Our story
Wingstar began with a simple promise: take the time-honoured art of piri piri flame-grilling, combine it with crispy fried favourites, and serve every guest like royalty. No shortcuts, no compromise – just real flavour, rooted in heritage and made fresh to order.
Our home is Acocks Green, Birmingham – but our vision has always been bigger. Wingstar is building a modern piri piri and fried chicken brand that can sit on any high street, travel across borders and still taste like “home” in every bite.
Our story is deeply intertwined with the simplicity of natural ingredients and a rich, cross-cultural food heritage. It begins in sun-drenched lands with fertile soil and the African Bird’s Eye chillies – small, fiery and full of character.
Those chillies were blended with a twist of lemon and a hint of garlic, giving birth to the distinctive piri piri sauce that inspires Wingstar today. Over centuries, flavours travelled through the Maghreb, Al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula), Sicily and beyond, carried by traders, cooks and families who cooked over open flames.
The term “Moor” was historically used for Muslim populations in the Maghreb and Al-Andalus. While it never described a single people, the food traditions that emerged from this crossroads of cultures live on in the way we season, marinate and cook today.
Coastal towns, busy markets and post-colonial communities all added something: citrus here, herbs there, new ways of grilling and sharing food everywhere. Wingstar channels that same energy into a menu built for sharing – platters, loaded boxes and feasts.
Our menus celebrate the purest, highest-quality ingredients. We don’t hide behind heavy sauces – we layer flavour into the food itself, from the first marinade to the last lick of flame.
Who we are
Wingstar is a chicken-first brand that treats every visit like a mini banquet for the senses. The sizzle of the grill, the aroma of marinated chicken, the colour of our sauces and sides – everything is designed to feel indulgent, not rushed.
Our culinary philosophy is simple: infuse flavour deep into the food, not just on the surface. We carefully marinate chicken so that every bite carries a symphony of spice, smoke and citrus.
Alongside our signature chicken, we’re also developing plant-based options that carry the same Wingstar flavour system – because great piri piri shouldn’t belong to just one type of plate.
Time-honoured flame-grilled methods meet modern kitchen systems – for chicken that’s smoky, juicy and full of character every single time.
Our chicken is 100% halal, hand-marinated and cooked to order. We believe flavour should run through the food, not just sit on top.
Flame-grilled piri piri and crispy fried wings live under one flavour system: clear heat levels, defined sauces and no random mixing.
Whether you’re a king, queen, prince, princess – or just popping in between errands – our goal is the same: service that feels respectful, warm and genuinely happy to see you.
The flame journey
From African Bird’s Eye chillies to today’s high-street feasts, Wingstar stands on the shoulders of cooks who discovered how perfectly piri piri works on open flames.
In fertile soil and hot sun, small chillies developed a big personality. Mixed with lemon and garlic, they became the base of the piri piri style we love.
Trade routes, Moorish kitchens and coastal markets added herbs, oils and new ways to grill. Flame-grilling and sharing platters became the language of celebration.
We use that same discovery – that piri piri is the perfect marinade for chicken – to build a menu that feels familiar but never boring.
The experience
We think of every table as a mini banquet. Freshly grilled chicken is carved and plated with colourful sides; fried wings arrive hot, crisp and generously sauced; platters are built to be shared, not guarded.
From the moment you step over the threshold, the aroma of piri piri, the glow from the grill and the pace of the kitchen are all designed to say the same thing: you’re in the right place.
Our journey
Wingstar started with one store, one grill and one goal: perfect the food before chasing expansion. Today we’re building a brand and franchise model designed to bring that same flame and crunch to new cities and new countries.
Our first home in Acocks Green, Birmingham, is where we tuned the details: the piri piri heat ladder, the fried sauces, the marinades, the way we plate and the way we greet every guest.
With recipes, systems and service standards locked in, Wingstar is preparing to roll out carefully across the UK – one well-run store at a time.
Planned UK locations include:
London,
Manchester,
Cardiff,
Bradford,
Leeds,
Liverpool,
Sheffield,
Nottingham,
Leicester,
Coventry,
Wolverhampton,
Bristol,
Glasgow,
Edinburgh.
Wingstar sets its sights on key locations in Spain, France and Ireland – places where flame-grilled and fried chicken already have a loyal following, and where a bold, heritage-inspired brand can stand out from the crowd.
The long-term vision is clear: build Wingstar into a recognised piri piri brand with strong franchise partners, structured training and tight quality control – so a Wingstar in Birmingham feels connected to a Wingstar in Spain, France or Ireland.
Partners in flavour
When we look for future franchisees and partners, we’re not just selling a logo. We’re inviting people into a way of working – one that respects flavour, guests and the communities we serve.
Wingstar stands at the vanguard of a fast-growing piri piri market. We want to grow with individuals who share our values and have the drive to build something special, store by store.
Our best partners don’t all have the same CV – but they do share key traits:
If this sounds like you, we’d love to start a conversation.
Where we’re going
Right now, the focus is on doing things properly in Birmingham – systems, recipes, supply, people and brand. That foundation is what makes Wingstar ready for multi-site and franchise growth.
The roadmap is clear: a strong core in the UK, followed by carefully chosen locations in Spain, France and Ireland. Each site will carry the same Wingstar DNA, adapted gently to local tastes without losing what makes our food unique.
Birmingham is our proving ground. From here we build into other major towns and cities, focusing on long-term stores – not quick openings that fade.
Targeted sites where grilled and fried concepts are already strong – Wingstar brings its heritage-inspired piri piri twist to the mix.
Busy areas with strong delivery and late-night demand, where bold-flavoured chicken, wings and burgers really earn their place on the high street.
Bringing Wingstar’s mix of flame-grilled piri piri and crispy fried wings to Irish high streets, with a community-first mindset from day one.
Work with us & grow with us
As Wingstar rolls out more locations across the UK and, later, in Spain, France and Ireland, we’re building a network of people who care about doing things properly – on the grill, at the fryers, at the front counter and in management.
From in-store roles to future franchise partners, we look for people who share our values: strong work ethic, genuine love for piri piri flavours, ability to lead a team and a desire to grow with a brand that’s built for the long term.
If you’re exploring franchise or partnership opportunities with Wingstar in the UK, Spain, France or Ireland, we’d love to hear from you. Share your background, your experience in retail or hospitality (if any) and why you connect with the Wingstar way of doing things via hello@wingstar.co.uk.
Take this as your moment to join the movement – and to help write the next chapters of the Wingstar story.