eating your way through downtown northampton

Last weekend I went up to Northampton MA for a belated 10 yr reunion with college friends. We started things off at the rooftop beer garden at the Northampton Brewery. If it's a hot day most of the deck is in shade or under an umbrella and they provide a nice mist to keep things cool. It's a good spot for a larger group and I was pretty surprised we didn't end up coming home with a growler.





















It was a toss up, but between Spoleto and Green Street Cafe for dinner. Another foodie mentioned the College was trying to evict this long-time staple from its spot on the edge of campus and I decided we better go in case it closes! I never went to Green Street Cafe much as a poor student, was first introduced to it by an alum who hosted a reunion for our landscape trip to Japan!

I recommend ordering the duck breast with polenta entree and closing things down with a cool pineapple sorbet. The handwritten menu is a little difficult to read (those L's are tricky), but I that's part of the charm. Also there are picnic tables and a grill out back for burgers , dogs, & chicken on the patio. Sounds like a great option for lunch.

















I think there might have been a mutiny if the group didn't stop at Herrell's for ice cream. Ironically, no one wanted to get a medium (or larger) size serving required for the full smoosh-in effect. I tried their no-moo (dairy free) black raspberry and it was creamy, but of course no comparison to the real thing!



















We dropped in on my *favorite* art history professor who I haven't seen in years! She and Dan (who was really my true college advisor) introduced us to Hungry Ghost Bread. It's fabulous! If you are in Northampton I strongly recommend you stop in and get loaf of this deliciousness.

Dan and Dana offered such a nice late morning snack and as we chatted in their screened porch, Luna the cat occasionally wandered through. I also don't want to forget about lime zest on top of the smoked salmon. What a nice citrus surprise!

The good news is the Vistas dvd/website has been taken on by a university press and will hopefully be published next year.


















We all stayed together in a B&B in Hatfield which meant a few trips in and out of Northampton along Rt 5. I finally got curious about the River Valley Market up on the hillside along I-91 and I discovered it's a new co-op (non-members are welcome) that has been open for about a year. I wish we had something like this nearby in Connecticut!
















Unforuntately, I ate way too much at dinner to even consider drinking beer at the Dirty Truth. We had a few hard core beer connoisseurs in our group and they had read about this beer hall on the Blind Tiger blog so we decided this was our best best for after dinner. They have quite a beer selection- you can start to see how much they have on tap in this photo!



















Last but not least, I insisted on eating lunch at Amanouz Cafe. I chose the highly recommended herbed eggs which are actually steamed and wonderfully light under the dill-rich gravy. Photographed here is my friend's Bastilla, chicken and almonds topped with filo and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I heard the same proprietors also own Mosaic Cafe which is reported to have nicer ambiance and an outdoor patio. I'm definitely checking it out next time.

As always, here's my list "next time" list for Northampton:

Woodstar Cafe 60 Masonic St # B (inside a firehouse and recommended for lunch)
Mosaic Cafe 78 Masonic St (same owners as Amanouz)
Hugo's Pleasant St. (a true dive? recommended for some local valley flavor after dinner)
Local Burgers and Fries 16 Main St # 1(like five guys, but for locavores?)