August has to be one of Meredith and my favorite times to eat out in New England (although we rarely say ‘no’ to a good meal in any other month), because of the wide variety of local produce that becomes available towards the end of summer. As luck would have it, Williamstown happens to be home to an amazing restaurant, renowned for its locally-sourced, seasonal menu, so it was a fairly easy decision on where we’d be eating dinner once we got to town – Mezze Bistro + Bar.

Practicing farm-to-table principles in every aspect of their business, from the bar through desserts, Mezze is located just outside of town, on a few acres of beautiful rolling hills, with a couple of gardens that probably provided at least a part of the meal we enjoyed.

Meredith and I were lucky to have a quiet corner to ourselves in the somewhat spacious dining room, and we started the night with a couple of tasty drinks – The Clark Remix (gin, yellow chartreuse, grapefruit, lemon, simple syrup) for her, and a Clown Shoes IPA for myself.

While my Housemade Cavatelli with Veal entree was a delicious dish and not something to ignore, I’d have to say that my appetizer Warm BLT Salad (warm cherry tomatos, bacon lardon, arugula aioli, toasted ciabatta) was the highlight of my meal, and absolutely left me speechless (I even contemplated ordering a second one for my main course!). I love a meal that tastes so amazing that I literally find myself making the conscious effort to slow down to make the enjoyment last. Unbelievable!

I think Meredith was just as happy with her corn, bacon, and brown butter soup – which she described as simply “amazing” in the notes we make for Map & Menu after eating a meal. Then she took full advantage of New England’s fresh vegetables with the Vegetable Ragut, and kicked back afterwards with a smile on her face.

It was an amazing evening and a spectacular meal, and we’d highly recommend that if you’re ever in the mood for something truly special (and why wouldn’t you be?), you should make Mezze a cornerstone part of any plans in Northern Berkshire County.