Amherst Coffee + Bar

As a big fan of just "a cup of coffee," Amherst Coffee does filter coffee like no one else in the area. It's always freshly brewed, usually with a choice of light or dark roast in the morning, with medium roast taking over later in the day. I usually make pour over coffee at home, but if I run out of time, I'm always delighted to have Amherst Coffee as a backup plan. (AND they also make great espresso and cocktails, AND the space is great, AND I love their oyster nights.)

I usually come in for a high quality iced coffee. But yesterday I wanted something different. So they made me this delicious iced match. I really enjoyed it! 😉

I won a gift card. And I figured id go and grab a small snack and a drink. There wasn't much left for snacks and they only offer grilled cheese. The lady at the register was nice. But the lack of food is a turn off. And it was cold in there. I ended up giving the $25 card away to a student doing school work.

good coffee. very small set of pastry to choose from. you cannot ask for your pastry to be heated! The coffee price is going up crazy. It's now same price if not more expensive than coffee shops in downtown Boston. Often hard to find a table.

My favorite place to grab a coffee to-stay when I’m in the area. Lovely playlist — every time that I’ve went, they’ve played jazz. Really lovely and cozy atmosphere. Very friendly baristas too!

A delightful place to have a good, strong cup of coffee and relax for a bit. Nice atmosphere. They also serve wine here. Charming, old New England watering hole feel. Usually pretty busy.

When you walk into Amherst Coffee you immediately enter the coffee shop vibe! It’s so refreshing. Lite conversation fills the air and the smell of coffee grabs you immediately. Has a oatmilk latte with maple syrup… I’ll have another please! Very smooth and sweet and the perfect coffee art! Great spot!

This is a coffee bar by day and cocktail bar by night. We went in the evening. It draws a lively crowd, but not too rambunctious. The cocktail menu is sophisticated and the mixologists are a busy crew. They will mix mocktails on request as well, though none are on the menu. Sitting at the bar allows a front-row seat to watching the drinks get made: private cozy booths and outdoor seating are also available. A fairly 1930s atmosphere thanks to the older building, which they punch up with a low-key vibe and vintage furnishings. No televisions or blasting music here, just a congenial and rather romantic atmosphere and friendly bar staff who will look after you. A small bar menu is more or less limited to olives, nuts, and cheese. Street and lot parking are both nearby. It’s right in downtown Amherst so dining options are everywhere as well as the cinema next door. Not a great pick for kids, obviously, or for rowdy groups. A good date spot. We also saw small groups of friends and study partners at the bar.

Yeah dawg rolled in, vibes are solid. It's a cute brick&mortar coffee shop. Nice jazz playing and rustic feeling. However, I ordered a hot chocolate - it's literally just milk and powdered chocolate. Paid $4 for it. And there's no wifi and like one outlet. So basically, solid vibes but little functionality.

A bit expensive and limited options but very high quality tasting coffee! I usually would get a vanilla or caramel latte but they just have maple as a flavor option and it's better than any flavored latte I've had before. Inside there are plenty of spaces to do work or sit outside and it's a very cute area. At night, I've gotten an espresso martini from the bar which was great as well.

I found the pricing of the drinks to be on the higher side, and the limited seating made for a less than comfortable experience. Additionally, the service was slower than expected, and the temperature inside the venue was uncomfortably warm. I was very disappointed to discover that there was no food menu available, and outside food was NOT permitted AT ALL, which I felt limited the overall inclusivity of the establishment. Unfortunately, based on my experience, I cannot recommend this bar to anyone.

Was really excited to go here but had a really bad experience-- brought in an outside drink and my friends were met with genuinely the most hostile, targeted reaction in which they were told to leave. This wasn't the first or the last time I've heard about racism @ amco.

The staff here are very welcoming and friendly. I like the whole ambiance of the place too. Very good coffee indeed, Definitely plan on stopping in again next time I'm in Amherst

This was my first time at Amherst Coffee and their latte was so good! It was also more affordable than the coffee shop that I was previously going to in Amherst. I got mine to go but I did love the relaxed atmosphere inside and was tempted to stay.

