Mátti and David’s Guidebook
Food scene
$$$ Closest place to us to get good quality coffee and a little something to go with— inside Mass MoCA, 3 mins by walk from us. No “real” breakfast food but in the mornings they also have a selection of tasty zucchini/pumpkin breads. They run out of chocolate biscotti around noon. Good quality ice cream in modest portions.
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Tunnel City Coffee
100 Spring St$$$ Closest place to us to get good quality coffee and a little something to go with— inside Mass MoCA, 3 mins by walk from us. No “real” breakfast food but in the mornings they also have a selection of tasty zucchini/pumpkin breads. They run out of chocolate biscotti around noon. Good quality ice cream in modest portions.
The easily accessible but rather unfortunate go-to breakfast and brunch option inside Mass MoCA. During the summer for better lunch option head over to GO Main, a short 5 minute walk from the museum, see below (your museum sticker is still valid for the whole day) or to Casita the Mexican restaurant at the entrance. Lickety Split offers various egg dishes, breakfast sandwiches, yogurts, granola, fruit. Note: sandwiches will be served cold unless you specifically request to warm them up. Humus not recommended. Fresh avocado. An O-kay coffee (for better coffee go to Tunnel City at the entrance to Mass MoCA).
During the summer on Saturdays from 10:30 to 2pm Lickety Split hosts New England traditional fiddle music featuring also Irish and Quebecois tunes!
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Lickety Split
1010 Mass MoCA WayThe easily accessible but rather unfortunate go-to breakfast and brunch option inside Mass MoCA. During the summer for better lunch option head over to GO Main, a short 5 minute walk from the museum, see below (your museum sticker is still valid for the whole day) or to Casita the Mexican restaurant at the entrance. Lickety Split offers various egg dishes, breakfast sandwiches, yogurts, granola, fruit. Note: sandwiches will be served cold unless you specifically request to warm them up. Humus not recommended. Fresh avocado. An O-kay coffee (for better coffee go to Tunnel City at the entrance to Mass MoCA).
During the summer on Saturdays from 10:30 to 2pm Lickety Split hosts New England traditional fiddle music featuring also Irish and Quebecois tunes!
This local bar and craft distillery screens Fellini and serves the best cocktails in Western MA. Try their various kinds of gin and rum. Highly recommended.
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The Distillery at Greylock WORKS - Forager Gin & Ski Bum Rum
506 State RoadThis local bar and craft distillery screens Fellini and serves the best cocktails in Western MA. Try their various kinds of gin and rum. Highly recommended.
Grazie
| Italian Cuisine | $$$
Along with the Breakroom (see below) Grazie (mysteriously mispronounced as Grazee in this neck of the woods) is one of the best dinner options in North Adams on the fancier side. Our two recommended dishes are Filet Mignon (medium rare will be served indeed “medium rare”) and Pesto Primavera Pasta. For your decadent pleasure, best dessert is their home-made Tiramisù. Most popular cocktail is BlackBerry margarita. Suitable for families, large parties and “young at heart.”
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Grazie
26 Marshall StGrazie
| Italian Cuisine | $$$
Along with the Breakroom (see below) Grazie (mysteriously mispronounced as Grazee in this neck of the woods) is one of the best dinner options in North Adams on the fancier side. Our two recommended dishes are Filet Mignon (medium rare will be served indeed “medium rare”) and Pesto Primavera Pasta. For your decadent pleasure, best dessert is their home-made Tiramisù. Most popular cocktail is BlackBerry margarita. Suitable for families, large parties and “young at heart.”
Tuesday - Saturday from 4pm. Note they are closed Sunday and Monday. We go here mostly for their cocktails and ambience, however they also have good dinner options. The menu is a bit uneven: our favorite dish is their mussels (technically on the appetizer menu, but really a main course with rich meaty sauce). Our least favorite is the falafel (usually on the dry side). All cocktails are excellent. Reservations highly recommended.
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PUBLIC eat+drink
34 Holden StTuesday - Saturday from 4pm. Note they are closed Sunday and Monday. We go here mostly for their cocktails and ambience, however they also have good dinner options. The menu is a bit uneven: our favorite dish is their mussels (technically on the appetizer menu, but really a main course with rich meaty sauce). Our least favorite is the falafel (usually on the dry side). All cocktails are excellent. Reservations highly recommended.
