So many places to dine, so little time. That may be your lament in this region, where you'll find an eclectic dining scene and plenty of opportunities to sample Yankee cooking at its finest.

A Taste of History

From hearty chowder to baked New England scrod to lobster pie to Indian pudding, if it's traditional Yankee cooking you're seeking, the dining room at the Publick House (277 Main Street/Route 131, 508-347-3313 or 800-PUBLICK, www.publickhouse.com) delivers. Every day is Thanksgiving — even the pint-sized will find roast turkey dinner on their menu. Also in central Massachusetts, the historic Salem Cross Inn (260 West Main Street/Route 9, West Brookfield, 508-867-2345, www.salemcrossinn.com) serves lunch and dinner, but call ahead to try to time your visit with one of their special Fireplace Feasts, when you can sample early American fare including prime rib roasted on the only known roasting jack still operating in America and apple pie baked in a 1699 beehive oven.

Another historic dining choice is the Cocke 'n Kettle Restaurant (240 South Main Street/Route 122, Uxbridge, 508-278-5518, www.cockenkettle.com), housed in a Georgian-style mansion that was built in the early 1800s by Revolutionary War veteran the Honorable Bazaleel Taft. The dinner menu features hearty steak and seafood preparations; children's portions are available.

For one blowout eating experience, make reservations for the main dining room at the Deerfield Inn (81 Old Main Street, Deerfield, 413-774-5587 or 800-926-3865, www.deerfieldinn.com) in the heart of Historic Deerfield. Children's selections are pricey; kids can opt to order small portions of entrées on the dinner menu.

A culinary blast from the past also awaits at the Old Mill (Route 23, South Egremont, 413-528-1421), a 1797 grist mill and blacksmith shop turned restaurant. Or chug on over to Sullivan Station (Railroad Street, Lee, 413-243-2082, www.sullivanstationrestaurant.com), and dine inside an old train depot. If you're celebrating a special occasion, you can even book a private dinner party inside a caboose.

Light Bites

Bluebonnet Diner (324 King Street, Northampton, 413-584-3333, www.bluebonnetdiner.net), a landmark since 1950, caters to late risers and the enormous local college student population by serving breakfast all day.

For a taste of New England at lunchtime, grab a sandwich at Hayfields (48 Main Street, Northampton, 413-586-7114), a Vermont-style deli.

The Northampton Brewery (11 Brewster Court, Northampton, 413-584-9903, www.northamptonbrewery.com), the oldest operating brewpub in the Northeast, is a good choice for lighter fare and locally crafted seasonal beers, including Pumpkin Ale in the fall. You'll also find pub food and beers microbrewed in the Pioneer Valley at Amherst Brewing Company (24–36 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, 413-253-4400, www.amherstbrewing.com). Both brewpubs offer children's menus.

For beer brewed in the Berkshires and hearty burgers and sandwiches, head for Barrington Brewery & Restaurant (420 Stockbridge Road/Route 7, Great Barrington, 413-528-8282, www.barringtonbrewery.net).

If you're in the mood for soup for supper, the sixteen-ounce Super Bowls of clam chowder, lobster bisque, and other hearty seasonal soups at the '6 House Pub at The 1896 House Country Inn and Motels (Cold Spring Road/Route 7, Williamstown, 413-458-1896 or 888-999-1896, www.1896house.com) will fill you up on a budget.

Memorable Meals

Bountiful, all-you-can-eat buffet breakfasts featuring pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage, ham, milk, juice, coffee, tea, and pure maple syrup (hungry yet?) are served on weekends during sugaring season (late February through early April) and in the fall at High Hopes Farm Sugar House (Route 112, South Worthington, 413-238-5919 or 800-627-5374, www.highhopesmaple.com). Get there early, or plan on a wait.

Didn't think you could enjoy a luau in New England? Then you haven't heard of the Hu Ke Lau Restaurant & Dinner Theater (705 Memorial Drive, Chicopee, 413-593-5222, www.hukelau.com), which serves an Asian- and Polynesian-inspired menu and hosts family-friendly Hawaiian-themed shows most Friday and Saturday evenings.

If your accommodations have a kitchen and you'll be cooking breakfast in, stop by the Otis Poultry Farm (1570 North Main Road/Route 8, Otis, 413-269-4438 or 800-286-2690, www.otispoultryfarm.com) and pick up custom-laid eggs. Owned by the same family since 1904, the farm is also known for its home-baked breads, chicken and turkey pies in five sizes, and homemade fudge.

Dining at the Red Lion Inn (30 Main Street, Stockbridge, 413 298-5545, www.redlioninn.com) is not just an experience — it's three! That's because you can select from the formal main dining room, the more casual Widow Bingham's Tavern, or the dark and intimate pub atmosphere of the Lion's Den. The inn's menus feature fresh Berkshire-grown ingredients, and all three restaurants offer children's menus. Whichever you choose, make a reservation.

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