WhereGreggEats.com
Northampton, MA Restaurants
Northampton, Massachusetts Restaurants and Real Estate
Being my home town, I know my way around here pretty well. There are plenty of good places to eat in Northampton.
Just because I don't eat someplace doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it ... but this should serve as a good starting point if you are just getting into town for the first time, presented in no particular order.
Also Scroll down for many off-topic "Quickies" and other links to get you familiar with this neck of the wood.
For the time being, if a restaurant name is in red, it is one of my favorites.
I break format on this page a bit. I put together a list of links that should save you many hours of Googling if you want to learn more about the area.
Enjoy.
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DOWNTOWN NORTHAMPTON PARKING MAP
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NORTHAMPTON RESTAURANTS JOE'S PIZZA |
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This place is anything BUT fancy. Joe's is known for a great thin crust pizza and other excellent Italian meals. Rustic food. No frills. Friendly bar. Gregg eats: Joe's House special (large, but Joe's large isn't all that large), macaroni soup, mussels. (Full bar. Open evenings (after 4) and weekend days during the winter.)
33 Market Street,
Northampton, MA, 01060
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BETTER THYME DELI |
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Apparently closed as of 8/1/08 On Main Street, this kitchen turns out good, basic, Polish food. Their ample salad bar and breakfast specials make it a valid place for an occasional visit. Not a must-stop for your first visit to town. (No bar. Open for breakfast through late lunch.)
186 Main Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 |
SPOLETO |
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Spoleto is a loud, boisterous place with a line most weekend nights a very nice bar with friendly locals who are always out for some conversation to go with their Italian dishes. I order the boulanaise ... maybe with a VEP Green. (Full bar, Open daily for dinner.) Also Spoleto Express on King Street for roughly same fare in a fast food setting for lunch and dinner.
SPOLETO: 50 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 586-6313
SPOLETO EXPRESS: 225 King Street, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 586-8646
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CIRCA |
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Circa is probably the best restaurant in town. Kind of upscale. I think they changed hands recently, but I've heard nothing negative. (Beer/Wine only, I think. Open for dinner.) 57 Center Street, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 586-2662 |
WOODSTAR BAKERY |
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A really popular place just off Main Street. Successful, in large part, because of the coffee, baked goods and sandwiches. I get an "everything" bagel with cream cheese, lox, onion and tomato. I sometimes pick up a baguette to take home. (No alcohol. Open pretty much all the time)
60 Masonic Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 |
PACKARDS |
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Packard's is open for a beer and burger lunch as well as dinner. If you get a friendly bartender, it might even be a pleasant experience. The problem is I've never had a bartender there who seemed anything but dismayed to have to bother with a customer ... If you are looking for a beer and some valid food while watching the bartender read the paper, this is your place. The food is slightly better than average pub grub. (Full bar, Lunch, Dinner) 14 Masonic Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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PAUL AND ELIZABETH'S |
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This is the first natural foods restaurant I'd ever heard of. They are located inside the Thorne's Marketplace of shops. Paul & Elizabeth's serves up outstanding soups sandwiches and entrees. Not surprisingly, because they seem to use the best ingredients. (Beer/Wine. Lunch/Dinner.) 150 Main Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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SIERRA GRILLE, MULINO'S, BISHOP'S |
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News is that the Opa Opa steakhouse, brewery chain has bought the building. Expect a change with the under heralded Mulino's ... The Sierra Grille is a tenant in the building. |
They are actually three places piled on top of each other in the old Bay State Hotel. So I lump them all together in this write up. The Sierra Grille is my favorite and is popular with almost everyone I talk to. Essentially the place is about excellent beer and wine and small plates to go along (kind of like tapas, but bigger). Nice bar crowd. My experience, especially with their frites, which they are so proud of, is that things tend to be too salty. (Beer/Wine. Open for dinner.)
Bishop's Lounge ... Actually, I'm not even sure if they serve food. They are known for having good music weekends. http://www.mulinos.com/specialevents/
Mulino's used to be on the other side of town (along with Bishop's). Mulino's features Italian food. I don't visit them very often. I hear little about them, good or bad, (I don't know about liquor here, I am guessing beer and wine. Same with the hours. Check the site. I guess I don't eat here that much after all.) http://www.mulinos.com/mulinos/
41 Strong Avenue, Northampton, MA 01060
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THE DECK |
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A good place for drinks. I don't advocate the food there as it is connected to Union Station and Spaghetti Freddie's, neither of which are included in the list of places I eat. It is a good place to enjoy a nice afternoon or evening and have a drink. (Full bar. Open when it is nice out.)
At the old train station. |
TUNNEL BAR |
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Part of the Spaghetti Freddie and Union Station conglomeration, The Tunnel Bar seems to attract a nice clientele and they serve up very well-crafted drinks.
