What a great find in downtown Amherst! While on a short trip to the area, I wanted to find a solid…read morecafe that had good coffee, gluten/dairy free food options, and a comfortable space to chill and do some work. Share Coffee in Amherst ticked every single box and made for a very welcome haven on a gloomy fall weekend. Just a few minutes' walk from Amherst College, the first floor of a house had been deftly converted into a spacious cafe with so many types of seating, I probably annoyed several people by trying one seat, then the next. I ended up perching on a stool at the window for the first part of my cafe time, then moving to one of the smaller table for lunch and more writing. There was quite a bit of natural light from the wide windows for such a gray day. The rest of the space was still well-lit yet not glaringly so. It was clearly a place where people came to work or meet friends (fast wifi! outlets galore!), yet even during the busiest times, it never felt overcrowded or got too loud. The barista and staff were all super friendly. I started off with an almond milk cappuccino, which was a bit darker of a roast but still smooth. Share roasts their own beans over in Hadley. Once the hunger pangs set in, I went back for a turkey avocado sandwich and was able to make it gluten and dairy free with ease. Although the menu says gluten free tortillas, it came on GF bread and was accompanied by a side salad. The sandwich was a bit messy (the bread wasn't the most robust), yet simple and satisfying, and the salad was super fresh. That vinaigrette! So good. It's from (or made with the recipe from) Lady Killigrew Cafe over at the wondrous Montague Book Mill. I also picked up a chai latte for additional afternoon fuel. They make their own concentrate that can be sweetened with honey or not, something I really appreciate in the sea of incredibly sweet chai out there. I got mine slightly sweetened, and it was deliciously spicy (gingery?) and not very sweet, which is what I ultimately prefer. The person at the counter also happily answered my questions about the baked goods. While they do have a couple gluten free options, the GF muffins contain dairy and the energy balls have peanuts. If I lived in Central Mass, Share Coffee would be my go-to shop. I'll be back!

Very cute location with a good variety of drinks and food. Staff is always pleasant and efficient…read more Seating inside and outside on the patio. I love the energy balls here. Delicious and nutritious. Can get a little crowded when college is in session. But totally manageable and they move the line pretty quickly.

First time here and already planning our next visit. Everything about this restaurant is 5 stars,…read moreambiance service food and drinks. Don't leave Amherst without a stop here. You won't regret it About the Salmon dish: Salmon cooked perfectly, veggie & grains & lemon vinaigrette. Chefs kiss. Another impt tip, ask the bartender for a wine pairing. You won't be disappointed

We wanted to love this place but didn't. First, martini 101 - it should be very cold and not…read morevermouth forward. I sent it back. The replacement was better. Food: we ordered steak frites, lobster bucatini, and gagarelli lemon artichoke spinach and pasta. Steak frites 6/10. Steak not cooked well. Uneven. Frites were good. Lobster pasta. Sauce was meh. Lobster scarce. Garg pasta - wash your spinach! Crunchy dirty spinach ruined the dish. Do better. Prices are premium so food should be too.

Before the menu change, I ordered a vegan tofu reuben with their delicious slaw, called a "Cosmos."…read more It was so good, I ordered it again, thinking it was impossible for them to get it right two times in a row. They did. So I came back a THIRD time and ordered it AGAIN, just to see if they can still keep their vegan cheese melted just right on top. It was incredible, AGAIN. Now that I've gotten this out of the way, ask where it is on their new menu as it is under revision--I don't like the tempeh version as much. Onto the rest of the atmosphere of Cushman. One of the most pleasant features of Cushman Market and Cafe is that it is nestled at an important corner in northeast Amherst. You need to travel further west to get to The Mill District and not much opens there early, and there's little else I can recall in the other cardinal directions. It's a pleasant trip, with plenty of parking in front, behind, and in a strip of side road across the street. I've never been in the market, so let me keep talking about the Cafe. The atmosphere of the Cafe is wonderful, with locals, safety officers, and regulars all visiting at each meal hour from breakfast to lunch. Nestled inside what looks like an old barn, complete with doors still hanging, Cushman has memorabilia from decades of music, sports, politics, and news frozen under acrylic, different for many of their tables. The café seems to have at most 20 chairs, and the staff behind the counter will deliver it to your table, call your name, or leave other orders by a stand near the back entrance. Cushman Cafe offers a variety of meals, alongside baked goods and freshly mixed café drinks. While I'm not a fan of the switcherels, I have enjoyed their dirty Chai lattes, iced teas, fresh coffees, and free water if I recall in a pinch. They have gender neutral bathrooms--which is great if you're tired of waiting in line for one of two as they are large but single occupancy. They offer cold panini sandwiches, hot panini, all sorts of eggs, egg sandwiches, and egg breakfasts, vegan and vegetarian options, alongside a seemingly visible carnivorous focus for their new menu's default. If you had a chance to hop on a bus and travel around Amherst, or you were passing through to the highways, Cushman Cafe is worth a quick stop. I've rarely had to wait long for my meals even in busy hours, and this is because of the large and competent kitchen, who--if you'll remember--can get a delicious sandwich right any day of the week. I hope cell service returns there!