What a cute little cafe! Beautiful pleasant find in Amherst MA. We enjoyed the croissants, specifically the ham &cheese croissant and the chocolate one. Only wished that they offered to warm them up, maybes they would have if we asked ‍ Espresso a bit more bitter than what I normally prefer, and yes I drink espresso regularly. Good, not my favorite. Street parking by coin meter

Atmosphere was amazing. Although we didn't get a cocktail it was a nice place to sit and have casual conversation.

Coffee shop in the daytime and bar at night. Love the ambience and the town. Will miss it as we move out of the New England area.

Nice peaceful relaxing environment. Drinks on the pricy side but that was no surprise.

I had a perfectly made Cortado which was perfection. The barista service was amazing, the ambiance was delightful and the coffee was fantastic

A coffee bar with a bar!! And alcohol. Apparently they have a ton of whiskeys and bourbons. Plus it's right next to an indie movie theater. It's a tad pretentious up in here. Like they don't have lattes, but espresso with milk. The baristas are pleasant but not friendly. Definitely too cool for school. The pastries are from a local bakery but this coffee shop is unable or unwilling to warm them up. I visited on a Wednesday early afternoon and there were lots of people quietly and intently working. My coffee and was yummy and so was my room temperature, chocolate croissant, which, if they were all in on the pretense, they would've called a pan a chocolate.

Tried ordering a latte at 2:59pm on a Saturday. I know a bit annoying but tons of attitude and unkind to an out of towner. Not that cool.

One of the rare places in town to close late (~11PM). I visited this place last night, and it had a rather excellent and spacy inner area painted in wood tones with a breezy outdoor sitting area. Decorated with candles, lightbulbs and small plants, the cafe felt super cozy and great for night chats. They also sold neatly packaged coffee beans for homebody baristas, which you can find on the shelves opposite the register. People gathered at the bar section (open from 4pm 'till late night) for alcoholic drinks and others. I ordered iced cold-brewed matcha for $5.88, and I thought it might have included a portion that would directly contribute to their rental fee @@. $6.94 was the exact paid amount after tip (18%) was added. Enough ranting about this incessant price, I am saying the drink was nothing special. It tasted like iced tea with a matcha flavor at best. Maybe I should order chai tea next time and let you guys know then. Just because the chai order from the customer before me loooked sooo goood!! Ah, the barista was the kindest. I spilled a bit at the bar counter and he told me not to worry as he would take care of it! P/s: I brought my salted caramel cookie from Insomnia Cookies with me. Its sweetness was balanced out quite well by the default unsweetened flavor of the matcha. I don't think this subjective review does this cafe justice. They seemingly have a lot to offer, and I walked in near closing time. I may have to revisit next time with more proper beverage choice and food order.

I'm sure they're a very nice place. However, we went there to have coffee the other day with a friend. Their yelp page said they were open till seven but we got there at 4:30 and they told us oh we close at five on Mondays but that's not what the yelp page says. So even if we had gotten coffee we would've had to leave around five so they could close up the restaurant. So I'm gonna go back there again cause it looks really pretty inside and interesting but I wasn't really impressed with the fact that's a could've said well with sorry this mistake stay as long as you need. We still working on that place but they didn't so I'll probably think that in the future. Maybe when it's warmer out and is outside seating.

Why did I go back. All the other places has lines. No lines here for a reason on a Sunday morning. No caramel that my wife prefers. Only maple and simple syrup. The puritans of coffee. Overheard others asking for the same. Others also had problems hearing through the plexiglass without any holes for sound. I had my regular latte that has a nice roast for sure. Was only half as hot as it should have been. Pricey for coffee. Still pretentious as ever and a missed opportunity for something great.

During the day you can get yourself a good coffee. During the nice you can get yourself a good drink. All the while the place is coated in a calm, quiet atmosphere. It's a surprisingly good place to do work.

