The cottage sits next to the Bower Center just before you reach downtown Bedford. The shop, to your right as you enter the building, sells a variety of gift items, cookware, all-natural cleaning supplies and products for kids — all things that, Jared says, somehow "relate to food and family."There's also a line of aprons that is being designed specifically for Town Kitchen, along with paper placemats designed and printed in Tennessee.Across the hall — which is home to several tables set up for those dining in-house — is the deli counter, where you can order a sandwich or buy market-type goods, including bagged salad blends, dips, sauces and more. There's also a display case full of items that can be purchased by the pound, like meats, cheeses, desserts and premade salads."This is not only our kitchen, but there are things here you could buy for your kitchen at home," Jared says of the concept.
"What Mel and I were thinking is you don't have to go to Lynchburg or Roanoke or Charlottesville to shop. You could get them right here in your town."The regular sandwich menu includes fare like their take on a popular Vietnamese specialty, the TKP bahn mi, featuring pork loin, crispy local pork belly, sweet and sour pickles, lettuce and onion on a buttered French baguette; the Ms. Piggy, a four-cheese grilled cheese with ham and maple bacon jam; the Egghead, local egg salad with spicy greens on Italian bread; a house-made Falafel, with tomato, feta, cucumbers and lentils, served on flatbread; and a classic Fluffernutter.
Jared says they tried to go for things they haven't seen on menus in Bedford before."Our fried chicken sandwich called the 'Friar Cluck' with coleslaw and dill pickles is kind of our southern-style sandwich," he says. "Then we have the Woody, named after Woody Allen, which is the Reuben."Last week, Bedford resident William Carson was visiting Town Kitchen for the second time since it opened on Nov. 12, and said he likes its high-end feel."It's just something different," he said, with a take-out chicken casserole in hand. "He has a better selection."The Srsics also will be serving up daily specials, based on what's available seasonally. Last week, roasted chicken was among the specials and, the next day, leftovers were used to make that chicken casserole.Almost everything is made in-house or sourced from local ingredients, a mission statement similar to the one they employ at Millstone.