Review of Harry’s Pizza Bishop’s Corner by Summer Distefano

Walking into Harry’s Bishop’s Corner Pizza, I could instantly tell that I was in for an authentic Italian treat. My family and I instantly decided we should try this slice of West Hartford dining. When we arrived, a friendly hostess, who promptly seated us, greeted us with a more than welcoming smile.

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Within minutes after being seated our waitress arrived at our table with a cheery smile. She asked us if we had been to Harry’s to which we responded no. After hearing our response she was more than eager to tell us the history of the restaurant, which is an interesting story. The original Harry’s started out in West Hartford Center and was run by Harry, his wife, and an unrelated manager. When Harry and his wife split up, she and the manager got not only the restaurant, but also the name Harry’s Pizza. Harry did not let that stop him from opening up a spot across town called Harry’s Bishop’s Corner Pizza. To this day Harry and his ex wife are still competing to see who can make the best pizza in West Hartford.

After telling the story the waitress took our drink order, leaving us to look over the vast menu. I instantly set my eyes on the classic cheese pizza. I figured it would be an easy way to judge the pizza and it is of course my favorite kind. Everyone can make a cheese pizza, but not everyone can make it taste as good as it looks.

image: harrysbc.com

Our waitress came back to the table and told us about the variety of salad dressings and that the restaurant chefs make dressings from scratch and that the restaurant even sells it by the bottle! I was convinced I needed to try one of these salads and homemade dressings. I settled for their classic house salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, my favorite. She asked us if we had decided on the pizza we wanted, and we all shook our heads in agreement. We told her we wanted a large mozzarella pizza, to which she responded with rave reviews! She told us we had made a good decision, and we would not be disappointed.

The waitress proceeded to take our menus and walked away, leaving us to admire the atmosphere. I looked around at all the tables, which were almost all taken up by hungry patrons. Many families with young children were laughing, smiling, and enjoying their pizza. You could easily tell that this is a very friendly, family oriented, and welcoming place. The atmosphere is irresistible! There were also people lined up waiting for their take out order to be ready. I made a note to myself that my roommates and I should try take out one night!

image: slide-seriousseats.com

Within a few minutes, our waitress arrived with our salads. The dressing was on the side, a nice feature that most restaurants do not do. The salad was packed with flavor, and the fresh vegetables made it a refreshing treat. Within minutes of finishing the salad, our brick oven pizza arrived at the table. The aroma was unbelievable! The pizza was New York style: thin crust with a delightfully fresh tomato sauce. The pizza is easily comparable to Pepe’s Pizza, a Connecticut pizza icon. The only difference is that Pepe’s cooks its pizza a little differently, so the crust is blackened. Harry’s cooks its crust perfectly, so there is not a burnt taste.

Overall, Harry’s Bishop’s Corner pizza is a delightful treat that will not break your budget. We ended up only paying $14.25 for a large pizza, as opposed to $15.50 for a large Pepe’s pizza. In the summer and winter months, Harry’s Bishop’s Corner offers seasonal pizza options for around $22.50. In the summer, it offers a fresh spinach pizza with locally made Italian sausage. When it gets a bit chilly, stop into enjoy the crimini mushrooms and roasted asparagus pizza. The house salad was a fair $6.00, although some may consider that to be a pricey salad, with the amount of fresh vegetables, it is priced just right.

Harry’s Bishops Corner Pizza, although a very desirable place to eat, still has some drawbacks. Since the restaurant is very small inside, it is unable to accommodate large parties. Pizza parties are always a fun birthday party treat; extra seating for large parties is something that Harry’s pizza should work on adding. Another undesirable feature is Harry’s only serves pizza and salad. Many people who go out to eat for pizza like a side of pasta with their meal. Harry’s does not offer that, which may be a downside to those people looking to enjoy something other than pizza.

Overall Harry’s Bishop’s Corner Pizza offers a unique taste of West Hartford. With affordable prices, a friendly environment, and savory pizza, how can you go wrong? Whether you are going on a first date or taking your family out, Harry’s is a great option that should be greatly considered!