20 Absolute Best Restaurants In The Berkshires, Massachusetts
Berkshire County in western Massachusetts, commonly known as The Berkshires, has everything you might need in a summer vacation spot, a quick getaway from New York City, or a place to put down roots. It offers plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in nature, whereupon you might accidentally come across the summer home of Edith Wharton or Herman Melville or the birthplace of W.E.B DuBois, not to mention the various mansions of America's richest Gilded Age families.
It is no accident that this land of extensive woodland trails (including a section of the Appalachian trail), nature reserves, and parks are surrounded by lofty architecture, world-class museums, and cultural venues such as Tanglewood, where the Boston Symphony Orchestra spends its summers, and which regularly hosts musical heavyweights like James Taylor and the music of John Williams. The Berkshires has something for all five senses, but most importantly for us, it has good restaurants. Let's take a look at the best ones.
Baba Louie's
This revered spot specializes in sourdough pizza cooked in a wood-burning oven. This unique dough style sets the tone for the rest of the experience. You won't find many traditional topping combinations at Baba Louie's — this is not the place to go if you want a run-of-the-mill pizza. The Isabella pizzarella, for example, is topped with roasted sweet potatoes, roasted parsnips, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, fresh mozzarella, and shaved fennel with balsamic reduction. And if that's not enough, you can choose from a number of other unexpected toppings, like dried figs or pecans. The rest of the pizza offerings are similarly endowed, and while these toppings may not have been designed for timid palates, they work well together. Be sure to make reservations; getting a table is difficult, especially in summer.
Brava
Brava is the place to go if you want to impress someone but don't know their tastes. The food is excellent, and the restaurant has won a Wine Spectator Award every year for eight years in a row. And since it moved to its new location on Church Street in 2020, it can easily fit larger parties. This mostly tapas establishment with bar and table seating has a lively atmosphere and dishes made with mostly locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. The lamb chops with mint sauce, a menu mainstay, pairs perfectly with the rosemary and parmesan fries. And don't forget to order a bottle from the extensive wine list. Just be aware that they don't take reservations, so show up early or hope for the best.
Mezze Bistro + Bar
Mezze is one of those restaurants that manages to hit the sweet spot in terms of serving great food while supporting sustainability. Back in 2010, this farm-to-table venture moved from downtown Williamstown to its outskirts, on Cold Spring road, in part to do exactly that, but better than ever before. Co-owner Nancy Thomas told Berkshire Fine Arts that this allowed them to become "further developed with edible gardens, sustainable landscaping and architecture" as they continued to source ingredients from small family farms that also focus on sustainability. And all this shows in the food. Order the Mighty Food Farm Kale Caesar with anchovy dressing, and you may actually start to like this vegetable, which is reviled far too often. Taste the strawberry shortcake, and you'll notice that you're getting fruit that was grown just around the corner.
The Old Inn On The Green
This is the quintessential restaurant for Old New England Charm. They actually serve dinner by candlelight, and if you're lucky enough to visit on a chilly night, they might even light the fireplace in your dining room, which is packed with historical nods to the building's former status as a stagecoach relay. Not to say that summer dining isn't any less charming. In the warmer months, you can enjoy your meal on the canopied garden terrace surrounded by the green fields of New Marlborough, a small town southeast of Great Barrington. Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, the restaurant only serves prix-fixe menus, but you wouldn't want to order anything else anyway. The carrot and ginger soup, roasted halibut, and apricot sorbet really hit the spot when the weather is warm.
Cafe Adam
This is a farm-to-table spot where the chef skips the farm part entirely and heads straight out back to the restaurant's own garden, joining a host of other fine dining establishments that practice this radical form of ingredient sourcing. In fact, Cafe Adam grows its own herbs, berries, and other flavor-packed ingredients. Even the seafood, which definitely doesn't come from landlocked Great Barrington, is wild-caught or sourced from sustainable fish farms. Sustainable food tastes better, not just because it makes you feel like you're doing a good deed. For example, the chicken wings with Korean BBQ sauce are nothing like you'd find on a fast-food menu. They are made with locally-sourced, pasture-raised chicken, reminding you that chicken has its own flavor to bring to the table.
Berkshire Mountain Bakery
With two locations — in Housatonic and Pittsfield — it's easy to get to one of these bakeries from pretty much anywhere in the Berkshires. Their pizzas are delicious and the ideal family meal for when cooking feels like too much. The beauty of this place is that you can order a prepared, uncooked pizza, take it home, cook it in your own oven, and enjoy it without putting up with the perils of delivery pizza, such as cheese bunched up on one side. Berkshire Mountain Bakery also prepares crusts so that you can add your own toppings according to preference. And if you don't get around to visiting one of these outposts, many local restaurants source their bread from this bakery, including Mezze and Cafe Adam.