Below the old train station. |
PARADISE CITY TAVERN |
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For years The Paradise City Tavern occupied the Old Jack August seafood restaurant site next to the more upscale Del Raye. Sadly the Grill burned a few years ago ... I wasn't living here at the time, but I heard it left a void in the market. Caludio, the owner of both Del Raye and Paradise City (as well as three other downtown places) has decided the time is right to close the upscale Del Raye and bring it down a few notches. And so, the creation of the new Paradise City. Nothing was done to hold onto the old, and extremely loyal, Del Raye customers, such as holding onto the wonderful serving staff and bartenders he had. The place is staffed by a younger, pierced, tattooed staff. I am told the new PCT is nothing like the original. It is hard to say if the new PCT is consciously competing with Joe's ... if they are, they are trying to make the place too trendy. There is nothing flashy about Joe's and it is always full of young and old alike ... make a place too trendy and you limit yourself to younger customers. I was disappointed that, instead of having Guinness on tap, they have this new contraption that shakes your glass after they pour it out of a can ... it is supposed to imitate a well poured Guinness ... another reason to head to Joe's. If the new PCT is consciously competing with the Brewery, they should take a comparative look at the menu prices. Overall word from people I've spoken to who have been there is that portions are a bit stingy, prices are a bit high ($9.95 for a basic cheeseburger is the highest in town) and all drinks are measured carefully into tiny thimbles that make them sparse, not to mention, ineffective. The Tavern will be falling off my site soon. Oh, and if you were a Del Raye fan, the Side Street Cafe in Florence, run by a chef who was a Del Raye chef when it was at its peak, seems to be filling the niche. As Del Raye, the place had a niche to themselves ... now they seem to want to position themselves as the place to go if Packard's, The Brewery, The Dirty Truth, The Toasted Owl and Joe's are not in the cards for some reason. (Full bar. 4 til late weekdays. 11 to late weekends.)
One Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060
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INDIA HOUSE |
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Nicely done Indian cuisine.
45 State Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 |
HERREL'S ICE CREAM |
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Steve Herrell innovated the smooch-in concept for ice cream years ago in boston. After getting the Steve's chain up and running he came here and opened Herrell's. Excellent ice cream, great smooch-ins in a fun spot downstairs at Thorne's Marketplace. Even if you are not a big ice cream fan, or for that matter, much of a sweet tooth. Try Steve's
8 Old South Street, Northampton, MA 01060
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BLUEBONNET DINER |
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Fried Chicken (Full bar. Open almost all the time. Closed Sundays.)
324 King Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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SMITH COLLEGE COMMISARY |
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Just a cafeteria really ... but you can get viable food at a good price. Nice salads and wraps.
22 Elm Street, Northampton, MA 01060
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ROBERTO'S |
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Kind of a classic spaghetti and meatballs place. Decent Pizza in a decent family atmosphere. New owners spruced it up over the last couple of years. A viable choice. (Full bar. Open for dinner.)
223 Pleasant Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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JAKE'S |
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Total no frills dining right next to The Calvin and across from the hotel. I used to go there for breakfast a lot more than I do now. Somewhere along the way, they made it so if you want home fries you have to order them separate ... so you get a big heap of potatoes, far more than you can eat, and it is a waste of food and makes the meal too expensive for what you get. (No alcohol. Breakfast and lunch.)
17 King Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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SAM'S PIZZA |
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Newer place. A good selection of pizza by the slice. A good stop on your way home on a Friday or Saturday night when they close at something like 3 in the morning. If you are thinking whole pie, I'd go to Joe's. For a snack or a light lunch, Sam's fits the bill. (Beer, wine. Pen 11AM until late.)
235 Main Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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THE GREEN BEAN |
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Here's a health food place. Lots of greens and brown rice. But, a bit pricey in my book. I sometimes get the Itty Bitty, a fried egg with tomato and a touch of pesto and cheese on an English muffin. It winds up costing about five bucks to-go ... about the same as a hearty bagel with cream cheese and lox around the corner at Woodstar. There is often a line to get in that I can not explain. (No alcohol. Open for breakfast and lunch.)
241 Main Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 |
SHELBURNE FALLS COFFEE COMPANY |
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On King Street a few blocks further down than making a convenient walk from Main Street. SBCC roasts coffee in their own nearby plant and, here is the biggie for me, makes their own chai tea ... not too sweet like everyplace else.
124 King Street, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 582-6799
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IRON HORSE MUSIC HALL |
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A world class small concert venue. Great acts, all the time. You gotta line up at 5:30 to get the best seats ... they kind of trick you in there for dinner. Overall, a bit better than pub grub. The veggie lasagne is good. But you are really just there for the music. Sometimes it is challenging to get parking nearby, so plan for that. (Full bar. Open 5:30 when they have a show.)
