NoCo Pastaria is a new Italian restaurant located next to the Stop & Shop on State Road in North Adams.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It's the size of a small suitcase, and it's tucked away in a basement.
But that doesn't mean the $8,000 imported Italian pasta machine is anything less than critical to the newest restaurant to hit the North Adams dining scene.
"It's the heart and soul of NoCo," said Robert Beuth, who along with Jane Patton has opened NoCo Pastaria (think "pizzeria," only "pastaria") at 896 State Road. The restaurant, located next to the Stop & Shop plaza, housed the La Veranda restaurant for many years then Isabella's and Espana restaurants more recently.
Beuth and Patton are no strangers to the North County restaurant scene: The two also own Hops & Vines on Water Street in Williamstown. But NoCo (short for "North County," concocted by accident by Beuth) is anything but a copy of Hops & Vines — from the authentic Italian food it serves to the more family — and budget-friendly atmosphere it strives to achieve.
"Because Italian food is such a void, and we know it could work, we felt like if we could bring our own stamp and in some ways model what La Veranda did ... good food, good value, then we thought that was something we could do," Patton said.
The menu includes traditional Italian appetizers like bruschetta and steamed mussels and entrees ranging from creating your own pasta dish by picking the pasta, sauce and protein to chicken parmesan and lasagna to more sophisticated dishes like bucatini carbonara. Desserts are made on premises by Beuth's wife, Megan, who also helps with the operation of both restaurants. The pasta, of course, is made in the Italian machine fresh every day then cooked to order.
In addition, Beth and Patton said they are committed to using local ingredients when possible, something they already are doing with Hops & Vines.
"Here we do a lot with local farmers," Beuth said during a break from the kitchen at the Williamstown restaurant last week. "Now we are using them in both restaurants."
NoCo Pastaria opened for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. the third weekend of May and is adding weekend lunches on Memorial Day weekend. The timing was deliberate in that they wanted time to "work out the kinks" before the summer tourist season heats up.
"We're really committed to the quality of the food and the quality of the service," Patton said.
Patton, who handles the marketing end of the restaurant while Beuth heads up the kitchen, said they have received a lot of good feedback so far. And this Tuesday, May 26, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., the restaurant will host the monthly networking event for the North Adams Chamber of Commerce — a chance to show off the business to the chamber community.
"The response has just been overwhelmingly positive," Patton said. "The fact that it's been so busy on non-traditional busy nights, it bears out the theory that this is a niche aching to be filled."
northadams.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
MEMBER SIGN IN
NoCo Pastaria is a new Italian restaurant located next to the Stop & Shop on State Road in North Adams.