What a great place! My second time here, years after the first and finally finishing my review.read more

Esselon is the quintessential cafe that checks all my " likes" . very pleasant staff , comfortable…read moreand classic New England atmosphere complete with the coffee bean roaster in sight . Made to order salads , soups , sandwiches ; quite an eclectic menu , and excellent coffee . All at a very fair price . Esselon has been a favorite of ours for many years . despite ups and downs in the economy , they have never wavered in quality and friendly , upbeat staff . Consistency!

Cute coffee shop! Ample amount of seating and more seating on a heated patio. They have a self…read moreservice station for water and condiments. I ordered the mushroom and ham omelet, it was so fluffy! Definitely a good portion. The sour dough bread was good, but a bit tough. I wanted to try the lamb sausage patty so I added it on the side. The golden latte was one of the most unique coffees I've ever had. It was a tumeric based coffee with other spices like cardamom and cinnamon, actually really good!

Love this place. Everytime we visit my Mom in Easthampton we drive to Hadley to eat at Pulse. It's…read moregreat for both vegans and non vegans because they offer items that are so good my family can barely tell the difference. This time we ordered a Large Blanco pizza which was great because there was plenty to take home for lunches throughout the week. I had the Tex-Mex burger for the first time. It came with a choice of house-made black bean burger, Impossible patty or Beyond patty. I chose the Beyond and I'm really happy I did because it was so good. Normally I would suggest a Cubano sandwich but they were out chick'n and waffles is great too. But today the burger really hit the spot. I had my choice of fresh greens or roasted potatoes which was a no-brainer. These potatoes are the best. I ordered a second order for my Mom to take home. She loves them. Imagine biting into a firm roasted potato skin with a velvety buttery mashed potato inside. Yeah, it's that kind of good! Today was a bonus, I accumulated enough points for a free small pizza of my choice! Heck yeah, that heats up nicely back home for lunches at work during the week. We might have loaded up on desserts... cookies, chocolate mousse, cupcakes, rice pudding, pastries. Oh yes, it's dangerous! There is seating inside and outside in nicer weather. Order at the counter and pay, take a number, find a table and they will deliver your meal to the table. Don't forget to tip your servers! Also check out their grocery and refrigerated section!

What a treat to find someplace 100% plant based with such an appealing menu!…read more My adult daughter has been vegetarian for 30+ years and so often when we dine out she is stick getting the same boring veggie burgers or salads that most restaurants offer for vegetarians. The restaurant is low key - if you are dining in, you order at the counter, are given a number and your food is delivered to your table. We enjoyed sitting by a wall mounted fireplace that created a nice ambiance for our night out eating delicious and healthy food. Plant based is definetly the healthiest way to eat in my opinion so it is fantastic that it is available and delicious ...check them out!

This Inn is Gorgeous!!! Rooms are a generous size. Inn keepers are Extremely friendly and helpful,…read moreexcellent breakfast menu. I would Highly Recommend staying here. All local attractions are walking distance from the Inn.

