Service was a bit slow but it looked like they were very understaffed, so it's understandable. Food was good but I did find a sauce packet in it. They were super apologetic about it though which I appreciated! read more

I'm sad. I used to SWEAR by this place during every Western MA visit. But I've noticed recently, they cut down on their portion sizes while keeping the prices the same. Also, they haven't taken care lately in trimming the fat off their beef that goes into the Pho Noodle Soup. I'd still go back, though. That aside, I always love a good tea roll, especially the curry rice and the Vietnamese. Their ginger-honey tea hits the spot and I constantly crave their Curry Cellophane Noodles. Those are my staples pretty much every time I go back. All in all, I recommend. But if you absolutely LOVED this place in the past and haven't visited in a while, you may be slightly disappointed. read more

Love their tea rolls however I got them as delivery so have never got to expierence their resturant service. Will have to try it in person one day. read more

I am not sure why this place averages 3.5 stars. We had the mandarin orange salad, coconut udon, 5 spice beef noodle soup and two fried eggs with shiitake kale rice. They were very delicious. Ingredients were fresh and flavors are good. We will be back. Note that this is not a fancy destination dining spot but a nice quick dine option. We were here for lunch. read more

Wonderful tea rolls. My favorites are the basil with beef and spicy chicken. The pad Thai tea rolls are good as well. They always have friendly staff working here. Service can be a bit slow during peak hours so just be patient. read more

This is my gf's favorite lunch/ dinner spot in Amherst, and we've been coming here for years. I particularly enjoy the Pad Thai T-Rolls (beef bowl is really good too). I admit it seems like they have their off days with the food (not sure if it's someone else making it at times), but it's usually pretty consistent and the staff is friendly. read more

I feel like I have to come back here again..just to try the tea rolls or something since the last time I went I skipped out and ordered an expensive plate of noodles. I think it was around 14$? My Big Sister came up to Amherst for a visit..and she dragged me here because she really liked it when she went to UMASS, so I was like OKay. Let's go! I loved our waiter...he was cute..and very very attentive..except when I wanted to leave so I wouldn't miss the bus lol. But yeah, nice waiter..cute restaurant! Will return to try the tea rolls. Next time, and I 'll update the review! read more

I havent been here in y ears but here's why it gets five stars. Im here in boston, home with the plague. I want soup. not udon. not pho. SOUP. now fresh side has great tea rolls and salads, AND their make their own fresh mochi home-made! cant beat that. BUT! back to the soup... FIVE SPICE BEEF NOODLE SOUP. that is all you need to know about fresh side & 5 stars. do it. love it. bring me back a bowl to boston! I miss this place terribly! read more

I gotta agree with some other reviewers that, at Fresh Side, the key word is hit or miss. You can get great food here, but only if you know what to order. I like the ambience, the set up and the style of Fresh side: simple yet elegant enough to add some spice to a college town. Can get very crowded at nights and weekends. Service is really not the fastest you can find. If you don't have time to wait, look around, raise and wave your hand frantically, wait again, then don't bother. But, if you have a whole afternoon to chillax with a friend, Fresh side can be a great spot. Drinks: I haven't tried many different types, but I love, love the honey ginger tea. It's quite pricey in my opinion (come-on, just tea and honey and ginger!!!), but it's also oh-so-good, especially on a chilly winter night. Food: Tea rolls: I personally like the Kimchee tearolls the most - always ordered this! I personally like the bibim spicy sauce, but many of my friends lovee the peanut sauce. The seaweed roll is decent, too, I'm just not such a big fan of rice in a roll. I did NOT like the Vietnamese Tea roll - too strange of a combination. The Bibim Fried rice in an omelet is just HUGE. I had breakfast at 8, didn't have time to eat until 5pm so I was deadly hungry, but I still couldn't finish the plate and had almost half left to take to-go. Quite good, a bit salty for my taste, but it can be because I usually eat less salty than the average person, too. I recalled one time trying another fried rice and it was HORRIBLE: too dry and bland. It was so long ago that I forgot the dish's name, but I remember there was spinach in there. My point is, again, this is a hit and miss thing. I tried noodles here a few times and never liked any. Quite pricey for the amount too, I'd rather pay a couple extra bucks for that omelet fried rice :-). read more

