Twelve years ago, we were drawing designs for our U-shaped counter in Somerville. We opened in 2015 with a simple belief: the kitchen can be a restorative place. Back then, we had our young kids running around with our dear friends cheering us on. When we closed in 2023, we wrote, “The future of Tasting Counter is much larger than 1,000 square feet tucked into the back of some brewery. It’s time to move on.”
Very early ideas of Tasting Counter in concept.
After hours of Tasting Counter means laptop work for everyone.
Celebrating the end of Development Week with the team.
After the last guest leaves, recipe testing begins!
Today, we’re excited to share that we’ve identified farmland near Great Barrington for the vision we’ve always dreamed of. We can see, clearer than ever, a growing space integrated with our dining room, bringing us closer to our roots in the natural world. We’re now drawing designs again and meeting new teammates. One of our kids is off to college.
In the blink of an eye, we’ve gone from changing diapers to moving our son into his dorm room.
So much land – so much possibility!
There’s still much more to figure out, from zoning and financing to the moment we’re ready to open our doors. Our best estimate is late 2027, with the understanding that timelines can shift. What hasn’t changed is our guiding principle: a kitchen designed to restore – our guests, our team, and our planet.
You can be part of the next chapter
We’re assembling an initial round of Founding Partner investors, with opportunities for smaller investments to follow. We believe in an equity model with a thoughtful buy-back structure aimed at clear exits and long-term alignment. Beyond financial participation, Founding Partners will be invited into the life of this project: private investor dinners, priority ticketing, and meaningful acknowledgment that extends well past traditional investment – lifelong dining perks and genuine insider involvement as we grow.
If you’re interested in supporting the buildout of this new home, we’d love to talk.
(Reply to this email - eatwell(at)tastingcounter(dot)com - to learn more.)
Speculative, early stage vision of what Tasting Counter Berkshires could be.
What to expect next
In the coming months, we’ll share behind-the-scenes updates from both the field and the studio: early site and dining concepts, notes on education and culture, the farmers and makers inspiring us, and what we’re cooking and eating as the vision takes shape.
Thank you for being with us from Somerville to the Berkshires – and for believing, as we do – that a kitchen can give more than it takes. Here’s to the work ahead and to a counter that welcomes everyone.
With much gratitude,
Peter & Ginhee Ungár
