Here are five places and ways to satisfy your chocolate fix in The Berkshires.
Hot Chocolate
Rubi’s Cafe
Step into this small cafe for a steamy cup of rich hot chocolate made with Valrhona cocoa, milk from local High Lawn Farm, and topped with handmade marshmallow or whipped cream. Check the specials board to see if they are also making The Cioccolata with Tuscan chocolate, Piedmontese hazelnuts, and Sicilian almonds melted in Jersey milk or the Bianco with white chocolate and a drop of orange bitters.
264 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
T: 413.528.0488
www.rubiners.com/rubis
Photograph courtesy of Chocolate Springs
Chocolate Truffles and Bars
Chocolate Springs
These are hand-made chocolates by Josh Needleman, who worked at the upscale resorts Wheatleigh, Cranwell, and Canyon Ranch before honing his craft at La Maison du Chocolat in Manhattan and Paris. His chocolates are sold at their shop, online, and at Guido’s Fresh Marketplace. Try their hot chocolate and do a comparison with Rubi’s Cafe.
Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Lenox Road, Lenox, MA 01240
T: 413.637.9820
chocolatesprings.com
Berkshire Bark
Made right in Sheffield, they start with a base of Belgian chocolate then mix in all-natural ingredients like cranberries and hazelnuts (Midnight Harvest), espresso (Jumpin’ Java), and Macadamia nuts, mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut and ancho chili powder (Tropical Heat). Our favorite is the Pretzelogical with sea salt caramel, peanut butter, and pretzels that come from a family-run, century old Pennsylvania pretzel company.
Chocolate Bread
Photograph courtesy of Berkshire Mountain Bakery
Berkshire Mountain Bakery
Baker Richard Bourdon uses traditional European techniques to make naturally, wild fermented sourdough breads. Buy a loaf of the chocolate sourdough and enjoy a toasted slice with butter.
367 Park Street, Housatonic, MA 01236
T: 413.274.1313
berkshiremountainbakery.com
Chocolate Beer
Colantha Mooie Stout from Shire Breu-Hous
Nick and Andrew opened the Shire Breu-Hous in 2017 in the old Crane Stationary Factory in Dalton, MA. They brew a range of beers including a blonde, a red, an ESB, and a porter, but if you are looking for something with a little chocolate influence, try their imperial milk stout made with floor malted chocolate malt. Floor malting is a traditional way of producing malt for brewing.
63 Flansburg Avenue, Dalton, MA 01226
T: 413.842.8313
www.shire.beer
Photo courtesy of Shire Breu-Hous
Discover more places to eat, drink, and shop in the Berkshires by downloading our guidebook.
