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Amherst Coffee
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6:30 am - 12:30 am
Sun 8 am - 11 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Amherst Coffee
Review Highlights
37 reviews in English
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Review from Cody S.
Peabody, MA
1/23/2012
This classy and professional coffee shop. Nothing like a Starbucks at all!
The espresso and lattes are perfectly made using Barrington Coffee and Highlawn milk. Only the best local ingredients are use and yes you will have to pay a little extra but it is well worth it once you taste there products. You will get more quality than quanity so do not expect huge drinks.
Service is ok , it is no the friendliest or most welcoming as they more focused on their work. But keep in mind they do know what they are doing and do a great job.
The atmosphere has a sophisticated yet preppy feel.
Great place to visit if you are in need of serious latte or even a cocktail just make sure to have extra cash . -
Review from Jamie E.
Amherst, MA
1/25/2012
if you like your coffee with a large heaping of hipster arrogance, this is the place for you. I recently asked the server if he could put on some different music,
I was informed that " this is what they play here." -
Review from Joseph P.
Amherst, MA
6/22/2011
I am honestly perplexed by the previous reviews of "snobby service" and claims that it is expensive.
You will not be greeted by a Walmart "team member" when you enter. But the staff here has been nothing but professional, friendly and well informed. They even smile at me and make pleasant conversation! Insane!
As for prices, drinks may be a few cents (yes, cents) more than other places such as Roa's, Black Sheep or whatever other coffee place opens up and closes in the next few months. But the quality of the product is far superior and I'd say that's worth a few extra cents. It is the best coffee I've ever had. Hands down. The iced tea is also excellent.
(I do not have a direct price comparison, but I will try to follow up on it).
Aesthetically, Amherst Coffee has a very distinct atmosphere. Everything is well thought out, it has an identity. While other places in town look like high school cafeterias decorated by college kids that just hit up the traveling poster/tapestry sale, Amherst Coffee succeeds in following through with a vision of a place to sit comfortably and enjoy your beverage. There are orchids, appropriate lighting, and jazz (which suits the situation and is preferable over an ipod on shuffle that switches between Cat Power, Black Eyed Peas and Minor Threat*.)
This place is about beverages and the beverages are great. The service is good, the people are nice and you can always stumble into a conversation with a stranger. But there is always the chance you might overhear a really pretentious conversation, but that's just fucking Amherst.
(I haven't used their wine and whiskey bar so this review does not cover that.)
*disclaimer: I love Minor Threat and Cat Power, but not the Black Eyed Peas. -
Review from Ian M.
Bridgewater, VT
11/15/2011
Great coffee, awesome scotch. Perfection.
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Review from Seth R.
Amherst, MA
10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I mostly do take out and I love the taste of their very strong coffee. Plus, now that the staff has gotten to know my face, they pour me the cup I want on sight.
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Review from Yedi G.
Amherst, MA
12/8/2011
I'm not a coffee girl but I love the wine bar (when I can get a seat). Funny thing about the service: Yes, it's professional. But it's not friendly. GREAT handmade donuts ( not that I need encouragement to eat donuts). I love people watching from the tables out front. Nice addition to coffee shops in town.
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Review from Bob Y.
Bethesda, MD
12/3/2011
If you want a really great cup of espresso or cappuccino, this place is wonderful. It has a college-town studenty hipster vibe - people sitting, nursing a coffee, and working on their Apple laptops. But the best thing IMO is the coffee - which is great.
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Review from Heather S.
Portland, OR
5/7/2010
Three Phrases:
1. Snobby Service.
2. Tasty drinks.
3. Expensive prices.
An addition: They play overly loud jazz music, have poor acoustics (the sound ricochets off the walls), and the seating is uncomfortable.
Why do coffee servers, in a place that has great drinks, have to act like they're better than everyone else? Wouldn't that make everyone happier than most?
Enough said. -
Review from Timo S.
Amherst, MA
2/18/2011
Deep in my heart I recognize that coffee is a luxury, even if sometimes it feels like a quotidian event (or even a necessity). And I'm glad that there is the rare place in the Valley like AmCo which reminds me to savor and appreciate this small luxury. But how do they do this?-- they do this by setting fairly high standards for quality, atmosphere, and presentation. (Sometimes this produces an appearance of indifference, but I'm getting too old to take it personally at all).