Tea Rolls? Why didnt I think of this before? They are so good that I ordered 3 different kinds just to try. Curried Chicken Tea Roll, Curry Tofu Roll and Pad Thai Roll were all great! A little heavy on the filler items and not enough of the protein but thats ok. I also ordered the 5 spice beef rice dish and I definitely was not disappointed. However, between the 3 tea rolls and the generous portion sizing of the entree I was beyond full. I had to take the beef and half of each roll home as leftovers. read more

I guess I just don't get what the hype is about.. There are a lot of tasty-sounding items on the menu, but whatever I order is just ok. I feel like everything is made with some sort of gelatin or thickener in the sauce so after five minutes I have a plate of congealed veggies on rice. The tea rolls did look good. I might have to try those instead of the hot entrees. read more

Fresh Side is a must try in Amherst. Must of their dishes jump off the menu at you as their unique sauces and mixed vegetables with your choice of meat or tofu are filling entrees. Start with a tea roll, the Edo Roll is must peoples favorites, while the others are a bit bland, i would ask for extra sauce to dip them in. This is also a good place for soup and salad and something on the cheap side, since they are BYOB i can usually get by on $10 per person. However they are trying to get a liqour license so call before you bring wine or beer. If you have any food allergies this could be your new spot as many dishes are vegan and gluten free. On the way out try a mochi for $1 and eyeball the cake slices are they look amazing, but i've never had one yet.. read more

U-N-D-E-R-S-T-A-F-F-E-D. And B-U-S-Y. This spells 15 minutes seated before being solicited for an order (including drinks). It also spells "given the wrong tea." Once we got past those two stumbling blocks, Fresh and I began building a more positive relationship. A creative, Asian-fusion menu, warm interior colors (reminiscent of the autumn weather, even), and a friendly, attentive (once he noticed me!) waiter all aided the development and nurturing of our repartee. I started with the curry tea roll with tofu, which contained peanuts, tofu, cilantro, ginger, and some lightly curried rice wrapped in a spring roll type wrapper. Said it was spicy, but it turned out to be a very pleasant spice. My entree was the "toful rice with vegetables." It was tofu marinated in a teriyaki sauce and fried, and the vegetables were broccoli, carrots, and snow peas, all on a bed of perfectly-sticky white rice. Mmm... and my tea (lapsang souchang) was delicious too, when I finally got it. read more

When these guys first opened, back in the late 90's, and they were a small place down the road towards the Black Sheep, they were the town's sleeper gem for a while - an unassuming place with a great selection of well prepared teas, and a small menu of simple, healthy, and delicious food at good prices. The world needs more places like the Fresh Side was back then. Sadly, so does Amherst. These days, the tea selection tends to be poorly prepared and overpriced. Not to mention the crazy idea of serving it with shot glasses - makes it hard to enjoy the tea. The menu more than doubled in size, but very little of the new stuff is good. If you remember the "good old days" menu at the Fresh Side, and order those items - Miso Garden Salad, Tea Rolls, etc. - you tend to do ok. Quality, though, is generally inconsistent, some days up and some days down, and even the good stuff can be off. The bad stuff can sometimes be Ok, but sometimes, really genuinely terrible. Service is generally unfocused and inattentive, nothing like the warm and personal service when they first opened. Today I saw a waiter take an order from the guy at the table next to me, then swoop up his silverware when walking by, come back in 5 minutes and ask if he was ready to order. The woman across from me got a bowl of noodle soup with no noodles in it, and what's worse, barely got an apology when she mentioned it. I still go in, and will continue too, if only because the simpler stuff on the menu can still be really good, and it's worth a role of the dice when I have a craving for it. read more

Quite nice a place to chill and to have some light snacks or drinks. However, food weren't as great as how I expected them to be but ok!

