The Pantry - Restaurant & Bakery

The Pantry is a lovely establishment, at first glance. It is nestled in a small shopping area with a great bookstore, in a quaint and picturesque town. The chaos begins when you look for where to order, as there are no signs that tell you where to order. Then, once you figure out that you need to order at the counter facing the tables, you may sit and wait for your food. The tables are nice, comfortable chairs, and lots of nice kitchen items for sale displayed throughout the shop.

The chaos returns and worsens exponentially when it is time to pay because there is usually no one at the register, so you are forced to wait while staff busily fulfill take-out and walk-in orders. It is during this long wait that you may be horrified to watch the number of people angrily waiting for take-out orders that are not filled by the time promised. Then, when you finally do get to pay, you are most often speaking to a kind but frazzled staff member who is currently enduring the stink eye from at least 3 other customers standing nearby.

We have begun to call our experience PANTRY ANXIETY and go much less often. A few signs, rearranging the checkout counter to not be stuffed in with coffee and drink refrigerators, and keeping a cashier posted up at all times to help customers who want to pay and/or are looking for their take-out orders would hugely improve the entire experience.

Other ideas: more legible menu, printed menus or at least a second display that customers in line can read and be ready to order.

Adding “order here” and “pay here” signs and requiring customers to pay as soon as they’ve ordered so they are NOT waiting to pay just so they can leave when they are done eating.

Putting tape on the floor to indicate where the line should form / think of the x’s marking 6 feet apart during covid.

Move the drinks and coffee stations to the bread shelves area and/or the long far wall away from tables.

I worked in restaurants for 10 years and received very good training. The worst thing any establishment can do is to keep their customers waiting. I look forward to improvements!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 1

Service is horrible. Don’t order anything ahead of time because they don’t have it ready and you still wait 40 minutes in line and send you the two different line.

Service: 1

The first time I saw the new layout of The Pantry I thought the tables and chairs must have been moved to the sides to clean the rugs. Then I realized there were no longer rugs or table settings or table service. Just a utilitarian cafe/gift shop, to go vibe.In a world that is becoming increasingly more mechanized and typically informal it was nice to have had this consistent retreat with its ever so nourishing touch of class. Speaking from a deep sense of tradition yet always with its own contemporary style. It spoke truly of a time of hearth and home. This being the signature trademark of The Pantry.Of course one could argue that community itself plays the most important role but what are we without the feeding of all of our senses?Like so many once beautiful institutions that “modernize” they can rest their merits on “the food is still the same”. But with even our local convenient stores upping the ante with exotic drinks and healthy snacks there starts to be little to no distinction between the nearest gas station vs. a Starbucks or our local eatery as everything starts to look slightly and ever more slightly the same.

Food: 3

Service: 2

My friend Susan and I visited your store on Saturday Feb 10th after having eaten Brunch at the Mayflower hotel in Litchfield. We both bought a large tub of your delicious vegetable chili. Both had it for dinner last night and it was truly fabulous. I’ll definitely stop into your store and pick up a few things next time I’m at the Mayflower Inn & Spa.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Cute little cafe and sundries store in quaint Washington Depot! Small selection of food items, but all sure to be good. The smoked salmon sandwich is usually top notch. Highly recommend the lamb gyro when it’s available. Also, don’t forget to grab a cookie as they are delicious!

Vegetarian options: Plenty of non-meat options

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I never knew how special a sandwich could be until today. Quite simply, the best sandwich I have ever had. And the staff is just as special as the sandwich. Thanks so much for the excellent experience!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Sandwich

The best treats ever

truly special place top five sandwiches ever and hospitality to boot!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

There's nothing I can say about this place without sounding like I'm their P.R. person. It's extraordinary in every way. Nothing in this part of CT compares. GO!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Gourmet sandwiches - it is so challenging to select and they kindly offer to make me two half sandwiches. Something tells me that I was not the first customer tortured by their choices! Also enjoyed fresh soups and desserts. If you can’t find something to love there is probably something wrong with you!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Yummmm scones!?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 3

Best diner we visited during our trip to Vermont.

Dietary restrictions: I am Gluten free and it was no problem for the very friendly and helpful staff to accommodate me.

While there was a bit of a wait to get sandwiches here, it was probably the best sandwich I’ve ever had! Bread was made in house and so fresh. I got the turkey with cheese and I believe a dill spread of some kind. Regretfully I didn’t take any photos but would definitely come back again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

I love this little place! The bread and sandwiches are delicious! I tried their hot lobster roll last time, and it did not disappoint!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I’m a regular here and the staff is wonderful. Please be patient, as they are understaffed. The quality of their food is too-notch. And, at least by local standards, their sandwiches are reasonably-priced. I offen grab a to-go sandwich and eat it quietly on a rock along the nearby Shepaug River. Thank you, everybody at The Pantry!