2 Best Restaurants in Sturbridge and The Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts

On the lower level of Thornes Marketplace, Herrell's is known for not only having some of the state's best ice cream, but also for being the first ice-cream shop to mix in brand-name candies with its ice cream. Flavors often rotate, but an up-to-the-minute list is available online.

Impressive beer-stein and corkscrew collections at the bar and dark-wood paneling lend this restaurant the feel of a convivial hunting lodge, which the antlers and stained-glass windows in the side dining room accentuate. The menu is decidedly meat-centric—beef, chicken, veal, lamb, pork, and delectable homemade sausages—focused on German dishes with some must-have sauerkraut.