Pittsfield — Residents of Pittsfield (and beyond!) have something to look forward to after the first of the year: The doors of The Lantern Bar and Grill will once again welcome hungry guests.
The century-old North Street staple that shuttered in April 2022 is planning to reopen in January, said restaurant manager Kristle Candee, who is currently working with new owner Ronny Brazain to hire staff and ready the project. Brazain leased the site in early November.
Candee’s long resume includes the former Sullivan Station in Lee, Firefly in Lenox, and Berkshire Culinary Group. Brazain owns BB’s Hot Spot in Pittsfield, a Caribbean restaurant, food truck, and catering business. The two aim to make The Lantern “more of a sit-down establishment, more than a ‘grab and go,’” Candee said. She elaborated, “Currently, what we are looking to do is to keep the same jazzy vibe of The Lantern but also incorporate some Caribbean flair.”
Previously owned by Bjorn Somlo, the name will remain, but, in addition to its previous burger and onion soup favorites, the menu will introduce Caribbean-inspired foods as well as Jamaican drink specialties, wine, and local beers on tap. The restaurant will be closed Wednesday and offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with weekends featuring a special steak dinner, Candee said. To-go items will also be available. A television will accommodate sports fans, and music bingo is also an option, with Keno and Lottery games nixed. The focus will be “family-oriented,” Candee said.
Hiring interviews are ongoing, and bartenders, cooks, and other employees are encouraged to apply by emailing Candee at kcandee1120@gmail.com or by calling her at (413) 409-1592.
“We’re just trying to bring the community together and [to] bring The Lantern back but with a different flair,” Candee said. “Things get old. Things get tired and sometimes you need a new vibe. After everything everybody went through with COVID, it would be a positive look to have somewhere else to just sit back and relax. I think Pittsfield’s missing a lot of that hometown feel, and we just need to bring it back.”