Mazzeo's Ristorante
Located in Pittsfield, Mazzeo's is the epitome of the family restaurant. They even offer "Family Meals of 4" to go, which comes with a choice of Italian staples such as eggplant parmigiana or ravioli alla Florentine. In addition, they offer a wider and more sophisticated children's menu than most other restaurants across the nation, complete with cavatelli alfredo or cheese ravioli. But don't worry; there is plenty for adults to sink their teeth into, whether for a business dinner or a fancy date night. Don't miss the calamari fritti, especially because they come with homemade marinara sauce, while the parmesan encrusted cod with lobster risotto is ideal for a more elegant occasion. And don't leave without taking advantage of the well-curated list of Italian wines.
Alta
Alta specializes in fine wines and Mediterranean cuisine with numerous organic ingredients. This is an ideal spot if you're with a large group and everyone is experiencing various degrees of hunger. The menu offers a range of salads, paninis, wraps, and appetizers without shying away from such heavy hitters as honey-braised lamb shank or creamy saffron risotto. But at the end of the day. First and foremost, Alta is a wine bar, so don't forget to peruse the extensive wine list. If you don't want to commit to a bottle, you have a whopping 24 wines to choose from if you just want a glass. But if the prospect of a bottle doesn't scare you, dive into the nine-page wine list complete with offerings from all over the world.
The Red Lion Inn
It would be a shame to head to the Berkshires without stopping by the Red Lion Inn at least once, especially if you're a fan of Norman Rockwell. The great American artist put this inn on the map with his famous "Home for Christmas" painting, which captures the spirit of Stockbridge as it was in 1967. But the history of the Red Lion Inn goes back much further than that. It opened in 1773 to provide respite for those traveling between Boston and Albany and has been in business continuously ever since, hosting important personages such as U.S. presidents like FDR and musicians like Bob Dylan. Think about all this while you sit in the mahogany dining room, packed with beautiful antique furniture salvaged from the early days, and enjoy competently prepared classic American fare.
No. Six Depot Roastery and Cafe
When you walk into No. Six Depot in West Stockbridge, you might think you've just been transported to a co-working space in Brooklyn. Many of the patrons will have a laptop out on the table in front of them while they sip their coffee. It has high ceilings and a multitude of large windows, allowing plenty of light to filter in, even on rainy New England days. This, along with the fun lighting fixtures, helps foster a friendly atmosphere, and many local businesses and cooperatives choose this spot to hold informal meetings, creating an upbeat buzz. Join the fray by ordering your panino made with Berkshire Mountain Bakery bread and enjoying it at your table as you shoot off a few emails.
Otto's Kitchen & Comfort
Otto's Kitchen in Pittsfield makes delicious, high-quality food at all hours of the day, but breakfast and brunch are its strong points. Any of their omelets will provide a satisfying breakfast experience, but if you want the pièce de résistance, opt for the chicken & waffles. You will be sure to elicit food envy from all those around you. And if neither of those options strikes your fancy, don't worry; the menu here is extensive. Egg sandwiches, avocado toast, egg's Benedict, all manner of bagels, and fresh fruit granola are all on the table and ready to be washed down with a classic mimosa or Bloody Mary. In short, if you're looking for comfort food, this is where you'll find it.
The Wheatleigh
The Wheatleigh in Lenox offers what might be the most elevated dining experience in the Berkshires. This former "summer cottage," now a hotel, was built with imported Italian marble and labor at the height of the Gilded Age. Now the dining room is home to a high-end bistro that serves an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner with views over the rolling hills of Lenox. But this is not the place to go for a lively atmosphere: Pre-dinner cocktails are served in a quiet foyer, where you might easily be the only patrons in sight. But this is part of the appeal. If you want to step away from the madding crowd, this is the ideal dining spot. Regulars may even be treated to personalized service and invited to sit out by the fire on cool evenings and enjoy a few s'mores.
The Airport Rooms at Tourists
Contemporary design doesn't often pair well with affordability, but that's not the case for Tourists; a motor lodge in North Adams that houses a restaurant that serves snacks, meals, cocktails, and natural wines at reasonable prices. Enjoy a fresh menu of savory or sweet offerings for breakfast Friday through Monday, stop by for a snack after 3 p.m. Wednesday or 12 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, or head to the Airport Rooms for dinner, where you'll find island creek oysters, rigatoni with guanciale and pecorino, or the cheeseburger with the unmissable house sauce. Since this is a motor lodge, after all, and you might have to drive after your dinner, consider the booze-less drink menu, where you will find actual, legitimate cocktails sans booze. Don't miss out on the Italian Spritz, made with non-alcoholic sparkling wine and soda.
