The Friendly Diner revives the Pittsfield breakfast scene
Published: 09-22-2024 12:06 PM |
Scott Partridge doesn’t forget faces. Even if he can’t always recall someone’s name, he remembers their order. As customers trickled out of his new Pittsfield restaurant, the Friendly Diner, after the Tuesday lunch rush, he waved and thanked people for coming.
“See you tomorrow,” one customer called back.
The diner opened two weeks ago, marking Scott’s re-entry into the Pittsfield food scene.
“Once we opened, it felt like Old Home Day for me,” Scott said.
He and his wife, Diane, previously owned and operated the Main Street Grill and Bar, which closed before the pandemic.
“The townspeople have taken me back with open arms because of the quality of product that we put out at Main Street and the name we created for ourselves,” he said.
With its sunshine yellow exterior and large windows, the diner, formerly the site of Jitters Cafe, has already become quite the local spot, serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and dinner on Wednesday through Friday. They also have to-go sandwiches and coffee.
“I’m eager to come in here every day because it’s ours,” said Diane, who initially encouraged Scott to open another establishment. “I like being able to talk to customers. I am super happy. I really am. I’m happy that it’s so far been above and beyond what we thought it was going to be.”
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She typically works the front of the house while Scott handles everything in the kitchen. Diane left her previous job to join Scott at the diner once it became clear the restaurant needed more staff. Even in its second weekend, the restaurant saw lines forming during prime brunch time. Some residents have since become regulars.
Lifelong Pittsfield resident Laurie Houle says she appreciates the service at the diner and especially loves how the owners interact with the customers rather than staying in the back all the time. Houle expressed excitement at having another place to eat in Pittsfield.
“It’s been a big plus for the town. It’s good to see cars lined up on Main Street instead of looking like a ghost town,” she said.
Groups such as the Romeos and the fire chiefs in the Suncook Valley have begun gathering regularly at the restaurant, according to Scott, who says he can tell how sociable people in the area want to be.
He and Diane have worked in the food service industry for decades. In addition to the Main Street Grill and Bar, they previously owned and operated the English Muffin Diner in Hampstead, Hooksett Family Restaurant in Hooksett, and DJ’s Pizza in Allenstown. The couple, who lives in Deerfield, gained their initial experiences in the industry as managers at Friendly’s and Olive Garden.
Taking multiple breaks from operating restaurants in response to burnout and a desire for a more consistent, less demanding schedule, Scott ran the State of New Hampshire’s prison kitchen, coached baseball and football, and worked as a bread vendor. But each time, he experienced the urge to work for himself again and reenter the restaurant world.
“It’s kind of a cliche saying, but it’s instant gratification when you make a dish and the customer gives you the thumbs up or a smile to the server, or just compliments to the chef,” Scott said.
Watching people gather in the Friendly Diner reminds him that he’s filling a gap in the community because there’s no other place in town to get breakfast. The landscape of small towns has changed in recent decades, Partridge explained.
“In downtown Pittsfield, but really downtowns across America, a majority of businesses have basically closed up shop because of bypasses and highways,” he said. “We’re a society about getting somewhere faster. So when you avoid driving through the downtown area because there’s the highway that runs past it, you don’t drive past these shops, then you tend to buy from box stores and big supermarkets and things like that.”
He hopes the Friendly Diner will help breathe more life back into downtown Pittsfield and says one key to being able to stick around is providing customers with consistent, positive dining experiences.
“When you’re a restaurant owner or a chef in any kitchen, it’s not a job, it’s a way of life,” he said. “It’s a culture that you’re used to. You’re here when the people want you to be here, I mean within reason, but you’re never going to shut the doors early if you have a full house, if you’re a smart business person.”
He spends most of his time in the kitchen working alongside the line cook.
“I’m very hands on. I put quality on everything that I’m sending out, and that is the most important thing for me,” Scott said. “If I cook someone a burger or a steak that’s not exactly to the temperature that they want. I won’t put it out and I’ll throw on another one.”
As the restaurant continues growing and add staff, the Partridges hope to also broaden their connections with the Pittsfield community by hosting fundraisers such as spaghetti dinners, which they also did at the Main Street Grill. Despite the long hours they work on their feet, the couple values the time they spend interacting with customers.
“I love the fact that the community definitely has welcomed us back,” Diane said. “They’re happy as well that we’re back. It makes it even better.”
Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com.