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La Chalupa Y La Enchilada offers authentic Mexican food inspired by owner Cain Serrano's mother.
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Cain Serrano building his food truck.
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The finished out kitchen that went into action earlier this year.

Pittsfield Food Truck Offers Homemade Mexican Fare

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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The business name is from the Serranos' two daughters  'little one' and 'big one.'

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is a new family-owned food truck serving authentic, homemade Mexican food to Berkshire County.

Owners Nancy and Cain Serrano opened La Chalupa Y La Enchilada — a play on their daughters being a "little one and big one" — on March 1.  

"I had a lot of help from a lot of people," Serrano said in regard to building the food truck. "I appreciate all of my friends, thank you."

Seven years ago, Serrano first had the dream to own a food truck so that he could continue his passion for cooking while spending more time with his family.  

He took four years of investigation to learn the ins and outs of the business, traveling to Florida, Kentucky, Connecticut, and New York to observe how others work. Serrano began building the truck on March 14, 2020, at the start of the novel COVID-19 pandemic and did all of the construction with the help of an engineer and designer.

Before Serrano came to the Berkshires from southwest Mexico City more than 20 years ago, he worked in a metal mill where he acquired skills in welding. Locally, he worked in many upscale Lenox kitchens including The Gateways, Cafe Lucia, Ulta, Prime, and Church Street Cafe.

"I started working at Church Street Cafe the next day when I came from Mexico," he explained. "I worked for 11 years at Church Street Cafe."

Serrano's recently passed mother taught him to cook at the age of 11. She was his inspiration for the food truck, he said, and there is a salad named after her on the menu.


With his talents in metalwork and cooking already at hand, Serrano acquired skills in business to make his dream a reality.

"And I said, 'OK, I have this and I have this experience. I can do my food truck.' And I built in everything from zero from the box of the trailer," he said.

Since its grand opening, La Chalupa Y La Enchilada has met with success, he said. It was first located near Berkshire Medical Center on Waconah Street and then moved to North Street near A-Mart.

Serrano said their first Saturday was "so busy," but he was thankful for the business's 3 p.m. close time because, in a traditional kitchen, a cook never has Saturday night off.

When the pandemic permits, he hopes to offer his food at events such as Third Thursday in Pittsfield and the Lenox Apple Squeeze. For now, the family is just happy to have a flexible schedule that makes for more time together.

"I love summer and I love winter, " Serrano said in regards to the seasons of the Berkshires.

La Chalupa Y La Enchilada is open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and can be found on Facebook, Instagram, or on the street.


Tags: food truck,   mexican food,   

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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