Cozy spot in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill area. Sat outdoors this time (HEAT LAMPS YES!). Just loved the way Scratch has pivoted for Covid. We felt so safe, from the moment we arrived to the moment we left - all the necessary precautions were taken and then some. Our own paper menus, we took silverware to our table, everyone was happily wearing a mask and social distancing. Ordered a perfectly paired bottle of wine for the beet grain bowls, had a side of fries, then a fall cocktail to round it off. Menu is curated, and each item is absolutely delicious! 10/10 would recommend. And as if their food and drink weren't enough, they donate to a food bank in lieu of tips! Such a gem! read more

This food was ordinary, was very overpriced and absolutely nothing special! I will not return and can not recommend this restaurant. Giving food and drink unusual and novel names and dressing the wait staff in catchy attire does not change the flavor of the actual menu offerings. read more

Food and drinks were amazing. I like how they all work as a team. The kitchen is very clean and organised. I highly recommend this place for everyone. It is a little pricey but well worth it. The only negative was the server was a little slow. We were not in a hurry or anything. But we didn't have silverware when the first course came out and getting her attention for refills on drinks.... she did keep us hydrated. !! Thanks for the great meal!!! read more

Wow! What a find! Nice uncomplicated menu without a dizzying array of items for drink and food, but covering all the bases for a foodie! For drinks had an Autumn Mule and a Sunrise in Roatan, both well-crafted cocktails. Had a seasonal collection of small plates, a sweet potato dish, a turkey crepenette, and a carrot, vegan dish. Finished with a pumpkin brulee for dessert. Excellent all around including the service from server Lindsay. Located in a quiet, sleepy neighborhood just a billy goat's climb off Route 28. read more

We loved Scratch. We've been a handful of times and have experienced wonderful, friendly service, excellent cocktails and delicious meals. This is a great place with a super nice neighborhood joint vibe and a terrific menu. You cannot go wrong. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Scratch. From the food to the wait staff and hostess---excellent. They made our experience so enjoyable. We came in last Saturday during Restaurant Week and will definitely be back, many, many times. We had a couple concerns about parking, but were pleasantly surprised with the amount of street parking around the restaurant. When we arrived, Mary, the hostess, greeted us with a smile and was very kind. David, our server, was attentive and helped make recommendations about some of the starters we were looking at. He was not wrong with his recommendations! Their mushrooms are delicious! It was the perfect size as a starter to share. Their corn soup and peach cobbler were amazing as well. During our meal, the owner Don, stopped by our table to check on us. We appreciated that he took the time to talk to us and make sure everything was satisfactory. Shortly after our arrival, we had an emergency come up, and everyone was very accommodating and helpful while we had to deal with a slight crisis. David, Mary, Don and the whole Scratch team- we cannot thank you enough for the hospitality. We will be back soon! read more

We were told by locals how amazing this place was so we jumped at the only available day of reservation for an earlier than we liked time. Our table was right by the door an an awkward set up with part table seating part corner bench seating ... oh well, the food we were told was unbelievable. Unfortunately it was just ok. Some items better than others. The cheese polenta/grits were a mushy miss. The prices reflect local, day of, fresh made but portion sizes (outside of grits) were tiny. Hopefully you'll hit them on a better night. read more

I made a res months ago for a weekend in Pittsburgh and tonight we waited at our table for two hours with only apps and drinks and no sign of dinner. it's unfortunate to waste a night in a city while on vacation. appetizers were fine but after waiting an hour beyond apps (despite being served the wrong meals and told that ours was coming up momentarily), cereal in our hotel room it is. awful experience. read more

Took them two hours to give us bread and not our food. Would have given negative stars if I could.

