Blog

Dec 08, 2023

Do You Miss These Awesome Restaurants, Berkshire County? (PHOTOS)

As everyone knows, times are especially tough right now. Not just in Berkshire County, but all over. However, when a business that has to close its doors for good happens to be a local business, that

As everyone knows, times are especially tough right now. Not just in Berkshire County, but all over. However, when a business that has to close its doors for good happens to be a local business, that just hits that much harder.

Recently, Berkshire County has seen some great restaurants that have had to forever close their doors, for various reasons. For instance, recently(last Halloween to be exact!) we had to say goodbye to Mission Restaurant on North Street in Pittsfield:

Anyway, that got me thinking about local restaurants from days gone by, some that were very popular, that for whatever reason had to close their doors. Many memories came flooding back to me(Anyone can tell you that I get VERY nostalgic VERY easily).

Just in 2022 and 2021, we bid farewell to some great restaurants including:

Cafe Lucia in Lenox in 2021.

Haflinger Hause in Adams in 2022.

Papa Gino's on Merrill Road in Pittsfield in 2021.

And Portsmitts on Peck's Road in Pittsfield back in 2020(luckily, Old Man Jeff's Barbecue is still doing great at that location). I've been a resident of Pittsfield for exactly 40 years now and the number of Berkshire County restaurants that have come and gone in that time span is pretty staggering.

However, I'm pretty sure that's the case for most cities globally. Owning and operating a restaurant is certainly not an easy task to take on, and huge shout-outs to anyone who has done it successfully, either currently or in the past.

Many of my favorite restaurants are no longer around, but the memories are great due to the good people, good food, and good times that were had there. I can't tell you how many people still tell me today how much they miss the Bonanza restaurant that used to occupy the space in Allendale where Tractor Supply is now.

Mmmmmm. Bonanza(Homer Simpson-like drooling sounds). What about the original Gringo's on the Curran Highway in North Adams? Absolutely loved that place! Luckily for us, owner Dave Nicholas has brought his sense of humor, and love of good food at reasonable prices to Bounti Fare Restaurant in Adams.

Did anybody else make that late-night(or early morning) drive to the truck stop diner in Lee? The one right past the Mass Pike entrance? Was it called Diesel Dan's? I'm sure I'm not the only one who made that trip.

Many people have fond memories of the Dakota Steakhouse on the Pittsfield/Lenox Road(L-U-V-V-V-V-V-E-D that salad bar...and that bread...and that Sunday Brunch...).

Dalton Avenue had a stretch of popular restaurants that are no longer there. Remember Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant? That was where Zucco's Restaurant is now. My family was big fans of the New England Chowder House. At one point, Pittsfield even had a Red Lobster over on Merrill Road.

I remember for many years, we simply could not ring in the new year without buffalo wings from Timothy's on East St. "Hey, it's New Year's Eve!" "Better call Timothy's to place our order!" Those wings were awesome!

I remember Friday nights(or to be more accurate Saturday mornings) at Adrien's Diner on Wahconah Street. Sometimes you just have to fill your tummy with excellent diner food. Great folks, as well.

The list goes on. Does anyone else remember Ground Round at the Berkshire Mall? Abdow's Big Boy? The Checkerboard? Silver Screen Restaurant? Pete & Chris'? More recently, Jimmy's Stonebridge Restaurant:

They closed in 2015 and I'm still reeling from it. Luckily for fans of great food, the Hot Dog Ranch has fit the bill quite nicely. How many Friendly's restaurants have closed down just within the past decade? There are, sadly, way too many to mention here.

My question to you is: Do you have a favorite restaurant that closed years ago, or maybe it closed more recently? Whether I mentioned the restaurant already or not, tell us about your favorite place to put on the feedbag that's no longer around.