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The restaurant is a family affair with relatives who make up the staff. Above, Chef Ronald Gomez listens to one of the crew.
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts – An Italian restaurant with Chilean accents has opened in the former Elizabeth’s restaurant on East Street.
Megan and Ronald Gomez have a common passion for food and have always dreamed of owning their own restaurant. This dream came true with the opening of Sibaritas on Friday.
“We’ve managed places together and we’ve always made it work, we’ve always worked so hard, that’s the way we are, we’ve always invested one hundred percent in everything,†said Megan Gomez. “When we have this passion, there is no way it can fail.”
Sibaritas – a Spanish word for a person who appreciates good food – does almost everything at home. The menu includes fresh pasta, flatbreads, salads, breakfast pastries and coffee.
The malt liquor license for beer and wine is transferred from Elizabeth’s, and upon transfer authentic Chilean and Italian wines as well as craft beers will be available.
The most popular menu item, Gomez said, is a flatbread pizza with cheese, grilled chicken, bacon, red onions, avocado, and a healthy, homemade dressing.
Currently, Sibaritas is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with a closing time at noon. Breakfast and lunch are served at the counter, while dinner is served at the table.
“We can change this format because a lot of people in the area are looking for a sit-down breakfast and lunch,†Gomez said. “But I kinda like the cafe style, having that quiet in the morning and the seriousness in the evening where you can go down and relax and enjoy a glass of wine and it’s not that quick.”
General Councilor Peter White attended the smooth opening on Friday and, following her Facebook post praising the coffee and banana chip muffins, she said they had lined up outside the door.
Together, the duo have 30 years of experience in the field. Ronald works in the kitchen as a chef and Megan takes care of the operations in the dining room. He was born in Ecuador and moved at the age of 16 to Chile, where he learned to cook.
“Honestly, we’re the perfect pair and I’m not saying that just because he’s my husband,†Gomez said. “If there’s something I don’t know he knows, if there’s something he can’t do, I’ve got it.”
Sibaritas is a family business, as the owners’ parents and children make up the payroll.
Gomez is originally from Pittsfield but grew up in Hillsdale, NY. She worked in Great Barrington for many years and always envisioned her restaurant location in the South Berkshires, but saw the potential of the East Street venue after seeing it for the second time.
“To have this opportunity to breathe new life into something that had worked for 33 years was scary, but a challenge we were prepared to take,†she said.
With the help of Gomez’s father, the couple remodeled the building to suit their style in 2.5 months, often working from morning to night. Elizabeth’s aqua blue and white color scheme has been changed to neutral green, black and white, and the original tables and chairs have been redesigned to match the sleek new exterior.
“To have that is like living the dream,†Gomez said. “The community is so united that I never imagined it would be like this.”
Keywords: new business, italian, restaurants,
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