The service was great, the cocktail was great, everything was great, but the bagel I ordered a bagel at my teeth, could not bite off. Such a workout I got trying to cut it with a knife I even asked for a steak knife and still had a hard time cutting it. I finally just abandoned it, It tasted good, but you could really make a shoe out of it. read more

This spot is lovely. The atmosphere is chill and so cozy. It's not pretentious and it feels like home. The staff are friendly and attentive. The handcrafted drinks are creative and so good! And the food. Oh, the food. We ordered several starters for our group of 5 and I wish I had ordered the Spanish mushrooms for myself, because they were so good I didn't want to share. The pickled veggies were perfect. I'm not a pâté person, but my friend practically ate the whole thing with a spoon. I got the beef bourguignon and it was the perfect size and exquisite. The server submitted the wrong dish for a friend, but quickly fixed her mistake by bringing the right dish and left us to share the Locust Point Farm Chicken, which was bright and lovely. We ordered a bunch of desserts to share and the apple spice cake was divine and my favorite. Such a wonderful gem and worth going to regularly! read more

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I just stopped in for tea and a bagel this morning. The prices were all super reasonable, the bagel+shmear was delicious, and the rest of the menu looked really impressive. The staff was hella friendly and there was just good vibes all around. Definitely going to be fitting this spot into my cafe rotation, and I certainly plan on checking it out for dinner soon! read more

On Tuesday, a group of 5 of us went to Scratch for dinner and drinks. We parked in an empty lot nearby as there isn't a parking lot, just street parking. When we walked in there was an area that had a bar and some tables and the other side/room had a lot more tables. We got there around 6pm and there wasn't a large crowd yet but was filling up throughout the night. We started at the bar and had all of their signature cocktails. The Pendennis Club was by far our favorite. It had a nice chocolatey taste, but all of the cocktails were all delicious and the bartender was very friendly. After drinks, we sat at a table across from the bar for dinner. For appetizers, we had the Ceviche, Cheese, Pickled Vegetables, and Marinated Olives. They were all very delicious, the Ceviche was different (almost vegetarian and they come on a cucumber slice) and was definitely a winner in our book. For dinner, we all had something different to share amongst each other. We had the Lamb Stew (2 portions to make it more of a bigger meal), Pasta Citronette, Barramundi, Beef Bourguignon, Pan-Roast Chicken, and grits. The stew was awesome and the pasta had a nice lemonly flavor. The Barramundi was a really tasty fish, the beef was delicious as well as the chicken and the grits. Honestly, every single meal was amazing and so delicious. The waiter was extremely friendly as well. It was a great time, and the food and drinks were outstanding. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat and would recommend Scratch as a must go. read more

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Food was good! The location isn't convenient to me, so I don't know that I'd go back. I loved getting to try lots of small bites.

For our weekend foodture we went to Scratch, this amazing & cozy restaurant is located in Troy Hill. Dining at the distance is not that far like the normal days, it's just with some precaution needed to be practice which was politely explained to us. Everyone are friendly & efficient. The food, OH MY GOODNESS.. you know how good it is when it makes you close your eyes with each bite. We had the Ok Zoomer & Mac n' Cheese as starter. Then we had the Miss Piggy, Bahn Mi & Fresh Cut Fries. One of the reason my boyfriend chose this place was because of their sorbet (and I love ice cream so much!) & so for the dessert we tried their chocolate & old fashioned flavor. I attached some picture of the food so you can see for yourself. But why only take a look when you can try them? Scratch, you're 11/10 to us. read more

Scratch & Co - Miss Piggy -- Pulled Pork, B&B Pickles, Gruyere, Sunny Egg, Choice of BBQ, Toasted Pullman - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Scratch is definitely a lovely experience! The service was great (our waiter was witty and engaging). Came here for Galentine's Day and had $50 Groupon. We got small plates to share and I had scallops...divine. I had 2 mules to drink...very refreshing. I only wish I had gotten at LEAST one more scallop on my plate. For $30, the plate was definitely skimpy. Overall would absolutely go back and sit at the bar for a different experience. Top marks! read more

