The Boardwalk Pizza Window is a quick service window located at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. This quick service location has a reputation for being, well… not good. A new chef recently obtained the reigns to the restaurant who wanted to change this reputation by updating the menu to include more traditional New York/New Jersey fast/casual Italian fare. We went over to the Boardwalk to check out the new menu and had the opportunity to speak firsthand with the chef in charge of the new menu. He’s a very passionate fellow from New Jersey who knows and understands what true pizza should be, and we feel he hit the mark with this brand new menu. Let’s take a look!

 

Personal Pizza – Pepperoni – $10.99

It’s not a reinvention of the wheel, but the chef explained that the old pizza window menu was using an outdated dough recipe that wasn’t responding well to the confined oven space in the small kitchen area. After revamping the dough recipe, he was able to create one that crisps well and keeps the toppings warm. The team did a great job, and the pizza is really darned good. Pepperoni is pepperoni, but the classics are always good.

Personal Pizza – Sausage and Mushroom – $10.99

Now for something a little less classic: mushroom and sausage. Start with, there’s a bunch of sausage crumbled over the pizza—and a substantial portion of mushrooms, as well. Everything was toasted nicely and had a good flavor profile across the board. We even commented that the red sauce was tasty and worked well with everything. Again, the dough takes center stage and ensures this pizza delivers.

 

Personal Pizza – White with Bacon and Mushrooms – $10.99

This is the true star of the Pizza Window. The chef commented how hard it is to find good “white pizza” down here in the south, as people just don’t understand how “white pizza” should work. Well, here’s the jist: Replace the red sauce with a good white sauce and use ingredients that complement each other—and the sauce.

Easier said than done, however, since most “white” pizzas tend to rely on chicken—or an abundance of garlic—to make it unique and interesting. Instead, Pizza Window uses crispy bacon and mushrooms to enhance the white sauce, and it works. In fact, it’s so good that if we’re hungry on the Boardwalk, Pizza Window will definitely be a first-round draft choice. It has redeemed itself.

Meatball Sub with Chips – $11.99

This is the same meatball sub from the Boardwalk Bakery, featuring those same amazing meatballs: large, plump, perfectly cooked, and with just the perfect amount of Italian spice. There’s just barely enough marinara on board, but the chef assured he’d be tweaking some of the dishes in the upcoming days, so hopefully that will include a bit more marinara. You can always request a bit more on the side (which will likely cost a bit extra), but don’t let that stop you from enjoying these memorably delicious meatballs.

Italian Hoagie Sandwich with Chips – $9.99

For a prepackaged sandwich, The Italian Hoagie delivers on all fronts with a delectable assortment of deli meat sandwiched between a great tasting bread and fresh vegetables and cheese. Chef explained that when they were developing the menu, the team wanted to bring an Italian Hoagie on board, trying different twists on the classic with unusual dressings and toppings. After many trials, tastings an discussions the end result was, “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make something good.” So they didn’t reinvent anything, they just made a darned good sandwich. And we’re pretty stunned by just how good it is.

Mini Cannoli – $4.29

At just over $1/piece, you can’t go wrong with the cannoli. They’re served cold, and topped with a little powered sugar, with an adornment of chocolate chips around the edges. They’re crispy, flaky, and have just the right amount of filling to make them a great dessert.

Limoncello Dessert Bar – $3.79

There’s a lot going on here, with complex flavor profile up front and a subtle hit of lemon at the very end. It tries to be a lemon bar, comes across very cakey, and then ends with a fresh zestiness. They’re not bad, just different and unexpected. Two slices come with every order.

Our Conclusion

REDEMPTION! Boardwalk Pizza Window finally enters the Disney quick-service limelight with some solid pizzas and entrees. It’s not a place you need to go out of your way for, but it’s certainly a great option if you’re in the area and need a bite.

Topher Wallace