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100 Things To Do In Holland Before You Die: #16 - Feed Your Need For Hashbrowns At Windmill Restaurant

 Windmill Restaurant (228 W 8th Street, #220) is one of the most unique restaurants in downtown Holland.  As much as I've bitched and moaned about "lack of culture" in Downtown Holland, Windmill Restaurant is one of the few "cool" spots along 8th street.  They're not pretentious, they're not exclusionary, and they're one of the few spots that doesn't cater to wealthy patrons or to tourists.

The restaurant opened in the 1940s, and maintains its original storefront.  It's a long, narrow building with a sit-down counter along one wall and booths for seating along the other, making it so it's possible for a small party (1-2 people) can sit at the counter with very little waiting.  One of the unique aspects of Windmille is that the space is so small and compact that there's no room for queuing inside the building.  The sign on the front door instructs diners to queue outside the building, so it's not unusual to see folks waiting outside on the sidewalk to get into the restaurant (it's worth it!). 

100 Things To Do... talks about the cinnamon rolls...most of Windmill's breakfast entrees come with choice of a few sides; American fries, toast, stuff like that.  They also offer a cinnamon roll as a side, and these are HUGE.  Big enough that every time I've ordered one, I've brought it home and ate the whole thing for breakfast the following morning.  The cinnamon rolls are the true star of the show at Windmill, I've  honestly gotta go against 100 Things To Do... on this one.  The hashbrowns are hashbrowns, the cinnamon rolls are iconic.

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