My wife and I went for a date night. Scratch is in the top 3 restaurants in the city. Unpretentious and approachable, a unique spot in the city. If Scratch were in Lawrenceville or East Liberty the chef would be up for a James Beard (that said, please don't move). Literally every flavor combination is on point, the service is amazing, and the story is awesome. Our menu: Course 1: Marinated mushrooms Salted cod deviled eggs Course 2: Asparagus salad Gravlax Course 3: Lamb ragu (Special) trout cake Course 4: Asparagus salad (it was that good) Drinks: Vermouth flight Phantom wine 2011 The marinated mushrooms were all flavorful and unique. We were able to pick up the unique flavor of each type of mushrooms and its marinade. The salted cod deviled eggs would be our favorite bite if they were served at any other restaurant in the city. The asparagus salad was to die for. The fresh flavor of the asparagus and truffle were mixed together to perfection. Sometimes you get a dish with truffle and all that you get is truffle. Here it was a great accent. The gravlax which was smoked salmon, a small pancake, a fresh slaw, yogurt dressing, and citrus was a great bite and well constructed. Our mains were delicious, there isn't any way around it. The special trout cakes with roasted vegetables was light and delicious. The lamb ragu. Wow. Typically I would think of ragu as somewhat heavy, but this bucked the trend. It was served of a great perfectly al dente angel hair and prepared with fresh tomatoes and butternut squash. The lamb was perfectly cooked and fell apart; it picked up every flavor. The sauce was not too heavy and mouth watering. I would have licked the bowl if I weren't in public. Neither of us have the biggest sweet tooth so we opted for another round of asparagus to cleanse our pallets. Again, amazing. Our drinks were on point. The wine list is complete with a lot to choose from and a price point for everyone. The vermouth flight was both unique and delicious. We both preferred the dry vermouth, but everyone would find something they liked. Will be going back again soon! read more

Exceptional! Awesome jazz brunch, flawless service and great food! Tucked away at the top of Troy Hill, Scratch is worth the search. The Japanese Pancakes, the Devonshire and the eclectic cocktails will make your visit! read more

Top 5 restaurant in PGH. Refinied comfort food. Exciting, yet unpretentious. This is the go to special occasion spot for me and my wife. Nestled in the up and coming Troy Hill neighborhood, they offer fantastic cocktails, good brews, and food that consistently "blows our doors off". On our most recent visit, we stopped by for cocktails and a snack (duck confit). It was some of the best food we had eaten in months and made us wish we were doing full dinner. The ownership and staff seem like great folks. They have done a lot of work to help out food insecure communities throughout covid. We sat outside. They had gas heaters. This is the type of restaurant that deserves our support. If you are considering this place, go now! You will not regret it. read more

I moved to Troy Hill in July and although we have been walking around exploring the neighborhood, we haven't really ventured into the local food scene on the North Side much. I lived only a few blocks from Scratch and have heard great things, so when I got home from work last night and really didn't feel like cooking dinner, I figured it was as good a time as any to give it a go. Myself, my 11 and 5 year old, and my 5 year old's dad arrived right as they opened at 5pm. It has a very open and welcoming atmosphere with fun decor, and the kitchen is out in the open so you can see the hustle and bustle. This place is marked as not good for kids, and while I wouldn't bring them there during a night out meal, we were all hungry, and they are really accommodating despite not having a kids menu. They made my daughter a grilled cheese, and my son had some buttered penne, both of which they have cleaned their plates on prior occasions when their dad had brought them in. I ordered a Troy Hill Iced Tea to sip on while I looked at the menu; it was stout and tasted delicious! I went with the heirloom tomatoes as a first, since it'll be off the menu soon, and the lamb chops as my main dish. Both were visually pleasing, very nice presentation, and both were very tasty dishes. The heirloom tomatoes were heavy on the basil, which the feta cheese did well to balance the strength. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and the plating was beautiful! Service was EXCELLENT, from being very accommodating to our kids, to making sure we were well taken care of. Very nice group of folks working here. The chef even came out to check on us once! I'd love to come back and explore their menu more, everything on it sounded superb. read more

Stumbled upon Scratch via OpenTable and figured we'd give it a try. Boy...was I pleasantly surprised! We had a 3 pm reservation (opentable said there were only 7 left for the night) and we were looking for a late lunch so it was perfect timing. We were actually the only people at the restaurant for the entire time we were there (3-5:30) which was shocking. Luckily, there wasn't any other reason other than weird timing that the restaurant was empty. Our waitress recommended ordering a bunch of plates to share, which we ended up doing. The arancini were not your typical arancini...but that didn't mean they weren't delicious. They fries were obviously freshly cut: potatoey pillows of fluff (other reviewers were right though...the ketchup didn't get the seal of approval from your heinz-loving guests). The chicken tacos were great, but the best thing we had was the mixed grilled veggie platter. I had the strawberry mojito as a drink (which they also made virgin for one of our guests) which was refreshingly delicious! I really hope they start to fill up and get the recognition they deserve...I can't wait to go back myself! read more

