Where do we find local food in the Berkshires? We have a rich blend here of locally made and locally grown, and creative makers from around the country and the world. I wind up talking with families who run cafes, a local baker who learned pastry in France in her teens, and farmers who have kept a sugar shack going for generations.

If you’ve never had a chick a few days old walk around on your hair, and felt the tiny weight of down and feet smaller than the ball of your thumb, It’s worth trying.

Are you looking for a glass of wine at an outdoor table and a menu that changes with the seasons, or a diner that still serves turkey croquettes and chocolate malted milkshakes, or a cafe where the eggs come from the farm across the way? We can find them.

We have sweet corn stands and farmers markets, chefs parterning with local growers, farms making their own cheese and ice cream, co-op markets and more. You can explore local stories below.

Where can we find local restaurants and local farms?

We like cooking from scratch in the Berkshires, and eating from scratch too. We have farm-to-table restaurants right on the land where the food grows, and we have food trucks that scramble fresh eggs for their breakfast sandwiches. We have food co-ops and farm markets, and makers and artisans in their own kitchens. You can find micro-brewers and coffee roasters … and even locally made chocolate.

We also have farmers markets north to south. You’ll find them weekly from May to October and monthly in the winter. And some farms welcome visitors to stop at their farm stands and meet this season’s calves, and maybe pick up an armful of sweet corn. Let me share some of my home places with you.

Photo by Kate Abbott

Restaurants

In a cafe or a corner shop, I like places with a sense of flavor and skill and humor — places that feel as though they belong where they are. So I’m sharing some with you. Here are curated recommendations, places I’ll come back to.

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Photo by Kate Abbott

Farms

Some of Berkshire farmers come to local markets, and some of them welcome you to stop by the farm for a fresh dozen eggs. Some of them have ways to watch, to look quietly at the animals, and occasionally to help.

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