Now, I can understand how someone who's used to getting their 'sericeable' sub-$2, work-a-day caffe americano from a news stand in Seattle or Portland might be a bit frustrated to now pay $2.50 (can't recall the $ exactly), but there's not another espresso around here that can match that at Amherst Coffee-- and none that is acceptably palatable will save you even 50¢. Though I sometimes feel like I'm the poorest little chap/ brat in the cafe, I'm not going to complain: like my life's other small luxuries, I can afford it and appreciate it better if I keep it as an indulgence rather than turn it into a daily entitlement.
That being said, there are periods when I am there every day, often sipping a $2 cup of ethically sourced drip (light or dark roast) that in category is also among the best in the Valley. (Getting a cup at Raos down the street is generally inferior, costs the same, and by afternoon is overrun with noisy high school kids who buy nothing and camp out on tables to gossip about their recreational habits and play music aloud on their laptops. No thanks.)
One area where I do wish they'd improve is in their live music offerings. Though the performances they host are well "curated" and enjoyable, the space is the most intimate and energized venue for live music in town, and I think it could become perhaps the premier venue if they made that a priority. Instead of a weekly or bi-monthly schedule, their evening shows are infrequent and unpredictable. The acoustics in the space are a bit punchy, which makes it good for brassy and projective music, particularly when it's filled with people. Thus, shows like Bela's Bartok (marching Balkan punk-folk revival), and spirited jazz do especially well here.
Don't miss an opportunity to catch live music here, so the next time you're in for your tasty espresso fix, it's worth asking your barista when the next live show will be. It will likely change your perception of Amherst. -
Review from Chris L.
Amherst, MA
7/14/2010
Many good experiences and one horrible, horrible one make me give Amherst Coffee only 3 stars.
Aside from the one horrible, horrible visit, here's the short and sweet:
Excellent espresso, likely the best in Amherst. The price reflects the quality (seriously, this is a splurge unless all you buy for breakfast is coffee...).
They offer some small bites (croissants, buns, cookies, etc.) which are alright, but also overpriced. And regarding the service, cashiers are not exactly snooty, but not friendly either. Sort of machine-like, which isn't a terrible thing when you're groggy and in need of caffeine.
The atmosphere varies, though not much of a concern for me since I usually go there to study. And speaking of studying, they turn down the lights WAY low around 5-6pm. Depending on the light, you may have to move somewhere else just to see your own paper.
Now for the horrible horrible experience. I went to Amherst Coffee once with my Mom after seeing a show and we ordered a croissant. It was clearly labeled "Plain Croissant," and was overpriced. So we sit down, sip some coffee, and bite into the croissant---huh? What's that inside there...? Some sort of deli meat? Um... ham?? Wow, it's been years since I've eaten ham since I'm a freaking vegetarian!
At the end of our time there, we went to the seemingly oblivious cashier and politely explained to her about my dietary restrictions and the mistake she had made. What response did I receive?
"Oh." Nope, not even a "sorry" or "thanks for telling us"... just "Oh."
Bottom line, just go for the coffee and bring something to read or do. I'm not going to risk any of the pastries ever again, though. -
Review from Peter M.
Amherst, MA
4/18/2010
This is where you go if you want your coffee to be not only a drink, but a cultural event. The staff seem a little - not pretentious - but in their own world. The same can be said of the MacBook and PhilosophyBook toting patrons. The frequent playing of new-age jazz over the speakers does not help to quell the reputation of this place being hoity-toity.
Side Note: I've also always wondered how people can read such dense books with such loud music in the background.
All that being said, the drinks are damn-good. The lattes are foamy yet rich and savory. And the staff is fast - I always have enough time afterward to sit in my car with my delicious beverage, chastising myself for spending half-an-hour's pay on a cup of coffee.
If there's no parking outside there's always the parking "For CVS Customers Only" behind the drug store, which is down the street. -
Review from Theo B.
Amherst, MA
3/15/2011
Best coffee in Amherst. Better than Raos. I know some may hate me for saying that but I love coffee too much to lie. Also the guys at Chez Albert go there for coffee and to chill out. That should say it all to my mind. When the only people in town capable of competing in Iron Chef go to a coffee house it's a good idea to follow them.
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Review from Andy T.