My favorite restaurant ever!! No one has better food. Service and decor are good. Can't order a bad meal, all their dishes are great. Amazing rolls. Great desserts and teas. No alcohol served, so byob, Amherst liquors in across the street. I could eat here every day and frankly I could afford to; it's really inexpensive! read more

I. LOVE. THIS. PLACE. Whenever I visit my alma mater (Mount Holyoke), I always make a trip out here. I miss their tea rolls---I've never had it as good anywhere else (even in NYC). I always order the chicken teriyaki tea rolls and the pad thai tea rolls. You can order alot and just snack on it during a drive ^_^ The only thing is that they don't deliver, and they take a while. The other stuff on the menu is not as good as the tea rolls. read more

I looove Fresh Side. Introduced to me by a friend back in college, I crave their tea rolls. Everything is just so fresh (I know, I know), and SO good. The service is always fast and friendly, and I love the homey feel of the place. My favorite were the teriyaki chicken tea rolls, they were amazing. So simple, and really perfect for a quick lunch. I'd definitely recommend this place, it's a refreshing switch from all the pizza and calzones in Amherst. read more

As a former UMass student, I'm constantly craving Fresh Side's tea rolls and yummy noodle salads. This used to be a weekly spot! Cheap and BYOB (although I guess they've starting serving alcohol?). Service can be awful, which is the one downside. It can get very crowded with roudy college students, but I have a feeling the lack of BYOB will cut that down. The food and ambience is awesome. Tea rolls are a must (make sure you get some peanut/hoisin sauce on the side!) and I'm a huge fan of the peanut noodle salad. Next time I'm in Amherst, Fresh Side will be a must! read more

Love this place! I've been going since it first opened, down the street from its current location (several years ago) and have been a regular ever since. The tea rolls are great (my fav is the Spicy Chicken Tea Roll). I also love the Pad Thai. Honestly I have never had anything I didn't like. If it's cold weather or you have scratchy throat, be sure to order a pot of the honey ginger tea! It is true that they can be very busy, so you may have to flag the waitstaff if you need something, and the rooms can be a bit loud, but truly...it is well worth it! read more

Nice, hip place with a good atmosphere, but mediocre vegetarian options. Be warned: the peanut tofu on their online menu looks like it will be a hot dish, but it's actually served cold with soft tofu, not firm. Made for a nasty surprise. It was still okay, but definitely not at all what I expected when I ordered from the image on their site. They should specify that it's served cold. The person I was with enjoyed their chicken noodle soup, however. I might go back again and try something else, but overall it was disappointing and underwhelming, and in a town like Amherst there are plenty of better options. read more

They used to be BYOB but now they have booze! Yay! The service is pretty off and I don't think I've ever gotten more than one smile there. However, the food totally makes up for it. It's a small narrow place that is pretty chic but the tables are a bit too close together. Don't bother coming in here on a busy night, the yuppie jerks sit for hours, inconsiderate of other people waiting patiently for a table. You'll hear every conversation possible, and that could be the reason why the servers don't smile. Take out is pretty prompt though. I enjoy the healthy fusions and beverage concoctions. Their spring roll starters are a good idea but my sister can make 50 spring rolls for under $10 but here you get 1 cut in half. And there's no dipping sauce. I love the variety in mochi ice cream. Their food is for the most part consistently good. read more

This was my favorite restaurant in college- we used to get the chicken tea rolls, Thai fried rice, and basil pasta. I live in San Francisco now and even with all the great restaurants here, I find myself craving the dishes from fresh side. read more

Fresh Side is true to its namesake. Every time I've dined here, the entire meal always tastes very fresh, especially the vegetables. Not sure if they're local but they're definitely fresh! I'm really keen on the tea rolls, especially the pad thai with bean curd & the bi bim tea roll. They're both delicious but if you order the pad thai tea roll, be prepared because the peanut sauce is not the kind that you would encounter as most thai or asian-fusion restaurants. At Fresh Side, the peanut sauce is much more like a sweet, watery, peanut butter. I've heard mixed reviews from people about it but I personally really like it. The salads are also really delicious, fresh, and flavorful. And the mochi is a must! Also, if you pop in here, give the Vietnamese iced-coffee a try, it's sweet and a great pick-me-up for the day. Aside from the menu...the service is good. I didn't experience anything exceptional, but it was good, standard service, especially given how busy the place gets! The decor is sleek and simple but it is a small space with high volume so it can get cramped. But overall, it's a great place with unique dishes at an affordable price (2 large tea rolls are only about 3-4 bucks). read more

