Cushman Market and Cafe
491 Pine Street, Amherst
(413) 549-0100
Open weekdays 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Breakfast and lunch $1.25-$7.50.
When I moved to the Valley, I was thrilled to find an abundance of cafes, each with its own distinct vibe and crowd. The competition is fierce in this independently-minded and caffeine-craving region, but I've come to favor Cushman Market and Caf? in North Amherst above the rest.
A bright blue house in the middle of residential North Amherst, this cafe is clearly a neighborhood joint, as its menu advertises. Close enough for Amherst residents to bike but too far out of the way for anyone to stumble across it on a stroll through the town center, it has the feeling of being a well-kept secret.
Breakfast is a casual but hearty affair. Offerings range from the most basic—bagels with butter and jam, yogurt with fruit and granola, and eggs any style with toast— to more creative dishes such as the "Say It Loud," an egg sandwich with caramelized onion, tomato and Swiss cheese, or scrambled eggs with fried salami and rosemary roasted potatoes. Round out the meal with a fresh-brewed mug of Esselon roasted coffee or an artistic (and enormous) cappuccino for a weekday treat or a lazy Sunday brunch.
I recently met a friend for lunch and a writing date on a Monday afternoon. Famished, I ordered the Corvette, a charburger with a hefty dose of sharp Vermont cheddar cheese, thick and chewy slabs of bacon, and caramelized onions. The burger itself was a bit overcooked (if I can't see pink, it's not medium rare) and the bun was far too big and bulky. But the smoky flavor from the grill and the sweetness of the onions and cheese did the trick for me. I washed the meal down with a refreshing rooibos lemon myrtle iced tea with fresh mint leaves.
My friend went for a lighter variation on the same theme. Her "Donatello" panini was a perfectly grilled combination of roasted turkey, caramelized onions, the same sharp cheddar as on my burger, and a slathering of honey mustard.
After eating, we got ourselves into coffee shop mode, whipping out our laptops to write. Concentration has a way of building up an appetite, and it wasn't long before we were back in line for treats. My companion dug into a thick slice of chocolate walnut zucchini bread from Woodstar Bakery, a semisweet cake kept moist by the zucchini and kissed with cinnamon. I picked one of my favorite desserts, halvah. Reaching over for a bite and surprised by the sweet's sesame nuttiness, my companion announced, "This is the way a Snickers bar should taste." I'd call it more a grown-up Charleston Chew, but differences aside, the dessert instilled euphoria in us both. Slightly grainy yet satisfyingly chewy, the bar of halvah was entirely wrapped in chocolate and rolled in toasted almonds—just the blissful boost I needed to keep chugging for a few hours.
Throughout the afternoon, I perused the small retail section of the store. Artisanal cheeses, pickles, and salami filled the fridges alongside a small selection of locally grown produce. Cushman Market is serious about buying regionally, and you're sure to find staples like milk, yogurt and beer from the area. But the shop's owners don't shy away from specialty groceries that come from farther away. Among the surprising finds were my favorite Ceres fruit juices from South Africa and a beautiful sherry vinegar. It may be a bit out of the way, but Cushman Market deserves a visit.
