“It’s really good to have the ecosystem where all of this—Mill River Farm, Mill River General Store, and Cantina—can come together and we can all support each other. The restaurant is the farm’s best customer.”
— Peter Chapin, owner/operator, Cantina in New Marlborough
The long wait for Cantina 229 to re-open its doors in the village of New Marlborough has ended! Just last Thursday (October 10), the cultural hub—frequented by locals/neighbors and weekend visitors alike—celebrated its official restart in the capable hands of Peter Chapin and Maddie Austin. (Chapin also owns and Austin manages the Mill River General Store). Pairing new design elements (dishes, glassware, tables, and lighting) and a bold new menu with the ambiance people know and love, they’ve restored a beloved local favorite to the Berkshire culinary scene.
Where your dinner story begins
Many restaurants in the Berkshires are considered farm-to-table, featuring locally sourced meats, dairy products, and produce from neighboring farms. What makes Cantina different is the number of menu ingredients grown and nurtured on their very own Mill River Farm. “We are a farm-owned restaurant. The farm is the backbone of our operation, and we base everything off that,” Chapin explains.
Jan Johnson, Chapin’s mother, purchased the 32-acre farm in 2013, and Codey Mead has led the operation as farm manager for years. Looking to expand their ability to sell products locally, the mother-son team bought the Mill River General Store in 2021. They have been selling fruits and vegetables, eggs and greens, chicken and pork, and honey—all raised by their farm team—along with other locally sourced goods ever since.
In addition to the food, you’ll find the local flair featured in handmade coffee and espresso mugs by local ceramics artist Jane Burke, flowers from the Cantina garden beds, drinks infused with herbs and berries from the farm, and more. A friend of the farm made the new picnic tables. Local design expert Dawn Trachtenberg (Staged Ryte in Sheffield) helped redesigning the restaurant deck furniture and interior of the adjacent guesthouse. At every stage, Austin and Chapin engaged local talent to deepen the community connection.
Following nature’s lead
“Everything starts with what’s coming out of the farm and what we can do with it,” Chapin points out. The menu, considered “New American” (including Asian, soul food, and Mediterranean influences, to name a few), is constantly changing. “Last week, cherry tomatoes and hen of the woods were both in season; this week, they’re not. We’re taking inspiration from a lot of different cuisines and looking to base our menu on what’s in season and available locally,” Austin explains.
Berkshore (a division of Wulf’s Fish) is the fish purveyor. The chicken and pork come from Mill River Farm. Other items are sourced from nearby farms. “People want to see local foods on the menu,” Chapin continues. “We need to find the sweet spot between paying farmers what they deserve and keeping things affordable. Proteins are more expensive, so planning the menu requires a lot of math.”
Assembling a strong (and locally grown) team
“For a while, it seemed like we weren’t finding many people,” Chapin admits, “and then it all came together.” How did they reach the right audience? Through Indeed, Instagram ads, and word of mouth mainly. “We found much of the team through friends of friends,” he adds.
Executive chef Larry Catterton was a late—and crucial— find. “We understood each other well right from the start. He seemed like the right person for the job,” Chapin notes. Catterton has worked all over the country, from Seattle to Boston and around the Berkshires, but was thrilled to have the opportunity to launch Cantina and work closer to his home in Northampton. “Supportive ownership, the flexibility and freedom to do what I want to do with very few confines, and working with what comes in and out of season” sealed the deal for him. “The ingredients are really just telling me what to do with them. All I need to do is not mess it up between the farm and the fork,” he smiles.
Catterton, who describes his kitchen team as “young, ambitious cooks that want to learn,” comments, “I look forward to calling my deepest contacts in two years and being able to send them to any restaurant in any city.” Addison Moore moved down the street earlier this year, and Zach Knight worked with Catterton at a previous restaurant. “Both have great potential. I’m eager to help them develop,” he affirms. Training the service staff is a group effort shared by Chapin and Austin, Catterton, and general manager Scott Michael Salame (known as Scotty). “They are the voice and the presentation of our food. They sell it,” Catterton says, adding, “I’m really impressed with the team and the dynamics so far.”
