If I had to describe the interests of a vast majority of Rural Intelligence readers, I could sum it up in three words: real estate, and food. No shock there; we’ve seen which stories get the most eyeballs. But it’s always fun to look back and find out exactly which stories were a hit. (It also helps us shape our editorial lineup for the next year.)

Readers love to gawp at our real estate section, but those listings change every week. it’s really the food stories that readers slurp up and then come back to again. Here are the restaurant reviews and roundups that likely inspired a lot of reservations (the dinner kind), plus one shopping story that readers found especially useful.

Pittsfield Mainstay Dottie’s Spreads Community Into New Restaurant, Dorothy’s

Dottie’s Coffee Lounge has been the coffee shop and community meeting place on North Street since 2007. In February, owner Jessica Rufo purchased the adjoining space and created Dorothy’s Estaminet, with a laid-back French café concept and a menu that centers around a Mediterranean-style shared plate called “The Experience.”

After Hours GB: A New Dining Concept That’s Not A Restaurant

After Hours GB is “the next generation of dining,” says chef/owner Kevin Kelly. It’s a restaurant without a home that’s been landing at other restaurants and venues and offering themed menus, Sunday brunches, and family night dinners. The result has been overwhelming, he reports. We suggest you follow After Hours GB’s social media if you want to attend one of those creative dining experiences.

Dining At The Elm: An Exceptional Experience, In More Ways Than One

The Elm in Great Barrington received a glowing review mixed in with a rather unusual visit. Still, the menu options and service were highly praised: “The Elm provided a convivial and comfortable dining experience, one that left us relaxed, happy, well-fed, and looking forward to returning with the crowds.”

The Pepperoni Heel: Columbia County Fair Legend and Hudson Valley Legacy

We heard from readers that the pepperoni heel story was appreciated for its inclusion of local traditions, a family history, and, of course, the inimitable pepperoni heel, available for only six days out of each year at the Columbia County Fair in Chatham. RI’s Jamie Larson called it a “gut-busting masterpiece made mythical by its limited availability and local lore as rich as the sloppy handful itself.”

She’s Won Big On TV. Now Chef Michele Ragussis Triumphs At Gedney Farm

You may have seen Michele Ragussis on any number of cooking shows. Last spring, she returned to restaurant life at Gedney Farm in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. She’s a lively presence, and is feeding people well with (as examples) warm mushroom salad, oxtail croquettes, grilled rib eye, and a raved-about cioppino. Also noted is a wine list curated by sommelier Peter Miscikoski. Our reviewer, Albert Stern, wrote “This is not amateur hour — you will know you are being entertained by professionals.”

Dining At Fern: Contemporary Italian And A “Stylishly Sexy” Setting In Lakeville

This contemporary Italian venue opened in 2023 and is newest of the popular Hudson Valley restaurants owned and operated by Chef Gianni Scappin and Luciano Valdivia (Market St. in Rhinebeck and Barbaro in Millbrook). The dining room is the former home of the Lakeville Fire Department that's been turned into an airy, white-walled space with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. The wood-burning pizza oven puts out pies with a great crust char, but menu options include a roasted beet salad, gnocchi with shrimps and trumpet mushrooms, and osso buco, and other well-delivered options.

Bite-sized Adventures: A Handy Guide To Superlative Sandwiches

We put together recommendations for irresistible sandwiches across the hills of Berkshire, Litchfield, Columbia, and Dutchess counties. The list includes hole-in-the-wall joints, fancy bistros, and everything in between.

Popup Haema Enters Hudson Valley/Berkshires Asian Street Food Scene

Here in the Hudson Valley/Berkshires region, much of the most interesting food is coming out of the mobile popup scene. Now, Chef Hannah Wong, formerly of The Aviary in Kinderhook, and co-operator Sarah Jane (SJ) McLaughlin have established a new concept, Haema, that’s bringing to our region the flavor of the street food Wong loved while traveling the world.

The Ruralist: 5 Places To Get French Onion Soup Extraordinaire

We rounded up some of the best French onion soup purveyors in the Rural Intelligence region and posted the story just a few weeks ago so you’d have it all winter long. Enjoy your steamy, gooey, rich, umami, cheese-pull fix.

The Great Merch And Meritorious Shopkeepers Of Litchfield County

After real estate and food stories, shopping stories were the next most popular in 2024. We spent one Sunday touring the Litchfield Hills to explore three new shops: Hope and Honey in Litchfield, Peggy Mercury Apothecary, Accessories, and Art, in Kent, and Rosemary Rose Finery in Salisbury. Their merchandise is different, but their missions are similar: Each of them sells goodness along with their inventory.

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Written by
Lisa Green