The Windmill (stylized as WindMill) is a chain of restaurants located mostly near the
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...
known for its
hot dog
A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...
s and other fast food. The original location, a windmill-shaped building in
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a beachside city in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 31,667, an increase of 948 (+3.1%) from the 2010 census count of 30,719, which in turn reflect ...
, was built and opened in 1963.
Leo and Ed Levine bought the restaurant in 1976, and opened a second location in
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a Borough (New Jersey), borough located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,907, an increase of 113 ...
, three years later.
George James in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' writes, "Aside from
Sabrett, the family-owned hot dog manufacturer based in New Jersey that makes the Windmill hot dog, the Levines, probably constitute the largest wiener dynasty in the state." The Windmill's
hot dog style is a Jersey Shore flat-grilled dog.
The Windmill's Long Branch location is known for its fierce competition with nearby
Max's Famous Hotdogs
Max's Bar & Grill (formerly Max's Famous Hot Dogs) is a restaurant in Long Branch, New Jersey known for its hot dogs. Max's uses quarter pound Schickhaus beef/pork dog slow cooked on a griddle. Max's hotdog style is a Jersey Shore variant of Ko ...
.
References
External links
The Windmill Official Website Pictorial blog road trip of Monmouth County and the Windmill
1963 establishments in New Jersey
Companies based in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Hot dog restaurants in the United States
Jews and Judaism in New Jersey
Long Branch, New Jersey
Restaurants established in 1963
Restaurants in New Jersey
Tourist attractions in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants in the United States
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