Dining Review: Cello – Lenox, Massachusetts

October 2024

Dining Review: Cello – Lenox, Massachusetts

Cello was the first place for this trip I knew we had to visit. With nearly perfect reviews on Google, this farm to table team serves up creative and seasonal dishes that rotate weekly depending on what is available and in season. The space is intimate and very cozy, so reservations are essential – even when we visited in the middle of the week. 

Kevin and I both started with a glass of wine. While it did not say it on the menu, I think the wines featured here are organic which just have a bit of a different flare to them that is not our preference. Keep this in mind when reviewing the wine menu.

Klein’s Kill Farm Grilled Pear Toast, blue cheese, BMB sourdough, pickled apple, bacon lardon

Beautifully presented toast and very tasty. We loved the combination of the flavors and the use of the local fresh ingredients. My only complaint is that it was on the smaller side so once I cut it for Kevin and I to split, it ended up being two or three bites. 

Olive oil confit onion rings, roasted garlic aioli

We must have misread the menu on this one – I swore it was a confit onion concoction that was more of a dip and completely missed the rings word so we were both shocked when the plate arrived as a pile of onion rings. We never order onion rings but I have to say, it was a happy mistake as these were delightful. The tempura batter was light and the garlic aioli was plate licking good. 

Salad of Red Leaf, shallot tarragon vinaigrette, pickled shallot, radish, sunflower seeds 

When on vacation, we try to incorporate some veggies so we were recommend this salad and wow, another beautiful plate. This salad was plentiful, very fresh, and a tasty way to get some healthy greens.

Cavatelli, brown butter cream sauce, butternut squash, thyme

Cello always seems to have a rotating pasta dish so I was eager to try this one. I will say in compared to the other pastas I saw on previous menus, this one was a bit basic. The sauce was a bit runny and did not stick well to the pasta, and there were less than ten tiny cubes of butternut squash. The flavor was there but I think the execution could have been better on this dish. I still enjoyed it and cleaned my plate but this ended up feeling more like mac and cheese than an elevated pasta dish. 

Hanger Steak, celery root puree, caramelized mushrooms & onions, sweet potato chips

Kevin had a tough choice picking between several entree options and ultimately went with the steak option. He loved this dish! While simple, it was prepared perfectly with the steak cookie to a perfect medium rare and complimentary side. And the sweet potato chips were homemade, such a treat. The overall size of the dish was well balanced and a good entree portion. 

Two Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies, maldon salt

Cello is known for their homemade desserts. With two options for dessert, we saw the bread pudding option which was enormous and we were far too full for a heavy dessert like that. So we went with the cookies and while a basic option, it is certainly a classic staple when done correctly. And yes, these were great – we each enjoyed a warm chocolate chip cookie to end our evening. 

While this may not have been the exceptional meal I expected, I do think that normally they are knocking it out of the park. I just think the pasta dish was having an off night. There is a good mix of simple dishes done with fresh, local ingredients and a sprinkle of creativity in putting it all together. I think the team here is doing something really fun and it is worth checking out what they are up to as the menu is constantly changing. When visiting the Berkshires, I would definitely add a dinner at Cello to your list.

Continue reading about our weekend in the Berkshires here!

Read all blog posts for the Berkshires here!

See our complete itinerary here!

Planning your trip? Check out the Perfect Fall Itinerary to the Berkshires here!