It's been a good year for Tony Bickford. His restaurant, Little Village Bistro, in Wiscasset, opened on April 17, 2015. Now the restaurant is packed to the brim with happy diners practically every night it is open.

Bickford's loving attention to detail and superior cooking skills, using fresh local ingredients and house-made products whenever possible — combined with the charming, intimate atmosphere and the knowledgeable, professional waitstaff — have made Little Village Bistro a huge success.

Bickford's quiet, unassuming demeanor extends to his staff, and in turn to the diners at the restaurant.

Bartender Marilyn Gorneau said she loves working there. “We all get along well. Tony is one of the most even-tempered chefs I've ever worked with. And he puts love into every dish he prepares.”

Bickford, from Wiscasset, began his career at age 16 when he was the breakfast cook at Karen's Kitchen. He went on to work in restaurants in Portland before coming back to the area to work in the kitchen at the Thistle Inn in Boothbay Harbor. He quickly moved up to become the chef in 2014.

The chef said he serves basic American food, but elevates it to the next level. “I'm not looking to wow people with these crazy ideas, just wow them with some classic recipes that are done really well, and maybe throw in an herb or two that they've never tried with it.” Almost everything that comes out of the kitchen is made from scratch, including fresh bread, pasta, and ricotta.

There are several good restaurants in the Boothbay-Wiscasset area. Little Village Bistro is one of the best. On a recent Wednesday night the place was, as usual, packed. Geoffrey and Kathryn Precourt, of Wiscasset and western Massachusetts, who dine at Little Village Bistro regularly, were having dinner at the bar. “We were here on opening night a year ago and had a stunning meal,” Geoffrey Precourt said. “The food is four star by any standard: Maine, New York or Boston.”

Owners of the new shop BIRCH, Brad Sevaldson and Greg Uthoff, have become regulars, too. “Delicious food with great service in a stylish atmosphere,” Uthoff said. “LVB puts Wiscasset on the dining map.”

After her first experience at the restaurant, Nancy Allen had this to say: “I have lived in Portland and Washington, D.C., and I think this place is top notch. Fabulous, fresh food, and the atmosphere and staff are terrific.”

The Little Village Bistro Facebook page pledges to “focus on providing guests with a culinary experience they won't forget.” The success of his first year in business has proven that Bickford, and Little Village Bistro won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Local antiques dealer Ted Talbert had this to say of the bistro: “The food is fantastic and the presentation and service couldn’t be better! Having this Bistro in our little town is a fabulous gem.”

Bickford attributes a large part of his success to the support of the community. And he said that his staff has made his job easy. “I got lucky with my employees,” he said. “They care about so much about this place, it's almost like they're part owners. I will be forever grateful to Zachary MacDonald, Kevin Vandal, Dallis Heflin, Daniel Wright, Ashton Hinkley, Marilyn Gorneau, Chelsea Leeman, Rebecca Moody, Kennedy Orr and Kristen Stevens.”

And he said that without his wife, Cassandra, the restaurant wouldn't be the success it is. “She was a huge help setting it up and getting the wine list together. And though the servers were all experienced, she helped pull them all together.”

“Before they leave, we want to make sure our diners are happy,” the chef said.” We will do whatever we can to make that happen.”

Little Village Bistro is located at 65 Gardiner Road in Wiscasset. Call 207-687-8232 for reservations.

See more raves about Little Village Bistro on its Facebook page.

For more about LVB click here.