Ate here with the hubby on Saturday night for our anniversary. Let me start by saying they were BUSY, as in every table taken busy. Still, we only waited a few minutes for a table while the hostess set it up for us. I started off with a glass of wine while the hubby got an expertly prepared Manhattan, straight up. For our appetizer course, we got the spicy chicken rolls, egg drop soup, and a refreshing citrus salad with shrimp. (Sadly, I had to revoke 1 star for the volume level and the cramped conditions. We could barely hear ourselves think much less engage in conversation. The lady at the table behind us struggled to squeeze past me to get to the friggin bathroom.) We asked our waiter for entree recommendations and he was quick to suggest the coconut rice with tofu and the pad thai. Both were delicious with generous portions. Service was professional, calm, and attentive even though there seemed to be a grand total of 2 waitstaff for the entire restaurant. With our bellies sated, we were offered dessert. Reluctantly (sarcasm people), we opted for the Tiramisu. It was divine. Overall, a very unexpected treat in sleepy Western Mass. Fresh Side is a serious restaurant in the disguise of a cafe. We will be back! read more

I wish that we could give 3.5 stars, but ultimately I rounded down because our experience was just alright. The food was only okay. I enjoyed my chicken coconut curry noodles but I tried a few of the other dishes and drinks and I didn't like them very much. The menu is also very ambiguously Asian. Kind of confusing and definitely not authentic. The decor isn't the nicest but this place is pretty affordable so that's understandable. The service was good- I was part of a group of 7 and they accommodated us well despite not having a reservation. The server also split checks for all of us without complaint, which was nice. Overall, it was a decent experience but I'm not in a hurry to come back. read more

After eating at Fresh Side three times, I have to say that the food has gotten worse each time. Although Fresh Side has a comfortable atmosphere and reasonable prices, recently the flavors have been off point, and food not cooked with care. I ordered the udon noodles with bean curd, green beans, and garlic. The udon noodles were very hot, while the green beans were still a bit frozen. The sauce was an overpowering flavor of garlic and soy sauce that wasn't well integrated with the food. If you are looking for a last minute casual meal Fresh Side may be an option, but I wouldn't count on being wowed by the dishes...The tea rolls and teas are dependable. I would say the restaurant needs a little revamping, because the menu has been static for quite some time now. read more

My experience at Fresh Side was not great. The food was sub-par. The Chicken Teriyaki was nothing special. It was something I could have made at home, only less bland and made from real chicken. It tasted like processed printed meat, which I did not enjoy. If I returned at all, I would definitely order something different. The atmosphere was slightly dingy and cramped, and did not seem to put much effort into creating an enjoyable dining experience. I also couldn't seem to understand the theme of the restaurant. It was asian, but it was also not, and there was not a specific asian cuisine targeted. It's affordable and located in a college town, which is probably why they have the business they do. It was an inexpensive dinner for me, so I definitely can't complain on that aspect. I was in a large party and we were accommodated without a reservation which we very much appreciated. Overall, it was only okay. I might give it a second chance another day as I work in food service and understand there are off-days, but ultimately I wasn't impressed. read more

ok for everyone who gave this place more than 2 Stars, i'm just gonna assume you've never tried Real Asian Food before OR you just prefer your food completely flavorless because clearly you despise spices of any kind and therefore do not welcome any form of joy in your life. i tried several different kinds of their "T-Rolls" and it was almost as if i ate shredded cardboard wrapped inside an old newspaper. it was so dry and bland that the only saving grace was the Hoisin sauce - which can be purchased at any Asian Market (or maybe even the International Food aisle of your local grocery store) for just a couple of bucks, and would last you for more than half of a Recycled Mixed Paper Burrito aka ""T-Roll"". they give you a tiny cup of the sauce but really, you'd need a whole bottle of it to give the Papier-mâché Diaper aka """T-Roll""" any sort of flavor. i also tried a few other of their menu items and their noodles and curry were nothing to write home about. i've had instant curry that came in a package that tasted about the same, and it cost me a fraction of the price. the prices are exorbitant compared to what you're getting; you'd think that at least the portion sizes would be something to write home about, not something to write a scathing review on yelp about. (more like STALE Side, amirite???) i never regret going somewhere to eat, but this one came close to being my first. the only reason why i don't regret coming here is that now i know to avoid this place and to save my friends the trouble by never recommending this place to anyone. the only positive thing i took away from this experience is that their awful excuse for Asian food made me want to get more in touch with my culture by seeking out my own ingredients, learning recipes, and preparing my own Asian food, just like how my mama made made it. read more

