By Soren Anderson-Flynn and Mackenzie Leach
1. Taste a tune-up
The Cliff House has two new residents: Chef Polo Dobkin and drinks guru Stephanie Lempert. The pair behind Brooklyn’s cozy Meadowsweet and proprietors of a farm in Hawley are rewriting the restaurant’s menu, adding dishes like Spanish octopus and handmade cavatelli with morel ragu. They also oversee snacks and sandwiches (pro tip: the chicken curry delivers) at The Pool House, open Thursday through Sunday throughout the summer.
Photo by @meadowsweetnyc
2. Visit a truly super market
Walker Street Market is not your regular design shop. Former fashion designer Matthew Ames and a team of local artisans’ restoration of a landmarked former general store is a master class in retail world building. The multi-room design hub features works by over 70 visual heavyweights, including Clam Lab, Underwater Weaving, and Presley Oldham. The Berkshires were already on the design map, but Ames has cranked the dial to an 11.
3. Scandalize your dentist
Lenox’s new candy shop Sugar Magnolia has more than 320 bins of bulk candy by the pound, from classic favorites to harder-to-find sweets. The selection of Swedish gummies alone is worth the trip, and the arcade games sweeten the deal.
4. Nibble a rice ball
It’s only been a year since Ayakito’s Japanese Kitchen joined the roster at Great Barrington Farmers Market, and it’s already the Berkshires’ premier destination for Japanese rice balls (onigiri). Owner Ayako Otoshi personally prepares the hand-rolled onigiri with fillings like salmon yuzu pepper, vegan red shiso flakes, and ginger pork.
Rice Ball by Aaron Meshon
5. Twirl fresh pasta
Zio Roberto has arrived in North Adams with the kind of old-school Italian energy that makes dinner feel like an event. The Marshall Street restaurant is making pasta in-house, from tagliatelle to gnocchi and ravioli. There’s also a taverna side for aperitivo-style drinks and small plates.
