Western Massachusetts

VisitHampshireCounty.com welcomes its first regular guest blogger! Don Lesser has lived, eaten, and worked in Hampshire Country for 30 very odd years. He blogs about the local scene at russelnod.com.

Fall always comes too early to Massachusetts, but it’s always welcome. The weather is still nice enough to get out there and see the sights. And nothing brings out the appetite like the Autumnal chill. So where do you eat when you find yourself on the go?

For me, there are always the New York City standbys—hot dogs and pizza. There’s a hot dog vendor that sets up shop in downtown Amherst on weekend evenings, but if you’re out then and hungry, the sights are likely to be a rowdy crowd rather than turning leaves. There's also another hot dog guy on Route 5, just south of Exit 18 on Route 91, near the Clarion Hotel. He’s got more than just hot dogs and I like to stop off when I’m passing through around lunchtime.

Ever since the late lamented DiCarlo’s brought slice pizza to the area in the 1980’s, you can get a slice instead of a personal pizza pretty much everywhere. The slice at the local favorite Antonio’s is designed to hold its myriad toppings and is more like a flatbread than a pizza.  For my money, the best slice is at Primo Pizzeria on Route 9 in Hadley. It’s a thicker crust than New York style, but the slice is tasty and Fonzi and the gang will reheat it until the cheese is hot and bubbling. They are open until 10 p.m. so you can grab a quick slice or a salad or sub while you’re waiting for the Northampton traffic to clear.

I’ve had a good lamb gyro at the New York Hallal Truck that’s usually parked in Amherst Center, but if you’re around during the week, your best bet is the Bistro Bus. They travel Northampton, Florence, and Hatfield with a mix of Asian tacos and wraps (beef, chicken, tofu), a beef burger, and a good grilled teriyaki turkey burger with a slice of grilled pineapple to give it a little twist. You can get salads—noodle and green—with the same protein toppings. There are brownies. There are specials. And the couple that runs it (Betsy and Jimmy Tarr) couldn’t be nicer.

If you miss the Bistro Bus in Hatfield, stop off at the Smithsonian Chowder House. It’s in a small building, but you can park in their lot or the empty one next door, dash in and grab some chowder and a popover to go, and be on your way. Or not. I usually run into someone I know at the shared tables and if the weather is nice, you can eat outside. Their seafood chowder is as good as any New England style I’ve had and they have a tomato-based “Nantucket” chowder often enough to keep this boy stopping by. It has the tomato-celery-shellfish flavors of a true Manhattan chowder. There are usually five or six chowders (enough to suit all tastes), some popover based sandwiches, an array of custom cupcakes, and good coffee. But I’m looking for the chowder whenever I stop in. It’s a short hop north from the Hatfield exit of Route 91 so if you’re travelling through before 8 p.m., stop by.