Located about 10 miles east down Route 9, the very small and very popular little breakfast and lunch eatery is a must-try. They make everything from scratch and boast the use of only organic fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Honey, molasses and maple syrup are used as substitutes for sugar in their recipes so that the food is both good and good for you.
We started our meal with a cup of their bottomless coffee. Fair trade, purchased in small amounts and brewed fresh, the coffee is bold and inviting. With our coffee we shared a homemade cinnamon roll that was roughly the size of my head. The dough was the perfect consistency: moist and rich but not too dense. Swirled throughout the roll was a filling of brown sugar and cinnamon that was as aromatic as it was delicious. As if it weren’t decadent enough, the roll is drizzled with a sugary glaze that takes this baked good to another level.
I ordered one of the daily specials called the “Mediterranean Delight.” It was an omelet with hummus, kalamata olives, feta, spinach and tomatoes served with home fries and a piece of fresh baked banana cream coffee cake. The omelet was incredible; the creaminess of the hummus with the saltiness of the olives and feta and the freshness of the spinach made for the perfect flavor combination. The home fries (ordered well done) were crispy and tossed with the perfect combination of herbs and spices. Salty, spicy and savory, these are some of the best home fries I have ever tasted.
Exceedingly full already, I was then brought the piece of coffee cake that I had until that moment completely forgotten about. Served warm, the fragrant cinnamon was too enticing to resist. Rich, moist, crumbly and not too sweet, with soft pieces of banana and an oatmeal crumb topping, I somehow found myself making room for the entire piece.
My friend ordered a chocolate chip banana pancake. Notice the usage of the singular “a,” and not the expected “he ordered pancakes.” How anyone could ever eat more than one of these larger-than-the-plate-they-are-served-on pancakes is dumbfounding. Loaded with chocolate chips and bananas, fluffy and thick and cooked perfectly, these change how you think about pancakes.
I have been to the Roadhouse many times and have never walked out not feeling incredibly full and intensely satisfied. Though I would willingly pay more for the from-scratch breakfast classics, the Roadhouse is very affordable too. My omelet, home fries, and coffee cake was $9.25, and the planet size pancake was only $5.75. The perfect start to a long Sunday spent catching up on homework, I would highly recommend the Roadhouse Café to any Amherst student who appreciates good brunch food.