Best of Boston

Pittsfield, once derided as the underarm of the Berkshires, has made a turnaround in recent years, thanks in part to its revitalized North Street. The hippest on the block is the much-hyped contemporary American eatery Spice. The place is at its liveliest after the dinner rush, when the band packs up and an energetic young crowd assembles in the roomy backlit bar for sipping and mingling.