Windmill Tavern

Evidently known for some of the best hot dogs around, this joint is also one of the oldest neighborhood taverns in the country, a Stratford landmark since 1934. Surprisingly, the pizza here isn’t actually “bar pie style.” At 14” in diameter, the size of the pizza is really the only attribute that relates to a bar pie. This is more of a “football tavern pie,” with thicker & softer dough and creamier cheese than you’d find on a standard bar pie; it’s basically a regular football pizza shrunken down to a smaller version, bigger than personal size and shareable. The dough is thickish, mostly soft, not particularly crispy except for the crust, a little spongy in some areas, but very tasty. The flavor definitely trumps the texture. They use Grande cheese, which is top quality in the pizza game, creamy & incredibly flavorful. The only problem is they use a little too much, making it super thick & heavy for a pie this size. Despite its delicious taste, a thinner layer of cheese would work better for a smallish pizza like this. The sauce was very good, sweet, distinct, heartier near the crust and just enough flavor to prevail through borderline overbearing cheese. Overall, this is a very solid, filling football style tavern pie that goes great with beers and sporting events on TV. While not worthy of a long pilgrimage, it’s definitely worth a 30-45 minute drive to check out this historic landmark and see how their pizza stacks up with their famous hot dogs. 🍕 🌭