Like most people, I love food. Planning meals and finding new dishes and combinations is something I love to do. Whenever I am somewhere new, I love to find places to go eat where I can make memories and find new things to try. Since I was born and raised near Amherst, I did not have the pleasure of doing so when moving into college. Because of that, I want to share my favorite places in Amherst, growing up, in the hopes it will help people new to the area find something new to eat that they love.
Breakfast
My breakfast recommendation is the Works Café. This cafe is a staple in the community. Located right next to the fire station, you can get anything from breakfast to dinner all day, every day. They have traditional New York bagels that are baked fresh each morning, which you can pair with their various cream cheese flavors. Or, on either a bagel or their fresh bread, you can have a breakfast sandwich with any combination of egg, cheese, spinach, bacon, sausage, and ham. Then, to make sure your mouth isn’t dry, they have delicious hot and cold drinks like chai, lattes, and tea. Plus, they have many unique smoothie flavors that are very popular.
Lunch
My lunch recommendation is one that I have gone to as long as I can remember, and was founded right in Amherst – Bueno Y Sano. Bueno, as it is called by us locals, is like Chipotle but better, fresher, and more special. Located in an alley on Boltwood Walk, they have many menu options, like a Thai Burrito or just your basic chicken tacos. They have burrito bowls, quesadillas, and salads as well. At Bueno, they are very fast at making your food. It’s almost like fast food but different, meaning that if you want to sit and relax, you can. Or, if you need to go somewhere soon, it is the perfect spot.
Dinner
For dinner, I recommend Johnny’s Tavern. I have gone to this restaurant for my birthday multiple years in a row, loving their diverse menu. Here at Johnny’s, which is located right near Bueno, you can get anything between pesto pasta and a rare tuna sandwich for dinner. One of my favorite dishes here is their squid ink pasta. This pasta, just like the name suggests, is made from squid ink and is topped with shrimp, scallops, and mussels. I honestly dream about this pasta. Then their caesar salad is my all-time favorite. For people who don’t love seafood or salads, they have many other types of pasta like pesto, gnocchi, and bolognese. They also have many types of sandwiches and different steaks if that is what you’re in the mood for.
Dessert
Now what’s a full day without dessert? In Amherst, there are multiple spots if you want a little sweet treat to finish the night, but none of them compare to Herrells. Herrells Ice Cream, which is in North Amherst in the Mill District. Herrells was founded in my hometown of Northampton and only recently opened its second location. When I learned that there was going to be a Herrells closer than 20 minutes from where I am going to college, I was ecstatic. While they have all the classic flavors like chocolate, cookies and cream, vanilla, and strawberry, they have unique flavors like black raspberry mudpie, sweet potato pie, and lemon mousse. They are really good about allergies as well and have multiple dairy-free flavors.
I love being able to share a little bit of the world I’ve grown up in to new people and all of these restaurants are special to me. I hope that by me sharing them will allow for new people to go and make memories just like I have.
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