20 Center Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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NORTHAMPTON BREWERY |
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Reliable pub grub place. Decent bar crowd on evenings and weekends -- especially in the good weather when it is hard to find a spot in the upstairs patio.
11 Brewster Court,
Northampton, MA 01060
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VIVA FRESH PASTA |
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Across from the park in downtown, I've only had to-go food here ... they have warmed up wraps that are very satisfying. Everything else looks good too. (Beer/Wine. Open for lunch and dinner.)
249 Main Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
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QUICKIES OTHER THINGS AROUND HERE THAT MAKE LIFE GOOD |
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HUNGRY GHOST BREAD BAKERY Excellent wood-fired bread. Problem: at a very reasonable $6 a loaf for a good sized loaf of bread ... I can't eat enough at home before it goes stale.
62 State Street, Northampton, MA 01060
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CATHY CROSS I am told this is the epicenter of good woman's' jeans stores. |
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SERIO'S MARKET A great, downtown, corner market. An institution. Reliable vegetables. A very good deli and meat department ... they always have nice local alternatives in their selections. A very busy deli counter at lunch makes decent wraps and sandwiches, plus a selection of hot dishes too. The grocery aisles are always packed with excellent canned goods and other groceries. The butcher is always willing to carve out something special for you -- from an extra thick chop to meat for you Philly cheese steak sandwich.) SERIO'S PHARMACY, next door, is a handy and affordable place to consider if you want to shop local.
65 State Street, Northampton, MA 01060
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STATE STREET FRUIT, DELI, WINE AND LIQUOR Another institution with a long history here. They have swayed from their fruit emphasis over time. The produce is reliable, at best. Grocery selections are little downscale compared to Serio's. Excellent selection of beers and wine with a knowledgeable staff. But, if you are going for more than a bottle or two, you might want to head to the bigger places ... at State Street it can be as much as $4 a bottle more. Their deli is also reliable. You get decent servings. They are doing a major remodel ... we'll see what happens.
51 State Street, Northampton, MA 01060 |
__________________________________________________________________________ HONORABLE MENTION RESTAURANTS Lhasa Cafe ... serves up some decent Tibetan foods. Not exciting, but certainly ok. (Beer/Wine. Open for lunch and dinner. Might be closed Mondays.) The Hotel Northampton ... has a decent bar, but I would never eat there. ** The Side Street Grille in Florence ... real good food. (Beer/Wine. Open for lunch and dinner.) http://sidestcafe.com/ ** Bistro Les Gras ... is a new French-influenced bistro up on West Street by Green Street. I only went there once during restaurant week. Fare was good, I thought the wine flight they had to go with the meal was too sparse (nothing to go with dessert). So, I can't say with certainty how the place is overall and day-to-day. I would try it again and not hesitate to recommend it either. They also have a little shop for cheeses that I've heard good things about. (Beer/Wine. Open for dinner.) http://www.bistrolesgras.com/ Caminito Steakhouse ... Argentinean. I've been meaning to try the place. I just haven't made it there yet. Great Wall ... for excellent Chinese (use the gourmet menu) in a strip mall in Florence is a favorite of many locals. All the Sushi places in town are good ... I just don't eat at them enough to feel as if I should make a suggestion. Mama Iguana's ... I hear conflicting reports on their food. They have a $2 appetizer deal during Happy Hour ... a good deal on food, but I went broke on the drinks. The Haymarket ... is a sliver of a place serving breakfast and lunch. Healthy meal items, good portions ... it is too much of "the" hangout on Main Street for me to be comfortable breaking through the crowd of people just lingering in front or navigating the throngs who just seem to be hanging out inside. I went there the other day and saw that they now have table service downstairs at breakfast (I only had coffee, upstairs) ... but, that might bode well. Bela ... is a popular vegetarian place open for lunch and dinner ... I've never been there myself ... I just never seem to think of it. If you are so inclined, I'd try it if I were you. ** Buyeno y Sano and VeraCruzana ... are two perfectly viable places to get some Mexican-influenced food without losing a paycheck. Living nearby, I usually get two entrees to go and get three or four meals for my effort. The setting in each case is "upper lunch counter." The Restaurant at Smith Vocational High School ... is little known even amongst locals. Open for lunch three days a week. LINK ** Outlook Farm ... in Westhampton, specializes in farm raised pork. They have other nice things for sale and a nice lunch counter. http://www.outlook-farm.com/
__________________________________________________________________________ RESTAURANTS THAT ARE NOT ON THE TOP OF MY LIST The Eastside Grille on Strong Ave. ... is probably one of the better places to eat in town, but