Western Massachusetts

One essential element to any New England summer bucket list is the roadside snack shack, usually characteristic of any seaside destination.  However, it’s not a phenomenon exclusive to the coast, and in fact there’s a pretty solid selection of roadside shacks in western Massachusetts giving any seaside spot a run for its money. We may be 100 miles from the ocean (though we do welcome you to take a dip in the “Goshen Ocean”), but as the Daily Hampshire Gazette said, there’s no need to head to the ocean for fresh seafood here! Loyal customers wait all year for these seasonal places to open and celebrate the day they can finally enjoy lobster rolls, fried clams and ice cream in the sun. Taste what all the fuss is about.

Captain Jack’s Roadside Shack, 232 Northampton Street (Rt. 10), Easthampton, MA
When we see a snapshot of Captain Jack’s lobster roll (or anything really) in our Facebook or Instagram feeds, you better believe we’re out the door within the next few hours to get one, too! Everything here is made fresh daily—there’s no freezer—with the fish getting picked up at 4 a.m. and delivered by noon.

Don’t Miss: The fish tacos. Really. Also be on the lookout for Sunday night movie screenings in the back lot.

Cindy’s Drive-In, 455 East State Street (Rt. 202), Granby, MA
Cindy’s is home of the famous long dog and over 100 flavors of soft serve and frozen yogurt! It’s is one of the very few drive in’s left in western Massachusetts and it excels at capturing that retro vibe, especially with its hot pink neon sign.

Don’t Miss: Did we mention there’s over 100 flavors of soft serve and yogurt available here? Yeah, that.

Creamy Delights, 71 Lawrence Plain Road (Rt. 47), Hadley, MA
The star at Creamy Delights in Hadley is its New York Style soft serve—a richer, creamier version of the frozen treat. Located on Route 47 heading into South Hadley, it’s the perfect stop after visiting Skinner State Park or the Olde Hadley Flea market.

Don’t Miss: The view! Creamy Delights is located across the street from a field, providing clear views of the nearby Mt. Holyoke Range.

Lobster roll from Scotti's Drive-In and soft serve from Creamy Delights

Local Burgy, 93 Main Street (Rt. 9), Haydenville, MA
Local Burgy, the newest roadside stop in town, is the little cousin to the popular late-night burger joint in downtown Northampton, Local Burger. Local Burgy has the same menu offerings with additional specials, and of course lobster rolls, but it’s all to be enjoyed outside under the sun!

Don’t miss: Ice cream next door at the Village Green. In addition to their homemade hard flavors, they always have coffee and black raspberry soft serve as well as exclusively PURPLE sprinkles.

The Old Creamery Co-op, 445 Berkshire Trail (Rt. 9), Cummington, MA
As you approach the Old Creamery’s white turn-of-the-twentieth-century building the first thing you’ll notice is the sizable statue of a cow on the front roof, a reminder of that the building used to be an working creamery. Now the creamery is more of a general store and  café, but it’s a must-stop if you’re heading west on Route 9 into the Berkshires or beyond.

Don’t miss: Scan the sandwich menu carefully and look out for the Spicy Maddow, a sandwich made and named for one of our local heroes, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.

Scotti’s Drive-In, 90 Haydenville Road (Rt. 9), Leeds, MA
There must be something about Route 9 that makes it the perfect spot for roadside snack shacks since Scotti’s is one of four on this list. Scotti’s is king of the dogs around here offering 9 different types of hot dogs, including the “Pizza Dog,” in addition to burgers, grinders, soft serve, and loaded lobster rolls.

Don’t Miss: Scotti’s is located at the Meadowcrest Driving Range so plan to whack a bucket of balls, too, if you’re working on your golf swing.

Tasty Top, 95 Northampton Street, Easthampton, MA
Tasty Top has been churning out delicious ice cream since the 1950s.  It’s known for its soft serve often stacked taller than you’ve ever had before.

Don’t Miss: The hard shell dip—Tasty Top offers chocolate, cherry and a rare butterscotch hard shell!

Williamsburg Snack Bar, 109 Main Street (Rt. 9), Haydenville, MA
Formerly located where Local Burgy is now, the Williamsburg Snack Bar has been a must-stop meal for anyone travelling west on Route 9. Now open year-round in its new location down the road, the Snack Bar still offers some of the best lobster rolls and clam strips around. This is good news for those of us who get the mid-winter blues and need a taste of summer.

Don’t Miss: Now that the snack bar has relocated to a full restaurant setting, they serve breakfast the six days a week they’re open.