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Coffee and Conversation
By Cynthia Saunders Quinones
February 2009
Enter just about any town or city center in the Berkshires, and you are likely to find a place you can duck in to for some friendly conversation and a warm drink.
My favorite part of any winter weekend is often the part I spend lingering in a coffee shop. Whether it's a planned meeting with friends, or a solitary break with a book or pen, I run on hot drinks and the rush and whir of new ideas.  But more than that, sitting in a cafe is also about pausing in between activities – such as visiting a museum, skiing, or seeing a show - to appreciate them. Having a good bite to eat is nice, too. After all, the right cafe offers nourishment on many levels. A favorite spot of mine that does all of this nicely is Brewhaha, located on Marshall St. in North Adams.
Scattered with whimsical decor, a globe perches on top of the drink cooler, a little wooden caterpillar with a bobbing head sits next to the cookies. It's playful, it's inviting, and it's an easy place to get your daily doses of caffeine and conversation.
Looking out the cafe's front windows, one can see City Hall, and MASS MoCA, not to mention a whole neighborhood of houses within walking distance of this weekend hub. Brewhaha is the kind of place that attracts all types, local diners and travelers alike. If you want a sense of some of the traffic that has been through its doors, take a glimpse at the guest book while you're waiting in line to place your order. While you're at it, don't forget to sign it.
 Barry and Nancy Garton, Brewhaha's busy owners, have been fine tuning the cafe's signature style and taste for nearly ten years, but their experience in the food business goes back to the 1970s. Today, they strive to offer a wide selection of healthy options for their customers. As much as possible, they buy their supplies and ingredients locally. Working with five suppliers to offer an international assortment of coffees, most of the beans they brew are fair trade and organic.
The care that goes into this selection of ingredients is noticeable in the flavor and freshness of the food, and it's no secret either. On a weekend morning, Brewhaha is a bustling place. The breakfast menu offers a variety of classic a la carte options, as well as a range of specialty breakfast sandwiches and treats. One friend of mine swears by the Barstow Bagel - a tasty sandwich made with a fried egg, turkey sausage and provolone – accompanied by fresh fruit salsa. Personally, I love the home fries, made from scratch to order. I also really like how when you order your coffee to-stay they give you a warm yellow mug to fill with one of the three different varieties brewed fresh each day. It also comes with one free refill, which is just another one of the ways they make it easy for you to stick around and relax.
If you're in the area for lunch, you'll find a diverse range of options with something for everyone on the menu. (Vegetarian or vegan? The staff is happy to substitute tofu, soy cheese, or soy sausage at a customer's request.) There are always a few soups to choose from, and one is always vegetarian, like a corn chowder, or asparagus cream, or, in the summer, gazpacho. (When Brewhaha starts serving gazpacho, that is when you know it's summer). Barry tells me the top-selling item is the spinach wrap. The filling for this specialty sandwich option changes weekly.  My personal favorite full meal is a cup of Nancy's Chili, served with a grilled potato onion roll, and a Brewhaha salad, which is comprised of leaf and mesclun lettuces with Bermuda onion, chic peas, shredded carrot, red cabbage, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, shredded cheddar, raisins, Brewhaha croutons, grape tomatoes and black olives, topped with a balsamic vinaigrette made in-house. This salad is just the most satisfying salad I've ever had, and it's hard not to feel nourished and refreshed walking away from a meal like that. Then again, I don't always like to rush off in such a hurry. In this cold weather, I'd rather refill my cup of coffee and settle in with a good book.
Lastly, while it's easy to get wrapped up in thinking about the food, it's also worth mentioning the distinct atmosphere at Brewhaha, where international and local culture blend joyfully. Take for example the current art on display, which is a collection of work by local photographer, Kelly Lee. Photos range from the familiar--the cow pasture behind the Clark Art museum (now a well groomed trail)--to the foreign--a pile of egg cartons in the shade at a Mexican market. On the counter, racks of Putumayo world music are for sale, and so are the cds of local musicians, some of whom have been known to visit the cafe on Tuesday afternoons for a fun, highly encouraged jam session. This is a place of lively good nature.
Here are some other places to hole up with a good cup of Joe: Towards the southern end of the county, the Main Street Cafe offers a cozy atmosphere right on Route 7 in Stockbridge--a great place to prepare for a long day of skiing at one of the nearby resorts. Or there's Bagels, Too, in Pittsfield, where the bagels are made fresh daily and you can be sure to see the work of local artists on display. Wherever you choose to go, be ready to savor some of the best creature comforts the Berkshires has to offer.
About Cynthia Quinones
Cynthia Saunders Quinones is a freelance writer and the Director of Education for the Barrington Stage Company. A North Adams native and current resident, she is excited to live within walking distance of her favorite restaurants, yoga studio, and movie theatre. She can be contacted at cynthia.saunders@gmail.com.
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