BREAKFAST IN THE BERKSHIRES
PHOTOS: Bizalion in Great Barrington
PHOTOS:Haven Cafe & Bakery in Lenox & Great Barrington
Breakfast in the Berkshires
by Judith Lerner (this article published 2011 – please contact the restaurants for updates) [For more articles by Judith Lerner, link here.]
Here are the results of my tracking down as many local restaurants and other dining institutions as I could find where members of the public can leave their homes and relax over a breakfast of eggs Benedict or homemade waffles or hash or organic breakfast breads and pastries or pancakes and maple syrup. You can choose your breakfast burritos at Café Reva, Hot Harry's and many other places or miso soup and brown rice at Kripalu or the Kushi Institute.
Sometimes I crave the fresh orange juice at Elm Street Market in Stockbridge just sitting at the little counter with over-medium eggs. Or the fresh orange juice mixed with fresh grapefruit juice at Martin's. Fresh orange juice and Esposito's sausages at the Red Lion, although, now, Red Lion's special sausages are made from chef Brian Alberg's own pigs.
All these breakfasts sounded so seductive when I spoke to chefs, owners or waitstaff at each place that I want to try all of them. Can you picture shrimp and grits or 4 large homemade waffles with fried chicken or fresh fruit atJackJack's? Or the seasonal pancakes and the fresh maple syrup at the sugar shacks? It's worth the trip for homefries at The Charlemont Inn.
Sometimes I go with Cakewalk's freshly baked croissants and strong coffee and watch Lee's early morning Main Street. Or I go to On A Roll for David's Hollandaise and sweet potato hash. And I do get my yearly infusion ofOzzie's sausage gravy over their homemade biscuits along with their homemade corned beef hash when the Hoffman Bird Club has its annual February field trip and bird walk in the snow.
There are lavish weekend breakfast banquets at Cranwell and Dakota, Gala or the Old Country Buffet. Crowne Plaza Hotel's One West Restaurant offers its buffet every day.
I can't believe I found over 75 breakfast spots. I'm sure I've missed some. Check for seasonal sugar shacks as winter begins to melt into much-hoped-for spring.
Adrien's Diner (413) 236-5928 145 Wahconah Street, 7 to 2
Bagels Too (413) 499-0119 166 North Street, Pittsfield 6 to 11
BASCOM LODGE (413) 743-1591
Bass Water Grill (413) 743-1911 287 South State Road/Route 8, Cheshire 8 to 11 weekends only
Berkshire Bagels (413) 637-1500 18 Franklin Street, Lenox all day 6 to 2 weekdays, 7 to 12 weekends
Berkshire Medical Center Cafeteria (413) 447-2673 Wahconah Street, Pittsfield breakfast 6 to 9:30
Big Shirl's Kitchen (413) 664-2070 780 Massachusetts Avenue, North Adams all day 6 to 2
Bizalion's Fine Food (413) 644-9988 684 South Main Street #3, Great Barrington 8:15 to 11 daily
Bob's Country Kitchen (413) 499-3934 South Main Street/Route 7, Lanesborough all day 6:30am to 8pm
BOMBAY GRILL (413) 243-6731 435 Laurel Street, Lee Indian brunch buffet 12 to 3 Saturday and Sunday
Bounti Fare (413) 743-0193 Route 8, Adams Sunday brunch 10am to 1pm
BrewHaHa (413) 664-2020 20 Marshall Street, North Adams all day 7 to 5, closed Wednesday
BRIX WINERY (413) 236-9463 40 West Street, Pittsfield Sunday brunch 10 to 2
CAFE ADAM (413) 528-7786 325 Stockbridge Road/ Route 7, Great Barrington Sunday brunch 11:30am to 3pm
Cakewalk Bakery & Café (413) 243-2806 56 Main Street/Route 20, Lee all day 7 to 4
Chaiwalla Tea House (860) 435-9758 Main Street/ Routes 41 & 44, Salisbury, CT all day 10 to 6 Friday through Sunday
Chef's Hat (413) 458-5120 905 Simonds Road/Route 7 Williamstown all day 6:30am to 2pm Monday through Wednesday, 6:30am to 8pm Thursday through Saturday, 7 to 3 Sunday
CORNER LUNCH (413) 743-9725 50 Summer Street, Adams 6:30 to 1pm Tuesday through Friday and Sunday to 11:30 Saturday, closed Monday
