Vittles restaurant — Restaurant in Pittsfield

I am picky. "When Harry Met Sally" picky. I'm a big fan of "on the side". When I decided to move to a small town in central Maine, I thought I would have to give up creative quality ingredient cuisine. I'm not often wrong but when I am I admit it.

Let me begin with breakfast: They have everything you could possibly crave in the morning like delicious Belgian waffles and fluffy melt in your mouth pancakes. Savory? They make the most flavorful, perfectly cooked bacon I have ever had. My eggs are always cooked to perfection by an amazing young cook named Bobby, as per my request, somewhere between over easy and over medium. The Spanish omelet is a personal favorite, with extra salsa and sour cream on the side. On the side is good. Extra on the side is even better! On the weekend I drag myself out of bed for their eggs Benedict. Vittles' gorgeous yellow hollandaise sauce has just the right balance of creamy and lemony, and the eggs are poached perfectly. Don't get me started on Chef Rick's house made authentic Italian sausage that I order when available. The flavor explodes in your mouth. It can almost be described as euphoric. What can I say; fennel in sausage makes me extra happy . Lunch: Any wrap will do. Of course I add or subtract different accouterments depending on my mood. If you are not craving a wrap, Vittles burgers are made from locally sourced beef (I'm a big fan of locally sourced products...local means fresh) and they are as good as any high end steakhouse burger. I thoroughly enjoy their fresh charbroiled bacon cheeseburgers with frizzled onions and cherry peppers. Did I mention that the pickles and chips are house made? Enough said. No, there is so much more, lucky you!

If I really just can't decide, I simply order the Vittles turkey club, with fresh roasted turkey meat, not slimy deli slices, and cranberry mayo. Don't forget the homemade soups! Especially the house made clam chowder. It's better than therapy!

Dinner: Friday/Saturday evening is a must! The dinner menu changes every week, aside from a few staple items. There is always something creative and enticing for both vegetarians and carnivores alike. Two crucial words you must never forget. Prime Rib. It is always seasoned and cooked to perfection. Sometimes I get indulgent and order a crab claw with my prime rib. Life is short. I know this for a fact. Another yummy you can always order is the fresh never frozen local haddock. Baked or lightly breaded and fried, it never ever has the dreaded triple F-funky fishy flavor. Vittles is the only eatery in Pittsfield and surrounding areas that always has fresh never frozen proteins.

Desert? Yes please. They have ice cream that is home made in small batches in flavors like dark chocolate Bailey's and lemon basil. The pies are also made fresh from scratch. I like pie. Who doesn't like pie? It's like not liking puppies. I don't trust people who don't like puppies or pies, unless they are allergic. The strawberry rhubarb is a favorite. It's the perfect marriage of sweet and tart, though I've never been let down by any pie at Vittles. Can't say the same about the ex husband. I'd rather have a slice of Vittles freshly baked pie than another husband any day!

Be forewarned. The portions are huge! Be prepared to happily take home leftovers. Oh, and if you are fortunate enough to have Brandon as your server, the experience of dining a Vittles will be even that much more enjoyable. This young man is just a fabulous server and in my opinion, the best Vittles has ever had since I moved here.

I am a wonderful/terrible client for any chef. Wonderful because I sincerely enjoy and appreciate the art of cuisine. Terrible because I usually request my meal altered to please my picky little preferences. Either way, Chef Rick always indulges me with a smile and extra focaccia. He understands my needs. It takes a secure man to be with me, and a secure chef to cook for me. So for now my doggies will be my only male companions, and I'll dine at Vittles every chance I can get. Neither ever lets me down....

The reviews were excellent, and they were right We wanted a place to meet with old friends, and picked Vittles. I ordered the Black and Jack Wrap (blackened chicken with vegetables and cheese) and, on the strength of the rave reviews, upgraded the chips (which are made here in the kitchen, and are said to be excellent) to the Frizzled Onions. Meals take time here: everything is fresh (the owner believes the kitchen doesn't have a can opener!), and is made fresh when ordered. My plate arrived, onions heaped on a substantial wrap, a cup of pickled vegetables peeking out from one end of the mound. The onions are not heavy battered onion rings, but are dredged lightly in flour, and then fried: light, crisp, tasty, but not filling and heavy.The wrap was a well-balanced mix of meat and veggies, although I have to say I didn't taste much "blackened" on the chicken: that might be because it was so well balanced. Even the home-made pickles were delightful, and I was sorry I put them off until late in my wrap. My wife ordered a Caesar salad with chicken, and was delighted thereby. My friend Bob ordered the Classic Vittles Salad, and was more than satisfied, not only with the quantity, but the taste and freshness. Angela had (I think) a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, again with the Frizzled Onions. Bob and Angela both hope to return to Vittles frequently. I spoke with the owner after we ate, when he revealed that they didn't own a can opener, as far as he knew. He arranged for us to have a complimentary order of their hand-made ice cream. My wife said, "Oh, chocolate!" and he replied, "Try it and see!" It wasn't. It was rich, creamy, tasty, want-more-of-it, but we couldn't place it. "Bailey's Irish Cream," he told us. "We dropped a pie one night and needed a replacement dessert, so I made this up on the spot." They've had it ever since, with variations. We hope to return, although we won't make the 600-mile trip just for this restaurant. If it were 50 miles, though, we very well...

I am thrilled that Vittles has reopened! We all need a place to dine that has fresh, flavorful, and creative food. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they never disappoint. I was just at Vittles for lunch this past Thursday. My friend and I both had bacon cheeseburgers on ciabatta rolls. They were cooked to perfection, just as we requested. I don't know where they get their bacon, but I could have eaten a huge platter of it. Yum!

Our server Hanna was just as sweet as can be. She truly did an excellent job, as all their servers do. My last dinner server was Sam. She was such a lovely young lady with the nicest most positive attitude. The servers at Vittles definitely make the dining experience even better.

The other night I had a last minute dinner at Vittles. Their beef stroganoff was absolutely delicious! I actually got a second order to take home.The complimentary focaccia bread was amazing!

I just saw tonights dinner menu on their Facebook page. It changes weekly. I'm trying to decide if tonight for dinner I will order the scallops or chicken Milanese...I think I'll have to eat one dinner there and get another to go for tomorrow. That works for me! :)

I love that the owner, chef Rick, always takes the time to come out of the kitchen to talk with all of his customers. It's a nice personal touch. Like a home away from home, but with far better food! Great food and great service! Thank you Vittles for all you provide during these most difficult times. You are truly appreciated! Thank you chef Rick, and the rest of the staff, that make being...