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This place is good -- really good. I'm a bit hesitant to tell you how good it is. You all have to promise me that you aren't going to make the place so crowded I won't be able to get in any time in the near future. Went there with a large group and order multiple items from the small plates and entrees. Every dish had great flavor and was delicious. Ditto on the desserts. The place is billed as "comfort food" which it is to some extent, but I don't remember comfort food tasting this good. It's definitely the type of place where you want to order several items and share. I would go back in a heartbeat, but I imagine as more people find out about it, reservations will be harder and harder to come by. You should go try it now before it becomes so popular you won't be able to get in. read more

had dinner and drinks at scratch f&b. food was fantastic! I had the beef cheeks stroganof, was served over grits with mushrooms and leeks! I'd highly recommend it to anyone! Also try the "old fashioned" from the cocktail menu. The renovation looks incredible! read more

Scratch & Co - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We tried Scratch Food and Beverage on Friday. The major reason we chose it was because of all of the gluten free options. Typically restaurants have grilled/baked chicken or a steak, but not here. We decided on salt cod deviled eggs, falafel, and gravlax for apps and beef bourguignon for the main!!! Because the apps were so filling, we split the main. They gave us individual portions. Although it was enough food, once I tasted it, I wished we hadn't split! This is a must try!! Every dish was better than the last. I cannot wait until summer to try it out when the doors and windows open. :) read more

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Upon moving to Troy Hill a few months ago, we have been anxiously awaiting trying Scratch. Troy Hill is about to boom and Scratch is just the beginning. I am very conflicted on how I feel about my experience. There are so many things right and so many things wrong. Let's start with the ambience... Very good! Love the rustic look they're going for. It almost reminded me of a more modern ski resort. There's so much space as well! You have your main room with the bar and dining tables, then two separate dining areas. On to the food-- I ordered a burger and loved it. Very tasty and the fries were awesome. They use a very unique seasoning that is making my mouth water as we speak. Their ketchup is also homemade apparently. Nothing better than fries with ketchup! For ten bucks, it was a good deal and very comparable to other establishments in the city. My boyfriend ordered the haluski. It was listed under "dinners" on the menu so we assumed it was going to be a huge bowl. Wrong. For ten freaking dollars, he got a bowl filled with 1/4 of haluski. We couldn't believe it. Not only did it take forever to come out, but it is a shame that management feels the meal is worth that much. It honestly could have been passed off as a side. HUGE rip off. He enjoyed it, but nowhere near worth the ten bucks. Now here's what Scratch needs to work on-- It took someone a few minutes to seat us and give us menus just to wait another five or so minutes to have the waitress come over to grab our order. Both staff members didn't come off as friendly. I felt a sense of entitlement for some reason and I didn't feel truly welcome. Almost like they were better than me. Very pretentious. I understand the place just opened and they have to work out kinks, but staff is a major MUST. Don't hire people who don't understand customer service. Following up with food and service, because my boyfriend was obviously still hungry after his meal, he ordered a burger to go. We waited, waited and waited at our table for it to come out. Finally, we noticed a brown bag was put out on the bar. It probably sat there for about five minutes till the waitress brought it over to us. We couldn't believe that the food sat there to get cold. I understand she was the only staff member at this point, but before serving drinks to a huge party of about six people, maybe she should have rung as out and sent us on our way. No sense of urgency. I honestly want to give this place two stars, but I'm being generous due to the quality of my burger and atmosphere. I would like to stop back for their drinks because their cocktails looked fun and decently priced. However, I may wait a few months for them to work out kinks before returning. Hopefully management reads this and takes my advice. read more

