East Windsor Resident Fulfills Dream By Opening Broad Brook Pizza

EAST WINDSOR, CT — From the time he could first see over a stove, Bobby Miner has been fascinated with cooking; now, he has returned to his original hometown and opened his own restaurant in the heart of the village of Broad Brook. It is appropriately named Broad Brook Pizza.

The youngest of seven children, Miner initially lived in Broad Brook, where his dad ran Consolidated Cigar. His family moved to Enfield when he was 5, and he began getting a taste of the workforce at an early age.

"When I was 10, I worked at Grassmere Country Club," he said in a recent interview with Patch. "I put a potato on a plate, picked up cigarette butts in the parking lot, took the flags out, then went across the street and worked on a vegetable farm. When I was around 17, I worked in the Grassmere kitchen for banquets, and always loved it."

His dream of becoming a restaurateur was put on hold for a number of years, when he moved to Florida and became a food and beverage purchaser for a theme restaurant. He also started detailing and pressure washing businesses before returning to his native state.

He worked as a manager at Valvoline in West Hartford for 13 years, but his culinary aspirations returned.

"I bounced around doing odd jobs, but I resumed catering on the side, and in the last six or seven years, the passion returned," he said.

Last year, Miner helped out Elaine Koumlelis, affectionately known as "Momma," at Village Pizza II at 147 Main St., which she ran with her daughter Maryanne and son Peter. With the family matriarch ready to retire, Miner seized the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream.

"I'd always wanted my own place, as I'd always made money for other people and was very successful at it," he said. "We worked on this deal for six or seven months before it came to be."

Not much work needed to be done before Broad Brook Pizza became a reality. Miner bought a new refrigerator and freezer, and after opening on March 24, he purchased more pans as demand was so high that he sometimes had to close early due to running out of product.

"It has been insane crazy," he understated.

One carryover from the Koumlelis family has been Momma's recipes for meatballs and sauce. In addition, the restaurant gets fresh rolls and bread from Strano's Bakery.

In addition to pizza, menu offerings include grinders, lasagna and pasta dinners. Miner said he will be adding specialty pizzas, noting he recently offered a chicken cordon bleu pie and a cauliflower crust steak and cheese pizza.

"The cauliflower crust has been huge; I can barely keep it in stock," he said.

The restaurant, which has a small dining area, is a true family affair, as Miner's daughter Autumn works several days a week. Unlike most small eateries, Broad Brook Pizza is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Delivery is available to all of East Windsor and select areas of southern Enfield.

Despite being open for less than two weeks, the shop is already generating a base of regular customers.

Lifetime Broad Brook resident Gail Gahr told Patch, "My husband Jack and I attended the grand opening of Broad Brook Pizza. We have ordered every single week since they opened and are very pleased with their food and service. We have had their pizza, grinders and meals. We are so happy they are here in town. Everyone needs to check them out and support them; you won’t be disappointed. Bobby and crew are very friendly and happy to please."

Customer satisfaction is at the top of Miner's wish list.

"I want to make sure everybody gets a good product at a good price," he said. "We're trying to do big things in a small place!"

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