Nara Sushi
| Fresh Authentic Sushi | $$
o Ignore the decor, the sushi is fresh. We recommend the seafood noodle soup and Chirashi bowls. Their only desert option, a fish-shape ice cream sandwich, is not our favorite. Service can be slow but the sushi is worth the wait. Closed on Tuesdays!
NARA SUSHI
139 Ashland StreetNara Sushi
| Fresh Authentic Sushi | $$
o Ignore the decor, the sushi is fresh. We recommend the seafood noodle soup and Chirashi bowls. Their only desert option, a fish-shape ice cream sandwich, is not our favorite. Service can be slow but the sushi is worth the wait. Closed on Tuesdays!
Korean Garden
240 Main StreetA very popular spot, good quality sushi and more.
A unique place that is a combination of a very relaxed and stylish tea shop and a massage spa. Wonderful ambience, we love coming here for their jasmine tea and occasional live music performances.
Heart's Pace
A unique place that is a combination of a very relaxed and stylish tea shop and a massage spa. Wonderful ambience, we love coming here for their jasmine tea and occasional live music performances.
One of the priciest option on our list, but the food is certainly worth it. On weekends we recommend to reserve a table in advance.
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Mezze Bistro + Bar
777 Cold Spring RdOne of the priciest option on our list, but the food is certainly worth it. On weekends we recommend to reserve a table in advance.
Our frequent go-to choice for a take out dinner this is a higher-than-average Indian restaurant. We recommend their chicken Korma.
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Spice Root
23 Spring StOur frequent go-to choice for a take out dinner this is a higher-than-average Indian restaurant. We recommend their chicken Korma.
Open on Mondays! Trail House kitchen has decent food options for both lunch and dinner (see recent menu in photos). It’s your average place with American-style food: its main advantage is that it is open on Mondays when many other (better) restaurants are closed!
Trail House Kitchen & Bar
Open on Mondays! Trail House kitchen has decent food options for both lunch and dinner (see recent menu in photos). It’s your average place with American-style food: its main advantage is that it is open on Mondays when many other (better) restaurants are closed!
Casita restaurant is the newest addition to the Mass Moca campus. It is, in our opinion, one of the better dinner options in North Adams today. Menu changes daily, but our favorite are their swordfish and halibut dishes. The ceviche is very fresh. On the pricy side but well worth it. Advance reservations recommended.
Casita
Casita restaurant is the newest addition to the Mass Moca campus. It is, in our opinion, one of the better dinner options in North Adams today. Menu changes daily, but our favorite are their swordfish and halibut dishes. The ceviche is very fresh. On the pricy side but well worth it. Advance reservations recommended.
Summers only! GO Main is a street pop-up of artsy Vietnamese food by local celebrity chef Tu Le. For Mass MoCA visitors, this is a MUCH better lunch option than Lickety Split (the cafe inside the museum). (If you have your museum sticker, it is not a problem to go out for lunch and come back)Our favorites are lemongrass chicken noodle bowl and jasmine rice tapioca bubble tea. Nice outdoor seating downtown on 90 Main, a 5 minute walk from MoCA. Wed- Fri 9am to 2pm Sat-Sun 9am to 3pm
90 Main St
Summers only! GO Main is a street pop-up of artsy Vietnamese food by local celebrity chef Tu Le. For Mass MoCA visitors, this is a MUCH better lunch option than Lickety Split (the cafe inside the museum). (If you have your museum sticker, it is not a problem to go out for lunch and come back)Our favorites are lemongrass chicken noodle bowl and jasmine rice tapioca bubble tea. Nice outdoor seating downtown on 90 Main, a 5 minute walk from MoCA. Wed- Fri 9am to 2pm Sat-Sun 9am to 3pm
A famous hang-out spot. Located right at the MASS MoCA courtyard locals and visitors come to hang out, enjoy a beer, bring in food, and take beer home. Check out their calendar of events, they often have live music during the week!
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Bright Ideas Brewing
111 Mass MoCA Way
A famous hang-out spot. Located right at the MASS MoCA courtyard locals and visitors come to hang out, enjoy a beer, bring in food, and take beer home. Check out their calendar of events, they often have live music during the week!
