Windmill Cafe — Restaurant in Pella

This was a tough one for me. Typically I only post reviews when things are exceptionally bad or exceptionally good. However, I'm here because I really wanted to enjoy this place as I love mom and pop breakfast resturants and there really isnt anything else that fills that niche in Pella. The service was fast and attentive but came off as pushy. I didnt feel as if I was welcome to dine at a leisurely pace. I was looking for a place to sit and read while I ate my food on my time. At first I thought maybe it was because the server was young and inexperienced. As I continued to sit at my table, after I had finished eating, the manager started checking in every few minutes and seemed to be hovering. The server didn't visit my table again once the hovering started. Eventually I threw a Benjamin on the table which they walked past for several minutes while I read on, only for the manager to approach, pick up one of the two tickets they had placed on my table and offer to ring me out. At that point i realized they had a counter to check out at. Then she came back and noticed the other ticket. It did not flow well even if it was supposed to be a greasey spoon counter service mom and pop. Ultimately, I cant stress enough how pushy they came off. If I were in New York, Denver, Atlanta etc and there was a line out the door waiting to be seated I would fully understand the rush. This is PELLA, IOWA. There are just north of 10,000 people living here. As someone who spent years serving when I was younger it is a delicate yet vital act to balance your service with the pace of your guest. The food was satisfactory. Not exceptionally great, not exceptionally bad. I would argue most waffle houses make a better old-fashioned omelet. The hasbrowns were undercooked. The French toast tasted like they didn't whip cinnamon or anything extra into the egg wash. The pancakes were middle of the road as well. What really took the cake for was the fact that the menu explicitly states only one refill for fountain pop. Judging by the rest of the experience I imagine they would die on that hill. This is Murica kids. If they're really a short order with counter service I should be allowed to to guzzle down my little 8oz soda with a heafty side of bacon as many times as I darn well please. I should be able to sip coffee as long as I want and enjoy the atmosphere. I bet the old folks go to McDonald's in this town to meet for coffee in the mornings because they can't sit around and chit chat without someone trying to push them...

For being named The Windmill Cafe in a town full of awesome little windmills, I'd say our experience was average at best. I suppose my expectations were set a little high given the name of the restaurant. The exterior was very welcoming, beautiful spot in thy heart of Pella. The interior was old, almost tacky even, with the plastic ceiling tiles but definitely clean 👌. The menu was a bit overwhelming. Eggs, skillets, pancakes, burgers, pasta, chicken.... almost anything you want. It's to much. Now on to the food... I ordered the daily special of course, lasagna. And the Mrs. had the Pella Burger with a side of fries. Lasagna was basic. Plain and simple. I noticed other items on the menu had mushrooms and I thought those would've been a wonderful addition to the dish and wondered why they wouldn't take advantage of that. It also came with a side of garlic bread which was essentially buttery toast. The Pella Burger was lacking. The patty itself was small and appeared to be from a freezer and the bun was matching. The toppings however were note worthy. Out of this world bologna that I assume comes from the meat store across the street and Swiss cheese with horseradish sauce. By the end of the meal I was full enough but missing satisfaction. With all that said I will say, the service was just fine. They did a good job with what they have to work with. Also I feel like the pricing...

"I’ve been stopping by the Windmill in Pella for years whenever I head over to my bar in Oskaloosa, hot shotz and it’s always been a treat. The staff and my waitress were fantastic as usual—it’s like one big, happy family in there. Normally, I get my egg white scramble because, hey, some of us are dodging the yolks for cholesterol or just keeping it light. This time they said they don’t do the egg white scramble anymore, which was a bit of a surprise. I mean, I totally get it—maybe the chef just doesn’t want the extra fuss, and trust me, I’d rather skip those liquid egg whites that taste like plastic anyway!

I also asked if I could swap my toast for just a little biscuit with some gravy on the side. Well, I got a whole biscuit and gravy meal on the bill instead, and my breakfast ended up over $25 instead of the usual under $13. The hash browns were a bit too toasty and the food was a little cold, but hey, everyone has an off day.

In the end, I’m just here for the good vibes and the friendly faces. I know they’ll be back to their usual warm, delicious breakfasts next time, and I’ll definitely be back...