After a long day, sometimes the only thing to look forward to is what’s for dinner. How does visiting one of Woodbury’s local restaurants for your favorite comfort food sound, instead of making it yourself? You deserve it after the day you’ve had, and these restaurants are fully prepared to serve up these amazing comfort foods, from various pastas and pizzas to soups and sweet desserts.
Pizza
Bonfire
Pizza is at the top of the list of comfort foods for many people. And at Bonfire, you need to order the wood-fired pizza, created in their signature pizza oven. Choose from spicy pepperoni, Cajun shrimp and andouille, barbecue chicken, spinach and mushroom, three-sausage mushroom or margherita. Or build-your-own for the ultimate customized comfort food experience: choose three toppings from pepperoni, sausage, chicken, mushroom, tomato, onion and spinach. $12.45.
Soup
Craft Beer & Kitchen
When naming comfort foods, it doesn’t take long to think of mom’s homemade soup or that big bowl of chicken noodle soup when you were sick at home. Craft Beer & Kitchen always serves three hearty soups that will be perfect if your comfort food craving is a delicious, hot bowl of soup. Ask your server for the soup of the day or try the chicken tortilla, which has a slightly spicy creamy tomato base with pulled chicken, tortilla chips and sour cream. Another favorite at Craft is the baked French onion, a homestyle French onion soup with hand-cut croutons, baked gruyere and provolone cheese. Soup of the day or chicken tortilla $4.95, baked French onion $6.95.
Pancakes
New Woodbury Café
Sometimes comfort food is needed right away in the morning, and luckily there are pancakes. New Woodbury Café has any form you want whether you are craving the simple, classic old-fashioned pancakes—two golden buttermilk pancakes served with powdered sugar and syrup, or something sweeter and dessert-like such as the chocolate chip cookie dough pancakes—two buttermilk pancakes packed with delicious cookie dough, drizzled with chocolate and topped with whipped cream. Old-fashioned $6.50, chocolate chip cookie dough $8.50.
Chicken and Dumplings
Cravings Wine Bar & Grille
It’s not every day in just any restaurant that you can order comfort food such as homemade chicken and dumplings, but at Cravings you can do just that. This tasty dish is complete with gnocchi, asparagus, wild mushroom, Nueske’s bacon, pearl onion and natural juices. Ask your server for the perfect wine pairing and this meal will practically make your bad day disappear. $21.
Pasta
Angelina’s Kitchen
Various forms of pasta are staple comfort foods, especially ones like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna. Angelina’s Kitchen has all these delicious favorites (each with a gluten-free option). Try the spaghetti and meatball, a classic dish using Grandma Angelina’s own recipe, served spicy or mild; the mac and cheese, with a unique blend of Italian cheeses and American cheddar or the lasagna, served as a choice of sausage with marinara or spinach with alfredo, made with sheets of fresh semolina pasta and layered with fine Italian cheeses, served with a side veggie. Spaghetti $13, mac and cheese $12, lasagna $15.
Short-rib Grilled Cheese
Tamarack Tap Room
Sometimes nothing beats the simplicity and comfort of a warm and gooey grilled cheese. Tamarack Tap Room puts a unique spin on this classic with the short rib grilled cheese. It’s a Surly Bender-braised short rib with caramelized onions, fontina cheese and red wine reduction on Texas toast. Order it with your favorite comfort food side—your choice of fries, barbecue chips or tots— or upgrade to O-rings, cheese curds, sweet potato fries or a house salad for a small extra charge. $12.95.
Desserts
The Tavern Grill
With flatbread pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, burgers and entrées galore, The Tavern Grill is your one-stop shop for all of your favorite comfort foods. But that’s not all they have for comfort food—they also have a mouth-watering dessert menu: cheesecake, pie, cake, crème brûlée, apple crisp and even dessert bacon. There is something for every dessert craving out there. Highly recommended is the coffee hazelnut crème brûlée, a classic crème brûlée with a hint of coffee and Frangelico, accompanied with coffee-dusted whipped cream and a shot of kahlua. Or try the warm and filling spiced rum maple apple crisp, featuring caramelized granny smith apples in a spiced rum maple caramel and pecan almond crisp, served with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream and caramel. Crème brûlée and apple crisp $8.50 each.