Cranwell Resort Mansion (413) 637-1364 Lee Road/Route 20, Lenox 7 to 10:30 menu Monday through Saturday, 7 to 12 brunch buffet Sunday
DAILY BREAD BAKERY (413) 298-0272 31 Main Street, Stockbridge take-out only 8:45 until it runs out Monday through Saturday
Daddyo's Diner (413) 499-1180 505 East Street in St. Luke's Plaza, Pittsfield 6am to 7pm, to 3pm weekends, closed Monday
Dottie's Coffee Lounge (413) 443-1792 444 North Street, Pittsfield all day 7 to 5 Monday through Friday, 8 to 3 Saturday, only drinks Sunday
Elf Parlor (413) 664-7303 coffee shop with baked goods from 8am, closed Sunday
Elm Street Market (413) 298-3634 4 Elm Street, Stockbridge 6 to 11:30
Ena Café (413) 528-3007 389 Stockbridge Road/Route 7, Great Barrington all day 7am to 9pm
Farmington River Diner (413) 269-6874 119 South Main Street/Route 8, Otis all day 7 to 2, closed Wednesday
Gala/ Orchards Hotel (413) 458-9611 x0 222 Adams Road/Route 2, Williamstown 7 to 12
Great Barrington Bagel (413) 528-9055 777 South Main Street #1/Route 7, Great Barrington all day 7 to 4
Gould's Sugarhouse (413) 625-6170 Mohawk Trail/Route 2, Shelburne, MA open March 1 for spring sugaring season; also open for fall season
Haven (413) 637-8948 8 Franklin Street, Lenox 7:30 to 11:30 weekdays, 8 to 3 Saturdays, 8 to 2 Sundays
Hawthorne Valley Farm Store Hawthorne (518) 672-7500 x2 x2 327 Route 21C, Harlemville/Ghent NY 7:30 to 10:30 Monday through Saturday, 9 to 11 Sunday
Hitching Post Café (518) 794-9092 538 State Route 20/22, New Lebanon Monday through Saturday 8 to 2, Sunday 7 to 3
Hot Harry's (413) 448-6155 37 North Street, Pittsfield 8 to 11 Monday through Saturday, 11 to 12 Sunday; (413) 448-2220 724 Tyler Street, Pittsfield daily 9 to 11
Ioka Valley Farm (413) 738-5915 3475 Main Street/Route 43, Hancock Saturday and Sunday only, 8 to 3 during sugaring season, Saturday, February 12 through Sunday, April 10; also during President's Week, Monday, February 14 through Friday, February 18, 8 to 12
JackJack's Soulfood (413) 464-9098 228 Francis Avenue at the corner of Linden Street, Pittsfield 10 to 10 Monday through Saturday
Jill's Country Kitchen (413) 243-4041 33 Park Plaza Housatonic Street/Route 20, Lee all day 7 to 2
Joe's Diner (413) 243-9756 all day 5:30am to 9pm weekdays, to 6:30 weekends
Juice N' Java (413) 236-8200 2 South Street/Routes 7 & 20, Pittsfield all day 7 to 1 or 5; 236-5741; 216 Elm Street, Pittsfield; all day 7 to 6 684-5080 661 Main Street/Routes 8, 8A & 9, Dalton all day 7 to 7
Lenox Coffee Shop (413) 637-1606 52 Main Street/Route 7A, Lenox 7 to 6
Leo's Luncheonette (413) 458-8098 248 Cole Avenue, Williamstown all day 6 to 2 weekdays, closed Saturday, Sunday to 12
LINDA'S CAFE 178 Union Street, North Adams 5 to 1 Monday through Friday, 6 to 11 Saturday and Sunday
Main Street Café (413) 528-9388 345 Main Street, Great Barrington 1/13 10:39am coffee, breakfast breads and pastries
Main Street Café (413) 298-3915 40 Main Street, Stockbridge all day 7 to 4
Martin's (413) 528-5455 49 Railroad Street, Great Barrington all day 6 to 3
Miss Adams Diner (413) 776-7372 53 Park Street/Route 8, Adams all day 7 to 1, 2 or 7
Misty Moonlight Diner (413) *82 499-2483 565 Dalton Avenue, Pittsfield 6:30 to 2
Moonlight Diner (413) 458-3305 408 Main Street/Route 2, Williamstown 7am to 10pm
Mom's (413) 528-2414 Main Street/Route 23, South Egremont all day all day 6:30 to 3
MONTEREY GENERAL STORE (413) 528-4437 Main Street/ Route 23, Monterey daily from 7:30
Nook & Cranny (413) 232-7957 4 Albany Road/Route 102, West Stockbridge daily from 6:30 to 3, to 2 Sunday
Olde Heritage Tavern (413) 637-0884 12 Housatonic Street, Lenox 7 to 11 weekends only
On A Roll Café (413) 236-5671 75 North Street, Pittsfield 7 to 11, to 1 Sunday
One West/Crowne Plaza Hotel (413) 499-2000 Pittsfield 6 to 12 menu or $12.95 freshly made buffet
