You've waited patiently, and now your reward is a visit from beloved Mom and/or Dad and/or stepparent/guardian (one never knows nowadays). Where to take them, or we should say, where to have them take you? With a collective six years of Family Weekends under our belts (along with drop-offs, pick-ups, birthdays and visits from the legendary Barry Rothbard), we're as qualified as anyone to tell you the places to eat when the 'rents are in town.

And we're sorry to say, none of those places is in Amherst proper. While Bistro 63 Monkey Bar & Grille is within walking distance and the swankiest eatery downtown, the food there just doesn't measure up to the best restaurants in the rest of the Pioneer Valley. Carmelina's, only a 15-minute ride down Route 9, is a much better bet. Since the restaurant's recent renovation, the menu has been modernized to include small plates ($7-12), as well as new Italian (not heavy baked zitis and such), innovative seafood dishes and pasta with more delicate sauces (entrees $11-25).

The next restaurant heading west on Route 9 is also our favorite: Del Raye Bar & Grill. Del Raye has the best wine list of any restaurant in the area, and if your parents are ordering, they won't be asking for your ID; it's that kind of a restaurant. Del Raye is dark and crowded and loud, all the more so on Family Weekend. The ambiance feels very New York, and the food-and the prices-do too. The menu changes so frequently that we've tried only a few dishes on the current menu. The filet mignon, whether spice-rubbed or topped with cheddar ($29), is perfectly prepared. The flaky, moist grilled salmon ($20) and grilled ahi tuna ($26)-order it rare, as few places do it right-also have been consistently excellent. Sadly, our favorite appetizer, the crispy, spicy duck spring rolls, isn't on the menu right now, but we recommend the raw bar, the spicy Caesar salad ($6) and the cheese plate, for sharing ($13). Go with the Del Raye dessert sampler ($19, serves 2-4), since many a family have been torn asunder debating crème brulée ($7) versus warm molten chocolate cake ($8).

Spoleto is another solid upscale Italian restaurant, a few steps from its cousin, Del Raye. Fried calamari ($8.95) and chicken parmesan ($15.95) share a menu with pecan-crusted salmon and black peppercorn encrusted duck (both $19.95). The decor is sleek and modern, with bright lights and a neon sign beckoning foot traffic.

If your parents are sushi or hibachi lovers, Osaka on Old South Street (by the parking garage) in Northampton is the best place in the area for Japanese food, and also the most expensive (sensing a theme here?). The specialty rolls are delightful and innovative, and the fish is so fresh and tender that it's almost wet. The hibachi chefs are good-natured and entertaining, which is what you pay for in that setting. Although we haven't mentioned it in regards to other restaurants, the service at Osaka-incredibly attentive yet unobtrusive-is worth commending; just when you think your water glass needs a refill, a server is at your side. The blond wood decor also makes for pleasant ambience.

Off the beaten, Route 9 path in South Deerfield (off Route 116 North) is Sienna. The menu is small-about a half dozen entrees-but it has the obligatory beef, poultry, fish and vegetarian options. All of these are seasonal (many are pan-seared), and their accompaniments are more creative than your standard new American garlic mashed potatoes. Sienna's prices and food are both comparable to Del Raye; Sienna is a longer drive but provides a more serene dining experience.

Of course, you will not always be in the mood to get dressed up (not that anyone dresses up in this town) or to drop $50 a head. At the same time, your parents didn't come all this way for Antonio's; they'll want to sit down and grill you without having to get up to grab silverware and water. So for casual sit-down meals, we recommend Thai Corner and Amherst Brewing Company in Amherst and Smokin' Lil's BBQ and Amanouz Café in Northampton.