Lunch or early dinner between Boston and Williamstown MA?

August 8, 2016 11:51 AM

I'm headed from Boston to Williamstown in mid-September for a short getaway. I'll also be 33 weeks pregnant, so anticipate needing frequent food and rest stops. Where can we stop about halfway for lunch or dinner and a good leg-stretch? Google says Athol is halfway, but I don't know restaurants in the area. We also think we should take route 2 and 2A for the most scenic drive -- is that right? Thanks!
posted by lillygog to Travel & Transportation around Williamstown, MA (12 answers total)

Shelburne Falls is a cute town, with the Bridge of Flowers and glacial potholes, and is about two hours out Route 2, which is, in fact, quite pretty. Well worth a stop, with a bunch of places to eat (though I haven't been in years, so I'll leave it someone else to recommend a specific restaurant).
posted by ldthomps at 11:59 AM on August 8, 2016 [3 favorites]

Best answer: The Blind Pig in Athol is great, but small; not much seating (probably not a big problem earlier in the afternoon, but it gets packed in the afternoon/evenings) and it can take a while to get your food - not because of bad service, just because the kitchen is so tiny.

The Gardner Ale House is fairly convenient to route 2, and a favorite of mine.

Blueprint is in Westminster, and although not fancy per se it's the most cosmopolitan restaurant I can think of that's right along route 2 anywhere around that halfway point.

The 1761 Old Mill, also in Westminster, is pretty cool (as the name implies, it occupies a 1761 industrial mill building.) And the food is good - when I was a kid, brunch at The Old Mill was a big deal. They also have a gift shop.

The People's Pint in Greenfield is wonderful too (their home made root beer, cola, and ginger beer are the best!)

There are definitely some scenic stretches of 2A (downtown Athol and Orange maybe not quite so much,) although once you get west of Orange, route 2 itself is pretty darn scenic - especially the stretch between Greenfield and Williamstown.
posted by usonian at 1:23 PM on August 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

The People's Pint is so good! We go out of our way to go there once a summer, even though that means driving almost totally across the state.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 1:28 PM on August 8, 2016 [2 favorites]

Came in to also recommend the People's Pint.
posted by General Malaise at 1:33 PM on August 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

Yes, Route 2. Skip Athol. People's Pint and a stroll around Greenfield would be great. Shelburne Falls is also totally worth a quick stop, even just to walk for 15 minutes, even if you also stop in Greenfield first. Don't miss the glacial potholes: https://www.yelp.com/biz/glacial-potholes-shelburne-falls-2
posted by TurkishGolds at 2:19 PM on August 8, 2016 [2 favorites]

another vote for People's Pint!
posted by spinturtle at 4:18 PM on August 8, 2016

Greenfield has places - and there used to be a market/sandwich place in the middle of Petersham. Worth it, if it is still open.
posted by Toddles at 11:23 PM on August 8, 2016

Lots of love for the PP in here! I can even recommend what to order: the BLT, which they only make when tomatoes are in season.
posted by Camofrog at 11:34 PM on August 8, 2016

Best answer: Route 2 is definitely nicer! You could also take Route 9 but that would be slower and I don't recall it being very scenic. If you take Rt 2, right at the hairpin turn before North Adams, there's a good spot to stop and take in the view. I don't recall what it's called (Golden Eagle?) but you can't miss it.

Shelburne Falls is a good stop. The Montague Bookmill is an awesome place to stop. Bookstore is amazing. Site is beautiful. The cafe there is good, and the restaurant there is supposed to be very nice - it's fancy and beautiful. I haven't eaten at the current iteration but the place there before was really good.

In Greenfield, we like Hope & Olive (gastro pub). Magpie, a pizza place is supposed to be amazing. Greenfield Coffee is good.

I hear the Blue Heron in Sunderland is fantastic, but haven't made it there yet.

If you want to go a bit of your way (Northampton is a nice place to walk around!), Northampton and Easthampton have some good places - Coco & the Cellar Bar (for fried chicken!) and Bistro Les Gras (especially for burgers!) are my two favorite places, but mostly dinner. I don't think either do lunch. Paul & Elizabeth's is reliably very good.
posted by john_snow at 10:39 AM on August 9, 2016

Best answer: we just did this drive on the 4th of July weekend! Rt. 2 all the way is the scenic ideal. I would nth Shelburne Falls as a place to stop. The Blue Heron in Sunderland is quite tasty and if you sit out on the patio, you'd have a view of Shelburne Falls and the Bridge of Flowers (as well as three great bookstores if you have time). Further down Rt. 2 is the town of Charlemont, and Cold River Cafe, which I've also liked stopping at. When we'd do camping trips on Mt. Greylock, Cold River Cafe was our usual post camping food stop.
posted by bl1nk at 12:50 PM on August 9, 2016

Nthing Shelburne Falls for a walk/break. The Bridge of Flowers is lovely, and there's a cute used bookstore in town, too.

We stop at the Wagon Wheel in Gill - it's right on Route 2, and has delicious and inventive offerings.
posted by metarkest at 1:33 PM on August 9, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! Even though I only marked a few, these are all best answers. I wish I had two weeks in Western Mass.
posted by lillygog at 3:53 AM on August 11, 2016