Mission-driven and exploding with culinary creativity, Great Barrington’s No Comply Foods is thriving while following a philosophy that refuses to conform to traditional restaurant industry dogma.
Steve and Julie Browning. Photo by David McIntyre.
Mission-driven and exploding with culinary creativity, Great Barrington’s No Comply Foods is thriving while following a philosophy that refuses to conform to traditional restaurant industry dogma: No tipping, no reservations, no waitstaff, no alcohol, and a menu that changes every single day. This is the empathetic, radical reality Steve and Julie Browning have built at No Comply.
It’s a skater-punk, DIY daydream that actually works, serving its community high-quality, chef-driven food at attainable prices while paying a living wage, minimizing waste, and sustaining a small, tight-knit team. Steve says he learned how to create a successful progressive operation by working for years in high-end, and stereotypically aggressive kitchens.
“We wanted a place that’s accessible for everybody,” Julie says. “Not another toxic restaurant environment. There’s a big wage disparity between front of house and back of house. Steve wanted to address and focus on that.”
The Brownings didn’t hire a big team or outsource the renovation of their space. Instead, they mortgaged their house and, after long days at work, spent their nights converting the former bakery into a restaurant.
The only new equipment they bought was an ice machine. Every other element, from equipment to furniture and fixtures were reclaimed and recycled. The interior aesthetic of the bright pink building is chill hang. Skateboards, vintage Polaroids, repurposed furniture, and an old Ms. Pac-Man arcade machine turn the dining room into a community living room with outstanding food.
What’s on the menu at No Comply is updated daily. Steve and chef Dimitri Koufis collaborate every night after service to write the next day’s menu, meaning regulars never quite know what to expect, and loyal patrons return often just to see what’s new. The model doesn’t just add a sense of surprise, it also promotes sustainability. By sourcing seasonally from local farms and basing the menu on what’s fresh, waste is minimized and ingredient potential is maximized. “Limitations are good,” Steve says. “We know what we have and we come up with the best way to use it. If you have everything, you do anything.”
The food is creative and filled with multicultural influence, from Japanese sweet potato with labneh, chili crisp and tahini, to pork-and-fennel meatballs, falafel salads, roasted carrots with cilantro chutney, and an occasional chili dog nod to Americana street food. Entree prices normally don’t go past $25. In this economy, for the quality here, it’s very reasonable, especially when you realize you won’t need to tip.
Ditching gratuities was foundational to No Comply. The menu prices are set to ensure staff are paid a living, equitable wage. “We pay our staff,” Julie says. “We don’t pass that responsibility to customers.”
Since there’s no waitstaff, and customers order at the counter or online, the 35 seat dining room (and 30 more alfresco when the weather's nice) flows differently. Guests bus their own tables, staff rotate roles, and the relationship between diner and server is flattened. It’s a model based on mutual respect, not hierarchy.
No Comply also doesn't serve alcohol. For Steve and Julie, that’s not just about aligning the space with their values. It also keeps the vibe focused on food, comfort, and a “third space” for the community to gather. From pop-up vegan nights to movie-themed dinners (Including, most recently, the camp action masterpiece Face/Off), and other events, the Brownings use the restaurant as a platform for collaboration and activism.
“For us, we needed to break the norms,” Steve says. “We made a restaurant that works for us.”
Being the Change
For Steve and Julie, creating this uncommon model matters more than profit. Steve says there’s an overemphasis in American business culture on growth, and too much focus on making more and more money year over year, creating a mindset that the value of your life is measured in dollars, not happiness. “If we break even, that’s success to me,” he says.
At a time when Great Barrington is struggling with issues like gentrification, housing shortages, and the loss of serviceworker populations, No Comply stands as a quiet counter-proposal. It shows that restaurants don’t have to follow the standard playbook to succeed.
Visit No Comply Foods at 258 Stockbridge Road for dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and brunch on weekends.
