Brian Knox is the chef-owner of Bread & Butter cafe in North Amherst. A bit off the beaten path, the eatery that opened earlier this month has a breakfast-centric menu with "truly good food" and a handsome eco-industrial interior.
Brian Knox, owner and chef of North Amherst's Bread & Butter Cafe.
Knox, formerly the sous chef of The Lone Wolf in Amherst and did a stint at the nearby Black Sheep Deli, "fell into the world of breakfast" a dozen years ago. The new place is part of The Mill District, a development in North Amherst soon to welcome an Atkins Farms Country Market satellite store.
Knox says the location is "an excuse for people to leave Downtown Amherst" on their way to points north. It's also a place for hungry travelers coming in from the Hilltowns, since Cowls Road is en route to the Hadley area.
Bread & Butter's menu features simple cuisine made with quality ingredients. Black River Produce delivers meats from Vermont, vegetables are from local Pioneer Valley farms and dairy comes from Mapleline Farm. Everything is made from scratch, including the hollandaise sauce for every Eggs Benedict order. The cafe's new in-house pastry chef starts the first week of April.
"We had some menu surprises," said Knox. "Some of the items that we put on for specials have become so popular that they are regular items, like our duck hash and pork belly."
Breakfast is served daily starting at 6 a.m. The lunch menu features a daily soup, sandwiches and salads, served Monday through Friday. Breakfast for dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday nights and weekend dishes up only breakfast items.
"The hours are like they are because I have a new family," said Knox. "Many chefs will tell you that the work we do can be hard on families. This way I can spend time with my wife and my young daughter."
Bread & Butter cafe is located at 68 Cowls Road in Amherst. A full menu and more information can be found at breadandbutteramherst.com.