My favorite Pad Thai EVER. That and the peanut edo rolls are a go to comfort food to me now. One of the top five best restaurants in Amherst. read more

A clean, fresh and affordable take on Asian food that I thoroughly enjoy on every visit. And it's a regular stop for me. Great bang for your buck. :-) read more

I am a longtime fan of this place. It tends to run a tad on the sweet side but that is fine by me. I have had many things on the menu and everything is just great! Faves are the chili tofu and the asian peanut noodle salad. Tea rolls are always fun to add to it as well! And there are plenty of options for vegetarian/vegan as well as gluten free. My favorite spot in Amherst. read more

Not a bad place. Most of the menu is of a light, fresh fare. Decent service and drinks. Quite loud in there when it gets even moderately busy. Seems to be mostly Thai-influenced. Little bit disappointed in the peanut butter flavored sauces. If they're attempting to recreate Thai peanut sauce, they're off the mark. If peanut butter is the flavor they're going for, they've hit the bulls-eye, and I'll take a pass. read more

Fresh Side is a good restaurant at an affordable price. I really enjoyed the ambiance, as it was a cozy little restaurant with a nice view of downtown Amherst. The menu was primarily Asian fusion, and I had a difficult time deciding what to order because I wasn't sure what several of the menu items were. The entree I ordered was the five spice beef served over white rice with sautéed vegetables. I though it was a good not great dish but only because it was a little too spicy for me. The quality of the beef and vegetables were fantastic! The service at this restaurant was also adequate. Overall I gave this restaurant a 3 out of 5 because it just really wasn't for me. I think if you are a fan of authentic Asian foods and tea then this is definitely worth checking out. I would still recommend it to anyone, because the food was cheap so even if you're not blown away, you won't waste a lot of money. The menu also has healthier options than most restaurants in town. read more

On warm summer Saturdays, Fresh Side is one of my favorite places to eat lunch. The sidewalk tables are shady and comfortable, well-situated for plenty of people watching but far enough from the really busy part of Pleasant Street that you won't be getting a side of exhaust with your meal. Across the street is the Common, bustling with Amherst's great farmers' market. Fresh Side's core menu is perfect for summer days, too, especially the summer rolls and noodle salads. The cocktail menu is also pretty great, though overlooked - this is the only place I've had a cilantro mojito, and it was delicious. read more

Fresh Side - Tofu basil tea roll - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

Bland Asian food. We ordered one of the tea rolls filled with rice and peanut sauce. They were incredibly dry and with every bite, I was hoping for something more in the center. Big disappointment after all the hype. The Five Spice Noodle soup was spicy but nothing out of the ordinary. The Pho (regular sized) came in a tiny portion and had too much ginger. Overall, this place was not impressive. This is where you go with your white friends who want to feel cultured but are too scared to venture into real ethnic foods. I have yet to find a good pho place in Western Massachusetts that compares to anything you can find in Boston's Chinatown. I recommend Noodles in Northampton for those who can't make the drive east. (However, Fresh Side does did have a good dessert. Their chocolate truffle cake was decadent, perfectly moist and not too sweet. Worthy repurchase!) read more

I ate here the other day wanted some Thai food and I was sorely disappointed in what I got. First, there is no free parking it's all metered; it's not a deal breaker anywhere but when nothing else is right it's a strike against as it adds a little more cost. My party walked in and didn't really know what to do as there is no sign and no one working there paid any attention to us. After standing at the counter for a min we should have just left as that was to set the tone for the service. Once we sat down, got menus and got our water from a guy who seemed peeved to have to deal with us we were left alone for an unusually long time. Tracking down our waiter, we finally ordered, a couple of rolls and meals all around. The food seemed to take forever to get there. The Food: The good news is that all the food seemed fresh and clean. The bad news is that it doesn't taste at all like Thai food and in fact it doesn't really taste like much at all. The flavor is bland and boring. Veggie combinations of cucumbers and carrots with tasteless sauce just seem like a watery crunch. The noodles dishes were all insipid and slightly tedious to eat. It took us forever to get the bill, get it picked up, and get it back again and we got out of there quickly. The bottom line is that tasteless food and horrible service can not be fixed by better quality ingredients that they can't seem make get together. read more

