Road trip: A few choice stops in the Berkshires

During the warmer months, Massachusetts’s Berkshire Mountains feel like a “slice of utopia,” said Gabriella Gershenson in Saveur. The area is well-known as a summer haven for the performing arts, and its culinary offerings make it “a fine place to celebrate all the senses.” Small farms “put forth excellent meats, dairy, and produce,” and the region’s charming hamlets are dotted with artisanal bread bakers and cheese-makers.

Chocolate Springs Café Lenox. This café and chocolate shop “caters to sophisticated palates while maintaining a welcoming, family-friendly vibe.” Sit down for a warm drink and a chocolate-dunked Oreo, or just grab a gift box of raspberry marshmallows and Earl Grey–infused dark-chocolate bon bons. 55 Pittsfield Lenox Rd., (413) 637-9820

The Meat Market Great Barrington. This “recent yet beloved addition” to the Berkshires food scene sources its meats from local farms and takes pride in its custom cuts, “whether it’s a porterhouse steak or a goat’s head.” Check the blackboard for sandwiches and other prepared foods, including such “meat-centric” specialties as beef pie with a leaf-lard crust. 389 Stockbridge Rd., (413) 528-2022

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Berkshire Mountain Bakery Housatonic. Housed in a former paper mill, this European-style bakery specializes in slow-fermented sourdough breads, which deliver “incredible depth of flavor; an elastic, glossy crumb; and chewy, crackly crust.” In an adjoining café, owner Richard Bourdon serves sourdough pizzas. 367 Park St., (413) 274-3412