Guidebook for Amherst
Food Scene
Great Pho. Unassuming family-run place, inexpensive, but some of the best pho in the area, and beyond. Ask for the off-menu Banh Mi. Bring your own wine or beer; Miss Saigon has no liquor license. Also open later than anyone else (until 10 pm). Can get quite busy when colleges are in session.
12 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Miss Saigon
96 N Pleasant StGreat Pho. Unassuming family-run place, inexpensive, but some of the best pho in the area, and beyond. Ask for the off-menu Banh Mi. Bring your own wine or beer; Miss Saigon has no liquor license. Also open later than anyone else (until 10 pm). Can get quite busy when colleges are in session.
If you want a fine burrito, this is the place to go. Best for take-out as the ambience in the Amherst location is less than desirable. But truly solid and fresh Tex-Mex staples, run by lovely people. Great for vegetarians. Menu at https://buenoysano.com/.
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Bueno Y Sano
1 Boltwood WalkIf you want a fine burrito, this is the place to go. Best for take-out as the ambience in the Amherst location is less than desirable. But truly solid and fresh Tex-Mex staples, run by lovely people. Great for vegetarians. Menu at https://buenoysano.com/.
Informal Mexican eatery with great margaritas and quite excellent Mexican food for the area. Very popular and can have a wait if you go between 6-8 pm. Best to go early or late of you want to avoid the crowds. Try the fish tacos - my favorite.
28 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mission Cantina
485 West StInformal Mexican eatery with great margaritas and quite excellent Mexican food for the area. Very popular and can have a wait if you go between 6-8 pm. Best to go early or late of you want to avoid the crowds. Try the fish tacos - my favorite.
One of the better restaurants around. Lovely setting in the Montague Book mill where there is also a cute after-dinner bar, and a large, rambling used bookstore. Food is solidly Farm-to-Table nouvelle American with some interesting twists. Lots of organic choices; mid-price range but relatively high for the area. Wine list is quite decent, Whiskey selection extensive. Patio is very romantic, overlooking the rushing Saw Mill River. Make a reservation but know that the patio is first-come, first-serve. Check out the live music there as well when you have a chance.
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Alvah Stone
440 Greenfield RdOne of the better restaurants around. Lovely setting in the Montague Book mill where there is also a cute after-dinner bar, and a large, rambling used bookstore. Food is solidly Farm-to-Table nouvelle American with some interesting twists. Lots of organic choices; mid-price range but relatively high for the area. Wine list is quite decent, Whiskey selection extensive. Patio is very romantic, overlooking the rushing Saw Mill River. Make a reservation but know that the patio is first-come, first-serve. Check out the live music there as well when you have a chance.
One of the best restaurants around. Lovely setting in the old town hall in Sunderland. Outside dining in summer and grand, lovingly restored dining rooms all year round. Lovely new American cuisine with lots of fresh ingredients from local farmers. Try the duck - it's very good. Not inexpensive for Valley standards but a reliably good meal. Lovely wine list as well.
31 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Blue Heron Restaurant
112 N Main StOne of the best restaurants around. Lovely setting in the old town hall in Sunderland. Outside dining in summer and grand, lovingly restored dining rooms all year round. Lovely new American cuisine with lots of fresh ingredients from local farmers. Try the duck - it's very good. Not inexpensive for Valley standards but a reliably good meal. Lovely wine list as well.
Drinks & Nightlife
Amherst Coffee turns into a fine bar at night with a bar tender who can be quite good. Nice tequila selection and their whiskeys aren't bad, either. Limited food so best for an after-dinner night cap.
27 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Amherst Coffee
28 Amity StAmherst Coffee turns into a fine bar at night with a bar tender who can be quite good. Nice tequila selection and their whiskeys aren't bad, either. Limited food so best for an after-dinner night cap.
Lovely bar and gastropub with a very nice outside terrace with fire place and couches, overlooking the Amherst Common. Veronica is one of the best bartenders in town, so put yourself in her hands. Food is so-so, in my book, but drinks are creative and delicious. Great for a mild outside evening or an after-dinner drink with your date.
30Boltwood
30 Boltwood AveLovely bar and gastropub with a very nice outside terrace with fire place and couches, overlooking the Amherst Common. Veronica is one of the best bartenders in town, so put yourself in her hands. Food is so-so, in my book, but drinks are creative and delicious. Great for a mild outside evening or an after-dinner drink with your date.