It was love at first site! I can't say enough great things about the Amherst Inn. So charming and…read morethe first painted Lady I've have ever been in. It's family owned and you can tell because they take such pride & care of ownership; because everything is pristine and beautifully maintained. We stayed in the 'Austin' room with one (so comfortable) queen bed and our room looked out on to the main highway; which was surprisingly quiet considering it was graduation week. Went down stairs for breakfast every morning and found out they had gluten-free options- eggs, cereal, omelettes, bread... so impressed! Thank you!!! Location is fabulous! Walking distance to all the shops and to Amherst College. ;)

When we lived in Amherst, this was a regular spot for us and each time we are back, this is one of…read moreour first stops. My husband has also been known to hop on his motorcycle, make the 3 hour drive out and back, just for their sandwiches. Quality is fantastic. Menu is varied and so delicious, and there is something here for every dietary need amd sensitivity. The staff is fantastic and service is quick. It does get busy, so consider ordering online. We do love eating there since the vibe is so chill. Seating inside gets you plenty of cool retro posters amd outside a great view of Amherst. We love The Black Sheep!!!!

I had lunch from Black Sheep today. It was a takeout order. The sandwich I purchased was less than…read moreimpressive and poorly wrapped so when I went to open it, it all fell apart. The ordering process was confusing. It asked you to omit things that you didn't want on the sandwich and it made it seem like the sandwich would include lots of different ingredients. Actually, it didn't include very many ingredients at all. If you wanted more ingredients like Cheese and mayonnaise and cucumbers and carrots for example, you had to pay extra for those ingredients. I got the half sandwich and it was pretty modest portion. It was enough but only just. I also ordered chips, a drink and a cookie. My lunch was over $20. I believe the total cost was $23. The drink alone was over three dollars. This is a very expensive place to get lunch. This was a one and done for me. I will not be returning to the Black Sheep.

Great food and great service! My daughter and I came here…read morefor her tennis tournament and we found this place based on Yelp reviews. It is traditional and has a countryside style feeling and scenery and has amazing food.

Stopped in for breakfast on a Sunday and the food was pretty lack luster. The waitress who served…read moreus was very lovely and had great energy. But we found it interesting that the bill was given to us as were given our food. We get that it was busy but the hash browns were not cooked and the meal lacked salt and just felt like it was cooked in a hurry. We left pretty disappointed, expecting a lot more from this very local spot with a lot of years behind it.

One of the best burgers I've had in a minute! Cooked perfectly at med rare, closer to rare, as…read morerequested. Fries extra crunchy as requested! Great food, good vibe. I'd go back in a minute.

Service was phenomenal from the start! Our server was super attentive without being suffocating,…read moreand she was great with cracking jokes and keeping the mood light. Ambiance went from good to great when the restaurant dimmed the lights for dinnertime. The food was great with the brussel sprouts as the highlight--super rich and had a creamy aioli on top that we ordered extra of on the side. The gnocchi had great texture and didn't feel too heavy. The bread served as an appetizer was DELICIOUS, mainly bc of the sauce (some sort of tomato sauce + oil that was sweet and salty). 9.5/10!

This place has become a new staple for me in Amherst. Walking in and sitting down, the atmosphere…read morefelt warm and homey in a way I can't fully describe. The servers were very attentive and ensured all allergies were accounted for with the orders. They have phenomenal GF and vegan options--all with manageable prices!! As a broke college student, I'm glad I can still enjoy some delicious food. LET ME TELL YOU. This was my first Pad Thai ever and it did not disappoint. Definitely take a night at Fresh Side with delicious food and a warm apple cider.

This is a cute little place. It's mostly Asian fusion but there are some more "American" items…read moremixed in as well. My mom got the chicken teriyaki and I tasted it and it was lovely. The chicken was very tender and the dressing on the little salad was so nice I got a little on the side and added it to my second taco. I got the fish tacos with the spicy mayo. The fish was expertly fried but I thought the all in flavor combo was a little bland. A little soy sauce would make them nice but I added a little miso dressing instead. Tea selection was great and all in it was a nice filling meal that didn't feel too heavy. Service was friendly and prompt and we never wanted for anything.