15 Best Restaurants in Sturbridge and The Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts

On the lower level of Thornes Marketplace, Herrell's is known for not only having some of the state's best ice cream, but also for being the first ice-cream shop to mix in brand-name candies with its ice cream. Flavors often rotate, but an up-to-the-minute list is available online.

Walk up to the counter and order perfectly cooked barbecued meat by the pint or tray at this no-frills barbecue joint. There aren't many tables: grab one while someone else in your group orders.

You can smell the sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce even before you enter this down-home rib joint where awards and positive newspaper reviews line the walls and a stuffed pig carries your order to the kitchen. Everything from hush puppies to pulled pork is expertly done, and the dinners all come with a large and sumptuous buffet of sides.

This family-run business has been making doughnuts since 1957. Doughnut purists go there for the Old Fashioned Sour Cream, Apple Cider, and Honey Dip, but if you're feeling more adventurous there's plenty to choose from in the jelly, frosting, and sprinkles department, including a decadent bacon-topped creation.

You don't have to be vegetarian to appreciate the fresh, local, organic offerings at this tiny community-focused café. Sharing an entrance with an arts co-op, the café itself lacks ambience, but does offer up a tasty variety of healthy options that exclude any meat except fish.

With puns on the menu and the staff's shirts, this sushi and noodle bar serves up fun in addition to ramen, bao, and a wide variety of sushi. The atmosphere is upscale casual and would be even more pleasant if it weren't always busy, but that's the price you pay for good food.

Springfield's South End is home to a lively Little Italy, including this full bakery that has doled out a wide variety of heavenly pastries (and coffee) since the 1940s.

Diners pack this loud and colorful cantina daily to enjoy Mexican food at reasonable prices. What the small menu lacks in variety, it makes up for in reliability; everything from the crispy fish tacos to the carnitas enchiladas is worth trying.

Locals come here for the cool vibe, live music, and great coffee. Local art, which is often for sale, decorates the rich red walls, completing the artsy vibe.

A little out of the way, this understated eatery serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine at wallet-pleasing prices. Whether you enjoy the eponymous made-from-scratch soups, fried dishes with meat, or plentiful vegetarian options, the menu has you covered.

The name is no joke: the back half of this store is a kitchen where you can see delectable chocolates being made. A short drive from Historic Deerfield, Richardson's sells luscious cream-filled chocolates, truffles, and other handmade confections, not to mention ice cream.

The Noho coffee scene is filled with small spots for college students to refuel and tourists to take a break, but none have the same vintage-meets-industrial charm of The Roost. Grab a house-drip coffee with a breakfast sandwich or one of their bakery items.

This small bakery is big on cupcake creativity. Beyond your basic vanilla or chocolate, this spot offers flavors like Root Beer Float, Strawberry Crunch, and the occasional Unicorn Poop, which is a fun, colorful sprinkle concoction.