Bartender Sofia Giumarro grew up in New Marlborough and was happy to return after graduating from Williams College last spring with a major in English major and a minor in Art History. It was while making craft cocktails with her roommate for speakeasy parties with friends that she developed her taste buds and skills as a mixologist. “We had an antique secretary desk with a curtain,” she explains, “and when our friends arrived, we’d draw back the curtain and open the bar.” Giumarro loves creating seasonal, fun, fresh drinks using ingredients from the farm. “It’s been cool to translate that creativity to this place where that’s the main ethos,” she says. Her favorite concoction? “So far, I’d say the Beetnik, which uses beet-infused vodka for an unexpected, almost savory taste.”
Customers are enjoying the cocktails and mocktails (the strawberry bourbon and vanilla fig vodka are already favorites)—and the joy of experimenting with new drinks served by “the bartender with the funky earrings.” Today, she is wearing fried eggs she made with polymer clay. Next week she promises to don the chair earrings she made from champagne bottle-cage tops. Corey Sadlowski assists, sharing the roughly 10-foot space behind the bar. “I was surprised by how easily we made it work,” Giumarro says.
Salame is a local with years of experience. “I’ve been in this industry for a long time,” he acknowledges—starting at Gedney Farm, then the Union Bar and Grill in Great Barrington, and later in New York City restaurants. “When I saw that Cantina was advertising, I thought I’d work as a bartender one or two nights a week.” But when he started talking with Chapin and Austin about what they wanted to build—something interesting, cool, and local, with higher level service—he was inspired to accept a larger role. “I think it’s possible to have higher-end formal dining service in a fun, casual atmosphere. People can come straight from work or on their way to a show and leave feeling great. We’re in a great space to accommodate everybody,” he says.
With an equally long history working in theater, Salame is well-suited for the unique demands of general manager—providing impeccable hospitality, perfecting set design, and directing staff. “I was nominated for an Emmy for production and set design and have always loved gardening and landscaping—all things I get to do here. I’m loving being part of this team in the Berkshires where I grew up,” he beams. In addition, he is grateful that ownership is willing to pay employees what they are worth. “I love that many of our staff can work just here without needing to take on more jobs to survive. When people feel like they’re being valued, they’ll put everything into it,” he stresses.
Coming full circle—farm to store to table
Once the team was in place, they focused on planning three nights of soft openings in early October, starting with family and people who work at the farm and store and expanding to members of the local community. “After each night, we reviewed what was working and any menu reworkings with staff. That definitely paid off, so opening night wasn’t their first night working in the space,” Chapin acknowledges. “We set the bar very high for ourselves, but it quickly became clear that we were ready. The team is proud of their work, and we all hope to match or grow as time goes on.”
Giumarro notes, “Being in a place where they’re growing all kinds of things and we can pivot from one season to the next is giving us all a stronger connection to nature. But my favorite part is the people involved. The whole team is great!” Chapin and Austin couldn’t be happier with how the team is bonding and the satisfaction they are all feeling getting to develop new menu and drink ideas tied to the farm and the seasons.
Future dreams
Currently, Chapin and Austin are focused on getting Cantina up and running and then continuing to make further refinements and improvements to keep it on track. In late November, they hope to begin renovations at the Mill River General Store, where they will eventually serve breakfast and lunch items prepped in the Cantina kitchen. Their dream? “That people can come to the store for breakfast and lunch and join us here for dinner,” Austin states.
“Once we’re established, hosting events will be key,” Chapin adds, noting the versatility of holding weddings on the farm as an alternative option, hosting the wedding party at the guesthouse, and having the reception at the restaurant. Next summer, they plan to add the outdoor “shed” with a pared-down bar menu for faster, more casual dining. You’ll be able to bring a blanket to sit on the lawn or use the picnic tables, Adirondackk chairs, and fire pits scattered throughout. Best of all, you’ll be able to enjoy an incredible view of the sunset while you eat.
What’s been most fun so far? According to Austin, it’s “seeing the team get along so quickly and inviting our friends and community into this space—seeing how they brought it to life in our soft opening was really rewarding.”
She admits it’s taken a lot of work (and caffeine!) to get to this point, but she couldn’t be happier with the results. “We love everything we do and have going on. This kind of focus will continue to serve the community.”
“We want to be the most sought-after place to have a reservation in Berkshire County,” Catterton says. “Absolutely,” Salame agrees. “I think with so much support from the community, there’s no way it couldn’t be great.”
Cantina will be open four nights a week (Thursday through Sunday) from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but to avoid a wait, guests are encouraged to call or book reservations online.