I've never found the bar to be that welcoming. For example, the other day, the place was crowded and when a couple seats became available at the bar we grabbed them only to have the bartender lookup to one of his friends and hollered out "Sorry" as if to say "Sorry, a couple interlopers have intruded on the bar and I guess I'll have to serve them." ... Needless to say, we didn't feel very comfortable and didn't bother to stay and interlope any longer. We beat a hasty retreat to the former Del Raye, where the bar was always enjoyable. UPDATE: The Eastside Grille is under new management, after squaring away an encroachment problem with the city for something like 18 square inches -- and they say they aren't changing a thing. Perhaps the clique continues? If you do find yourself there, be sure to have the blackened scallops. (Full bar, Dinner) Sylvester's, Pleasant Street ... is the kind of a place where people line up for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The food is fine, just not worth the wait in my opinion. I'd opt for Jake's. (No bar that I know of. Open everyday (?) for breakfast and lunch.) Fitzwilly's, Main Street, Northampton ... is kind of the original "fern bar" from the seventies -- not that is necessarily a good thing. It is the kind of place TGI Friday's, Chili's and countless other formula restaurants tend to mimic -- not that that is a good thing either. That said, you can count on Fitzwilly's for semi-formulaic eats at a bit higher than you'd like to pay prices. Hint: Although the Fitzwilly's bar has never been all that much fun to me, on Friday and Saturday's they open the bar in the back of the place and I do enjoy that. Look for Spooner the bartender. (Full bar, Lunch/Dinner) In the same vein, The Toasted Owl, next door to Fitzwilly's and is owned by Fitzwilly's and pulls it together better. I'd go there first. I like the boneless wings there. They advertised that you can get a burger and a beer for under $5. I've never had the pleasure because they aren't open for lunch. (Full bar. 4PM - late night.) Dunkin Donuts on Main Street ... I have nothing against the chain, but I'd prefer you support the one on King Street -- the one that isn't spoiling downtown. Happily, chains, other than Starbucks, don't last long downtown. Pinocchio Pizza ... I prefer Sam's.
A note to the folks who opened up the restaurant, Noodles, across from the park on Main Street. I was hoping Noodles = pho, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I tried ordering the closest thing I saw on the menu the #9, Beef Noodle Soup. I found the broth weak, way to weak, almost watery, and I thought the ingredients were skimpy. From what I hear from most of my downtown friends, portions and pricing matter. From what I can tell from my travels around the country, you can turn out pho for a pretty good price almost anywhere in America ... why not here?
__________________________________________________________________________ WHERE TO STAY Hotel Northampton ... Right downtown, try for a room that faces the park or the street. My first choice. 36 King Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 ...
(413) 584-3100 Quality Inn ... A short walk to downtown. Standard issue exit ramp place. 259 Elm Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 ...
(413) 584-7660 Autumn Inn ... Closer to Smith. A short walk downtown. Quiet. 259 Elm Street,
Northampton, MA 01060 ...
(413) 584-7660 The Clarion ... A bit further than you'd walk. A little worn out, but clean and viable. 1 Atwood Drive,
Northampton, MA 01060 ...
(413) 586-1211
A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF HOTELS
Hotel Rant ... In the next year or so, they'll be building an eight story Hilton Garden Inn (five stories to the park and eight to the back parking lot) to overwhelm the popular Pulaski Park. The developer made a few concessions to not make it look like the standard cookie cutter HGI's that you'll find at the exit ramp at an airport. I have yet to see any indication that they will be respecting the surrounding architecture of the beautiful city. Another thing that baffles me, is why of all franchises did they choose one that does not actively go for weddings and banquets ... in fact, the HGI formula is that their restaurant and bar are not even open to the public. Why not even consider a Best Western, a chain that has mainly full service hotels that fit in nicely with their surroundings.
__________________________________________________________________________ OTHER GOOD PEOPLE TO DO BUSINESS WITH No ads here, just my opinions. Pro Lube ... Good, honest people ... Not just for lubes, but for any kind of a car repair. LINK Don Muller Gallery ... Upscale. Rated one of the ten best in the USA. LINK Pleasant Street Theater ... A wonderful treasure. LINK Anton Corliss Cleaners ... across from the hospital. Good standard dry cleaning and a friendly counter staff. I don't have shirts done there. For shirts I use General Cleaners by the Big Y on King Street. Acme Auto Body ... on King Street by Stop and Shop. LINK There is a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods about five miles out of town in Hadley ... try for a mid-morning excursion to avoid traffic headaches. Mountain Goat ... for REI, EMS, LL Bean quality, right here on Main Street. LINK Mikal Weiss, Attorney. LINK __________________________________________________________________________ SOME NORTHAMPTON LINKS In no particular order ...
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