Local Burger & Fries (Northampton, MA)

Northampton had been lacking a good mid-priced, non-sit-down restaurant, non-corporate fast-food burger since the demise of the Five Ninety One Food Stop. But this week, Local Burger & Fries stepped to fill the void. And it's off to a strong start.

LB&F offers a thin 6 oz. patty with nice char-grilled flavor. I haven't had the opportunity to sample all variations yet, but so far, the standout is the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Ranch Burger (not pictured here, though that is some fine bacon peeking out), as the sauces interact perfectly. That assessment may change once I try the 12 oz. cheese-stuffed Juicy Lucy.

Two kinds of beef are available: one is from a rotating "local farm of the week," and the other is Meyer Black Angus, which is not local but is "all natural" with no antibiotics or hormones. For a straight burger, going local is $6 and going cheap is $5.

Local Burger & Fries
16 Main Street
Northampton, MA
11AM - 10PM Sunday-Wednesday
11AM - 3AM Thursday-Saturday

Paradise City Tavern (Northampton, MA)

One of the competitors for most audacious Western Massachusetts burger is the "BBQ Burger" at Paradise City Tavern. Topped with BBQ pork, smoked gouda and a fried onion ring, it will impress and/or disgust all of your dining companions.

Paradise City Tavern pulls it off. Rib meat may be a more subtle pork addition than bacon, but the meats mingle well. I'll take a fried onion over raw any day. The smoked gouda melted nicely, and, true to its name, added a smoky flavor.

The burger itself is solid. Folks who like burgers on the rare side might be disappointed, PCT only offers "Pink" or "No Pink," and the "Pink" is more of a medium than medium rare. But the burger is flavorful nonetheless, with a decent, not dramatic, amount of juiciness.

If you're in the mood for an over-the-top burger, PCT's BBQ Burger will do the trick.

Paradise City Tavern

1 Bridge St.

Northampton, MA 01060

413-586-2664

Welcome

Welcome to Western Mass. Burgers (& More), where we'll be reviewing the burgers of the Pioneer Valley, including veggie burgers and whatever other foods strike our fancy. This is a great, and underrated, food area, but a little guidance can go a long way. If you have any recommendations of places we should visit, or wildly different opinions, that's what comments are for. Thanks for visiting!