Budget
The Sub
33 e pleasant st., 413-549-5160. open for lunch and dinner, this independent sub shop makes astonishingly good subs and pizza, and you can easily get a meal there for under $10. the owner is friendly, and the place is kept spotlessly clean.
Bueno y Sano
Boltwood walk, phone: +1 413-253-4000. giant burritos made from fresh ingredients. tacos and quesadillas are also on the menu, but the burrito will run you about $6 and you won't be hungry afterwards.
Pho Noodle Soup
41 boltwood walk, phone: +1 413-253-0007. right behind antonio's next to thai corner. offers vietnamese and korean dishes consisting of rice noodle soups, appetizers, salads and noodle dishes. great for lunch or something warm to eat on a rainy day. the owner is very friendly and your meal will probably run you about $7-$10.
The Hangar
55 university dr., phone: +1 413-549-9461, (http://www.wingsover.com/). open daily 11:30am until 1am. this place makes chicken wings as an art form. you can get boneless or traditional wings in aptly named sizes such as "747" or "dc-10". their buffalo sauce has five levels of intensity but their other flavors, such as honey barbecue and teriyaki, are great too. there are an insane number of beers on tap, and you can get delivery too wings, not beer. their delivery business is named wings 549-9464. $5-$10.
River Shark Cafe
17 montague rd., +1 413-259-4259. unique breakfast place and cafe. for breakfast try their stuffed french toast corn flake encrusted, fruit filled french toast
Antonio's
31 north pleasant st., phone: +1 413-253-0808. open daily until 1am, weekends until 2am. an amherst icon serving pizza by the slice. their cheese pizza is ok but people really come here for their specialty slices such as their chicken blue cheese white pizza topped with buffalo chicken and blue cheese, quesadilla chicken, cheese, and pico de gallo topped with tortilla chips, and steak burrito steak, rice, and beans. many vegetarian slices too. $3 a slice.
Midrange
Amherst Brewing Company
24-36 north pleasant st., phone: +1 413-253-4400, (http://www.amherstbrewing.com/). open daily 11:30am until 1am, dinner stops at 10pm. american and pub fare. great appetizers, try the fried pickles. abc brews and serves a full selection of their own beers including seasonal brews and standards like the north pleasant pale ale. $10-$20.
Fresh Side
39 south pleasant st., phone +1 413-256-0296. asian food and tea restaurant. their tea rolls are very tasty and filling. they have a small variety of fine tasting teas. the atmosphere is very chill. they have two rooms of seating, with additional seating outdoors and on mats in front of the window. $10-$15.
Cushman Market & Cafe
In 1892, George Cogswell bought the land where the Cushman Market and Café is now located. He built a grocery store on the site and the building has remained a market of one kind or another ever since. A comfortable, friendly place with good breakfast and lunch menu. There is also a small, well stocked market featuring wine and beer, local products, and an eclectic mix of gifts. Wi-fi.
Loose Goose Cafe
1 east pleasant st., (http://www.loosegoosecafe.com/). a great selection of enormous sandwiches named after jazz legends, soups and salads, as well as cookies, squares, drinks and coffee.
Amherst Chinese Food
62 main st., phone: +1 413-253-7835. cognoscenti come for the blackboard vegetable dishes grown on mr. chang's farm, stir-fried with your choice of pork, chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu. wonderful dumplings and noodles and other northern chinese specialties.
The Black Sheep Deli
79 main st., phone: +1 413-253-3442, (http://www.blacksheepdeli.com/). it has a decidedly vegetarian feel, but this local deli can make you a mean meat sandwich if that's what you're after. all the bread is baked in their own bakery and all the sandwiches are delicious. there are also take-out dinners and the black sheep runs a full catering business as well. serves a wide selection of fair-trade coffees, espresso drinks, and teas. $5-$10.
Lone Wolf
63 main st., phone: +1 413-256-4643. great place to eat breakfast.
Panda East
103 north pleasant st., phone: +1 413-256-8923. open monday through thursday 11:30am until 10pm, friday and saturday 11am until 11pm, sunday 12pm until 10pm. a wide selection of chinese and japanese food including a full sushi bar and all the tropical cocktails you could want. $10-$20. stick with more americanized fried fare, avoid wonton soup.
Top end
Tabella Restaurant
Cosmopolitan gourmet small plates menu emphasizing farm-fresh organic ingredients. Big wine list & cocktails. Located in the Amherst Cinema complex. Menu changes frequently with seasonal variety.
Chez Albert
27 south pleasant street, phone: +1 413-253-3811, (http://www.chezalbert.net). an intimate french bistro with a simple but high quality menu, based around local organic ingredients.
Judie's
51 north pleasant st., phone: +1 413-253-3491, (http://www.judiesrestaura...). open sunday through thursday 11:30am until 10pm, friday and saturday 11:30am until 11pm, closed mondays. a good place for lunch or dinner, located in the center of town. judie's is famous for their popovers, you can even have your sandwich served in a popover. great soups, salads and dressings, and very interesting entrees. $15-$25.
La Piazza
30 boltwood walk, phone: +1 413-253-5444, (http://www.lapiazzaristor...). featuring classic italian inspired with new recipes. the menu is small but has a variety of rich, well made italian dishes. they also have a good wine selection and well made bread. $15-$25.
Arigato Sushi
11 north pleasant street, phone: +1 413-253-1070. the best place to get sushi in amherst. the food is well prepared and the service is excellent. the atmosphere fits the restaurant very well. their widescreen television is great for watching the red sox game. try their avocado salad.
Take-out
The Sub
33 e pleasant st., +1 413-549-5160.
Pioneer Vally Pizza
20 belchertown rd., +1 413-253-1011. pizza, calzones, and subs somewhat cheap. adjoined by michael's billiards.
Wings
55 university dr., +1 413-549-9464.
DP Dough
96 north pleasant st., +1 413-256-1616.
Pinocchio's
57 n pleasant st., +1 413-256-4110.
Athena's Pizza
65 university dr ste 1, +1 413-549-9900.
There are a variety of take-out restaurants that specialize in college-town fare.
Bruno's Pizza
363 main st., +1 413-256-0222.
There is an interesting selection of locations for eating out in Amherst, from the traditional college-town fare pizza, wings, subs that one would expect from a town with 3 colleges, to some unique and interesting local restaurants. Many are situated in the downtown area, around the intersections of North Pleasant Street Route 116 and Main Street.