Our Daily Bread (518) 392-9852 54 Main Street, Chatham, NY 7 to 10:30 Tuesday through Thursday, 7 to 11 Friday, 8 to 11 Saturday and Sunday
Ozzie's Steak and Eggs (413) 655-8309 26 Maple Street, Hinsdale 7 to 1
Ozzie's Becket General Store (413) 623-5700 30 Washington Street/Route 8, Becket all say 7am to 8pm
Panera Bread (413) 443-3200 653 Merrill Road, Pittsfield 6:30 to 10:30 Monday through Friday, 6:30 to 11 Saturday and Sunday
PERIGREE RESTAURANT (413) 394-4047 1575 Pleasant Street/ Route 102, South Lee Sunday brunch 10 to 2
Petrino's Café (413) 346-4558 67 Main Street/Route 8, North Adams 7 to 11 weekdays, to 4 Saturday, to 2 Sunday
RED CARPET RESTAURANT (413) 743-9781 69 Part Street, Adams 5:30 to 2 Monday through Saturday, to 2 Sunday
Red Lion Inn (413) 298-5545/1629 30 Main Street/Routes 7 & 102, Stockbridge 7 to 10 weekdays, 7:30 to 10:30 weekends
Richmond Bakery and Restaurant (413) 443-9489 161 Seymour, Pittsfield 6 to 12
Richmond Grille (413) 663-6500 40 Main Street/Route 8, North Adams 6:30 to 11
Rita Marie's (413) 448-2742 685 South Main Street/Route 7, Lanesborough all day 8 to 6:30, closed Tuesday
Riverbend Café (413) 528-0858 403 Stockbridge Road/Route 7, Great Barrington all day 7:30 to 4:30 weekdays, from 8 weekends
Rose's Restaurant (413) 243-3333 360 Housatonic Street, Lee
Rubi's Café (413) 528-0488 264 Main Street, Great Barrington all day except soft boiled eggs stop at 12pm, Monday through Thursday 7am to 6, Friday and Saturday 7am to 8pm, Sunday 9am to 5
Samel's Deli (413) 442-5927 115 Elm Street, Pittsfield 8 to 10:30 Monday through Friday, 8 to 11 Saturday, closed Sunday
Shot's Café (413) 637-1055 Housatonic Street, Lenox daily 7:30 to 12
SODA CHEF (413) 447-9401 161 North Street, Pitttsfield 7 to 11 Monday through Saturday
Stockbridge coffee (413) 298-3169 6 Elm Street, Stockbridge
South Face Farm (413) 628-3268 Watson-Spruce Corner Road off Route 116, Ashfield, MA 8:30 to 3 Saturday and Sunday from February 26 through sugaring season
Southfield Store (413) 229-5050 163 Norfolk Road, New Marlborough 7 to 11, Sunday brunch 9 to 2
Stone Soup (413) 743-9420 72 Park Street/Route 8, Adams all day 7 to 3 Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 to 7 Thursday and Friday, 10 to 7, 10to 3 Saturday
Sunrise Diner (413) 442-7373 545 South Main Street/Route 7, Lanesborough 6 to 1:45
Sunrise Diner (413) 229-0263 700 South Main Street/Route 7, Sheffield 5:30am to 11am
That's a Wrap (413) 684-4111 10 Depot Street, Dalton all day, Monday through Friday 8 to 7, Saturday 10 to 4, closed Sunday; (413) 884-6118 60 Spring Street, Williamstown daily 9 to 11:30
The Charlemont Inn (413) 339-5391 107 Main Street/Route 2, Charlemont 7 to 2
The Dalton Restaurant (413) 684-0414 401 Main Street/Routes 8, 8A & 9, Dalton 5:30 to 1, to 12:30 Sunday
The Marketplace Café (413) 358-4777 55 North Street, Pittsfield 7 to 11 Monday through Saturday, 9 to 11 Sunday; (413) 248-5040 18 Elm Court, Sheffield 7 to 12 Monday through Friday, 7 to 1 Saturday, 9 to 1 Sunday
The Village Inn (413) 637-0020 16 Church Street, Lenox 8 to 10:30
The Williams Inn (413) 458-9371 1090 Main Street/Routes 2 & 7, Williamstown breakfast 8 to 10; Sunday brunch 11 to 2
Tunnel City Coffee (413) 458-5010 100 Spring Street, Williamstown baked goods and quiche daily 6 to 6
Wheatleigh (413) 637-0610 11 Hawthorne Road, Lenox 10:30 to 1:30 weekend brunch
Williams College Dining Halls (413) 597-2121 Williams College campus, Williamstown both Driscoll Dining Hall 49 Driscoll Hall Drive and Mission Park Dining Lynde Lane Monday through Saturday full breakfast 7:30 to 10:30, continental breakfast 7:30 to 10 Sunday, brunch 11:30 to 1 Sunday; Whitman's Grill at the Paresky Center 39 Chapin Hall Drive full breakfast 7:30 10:30 Monday through Saturday, brunch 11 to 1 Sunday
** Berkshire Food Journal not responsible for errors, omissions or inaccuracies.