Absolutely love Amherst Coffee. From the cool coffee shop vibes during the day, to the awesome cocktail bar at night, this place is any grad student's jam. I typically always get lattes or cold brew, but everything I've had has been good. They don't really have a food selection, so only go for coffee. I believe they use Great Barrington Coffee Roaster's beans, which is one of my favorite coffee roasters in western ma. Check them out if you're in the area!

probably my favorite bar in the pv. cozy, tucked away, you can sit in a little wooden booth over a glass of wine and have a good conversation. i prefer the nighttime atmosphere to the daytime one, but the coffee is also great.

This is the perfect place to come to catch up with friends. They have a bar so you can get alcoholic beverages in addition to coffee, lattes, all that. My favorite drink is their iced matcha latte. It's pretty dark in here and there aren't many outlets so it might not be the best place to do homework but I (and many others) do it anyway. It's open late as well so you can stay here without being kicked out longer than the other shops in the area. It's cozy and a great addition to Amherst Center.

So I ask for Pumpkin Spice and/or vanila syrup - in my mind not an unusual request for a modern coffee shop serving lattes, espresso, etc. And I got hit with a snarky response about "we ONLY have WHOLE maple syrup and chocolate syrup..that's it..." with a blank stare thrown in for fun. After I got my overpriced drink - served without a smile or even a you're welcome when I said thank you - I inquired about wifi - where again (but a different person) informed me that they don't offer it but i can 'feel free to tap into the town signal...if you can get it.' - with a healthy serving of snark as well. so me asking for a vanilla shot and wifi...ya know...a coffee shop that charges $5 for a cup of coffee and then gives attitude when asking for the MERE basics of a modern coffee shop? Do yourself a favor and skip this pretentious shitshow and hit up The Works or the Black Sheep - 2 mins away from Amherst Coffee and infinitely better products and customer service.

Amco is a fantastic coffee shop.. yes it has a bar in it.. but that's for a different review.. there is really, really great coffee and pastries! You won't be disappointed by the atmosphere and service.. enjoy some background jazz and light chatter of guests. Come here if you are in Amherst or go out of your way to be here.

Couldn't get anyone to serve me and there was no one in the place....sitting at the bar and over and over workers were walking by as I'm trying to make eye contact. Ended up leaving without being served!

good vibes. sat and had a rainy sunday morning coffee with a good book. very accommodating to questions about medical related dietary restrictions

Very cool (if a bit pretentious? They don't have lattes, they have "espresso with milk") spot with the unique option of espresso and tonic. Other side is a bar at night. A bit bare bones but hip and nice.

I love Amherst Coffee!! Such great coffee and such a nice spot to be in to read a book or catch up with a friend.

So rude! For a business based on service, they should reevaluate their choice of employees. Friendly and helpful goes a long way

Live in Santa Monica, CA but best friend lives in Amherst/visit as often. Every day, we hit a coffee place in Amherst, Hadley, Florence or Northampton--flew home week ago & tried a new coffee place in West LA & knew i wanted to write a review for Amherst Coffee. Hubby & I pretty much coffee snobs, I confess--& AC cappucinos are perfecto--pastry choices--scones, cookies, croissants quite yummy too. Besides being a comfortable spot where you can hear person you cane with, all work on your laptop as long as you want--the music they play is 100% better than anyplace I've been to in SaMo, LA, Washington, DC & Santa Barbara... All have excellent coffee & sweet treats, but NONE--besides Amherst Coffee's jazz playing softly in background--have music that doesn't make me so want to kick someone or scream! If ambiance along with great coffee matters to you too? Amherst Coffee cant be beat...

Located in a perfect spot in downtown Amherst, the coffee roaster has a great vibe. There are tons of bagged coffees (beans or ground) and interesting items for sale. The coffee flavors were your basics - hot, iced, some teas. We went with their cold brew. It was just okay - had a very bitter after taste which some people love and I'm not the biggest fan of as I prefer rich and smoother cold brews but my coffee drinking friend thought it was fantastic. Prices were pretty high for everything even the basic coffees. Service was pleasant and efficient.