Craft beer galore. Fun, dark, delicious. If you like craft beer before it was hip, go there. Don't ask for a Miller light; they won't have it. You get large vats of unshelled peanuts when you arrive, so not for the peanut-allergic. But the beer is oh-so-great.
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Moan & Dove
460 West StCraft beer galore. Fun, dark, delicious. If you like craft beer before it was hip, go there. Don't ask for a Miller light; they won't have it. You get large vats of unshelled peanuts when you arrive, so not for the peanut-allergic. But the beer is oh-so-great.
Arts & Culture
One of the destinations for the arts and culture lovers. The Homestead and Austin's house next door (the Evergreen) is open Wed-Sun but require a tour to see. Details and bookings are here: https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/visit. The gardens are lovely as well and worth a stroll.
49 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Emily Dickinson Museum
280 Main StOne of the destinations for the arts and culture lovers. The Homestead and Austin's house next door (the Evergreen) is open Wed-Sun but require a tour to see. Details and bookings are here: https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/visit. The gardens are lovely as well and worth a stroll.
Parks & Nature
Great local place to watch the sunset. Views across the Valley and town. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy. Two large, old tress provide shade and if you go Sunday evenings, you can hang with the amateur astronomers that sometimes set up shop there and explain the night sky to you. The turn is easy to miss; the turn up to the very small parking lot is a bit hidden off Southeast Street but Google Maps is accurate and there is a sign. Watch for poison ivy near the parking lot but the grassy hill is largely poison-ivy free. Good pics here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29510-d7083804-Reviews-Mt_Pollux-Amherst_Hampshire_County_Massachusetts.html
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mount Pollux
Great local place to watch the sunset. Views across the Valley and town. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy. Two large, old tress provide shade and if you go Sunday evenings, you can hang with the amateur astronomers that sometimes set up shop there and explain the night sky to you. The turn is easy to miss; the turn up to the very small parking lot is a bit hidden off Southeast Street but Google Maps is accurate and there is a sign. Watch for poison ivy near the parking lot but the grassy hill is largely poison-ivy free. Good pics here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29510-d7083804-Reviews-Mt_Pollux-Amherst_Hampshire_County_Massachusetts.html
Easy trails in a lovely, wooded conservation area just east of Amherst. 1.9 mile loop trail with gurgling brooks and waterfalls. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The trail head is a bit hard to find; go up North Valley Road, park near the power lines in the designated spots off the road, and walk up (carefully) about 1/4 mile; the trail head is marked with a small yellow marker on the right hand side. If you peek down the trail you will see a small wooden bridge (which will tell you that you are on the right track). Go after it rains when the mist rises and the ferns are especially green and be sure to watch the little fairies under the rocks.
Buffam Falls
Easy trails in a lovely, wooded conservation area just east of Amherst. 1.9 mile loop trail with gurgling brooks and waterfalls. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The trail head is a bit hard to find; go up North Valley Road, park near the power lines in the designated spots off the road, and walk up (carefully) about 1/4 mile; the trail head is marked with a small yellow marker on the right hand side. If you peek down the trail you will see a small wooden bridge (which will tell you that you are on the right track). Go after it rains when the mist rises and the ferns are especially green and be sure to watch the little fairies under the rocks.
Essentials
Yep, it's a very large Whole Foods. But it's the place to get organic groceries and healthy, delicious food around here. Has a wine/beer department.
25 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Whole Foods Market
327 Russell StYep, it's a very large Whole Foods. But it's the place to get organic groceries and healthy, delicious food around here. Has a wine/beer department.
Less expensive than Whole Foods with all the Trader Joe iconic fixings. Much smaller than Whole Foods and can get crowded but super-friendly staff.
20 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Trader Joe's
375 Russell StLess expensive than Whole Foods with all the Trader Joe iconic fixings. Much smaller than Whole Foods and can get crowded but super-friendly staff.
Entertainment & Activities
Tea Time at the Porter Phelps Museum in Hadley is a lovely thing to do on a summer afternoon in their sunken gardens, accompanied by local musicians. Tea time takes place in July and August on Saturday afternoons. Details and the musician line-up is here: http://www.pphmuseum.org/a-perfect-spot-of-tea/
Porter Phelps Huntington Foundation
130 River DrTea Time at the Porter Phelps Museum in Hadley is a lovely thing to do on a summer afternoon in their sunken gardens, accompanied by local musicians. Tea time takes place in July and August on Saturday afternoons. Details and the musician line-up is here: http://www.pphmuseum.org/a-perfect-spot-of-tea/