Scratch & Co - Burger. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My boyfriend and I ate there several weeks ago. It was a Friday night. Our service was outstanding. Our recommendation would be the steak. It was mouth - watering deliciousness. I ordered the lamb which was still great, but I felt it was missing something - maybe some citrus flavor? The drinks were fun and interesting. We enjoyed the atmosphere. Everyone around us was very warm and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place and I know we will be back! read more

I have to look at some of the reviews and scratch my head - me and my wife live nearby in the North Side and had heard great things from our neighbors since they opened. We stopped in on a Friday evening after work and sat down right away. Our server was awesome - really friendly, and helpful with any questions we had. For drinks me and my wife ordered the Bertha, which was a slam dunk...make sure you try it. To eat my wife ordered the Halusky and I went with the low country Stroganoff, one of my favorite comfort foods. Now I'm polish, and this Halusky was a creative take on the dish...a bit different than our family recipe but still delicious. The stroganoff was served over cheesy & buttery grits instead of noodles that I'm used to, but it still rocked my world. I almost licked the plate because the grits were so good, and I typically don't even like them that much. I hope they decide to start serving them as a side or by themselves! We were both pretty hungry so we decided to try an order of the Mac and cheese with hot sauce, and we cleaned that up as well. They must have thought we had never eaten before When we were finished Don, their owner, stopped by our table and talked with us for a bit - really nice guy and clearly interested making sure this place succeeds. Don't let the iffy reviews throw you off, this place rocks. If you want something vegan or a huge menu, you can find that nearby in Lawrenceville. If you want some delicious comfort food that soothes the soul, come here - its what they're good at. read more

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4.5 stars but I'll round up! Visited last weekend and will be back. I've read this in other reviews and it's my only reason for not giving 5 stars -I had to google a lot of the terms on the menu. I don't claim to be super well versed in culinary terms but I also get out quite a bit and some of this was beyond me. Regardless the service was great and I didn't have anything that wasn't outstanding. Our foursome got the 40 mike salad, pickled vegetables, asparagus and some other small plate (hallouli?? Something like that) and it was all outstanding. My amberjack could not have been better and the tomato/yogurt it was served with was unmatched. Owner stopped us on our way out and was nice. Supporting locals business is easy when it's this delicious. read more

Soooo this one is tough. Please let me start this review by saying when people walk into your restaurant the appropriate greeting is " Good evening and welcome to...." Not, "Can I help you" as though the garbage man came in through the dining area.. So that was strike one. This place is also not easy to find and about as far off the beaten path as you can get. Parking was also not great. So to continue on my initial contact I was asked if I had a reservation. Now that's not uncommon even at opening but after being there for over 30 minutes there were two tables. So please refer back to my comments on how you greet guests....Ok let's try and get past this... So we ordered a vieux carre and a gimlet and they were both great cocktails. I looked over the menu and please let me clarify this is in no way a two dollar sign establishment. No worries there,I have been fine dining all week. My yellp record will support this. The menu was a bit limited. We ordered some olives and the lamb rilllette as a starter. I was encouraged to order everything at once and we requested some more time. Not well received. So after watching complimentary cocktails given out to the table next to me I am perplexed? I hope they are regulars. The server comes back to the table and asks what we would like. I say I am still waiting for the lamb rilllette... I watch her write it down and go and place the order.. why are they just placing the order?? To make it worse she points out our table to the ball hat wearing kitchen staff in shorts and the exchange does not look pleasant. Ok now I'm done. If you are.a local I guess you can try this. I'm a Native son from out of town. The rilllette was good looking and the cocktails were good but not enough to warrant a trip up this hill to have horrible service. Sorry Yelp fans keep looking read more

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Mostly a good place to have food and drinks. The drinks are outstanding. Had an egg white drink with bourbon and mulled wine and it was perfection. Unfortunately this time around I was disappointed with food. The Trumpet Mushroom"s" dish left you wanting another full plate of food. When it came out there was 4 pieces of potato and 1 trumpet mushroom cut in half. When you substitute something like mushrooms for meat, there should be a similarly generous portion. 1 single mushroom. Very lopsided entree considering my dining partner got fried chicken and it was overflowing the plate. Can not comment on the chicken dish as we had to send it back for being under cooked. The appetizers were decent. Olives and a cheese plate. It's about enough to serve 2 people. Great place for drinks, food isn't as good as it has been in the past. Hoping they get back to it. Will definitely go back, they regularly change the menu, new opportunities for good food. read more

