Willington Pizza

Shortly after moving to the “quiet corner” of Connecticut, we quickly began questioning locals about the best restaurants in the area. One of our favorite answers came from a colleague who responded without hesitation: “Willington Pizza—it’s exactly 22 minutes from my house.” We figured that a recommendation like that couldn’t be wrong, and soon found our way to what we believe is the home of one of the greatest pizzas around. Although Connecticut is clearly known for its thin, New Haven-style pies, Willington Pizza proves that there is room in the ring for a contender with a thicker crust. A local institution for over 25 years, this ever-expanding restaurant caters to a lively mix of UConn students and local residents, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. The walls are adorned with old newspaper articles, advertisements, and roadside signs, which help in some small part to pass the time as you wait for your pizza to emerge from the oven. However, if you are of the appetizer persuasion, you cannot go wrong ordering one of Willington’s three dips, of which the Nachos & Hot Cheese is our personal favorite. Salsa, cream cheese, taco meat, and cheddar cheese are melted together in a small casserole dish to create a warm, creamy dip accompanied by a bowl of tortilla chips.

It is not necessarily hard to find a pizza with a great crust, or the perfect toppings; however, in our experience, it is much more of a challenge to find one that passes the test in both departments. Willington, however, gets an A+ in our book, as we look forward to eating the crust just as much as the fresh toppings that adorn it. If you bite into the crust with your eyes closed, you just might be tricked into thinking that you have been served a piece of bakery-fresh bread still warm and soft from the oven.

It is hard to find a Connecticut pizzeria without a seafood option, and at Willington it is the Seafood Casino pizza, topped with scallops, crab, and shrimp. Large hunks of meat are perfectly accented by a tangy lemon sauce and crisp, crunchy bacon. Another interesting, yet often too filling, option is the Red Potato Pizza, a plain crust topped with sour cream, red potatoes, cheddar cheese, and chives. If you’re feeling indulgent, bacon and broccoli can be added on top to complete the baked potato experience. However, when we are not in the mood for a specialty pie, we opt to build our own from among the 32 available toppings. Although we may waver between such stand-bys as olives and mushrooms, it is almost impossible to pass up the sausage, which is crumbly and flavorful with the perfect bite.

In addition to pizza, Willington serves a wide menu of sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta dinners. However, we cannot imagine eating anything else besides one or two of their award-winning pies (unless, of course, we have saved enough room for a dish of their distinctively creamy, homemade soft serve, which is luckily served year-round!). Although we often talk about expanding our horizons and trying something different, with so many pizza options available it is hard to imagine ever becoming bored.