Terribly arrogant and pompous staff. Turned my girlfriend and I away on my 21st birthday when we both had valid forms of identification. Will not return to this establishment.

Pompous, arrogant, rude staff. Asked a simple question answer was curt and patronizing. We decided to go elsewhere, would not support this business in the future

Is a cute coffee shop in downtown Amherst. I easily found parking across the street ($1/hr). The coffee is very good and for a Saturday late morning it is not as busy as I would expect (granted school is out for the summer). There seems to be a lot of seating available and the internet is fast and free. The only con I see is that it is a bit dark in here which could make reading a lot more difficult. I would certainly recommend if you need some coffee in Amherst.

Three stars is more than generous for this place- it's pretty compact and I get the impression it's always crowded. I ordered a cold brew matcha and my boyfriend had an iced coffee and triple chunk chocolate chip cookie (say that five times fast). Both drinks were good, and I was pleasantly surprised by the matcha, but when the barista put the iced coffee on the counter, he didn't give us a nod, smile, verbal indication- anything that it was our order. And there were other people around waiting, I didn't want to accidentally take someone else's drink, it was weird he didn't acknowledge that it was ours. He also forgot to give us our cookie so when we took a leap of faith and grabbed the iced coffee, we let him know he forgot the cookie. With the air of a museum curator, he wordlessly grabbed the cookie from behind the glass and very formally handed it to us. While I wasn't a fan, my boyfriend liked it quite a bit, and compared it to a German chocolate cake texture. I know this is Amherst but you're still slinging java, relax.

the dude with the food t shirts is great also best grilled cheese ever, great manager and the Sunday staff is always lovely

Really great, quality espresso and friendly service. Were I still a student, I'd love to come here to study - but wouldn't mind spending some time here cozied up with a good book. Was surprised at the bar they also have at the front of the shop - serving alcohol AND coffee? That's a win!

It's a pretty nice coffee place, just your ordinary kind of spot. Great for studying as it is very closed off and has a really nice ambiance to it. I would recommend coming here to get a nice cup of coffee and chat with friends.

I've been to Amherst coffee and wasn't particularly impressed with my espresso beverage BUT there is something to be said for such a wonderful bar menu. Only popping in here and there, I never thought much of the full bar on the other side of the espresso bar. Amherst coffee has a fun set up where on one side you can grab a coffee and on the other a more adult beverage...This place isn't somewhere I would have returned to on my own, but after meeting some friends for drinks and sampling their craft cocktail menu, I will absolutely be back! Although amazing, a quick warning to those on a budget, these drinks are pricey!! So if you're looking to order more than 2, you'll be paying a pretty heavy tab.

Terrible customer service, period! I have been here a handful times, and the staff members never fail to disappoint the customer one way or the other, e.g., wifi is down and the staff refuse to help, paper cups for drinks to stay, and the worst of all, the staff members are simply too rude to be employed in a community cafe. What is the owner thinking? Seriously! The staff members are also not very environmentally conscious. While the world moves towards cleaner and more efficient energy sources, the cafe still burns a string of incandescent bulbs. During the cold evening hours, the cafe sometimes opens its giant window to cool off. Why not dial down the heater? Or retire the heat-radiating incandescent light bulbs? Tips: before you order your drink, check wifi connect and staff temperature. If any one of the two is off, walk away

My favorite coffee place in the Pioneer Valley! I would make the trek from Smith just for this coffee place (till I found out my senior year they had a Northampton location...). My go to order was the americano (get a small...trust me...it gets me so jittery and lasts the entire day) and an almond croissant (i dream about the butteriness). The only con of this place is that there is limited outlets and seats (Especially on the weekdays when it gets busy).

Love their iced coffee and the iced matcha is pretty good and would recommend it to any unsweetened iced tea fan. I have a friend that swears by their cappuccinos. As far as drink quality goes, I think it's the best of the cafes in Amherst. It can feel pretty cramped in there and I'm not a fan of the high seats and somewhat awkward communal table in the middle of things. If you want a small table for yourself and a friend, Share and Black Sheep are better options. Update 3/17/2018: Leaving this spot at 4 stars but noting that since the renovations/expansion, there's much more seating. One of the more well-lit cafes might be more appropriate for college students studying in the evening, since it definitely is a bar vibe in the evening.

