Wood Street Bakery in Bristol, Rhode Island, was more than just your average bakery. While they offered delicious pizzeria-style pizzas, pizza strips, calzones, and deli sandwiches, they were uniquely known for something unexpected: hot wieners. This wasn’t just a side offering; hot wieners shared the spotlight, making Wood Street Bakery a truly distinctive culinary destination. Forget cakes and pastries (beyond cookies, brownies, and cannoli), the real draw here was the savory combination of bakery and hot dog joint.
The Hot Wiener Pizza Phenomenon
Let’s talk wieners. You could, of course, get a classic hot wiener – bun, mustard, meat sauce, the works. But Wood Street Bakery took it a step further, inventing the hot wiener pizza. Imagine a bakery-style pizza crust generously topped with all the traditional hot wiener fixings, and instead of pepperoni, slices of hot dogs. This inventive dish became a signature, a must-try for anyone visiting.
The Legendary Hot Wiener Eating Contest
Embracing their quirky identity, Wood Street Bakery hosted an annual hot wiener eating contest every Labor Day weekend starting in 2007. This wasn’t just a casual event; it was a serious competition. For a $10 entry fee (refundable for those who could stomach ten wieners), contestants battled it out to see who could devour the most fully-loaded hot wieners in twenty minutes. The prize? Bragging rights, a t-shirt, and $100 for the champion. Rules were strict: no dunking, no bathroom breaks, and definitely no vomiting! The record stood at an impressive eighteen wieners, set in 2011 by a participant dressed as Spider-Man.
Beyond Wieners: Exploring the Menu
Wood Street Bakery’s menu was more extensive than just wieners and pizza. Notable items included stuffed quahogs and specialty pizzas like “The Godfather,” loaded with meatballs, Italian sausage, eggplant, and marinara, and “The White Quahog,” a white pizza featuring fresh quahogs and bacon. Calzones came in various tempting combinations, such as Italian Grinder, Chourico, and Sausage and Peppers.
A Bristol Landmark Remembered
Operating on Wood Street since 1989, Cavalieri’s Wood Street Bakery was a local fixture for many years. Sadly, this unique establishment closed its doors permanently sometime after October 2020. While its closure went largely unannounced, it’s speculated that the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic played a role. In its place, CP’s Catering and Sandwich Shop has since opened. Though Wood Street Bakery is no longer with us, it remains a fondly remembered spot for its innovative hot wiener pizza and spirited community events, leaving a unique mark on Bristol’s culinary landscape.