Montague, MA
Updated - 12/16/2009
Why do Pioneer Valley folks hate the Fabulous so? It's 'bougie", too-cool, etc. Oh please, get over it. What is here that's so threatening to you? Not enough kale on the menu? Not enough beards on the staff?
Given the range of mediocre food and drink establishments that flourish in the Pioneer Valley, we are lucky to have a place that is so consistent in delivering world class goods and service. Yes, it's expensive. It's the best.
There are two criticisms I could begin to get behind - the first is that the incessant Jazz playlist could use a little switching up. Check out some newer Jazz, like Susie Ibarra or Claudia Quintet. Play the Sea and Cake, Sade, folk, indie rock. Hell, play Bitches Brew. Change it up a little bit, please.
And, while I don't expect to really be fed here, I'd love to see bar snacks involve a few affordable options. What you have is delicious, but $3 for olives and $6 for a few slices of cheese is a bit nuts (and I don't mean $3 for a few almonds). Find something easy that you can keep cheap and add it to the menu.
I'd also love to see the bartenders get a little more classic cocktail training. It's a shame to have so much good booze and not have a serious foundation in mixology behind it.
All that said, it's really hard to complain about a place that brings the 100% awesome at least 95% of the time. Amherst Coffee is simply excellent at what they do, and I'm glad they are doing it. All the haters can suck down mediocre-sauce in their sweatpants at a million other establishments.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/21/2008
say what you will about these guys, they do what they do really well.
their espresso drinks are up… Read more »
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Review from tracy g.
Greenfield, MA
2/15/2011
Things to like about it:
The long table is a cool and comfortable place to sit.
The chai and lattes are quite tasty.
Great people-watching location at the main intersection in Amherst.
Things that bug:
The wireless isn't free.
Drinks are expensive.
You could come in every day and there would be no glimmer of recognition in the eyes of the staff, no friendly hello or how-do. An insider told me that employees are counseled to maintain their distance, stay aloof. Seems awfully pretentious in a small farm and college town. It's the reason I stopped going there regularly.
The place gets overly steamy inside.
The jazz grates after a while.
I stop in every now and then when my boyfriend wants coffee. We never stay, we never sit, and we just never get over the snootiness of the staff. -
Review from Elizabeth R.
Kennesaw, GA
2/21/2009
A haiku:
Macbooks everywhere.
the best latte in ever.
Oh, how I love thee.
I love you from afar, Amherst Coffee, and I'll surely be back for more deliciousness. -
Review from Elizabeth O.
New York, NY
5/2/2010
So I get the rants and raves about the atmosphere. Sure, it's in Amherst. Sure, there's a crowd that might feel a bit new-age-hippie. But let's face it, it's a coffee shop. And why do you go to a coffee shop? To drink coffee. At least that's my reason. Oh, and if a place is cool enough (a la Amherst Coffee), maybe you can have a delicious--and fabulously priced--glass of wine. Or a bit of whiskey. Perhaps tea is more your thing? Or a divine goat-cheese-with-honeycomb plate of heaven?
Please, don't blame AC for the clientele. Just get yourself the most delicious cappuccino this side of the Atlantic. You'll be glad you did.
Disclaimer: they lost a star when the wifi started costing money. Just use the Amherst public wifi. It's a little slower, but at least it's free. -
Review from Mr. O.
San Francisco, CA
9/27/2009
Some go to coffee houses to sit and lounge around. I understand this passion. I love working at a coffee shop. But, this coffee shop isn't about the lounging. It's about the coffee, more specifically a espresso shot....
On a busy rainy Sunday I wondered to Amherst Coffee with a girl that I was visiting. "I've been here before." I said with a strange sense of familiarity. I had visited Amherst before, but I did not remember it, nor did I walk away with the knowledge that I now have generated. I wasn't expecting what I was about to run into, but, I knew I needed to go. As I walked in and looked at the espresso machine, I knew I was about to get a shot that would knock my socks off. I looked up at the board, under the words "espresso" it said, "triple ristretto." I have heard of a quad ristretto, but not a triple. This intensified my curiosity.