I give it 5 stars for good service, good food, and great drinks! I give it 3 stars for atmosphere and some ridiculous choices regarding booth structure and table orientation. Sitting in these huge wooden booths is not very comfortable if you're tall. The food is so good, however, that it makes up for the weird tables. The ambience, otherwise, is pretty great. Overall, I highly highly recommend. Just try to sit in the back room away from the bar, because the booths around the bar are kind of weird. read more

I will say first that if you're looking to go here, you may want to make a reservation. It's a relatively small spot and we just got lucky enough to sit at the bar. This is a spot that earned 5 stars for a mixture of food, service, and atmosphere. I ordered the frisée salad which was possibly the best salad I've ever had. The greens were fresh and had very creamy goat cheese, what appeared to be home-made croutons, prosciutto, and a fantastic dressing on it. I also ordered the rueben sandwich which had the best looking corned beef I've ever seen. It was very thick, had a nice color, and wasn't overly salty. They also added just a bit of Russian dressing so it didn't over power every other flavor and it came with a side of fries that was cooked nicely. My wife ordered chicken that was seared and cooked so well that it was exceptionally juicy and so tender that the fork easily cut it. I feel like this spot is a hidden gem just tucked away on Troy Hill. If you're looking for a spot that adds their own spin on food and clearly cares about the quality of their food, I think you'll be happy with this spot. read more

Great dinner - had the weekly special smash burger and it was delish! The smashed potatoes were even better! Also had espresso martinis and they were the best in the city! Also unexpected Thursday night magician which was a fun addition to our dinner! read more

LOVE!! the workers are some of the nicest people, the food is amazing seriously top 5 coffee places in pittsburgh.

Dinner this weekend - three of us. It was terrific and I highly recommend this place. I had the short rib entree and it was great - tasted the pork belly that the other two split, and equally delicious. Also had a small plate ravioli to split- very very rich, also great. Try to sit on the left side of the restaurant, because the booths have really high backs, meaning we could carry on a conversation without shouting. (Such a rarity these days...) Instead will give a shout out to the great service. Definitely will be back! read more

It's not often that you find a place that provides excellent food, drinks, and atmosphere. This place he all three. Plus, the staff and owners are good people. Today, I enjoyed the all-day brunch - including the eggs, apple-compote pancakes, and AMAZING hash browns. AND, the cocktail list is creative and reasonable. I'm looking forward to coming back and experiencing the super-local menu. read more

Scratch & Co - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My family ate at Billy's (the former restaurant on the premises) regularly. Walking in and seeing how the new owners remodeled ... they did a very nice job. Gone were the 2 levels of tables ... new hardwood floors modern decor. Then it went down hill quick. The alcohol options were a 2 sided 8.5" x 11" piece of paper. The menu had 10 items ... 7 were vegetarian. I was dining with a carnivore. They don't serve ice tea. No steak option. One chicken option. We had cheeseburgers that were ok. The homemade pickles were interesting. Troy Hill residents are blue collar people who would walk to the restaurant. The owners kept a waitress and cook from Billy's... I suggest you ask them what kept the seats filled with return customers. If your goal is yuppie bar, at least serve yuppie bar food. If your goal is a restaurant change the menu. One reviewer said closed by 4th of July. I agree. read more

Superb lattes: Try the burnt banana and/or honey-miso. Fresh donuts. Very friendly staff. Cozy feel: Bar on the left, cafe on the right. Local art on the walls. Will definitely be back! read more

My wife and I ate at Scratch last night. It was perfect. If you like fresh, local creative food in the small plate format, you will love Scratch. The service was flawless. The room is cool and comfy. read more

This hidden Treasure in Troy Hill is unique. The menu is small , but the food was made to perfection. I ordered the pan roast chicken, whipped truffles potatoes , heirloom carrot , and Cipollini. And to drink a Hess wine. And after dinner drink from in area a threadbare dry cider. After dinner there was a band playing which was nice to see on a Wednesday night. Good atmosphere. read more