Atomic Wings take flight with Heights Pizza in Darien

Heights Pizza

330 Heights Road

Darien, CT 06820

(203) 656-3200

Connecticut fans of great pizza and chicken wings can rejoice. We can sample our favorite comfort foods in Darien, courtesy of Aldo Criscuolo, owner of Heights Pizza in Darien, and Adam Lippin, owner of the famous New York chicken wings franchise, Atomic Wings.

A founder of Heights Pizza, Nick Criscuolo, walked eight miles to his first job in Positano, Italy. More than twenty years ago, Adam Lippin was a college freshman wading through the snow of upstate New York with a bucket of chicken wings in his arms and a dream to export the authentic wing flavors of his youth to the Greater New York metropolitan area.

Fast forward several years later and two businesses have embarked on a collaboration that will delight Darien residents and anyone else within driving distance.

What drove this meeting of culinary minds? Heights Pizza’s deep connection with local residents and prime location were certainly at the forefront of Lippin’s mind when he was looking to expand the Atomic Wings brand beyond New York.

Aldo Criscuolo confirmed the loyalty of Heights Pizza’s customers. “We’ve seen customers come in here when they were five. We see them now when they’re in college,” he said.

Lippin also remarked that the addition of an established franchise to an existing restaurant or pizzeria enabled those owners to tap into a new customer base and an additional source of potential revenue. "It enables customers to look at an existing business with a fresh pair of eyes.”

Curious readers who have not yet sampled the Italian specialties at Heights Pizza can first check out the before heading out to this traditional pizzeria.

If their taste buds need added stimulation, they need go no further than the Atomic Wings menu. It features wings slathered in different flavors, including staples such as teriyaki or honey barbeque, or  tantalizing wings drenched in “atomic (garlic parmesan),” “nuclear (chipotle barbecue),”and “suicidal (Thai Chili)” seasonings.

If requested, blue cheese, celery, and carrots can be added to an order of buffalo wings, boneless wings, or a half-and-half combo order. What a treat to enjoy great wings in the comfort of one’s own neighborhood hangout.