So.. We won't be going here again... We loved the Fresh Side, we probably have gone at least half a dozen times...the Tea Rolls are reason enough to deal with the traffic and lights coming from Northampton. However, tonights experience changed all that... We got there and it was crowded (ish) but there was not a wait, and I would hope nothing they were not use to, being a restaurant in Amherst when school is in session.... it started with us not getting water for about 10 minutes.. as well as not having our order taken after about 3 times of making eye contact with our completely absent waiter... Then after taking our order we were informed that there were not clean glasses...(what?!?) and that we would be getting water as soon as some had been cleaned... we ordered drinks, Tea Rolls as a starter and a main meal... Our drinks came about 10 minutes later.. still no water.. I asked the waiter for water and finally got some.. There was a table of totally loud college students.. which is to be expected.. but they seemed to have stolen all of our waiters attention... so clearly he was distracted... then about 15 minutes after our drinks arrive, we see our food coming out... uhm... earlier i mentioned the Tea Rolls make the drive worth while... we did not receive them.. only our mediocre.. overpriced (prices seem to have gone up...) food... fine whatever.. just don't charge us for them... we then see our waiter come over to the couple next to us and apologize for all that had gone wrong with their food and offered them a free Tea Roll....a few minutes later he comes over with our Tea Rolls apps.. now.. had he checked on us.. he would have realized we had not gotten them when we should have..( but we had not seen him since we placed our order.. 25 minutes earlier.).. and that no thank you we don't want them half way through our meal.. anyway... we never were apologized to.. we never were offered a free anything.. and our food sucked and took forever.. this is all sad because it was a good restaurant.. one we had even taken out of towners to... We won't be back.. sigh.... we'll have to find somewhere else to go on our way to Moan and Dove... read more

All I have to say is curry chicken salad tea roll... that is the one tea roll you HAVE to try. They are by far the best curry chicken I have ever had. An order of 4 tea rolls is very filling, although they're so good you'll want more. The prices are great too. read more

Fresh Side, We can't be friends anymore. About a month ago I stopped by for take out pad thai so I could have something to eat on the bus back to Boston. I put my pad thai in very roomy my shoulder tote while I waited for the bus to show. Unfortunately it was only after I got on that I noticed the strange smell coming from my bag. I took out the brown paper bag containing my pad thai in my tote and noticed that the bottom were wet, and so was the bottom of my bag. The problem: my takeout was packaged sideways in the paper bag, and the lid hadn't been secured to my takeout container so all of the oil was now seeping into my tote and made it's way into my wallet, book, journal, and makeup bag, all of which I had to throw out later. I was now on a three hour ride, fouling up the bus with my food. I felt totally humiliated and embarrassed. After cleaning as much of my bag as I could with a single wet wipe and the last foot of toilet paper in the bus bathroom, I wondered why my food smelled so offensive. Pad thai doesn't usually smell too offensive. I was starving and salvaged what I could of my meal. I took a few bites, and I swear this was one of the most disappointing things I've ever tasted, property damage aside. All I tasted was the fish sauce (which tasted waayyy more funky than usual) and the bland, tacky noodles. Despite not having eaten in 16 hours, I threw it out at my soonest opportunity. My pad thai didn't end up being pad thai at all but a thin layer sliced scrambled egg, a few green beans, and the most meager sprinkling of peanut on a bed of barely cooked rice noodles. I didn't even get a lime or lemon slice. My noodles still looked like they were in the package, they were so white, and had retained such straight lines in the container. I suspect that they only dunked a package of noodles into some hot water, fished it out and put some stuff over it. Fresh Side, this was SO EASY to prevent. How much work, how much concentration do you need to press down all four corners of the lid and make sure the container is flat on the bottom of the bag? I picked up my meal at 4pm in the summer so there was no reason for you to rush my order or the packaging of my meal. I want back all the stuff you broke, and the $14 I spent on one of the most horrendous meal of my life and maybe, maybe I might consider stopping by again. read more