Alright, so there’s no doubt that the UMass Dining Commons have some pretty awesome food (Late Night at Berk isn’t just a place to get food after 9, it’s a way of life), but an area I personally feel that they are lacking in is their vegetarian/vegan options. While there’s always something available for us vegetarians and vegans to eat, it isn’t always exactly appetizing. So if you’re finding yourself falling into the habit of eating nothing but pizza, salad, and hummus every day for lunch and dinner, or if you just want to start incorporating some more veggie meals into your life, here are a few places on and off campus where you are guaranteed to get some pretty awesome vegetarian-friendly food!
1. The Pub
The Pub, located on E. Pleasant Street in Amherst Center, definitely has the best hidden gems when it comes to vegetarian food. Seriously, their garden burger is probably one of the best I’ve ever had. They also have a pretty great selection of vegetarian and vegan wraps, sandwiches, salads, and soups. They serve lunch and dinner every day from 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM, accept ucard debit, and are just a short walk from campus, so they’re a great choice for a date night spot or a weeknight dinner with your friends!
2. Pita Pit
Located in both Worchester and The Southwest Café, Pita Pit is a great veggie food option if you want to stay on campus. They have a ton of different options for vegetarian and vegan pitas, (my personal favorite is the spicy black bean pita with hummus), accept UCard debit and YCMP and flex swipes, and are open until 5 PM-1 AM most nights. They are definitely your go-to place on campus if you want a super-fast and super-healthy veggie option for dinner.
3. Greeno Sub Shop
Also on Campus, located in the basement of Greenough in Central, Greeno is a student-run business that specializes in subs and wraps and is incredibly vegetarian and vegan friendly. If you can’t find anything you like on their long list of veggie subs, salads, and wraps, (which I highly doubt you will) you also have the option to build-your-own vegetarian or vegan sub. Greeno is absolutely one of my favorite eateries on campus; the food is always amazing and the staff is always friendly! Plus eating there supports entirely student-run businesses, which is always a good thing. Greeno is open Sunday-Thursday from 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM and accepts Ucard Debit and YCMP swipes.
4. High Horse Brewing
Recommended to me by my veggie-food loving roommate, High Horse, located on E. Pleasant Street, (just a block or two away from The Pub) is another off-campus eatery that is surprisingly super vegetarian friendly. They have an entire menu dedicated to vegetarian and vegan food, including flatbreads, stir fry, pasta, and veggie burgers. They also have an entire menu dedicated to gluten free eating, so this definitely seems like a place in Amherst you’re going to want to check out. High Horse is open Monday-Sunday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
Trust me, choosing vegetarian or vegan doesn’t have to mean sticking to the DC’s salad bar every night. So, Collegiettes, if you’re ever looking to escape the DC’s and grab some amazing veggie food, keep these places in mind!