The small ceramic glass was handed to me. I could see the thickness of this shot and my mouth watered with anticipation. It was filled to the brim but it was still thick the way the Italians would have liked it to be poured. I smelled the sweet smell of carefully roasted coffee, blended to perfection. I knew that careful care and consideration went into this shot of coffee; from the blend of beans, delicate grinder and espresso machine, to the barista who was pouring my shot, I knew it would be heaven. With the first sip, I could taste the complexity of the coffee. At first my mouth filled with a fruity dessert flavor like caramelized peaches. Then it finished with a maple syrup after taste. "What an appropriate flavor for this part of the country," I thought to myself...
Go to this coffee shop go for the love of coffee or whiskey. Engulf yourself in the care and craft of coffee. If you go for this purpose, I can guarantee you, you will be more then pleased with what you find. Don't go if you don't get coffee. This is not about frapachinos or crap coffee, it's about the art form of coffee.
H -
Review from Jonathan L.
Andover, MA
10/7/2010
It's a little dark here at nights with only dim candles as light, but I rarely stay. The main reason I go to Amherst Coffee is the latte. They make a mean latte and if i'm walking by I always make an excuse to grab a cup.
Sometimes they have live music which is always nice. -
Review from N. P.
Northampton, MA
5/29/2009
The coffee, espresso and tea selection is quality. A major bonus is that they are open late and serve beer and wine.
However, I have a list of things that bother me. First thing is that there is no free wireless; you can get onto the Amherst public network but the connection is often unreliable.. The second thing is that I would like to hear a wider variety of musical selections.
The place is good to grab a coffee or drink or to do work there once in a while.Comment from Amherst Coffee A. of Amherst Coffee 11/23/2009
Thank you for the feedback! 1- I am sorry about the… More » -
Review from Baer T.
Amherst, MA
1/8/2008 5 Check-ins Here
Elegant old brick
King hell scotch and bourbon tastes
Black clad Eurotrash. -
Review from Marie L.
Leverett, MA
9/17/2011
Went in for a drink on a Friday night around 8PM and was happy with the fact that it was a nice quiet environment and not filled with kids, which is rare for any place that serves alcohol in Amherst. Yes it's expensive compared to other places in town but I had a lovely well-made blood orange cosmo and sitting at the bar was relaxing. I will definitely be back to try more cocktails and perhaps some cheese which looked great. Service was excellent and the atmosphere was perfect.
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Review from Darci C.
Sunderland, MA
11/18/2010
I'm going to put it to you simply, if you really like a good cup of coffee, an Americano or some other espresso drink, this is the place to go. The baristas at Amherst Coffee know how to pull a mean shot (or shots) of espresso. I'm not going to debate the other yelpers about whether this place is cool or too cool. I mean really, when you want a cup of coffee, who cares about the ambiance. If you are looking for that Starbucks vibe and don't care about the quality of the coffee, then this isn't the place for you. That said, it is a place I like to work or hang out when its not crowded.
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Review from Q S.
Somerville, MA
11/27/2006
This is also a bourgie coffee place. But their coffee and teas are sooo good. The area itself is a little small, but the atmosphere is nice. They also serve alcohol as well but the wines and mixed drinks are very expensive (think about a $9 Cosmo). Along with pastries, they serve small appetizers as well like bread and olives.
In the summer time, an iced oolong tea really hits the spot. They have Jazz on certain nights as well with local artists. -
Review from brooke m.
Houston, TX
2/11/2007
Good coffee, nice atmosphere. A lot quieter than Rao's, although sometimes it's hard to get a seat. A good place to read pretentious novels, or people-watch.
I was also a bit overwhelmed with their tea selection, only because I'm more of a coffee junkie. -
Review from Type A S.
Amherst, MA
4/23/2011
Coffee just shouldn't be this expensive. Whoever says it should is lying to you.
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Review from Victoria S.
Ashland, MA
7/5/2007
I have to disagree with previous reviews. I've heard many good things about this place and passed by it a few times, however the one time I went to get a coffee from them I was really disappointed. I agree the coffee itself is really good quality however, service, price, staff, and everything else in between is horrible. I spent at least 15 minutes waiting for my drinks - and I was the only person in line!!! I mean come on! I used to be a barista at Starbucks, and I do have respect for all the coffee industry employees, but seriously I don't need to wait 15 minutes to get a cup of coffee that a machine makes in several seconds! I do not like drinking my coffee cold, and in fact the espresso shots go bad after only after under a minute time, so you should get it to your customer before that time!