The newest restaurant pop-up in North Adams (that has replaced the well known Breakroom) bringing exuisite food menu with some very good vegetarian options, by the celebrated chef and local entrepreneur Tu Le. Cool ambience. Please check their website for ability as they are not open every night. If you are already there for dinner we usually recommend getting drinks at the distillery right next door. (See below)
STATE Food + Drink
The newest restaurant pop-up in North Adams (that has replaced the well known Breakroom) bringing exuisite food menu with some very good vegetarian options, by the celebrated chef and local entrepreneur Tu Le. Cool ambience. Please check their website for ability as they are not open every night. If you are already there for dinner we usually recommend getting drinks at the distillery right next door. (See below)
The newest fully vegan restaurant in North Adams. Noteworthy is their philosophical stance on the practice of tipping ("... its troubling history rooted in post-Civil War policies that perpetuated racial inequalities stemming from slavery). They do not accept any tips, and it is the only restaurant in town paying 22$ per hour to their dishwashers. While nobody knows whether or not this ambitious model is sustainable in the long run, their food is delicious, and if you happen to be Vegan that is the number one dinner choice around here. Open Thursday to Sunday nights only. Reservation recommended.
Wish Tree
The newest fully vegan restaurant in North Adams. Noteworthy is their philosophical stance on the practice of tipping ("... its troubling history rooted in post-Civil War policies that perpetuated racial inequalities stemming from slavery). They do not accept any tips, and it is the only restaurant in town paying 22$ per hour to their dishwashers. While nobody knows whether or not this ambitious model is sustainable in the long run, their food is delicious, and if you happen to be Vegan that is the number one dinner choice around here. Open Thursday to Sunday nights only. Reservation recommended.
Sightseeing
When weather permits we highly recommend driving about 8 minutes up the mountain to see the HairPin Turn and the outlook right above it. (For the outlook it is easiest to navigate to Wigwam Western Summit.)
Views are breathtaking. The place also has a souvenir shop for tourists with plenty of delightfully overpriced tchotchkes and drip coffee.
The sign “America’s Switzerland” is a nod to how the Berkshires were perceived nearly a century ago.
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Wigwam Western Summit
Mohawk TrailWhen weather permits we highly recommend driving about 8 minutes up the mountain to see the HairPin Turn and the outlook right above it. (For the outlook it is easiest to navigate to Wigwam Western Summit.)
Views are breathtaking. The place also has a souvenir shop for tourists with plenty of delightfully overpriced tchotchkes and drip coffee.
The sign “America’s Switzerland” is a nod to how the Berkshires were perceived nearly a century ago.
According to J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter, Mount Greylock is the location for Ilvermorny, the North American school of witchcraft and wizardry.
The highest peak in Massachusetts, Mount Greylock has long been a source of inspiration in literature. It is closely associated with American Transcendentalists like Henry David Thoreau, who hiked the mountain and found in its rugged landscape a reflection of their ideals of nature, self-reliance, and spiritual exploration. This fusion of ancient natural beauty with magical lore is a must see.
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Mount Greylock
According to J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter, Mount Greylock is the location for Ilvermorny, the North American school of witchcraft and wizardry.
The highest peak in Massachusetts, Mount Greylock has long been a source of inspiration in literature. It is closely associated with American Transcendentalists like Henry David Thoreau, who hiked the mountain and found in its rugged landscape a reflection of their ideals of nature, self-reliance, and spiritual exploration. This fusion of ancient natural beauty with magical lore is a must see.
Art Scene
Mass MoCA and beyond
Criticized at its beginning as “long on hype and swagger and short on substance” Mass MOCA--the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art— began thirty years ago as somewhat of a public-relations fantasy. It promised to bring to one of the most woebegone areas of the depressed New England economy the biggest (in size) and most parochial (in aesthetic outlook) museum of contemporary art in the world.
Today, the museum aims to unite high art and pop culture with what is marketed as a growing awareness of socio-economic trends. The experience itself is riveting: an open minded visitor will enjoy the labyrinthine maze of galleries and passageways of what used to be a gigantic factory complex, now filled with visual art and/or sound installations.
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Mass MoCA Way
Mass MoCA WayCriticized at its beginning as “long on hype and swagger and short on substance” Mass MOCA--the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art— began thirty years ago as somewhat of a public-relations fantasy. It promised to bring to one of the most woebegone areas of the depressed New England economy the biggest (in size) and most parochial (in aesthetic outlook) museum of contemporary art in the world.
Today, the museum aims to unite high art and pop culture with what is marketed as a growing awareness of socio-economic trends. The experience itself is riveting: an open minded visitor will enjoy the labyrinthine maze of galleries and passageways of what used to be a gigantic factory complex, now filled with visual art and/or sound installations.
An heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune—Sterling Clark began to build his art collection after settling in Paris in 1910. (His collecting interests did not extend into the 20th century.)
The Clark is mostly known for its collection of John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. A place your grandparents would enjoy.
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The Clark Art Institute
225 South StAn heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune—Sterling Clark began to build his art collection after settling in Paris in 1910. (His collecting interests did not extend into the 20th century.)
The Clark is mostly known for its collection of John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. A place your grandparents would enjoy.
Skiing
Highest base elevation of any ski area in the north east, Prospect mountain is about 35 minutes away from us by car.
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Prospect Mountain Ski Area
204 Prospect Access RdHighest base elevation of any ski area in the north east, Prospect mountain is about 35 minutes away from us by car.
Another great resort, a bit further away than Prospect Mountain. The updated photos courtesy of one of our guests Mahmud and his friends!
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Mount Snow
Another great resort, a bit further away than Prospect Mountain. The updated photos courtesy of one of our guests Mahmud and his friends!
Great atmosphere everywhere on the resort and good place to learn how to ride. For beginners, in one night you should be able to learn how to go down the bunny hill and progress to the lower and upper mountains. The restaurant at Jiminy Peak is not on our recommendation list :-).
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Jiminy Peak
37 Corey RdGreat atmosphere everywhere on the resort and good place to learn how to ride. For beginners, in one night you should be able to learn how to go down the bunny hill and progress to the lower and upper mountains. The restaurant at Jiminy Peak is not on our recommendation list :-).
Hikes and Nature
Tour an abandoned marble quarry and check out a man-made white marble dam--the only one in North America.
The Park is home to the only natural white marble arch in North America.
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Natural Bridge State Park
McAuley RoadTour an abandoned marble quarry and check out a man-made white marble dam--the only one in North America.
The Park is home to the only natural white marble arch in North America.
Known to the locals as “Fish Pond” Windsor Lake is a few minutes drive from us by car. During the summer a $5 charge per car is collected. In summer, it’s popular for swimming, fishing, and community events. In winter, it transforms into a serene spot for ice skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Windsor Lake
Known to the locals as “Fish Pond” Windsor Lake is a few minutes drive from us by car. During the summer a $5 charge per car is collected. In summer, it’s popular for swimming, fishing, and community events. In winter, it transforms into a serene spot for ice skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
A family-friendly hike that follows a rushing brook and culminates in stunning views of a waterfall (it is possible to swim in it in the summer). It takes about an hour to reach the waterfalls and an hour to come back. Start at the YMCA parking lot, cross a bridge, and follow marked paths through a hemlock-beech forest. Parking is available at the YMCA off Brayton Street, not directly at the trailhead.
Cascades Trail
A family-friendly hike that follows a rushing brook and culminates in stunning views of a waterfall (it is possible to swim in it in the summer). It takes about an hour to reach the waterfalls and an hour to come back. Start at the YMCA parking lot, cross a bridge, and follow marked paths through a hemlock-beech forest. Parking is available at the YMCA off Brayton Street, not directly at the trailhead.
Pariri dwar il-belt
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Turrell at Dawn / reserve well in advance!
Limited Thursday-Sunday reservations for James Turrell’s installation at Mass MoCA titled C.A.V.U. (Skyspace) at dawn and dusk, are now open up until December 31. Space is very limited.
Thursday dusk experiences are reserved for MASS MoCA members.
Mhux ta' min jitlifha
Sanford & Kid antiques on weekends
One of the most famous antique/vintage store in the East Coast is a local attraction, and located right here at the foot of Chase Hill. Open on selected weekends only. For their best deals and a unique anthropological experience, come here on Fridays, where the line forms on the parking lot starting 7AM, three hours before their official opening. Incredible deals for furniture, art work etc., for under 10$. If in line, bring “SOLD@ stickers with your name. No line after 10AM. Note: usually first 15 minutes after Friday opening it is quite chaotic in there. Not for the frail of heart!
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Grover Rare Books, Manuscripts
This is not a bookstore in the usual sense of the word, but more of an immersive experience. You will find rare books, collector’s items, manuscripts, music scores, opera libretti and a vast collection of art books. Open on weekends only. Inside the Eclipse Mill.
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Book the Turrell exhibitions in advance!
The James Turrell installations require separate reservations and are often sold out, so especially if you are visiting during the weekend, we recommend booking in advance.