Homestead. — Restaurant in Northampton

Just…wow. If you are in Northampton, in Western, MA, or even within a short plane ride of Homestead, you have to go. Likely the best meal I’ve had all year and a top 10 in my lifetime of (casual) New England foodie-ism.

We didn’t have Saturday night reservations but figured we might luck out by arriving shortly after they opened (around 5:20p). We were greeted by the host (and our server for the night) Cam who was an absolute ace. He was warm, helpful, and shared that while they were all booked with reservations, he could offer us two seats at the chef’s table looking into the open kitchen. What a treat! The dining room ambiance seemed lovely and low-key, but I think we got the best seats in the house. The chefs were masterful—so much fun to watch and very gracious in our brief interactions.

The drinks were top notch. I ordered the Feather Duster Crusta which was delicious and layered. My partner ordered the “Chai Noon” which was to-die-for—for cocktail fans, this drink is worth the visit alone. The body is fresh and fruity but topped with sweet and spicy chai foam(!!!). We’d never tried anything like it. A truly singular drink.

We ordered the maple roasted squash tapa which was autumnally delicious. Our main courses were also superb: I ordered the best cacio e pepe I’ve ever had with sweet corn and pea sprouts. My partner got the confit duck leg with roasted apple, caramelized onion & fennel, farro, thyme, rosemary cider glaze.

Our experience was made exceptional by Cam’s charming, prompt service and the professionalism of every team member with whom we interacted from the front to the back of the house. We visit Northampton every year and Homestead will now be our only “must see” staple from...

This place was absolutely incredible. Right away the hosts treated us like we were regulars that they were delighted to see, even though it was our first time here. My partner and I shared the focaccia (perfectly salty and soft), the olives (the marinade was perfect and not overwhelming), the burrata (with delicious beets and pesto), the meatballs (which are comparable to my grandma Giusepina’s), and the whipped ricotta (the honey addition was in perfect balance with the pepper and the crostinis). He got the pork tenderloin and I got the rigatoni bolognese, both were incredible, even if I couldn’t finish it because I was so full. However we then insisted on trying dessert, Tiramisu and mix between chocolate pudding and chocolate mousse. Even the coffee and espresso were amazing! Everything was beautifully balanced and treated like art, with a home cooked meal feel. And I’m always happy with a bar that has Amaro Nonino for my favorite cocktail the Paper Plane— which was garnished with an actual paper plane! If all of this wasn’t incredible enough, we could not stop singing the praises of our AWESOME server, Margaret. Right from the get go her personality shone through. She was attentive without being overbearing, made us laugh, and was so complimentary of the chefs and her fellow staff. She fits right in and I hope to have her every time I dine here, although I’m sure everyone is great. It seemed like she had been there for years, but she let it slip she’d only been working there a few weeks and I was shocked. We just could not have been more happy with her service, her recommendations, the ambience, and the food. I wish I could...

The ignorant and exclusionary culture of Homestead turns my stomach even more than the overpriced, under-seasoned food. I dined here with friends last night, and we noticed that the restaurant has no gender neutral bathroom. This is especially notable given the demographic makeup of Northampton and the fact that gender neutral bathrooms are the norm in this town. We asked if we might offer feedback to a manager. Unsurprisingly, we were far from the first to question the lack of gender neutral bathroom. We were told that the restaurant owner has coached his staff on how to respond to these frequent inquiries. First, the staff member explained that the existing bathrooms cannot be used as gender neutral bathrooms because each one has multiple stalls. He continued with the owner’s prescribed response, stating that converting the Men and Women’s bathrooms to gender neutral would require work, and “why spend money to decrease access.” Um, excuse me? Since when does providing ALL patrons with the ability to safely and comfortably use the restroom “decrease access?” Strangely, the biggest issue here might be that the owner advises his staff to promote his belief that inclusion is a waste of money. Ironically, the restaurant’s website claims it to be “the one place that everyone can truly be themselves.” They should add “unless you have to use the bathroom.” The owner is, at best, completely tone deaf to the community he claims to serve, and at worst, unapologetically bigoted. Either way, we are done...