Italian Food in Pittsfield MA: Red Sauce and Subs

Italian food in Pittsfield MA is a tradition rather than a trend: a 2016 local report quotes the mayor saying the city's Italian heritage remains important. Expect red sauce, a tomato sauce simmered with garlic, onion and herbs, plus pizza, subs and tiramisu. Portions are big, so share a few dishes. Old listings are unreliable, so ask a resident.

What is Italian food in Pittsfield MA like?

Traditional Italian-American: red sauce, baked pasta, veal and chicken cutlets, meatballs, sausage and peppers, pizza, subs and tiramisu or cannoli. A few kitchens add a modern twist or regional dishes.

The portions are large, the sauce is plentiful and the service is friendly. Order a few things to share.

What is Pittsfield red sauce?

Pittsfield red sauce is a tomato sauce simmered with garlic, onion, olive oil and herbs, sometimes with meat. It's the base of baked ziti, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmigiana and eggplant parmigiana. A good one tastes of tomatoes, not sugar.

Ask whether the sauce is made in house. Many places do it every morning.

Where is Pittsfield pizza?

Pittsfield pizza ranges from thin-crust pies to thick Sicilian squares to pizza by the slice. Pizza here is often a family business, with recipes handed down. A good slice has a crisp bottom, a bright sauce and a cheese that browns.

Try a plain cheese slice first. If it's good, branch out.

What are Pittsfield subs?

Pittsfield subs, the New England name for a long sandwich on a roll, are a lunch staple: Italian cold cuts, meatball, chicken parmigiana, steak and cheese. They come in a half or a whole. Order one with the works if you want lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers, oil and vinegar.

Eat it fresh. A sub that's sat for an hour in a bag is a lesser sub.

Is there a Pittsfield Italian bakery?

A Pittsfield Italian bakery would offer bread, rolls, cookies, cannoli, sfogliatelle and cakes. Italian bakeries often sell pizzelle, anise cookies and ricotta pies at holidays. Ask a resident which still operates, as small bakeries change.

If you find one, buy a loaf and a box of cookies. They make a good gift.

An Italian-American menu has sections: appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, steak, sides and dessert. Order an appetizer, a pasta and a main to share. Most places will bring extra plates.

Ask about the specials. They often hold the best food.

A glass of house red, a beer or an Italian soda with a meal. A coffee and a dessert to finish. Many Italian-American places serve strong espresso.

What is the story behind Italian food in a city like this?

Italian families settled in the Berkshires, and many opened groceries, bakeries and restaurants. Their cooking adapted to what was available: canned tomatoes, American cheese, big portions. Over time, the result became its own tradition, Italian-American cooking, and it feeds generations.

The tradition is not static. A new generation of cooks works in the same neighborhoods, using local produce and techniques from Italy. Ask a server how long the recipe has been in the family. The answer is often an hour of stories.

How do you eat a long Italian-American meal?

Start with a shared appetizer, such as fried calamari, antipasto or garlic bread. Move to a salad, then a pasta course, then a main with a side. Leave room for dessert. If portions are large, share everything and take the rest home.

Pace yourself, and ask for the bread basket to be taken away if it tempts you. A glass of water between courses helps, and so does a walk around the block before dessert. Many family-run rooms bring a small plate of something sweet at the end, so save a little space. If you are unsure about a dish, ask the server to describe the sauce and the portion, and share a plate before you commit to a whole one. The bread is delicious and filling, and the temptation is to eat too much before the main arrives. Order a glass of wine or a beer if you drink, and end with coffee.

A tray of baked ziti, a whole pie, a bag of subs: Italian food is built to travel. Order ahead for a group. Ask whether the sauce is sold by the quart. A trip to a shop that sells imported pasta, olive oil and cheese is also a pleasure.

How do you rate red sauce so a badge counts it?

Tag the place Italian when you rate it, and Pizza if the slice was the point. Both are cuisine tags with badges: five different Italian places make a Sampler, ten a Taster. Name the dish, such as baked ziti or a meatball sub, because Rate each dish too is the part of the form that records the sauce. Rate the same dish at three kitchens and you have a comparison no search page can give you. Pittsfield and its neighbors supply the places, and the tags keep the count.

Who else can add to your Italian list?

This is one of many Massachusetts guides, and the Food in Massachusetts page lists them all by town.

Anyone with the invite link can join as a collaborator, even if they are not on Mosey yet, which suits a family where one cousin knows every red sauce in town. Make the list, add the places you have eaten with a line on why each belongs and let the cousin fix your mistakes. Download the Mosey app and rate your first Pittsfield Italian meal. The Pittsfield restaurant guide, the cheap eats guide and the US guides hub carry on from here.