Northampton -- What not to miss?

[KSquared26]

Hi All,

I'm going to be spending the weekend in Northampton, MA while my husband is at a conference. I'll need to knock off two breakfasts, lunches, and dinners by myself. Anyone have any recommendations on good spots to check out? I pretty much am open to anything, as long as it's an experience (and not too pricey). I'll have a car, so I can also travel a bit for a real gem.

Thanks!

[danna]

dinner: Green Street Cafe (if it's still there, i heard some rumors of disaster)
Circa

[VivreManger]

Green Street is still very much in business. I ate there last Friday. They are open for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is one of the best in the Valley.

[danna]

Cool. So they got Smith to stop trying to make them move?

[masha bousha]

I am a fan of the NoHo Brewery (great beers and everything on the menu is enticing to me). Also there's a wonderful French Bakery, Bakery Normand on Main Street. I'm a sucker for their shortbread.

[VivreManger]

I like the beer at NoHo Brewery, but I don't think the food merits a not miss rating. It is a slight cut above generic bar food.

[caughtstars]

For one of your breakfasts I would go not miss The Green Bean on Main Street. Great local egg scrambles and I love their vegan corn cake. I've heard good things about The Mosaic Cafe (Mediterranean) as well for breakfast.

I love Chez Albert (French bistro food) in Amherst. It's a bit high end, but you can have a beautiful lunch for around $12.

[VivreManger]

Chez Albert offers the best French bistro food in the Valley.

[VivreManger]

There are two Chinese restaurants within a few minutes drive of downtown NoHo. One is the Great Wall in the suburb of Florence. The other is Butterfly on rt. 9 in Hadley between Noho and Amherst http://www.butterflyhadley.com/

The Great Wall's strength is its use of locally grown Chinese vegetables. From the street Butterfly appears to be a generic suburban Chinese restaurant, but as a glance at their website confirms, they have an astonishing range of unusual Chinese dishes, well-prepared.

Look past the standard fare and head for the Gourmet Menu at the end. For example, the Ginger and Scallion Lamb Stew in Sizzling Hot Pot for $13.95 features parts of the animal one does not exist. It is a filling and tasty dish.

[johnblacksox]

Dinner: Green St. Cafe, Northampton. The other night drive to Amherst for Chez Albert. Those are the two best places, IMO. Not touristy either, nice ambience. They aren't inexpensive, but well worth the price.

Breakfast: I like Jake's in Northampton, it's old school. A lot of people recommend Sylvester's, but I personally don't like it. Too much attitude and too trendy and crowded.

Lunch: Hmm...Weird choice, but I like Bela, tiny vegetarian place. Also, Haymarket Cafe, downstairs. Really cool place.

One warning: I would avoid Spoleto's, which is the most touristy spot in town, with sketchy service and food to match.

Northampton is very walkable, you can walk by practically every restaurant in town in about 30 minutes. So check out the menus, etc.

But again, my one piece of advice is Green St. Cafe.

[VivreManger]

I second all of these recs, yay and nay. Spoleto's may also be the noisiest restaurant in the Valley.

Though if you like Chinese you should check out Butterfly, as I suggested earlier.

[bouls]

A short trip up to Florence to the Great Wall is worth the drive. They have dim sum on Sat 11am-2pm. Thier gourmet menu is great. I have not been to Butterfly yet, but it sounds good too. Dinner - try Carmelina's in Hadley, just over the bridge. Great Italian. I enjoy eating at the bar solo watching the open kitchen. Side Street Cafe in Florence is also a nice spot for lunch or dinner. I agree with the others, Green Street is tasty and Chez Albert is nice as well. The Brewery has decent beer but not so great food. If you like sushi, then head to Osaka (right in town) the best for miles around! Breakfast - Jakes.

[johnblacksox]

More agreement!

I forgot about Carmelina's, and Side Street. Both good.

[joth68]

The onion rings at local burger and fries

[andytee]

Second on Local Burger and Fries.
Also try across the street at the Dirty Truth, great (amazing) beer selection, and good food too. Skip Northampton Brewery.
Favorite breakfast is at the Green Bean, Amanouz is also good. Sylvesters and Jake's are ok.
Woodstar Cafe is great for coffee, sandwiches, pastries.
Paul and Elizabeth's is not amazing, but they do good simple healthy lunch specials, esp. on fish. During lunch there is usually a selection of simply prepared fish with brown rice and vegetable for less than $10. Not the same deal at dinner.
Osaka and Moshi Moshi are decent Japanese, not worth writing home about but competent.
Circa and Green Street are the best fine dining in town, heard good things about Bistro Le Gras, but have not been yet, so can't speak personally.
If you want to leave Northampton, yes, Butterfly and Great Wall are good Chinese, Esselon Cafe (on Rt 9 in Hadley) is very good, Chez Albert in Amherst is very good, and if you come up to Greenfield, Hope and Olive and The People's Pint are great.
And yeah, I second the warning about Spoletos - if you are new to the area you will see them and think "maybe I should try that place for dinner" - don't. It's not terrible, but it's not good and there is much better food very close by.

[andytee]

Oh, and re: the line about "travel a bit for a gem" -

One trip comes to mind, a trip to Montague to visit the Bookmill (their motto is "Books you don't need in a place you can't find) a beautiful restored mill overlooking the Sawmill river where you can browse, sit, read, use wifi, and drink coffee or beer or wine or.. in the Lady Killigrew Cafe followed by a dinner at the lovely Night Kitchen downstairs. Great restaurant, and if the thought of dining alone troubles, ask to sit at the bar, where you can watch the cooks and chat with the charming bartender.

Another one ot look at is The Gypsy Apply in Shelburne Falls - also a nice town to check out.