Culinary Destinations in the Berkshires

The Berkshires are located in Western Massachusetts, presenting the perfect getaway for weary city-dwelling Bostonians as well as tired tourists in the Northeastern region. The Berkshires compose a diverse region, offering a vast range of entertainment and culinary opportunities. While in the Berkshires, definitely pay a visit to the Tanglewood Music Center, the outdoor summer venue of the Boston Symphony, and Berkshire Botanical Garden, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States, stretching a vast 15 acres.

But if what you're really interested in is a culinary experience, the Berkshires are a great destination for your taste buds. The Berkshires offer such a large variety of culinary delights that can easily overwhelm you. So before you embark upon this satisfying journey, consider a few of these recommendations for culinary fun in the Berkshires.

Bistro Zinc, a French bistro in Lenox, has a superb ambiance and even better food. With traditional favorites like pommes frites, pork chops and gourmet burgers, this restaurant is a must-try for French cuisine lovers. Restaurants serving Italian cuisine are plentiful in the Berkshires, but if fresh is what you crave, stop by Trattoria Rustica in Pittsfield for a meal of rustic Italian dishes, like Calamari ai Ferri and Linguine alla Puttanesca, and delectable desserts like tiramisu and limoncello liquor.

While you're vacationing in the Berkshires, take the opportunity to advance your own culinary skills by signing up for a cooking or baking class taught by the renowned Williamsville Inn Culinary School. Have you always wished you could master that uniquely French culinary flavor? Want to experiment with rustic German cooking in your own kitchen? If so, sign up for cooking classes at the Williamsville Inn, and let the experts be your culinary coaches.

The Berkshires are packed full of organic and no-spray farms that supply residents and restaurants alike. A visit to a local Berkshire farm is a must-do for all culinary disciples, and Howden Farm in Sheffield is just the spot. Howden Farm is a great pick-your-own farm for culinary travelers in the Berkshires. Howden Farm is both a bed and breakfast and a farm, so stay the night, have fresh fruit for breakfast and then head to the farm to pick your own sweet corn and pumpkins! For the truly adventurous, drop by Moon in the Pond Farm for an inside view of the culinary world of raising livestock. Venture on a two-hour tour through the vast fields and woods of the farm, meandering through pigs, sheep, oxen, geese, cows and more. Afterwards you can purchase grass-fed meats, honey, wool and fresh eggs.

Relevant Web Sites for Culinary Recommendations in this Article:

Bistro Zinc

Trattoria Rustica

Williamsville Inn & Culinary School

Howden Farm

Moon in the Pond Farm

Other Online Culinary Resources for the Berkshires:

Berkshire Grown

Dinning in the Berkshires