Plus, even though the mastery of pouring the milk in an artsy form is seriously a gift and my praise to that person, but making bad tasting mocha(s) for those prices is a crime.
I would not recommend this place to anyone. -
Review from paul d.
Amherst, MA
6/6/2011
I just read an enlightening review on Yelp: "They counsel their staff to keep their distance". This explains the extraordinary "tete de veau" that greets even the frequent customer. There is some weird concept here that equates aloofness with quality, when it's mere pretentiousness ("Whsk(e)y Bar"). The attitude that friendliness is provincialism is particularly strange since their shops (excuse me, shoppes) in NoHo and Greenfield don't do this.
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Review from Rue B.
Montague, MA
12/14/2009
Amazing coffee.
Prepare to feel under-dressed, and under-trustfunded, by the disapproving eyes of arrogant Amherst College kids straight out of Westchester.
Amazing coffee.
And whiskey. -
Review from Dhruv K.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2009
Pros: Good coffee, clean, absence of wannabe hippies.
Cons: Unfriendly staff, watered down martinis, bad music.
I have been there on more than one occasion, and the service each time has been terrible. How much effort does it take to be receptive, cheerful and welcoming? It is called 'service' industry for a reason.
I don't think the skill of pouring down milk in a fancy way into coffee can make up for a sneering pretentiousness reeking of renaissance age Florence. Knowing the names of obscure wines or scotch whiskeys found on the menu card does not make you the most intelligent person, either.
This place tries too hard, and it fails because of it. Granted you will be surprised by their drinks menu since it has vowed to not serve any drinks found in any of the bars in town. And yes that includes Chivas Regal whiskey. But then, you will be bored to hear Miles Davis' Kind of Blue being played incessantly every time you go there.
And that's what other reviewers have said about good jazz. Yes it is good, but it is presented in a blanket of we-are-the-stalwarts-of-art-and-we-can't-play-anyt hing-else-since-we-don't-know-and we-know-you-don't-know-either.
Besides these gripes, you have the typical coffee house crowd, fraught with Apple Macs and curious eyes more focused on other people than the work they're supposed to be doing.
So, if you want to wait 15 minutes to get a coffee or a drink and engage in existentialism discussions with empty headed people, do go there.
Or, if you want to really make the most of it, get their good coffee to go, and visit the Amherst library right across the road, where you can learn more stuff without being a neo-snob. -
Review from Vilay S.
2/6/2007
I'm so glad this place opened. The coffee is way better than Rao's and I don't have to elbow around young people pretending to be homeless artists.
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Review from Cheyne L.
Pontiac, MI
4/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
Not a bad place. The tea is great and it comes in a sweet kettle. However the wifi costs $$...but there is always Amherst local wifi that works.
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Review from Derek B.
Seattle, WA
11/14/2007
Good espresso. I've been here four times now, and espresso is all I've gotten. Tasts like Seattle espresso, not so much in terms of quality but in terms of flavor characteristics. Interior is one large room with an espresso counter and a wine & bourbon bar. A local beer guru highly recommends this spot for it bourbon & scotch.
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Review from Anna A.
Brooklyn, NY
8/12/2009
Great selection of loose-leaf teas, comfy chairs (though most of them are bar-stool height, so grab an extra one to put up your feet) and funky decor might just make up for lack of free wi-fi.
Comment from Amherst Coffee A. of Amherst Coffee 11/23/2009
Thank you Anna! We know the lack of free wi-fi can be a pain… More » -
Review from K H.
Amherst, MA
12/14/2010
This coffee house is my all-time favorite. The atmosphere is great to do work and the drinks are awesome (and I don't really like coffee). Yes, it is a little overpriced, but as other yelpers have mentioned--in a place of food/drink mediocrity (i.e., pioneer valley)--this place is golden.
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Review from Donald B.
Washington, DC
8/20/2010
Except for the regularly broken AC and prices, a great place. I like the jazz, which helps me work, and the ginger molasses cookies are delicious.
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Review from Chizlum M.
Germantown, MD
10/26/2009
Excellent cup of dark roast coffee to start the morning.
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Review from d w.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2010
great coffee that turns into a whiskey bar after hours. what else could you want? oh, food. it wouldbe nice if they served food. but the bartender / barista is great cuz he can figure out what sorts of tapas will go well with your wine, whiskey, scotch or tequila.