I am a regular patron of Amherst Coffee (or AmCo as probably just me and the GF call it) for both coffee and cocktails. I fully recommend it for both! Let me start with the coffee side of things. On a school day most tables are filled with people typing an essay, working on group projects, or getting tutored. I usually take a spot at the bar to drink my cup. I don't mind, but I could why someone else might. Their featured espressos are really good, though I tend to stay away from their standard. I haven't had their pastries enough to comment on them, but I thoroughly recommend their $7 Grilled Cheese special. In terms of alcohol options, the real star is their massive liquor collection. Go here to get a cocktail, there are many other options for beer in town. Prices are high for Amherst ($10-$12 a drink usually), which could be a minus but has the effect of keeping rowdy students away. Its always quiet enough to have a conversation with whomever is joining you. The bartenders, especially those who have joined on the past few months, are phenomenal. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and are willing to make a drink the way you would like it even if it means going off menu. Music choices are usually on point too! Great place to relax/focus/bring a date.

While this shop is designed beautifully, the coffee is pretty okay but the service was pretty poor. I ordered a soy latte and the soy apparently "wasn't on the ticket". So when I asked to have it remade I got nothing but attitude from the barista. If I would have made the mistake of not telling them I would have offered to pay for a new drink. That's on me. But I didn't. The person behind the counter was too distracted and forgot. We were nothing but polite and didn't deserve to be treated like an inconvenience.

Cute coffee shop! Stopped in for a quick drink after a filling lunch up the street. I wanted to purchase some dark roast to take home, so with my purchase my drip coffee was free. It was tasty! My sister did experience an attitude from one of the baristas when she asked her to repeat her question about the drink she ordered being hot or cold. I've read in other reviews that other folks have experienced the same attitude here. Other than that, this is a great alternative to Starbucks in Amherst center and worth checking out.

I love this little place! I had coffee here when I dropped off my Son to Amherst College a couple of years ago and I loved their coffee very much then, when we come back for graduation this year I know exactly where I was going to have my coffee. In California I mainly get my coffee at Peet's and since that area does have any Peets I found it very challenging to find a good cup of coffee for me, surprisingly I found an amazing coffee shop in this little town. I recommend them if you're a coffee snob ! Atmosphere are great Coffee are amazing Pastries are well made and fresh They meet my expectations I Will pass by again next time I am in town

Had a Chai here with my wife and I. First, although I ordered with oat milk they serve me regular cows milk. Luckily I catch it when they are making the second drink and stop my wife before she drinks hers. So I wait and get the correct drinks (have to remind barista the first drink isn't correct either). I don't even get an inkling of the word "sorry". No sign of concern there. Then to top it off these have to be the worst Chai's we ever had. Super bitter. Never coming back here again.

I really value good coffee and espresso, and Amherst Coffee is the best in the region.They also have excellent croissants.

Wow!!! I loved Amherst Coffee before but the new upgrade but now wow!!! First awesome list of alcoholic beverages including bourbon, whiskey and scotch. What I love is that they are all reasonably priced. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable. Great seating around the bar and great atmosphere.

The recent redesign of Amherst Coffee has me very impressed. One side of the bar offers coffee and has high-top tables where you can zone out and get some work done, while the other side of the bar has booths and warm lighting and primarily functions as a whiskey/cocktail bar. Very unique! While this establishment has always been an important part of Amherst downtown, post-redesign it adds a lot of new character to the area. This is a great place to get work done - they play good, low-key music and it doesn't get excessively loud despite the bar side of the place. However, they shut down the WiFi after 7pm, and the Town of Amherst WiFi you can still use is not very reliable and drops very often.

Bad coffee and lack luster service. Decided to stop in while traveling through the area. If you like good coffee probably not the place to go