Firefly Gastropub
Gastropubs are a magical invention: they provide high-quality, refined meals without any of the stuffiness that is often found in fine dining establishments. The Firefly embodies this spirit perfectly. The menu is not stodgy like typical pub fare. Instead, you will find refreshing Ahi tuna tartare with lime avocado and rainbow chips, to be complemented by the house-made salmon burger with roasted garlic aioli. Even the Mac & Cheese is nothing to laugh at, with the option of having it prepared with lobster. The friendly atmosphere did not suffer when the restaurant changed hands in 2020, and it is still a great spot to go for lively meals with friends. If you go on a weekend, you might even catch a live music performance.
Prairie Whale
Upon approaching Prairie Whale, you might think you're about to walk into someone's living room. The restaurant is located in a Greek Revival house just outside the beating heart of Great Barrington. But don't worry; you won't be invading anyone's privacy. The place is built to feel like a friendly local eatery, and the menu reflects this attitude. The cheeseburger is made with grass-fed beef from a farm in nearby Dalton, while the tagliatelle and other pasta are made right there at the restaurant. Sourcing ingredients locally isn't just an afterthought for The Prairie Whale. They go whole hog and buy the whole hog, or whichever animal they need, butcher it on the spot, and use as much of it as they possibly can.
MoonCloud
Few things are more refreshing than a MoonCloud cocktail on a hot summer day. They have a wide selection of crisp and citrusy libations prepared with seasonal twists by mixologist Billy Jack Paul for enjoyment in the lounge, patio, or even to go. The Ruby Slipper is especially refreshing, made with vodka, hibiscus-berry tea, a dash of simple syrup, fresh lime, and grated cinnamon. It is wise to pair some food with all that cocktail drinking. Cured meats take center stage here, with such stars as fennel pork sausage and speck, a cured smoked ham from Italy's South Tyrol region. The cheeses come from Rubiner's Cheesemongers, which is just around the corner, and you can enjoy all this along with pickled vegetables and tinned fish on your own personalized tagliere board.
Smokey Diva's
Smokey Diva's serves some of the most authentic Southern BBQ-style food in the Berkshires, spicy secret sauce included. And the owners are no strangers to the trade. Lorraine Jones is the granddaughter of Dorothy Turner Everett, who started the chain of beloved San Francisco Bay area BBQ restaurants known as Everett and Jones Barbecue back in 1973. Smokey Diva's preserves the charm and entrepreneurship of its forebears in this small but welcoming spot in Pittsfield. Order a large smoky brisket with a side of mac and cheese or collard greens. Or, if you want to try your hand at southern cooking at home, purchase a jar of mild, medium, or hot 92nd sauce and pour it generously over your home-cooked ribs.
PUBLIC eat + drink
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, or MassMOCA, is not to be missed on a visit to the Berkshires. When you inevitably get hungry, the best thing to do is to head around the corner to PUBLIC eat + drink for a spot of dinner, craft beer, and imaginative cocktails. The food is simple, made with fresh ingredients, and offers something for almost any type of eater. Between the salad selection and the Pasta Primavera, the vegetarian options are plentiful, while gluten-free diners can munch on pan-roasted salmon or summer truffle risotto. Meat lovers may also rejoice: at any given time, the restaurant serves a version of a grass-fed beef burger. The drink menu is just as varied, with a wide selection of local beers on tap or bottled and plenty of wines by the glass or bottle.
The Bistro Box
It's not every day that you can find graduates of the Culinary Institute of America heading up your neighborhood burger joint. But that's exactly what's happening at the Bistro Box. This seasonal eatery in Great Barrington is set up as a drive-in-style restaurant with the option of taking your meal at a handful of outdoor picnic tables surrounded by green fields. The menu is rife with locally-sourced ingredients, such as cheese from High Lawn Farm in Lee or ice cream from Maple Valley Creamery in Hadley. Order the hand-cut fries and cowboy burger with pickled jalapeños on a brioche bun, or for something lighter, look for an inventive take on seasonal vegetables. This spring, the grilled asparagus on sourdough was top-notch.
Frankie's
When you walk into Frankie's it feels like you're walking into a big Italian family party. The people in the restaurant may not know each other, but it sure looks like they do. That is the curious and wonderful effect of the atmosphere at Frankie's, which is invariably warm, festive, and welcoming to all. Sit at the bar for a meal, and it'll be hard to avoid a lively conversation with your neighbor. The only thing needed to complete a good conversation is good food, and Frankie's has that covered too. All the best Italian staples are here, including fettuccine alla carbonara and osso buco with polenta. And since the company is good and the night is young, don't shun the dessert menu, where you'll find expertly made tiramisu and authentic Italian gelato.