, people were ordering the special, so I had to try it too. When my boat of wings was placed on the counter, I was hit with this new sensation: a perfect blend of tangy hot Buffalo sauce and zesty lemon pepper.
Eating lemon pepper wet wings across Atlanta, you realize the recipes are as varied as the restaurants and bars that feature them. At American Deli, for example, the wet sauce combines melted butter, lemon-pepper seasoning, and lemon juice. Dugan’s and Three Dollar Cafe both offer a more traditional sauce of melted butter mixed with lemon-pepper seasoning, while J.R. Crickets cranks up the heat with a sauce made of Buffalo wing sauce and lemon-pepper seasoning.
I guess you can say, to paraphrase a hot sauce tagline, “We put that (bleep) on er’thang!” When it comes to Atlanta, lemon pepper wet is not just a flavor; it’s an experience.
Back to 21 Reasons We Love Atlanta.
This article appears in our February 2025 issue.
