North Hadley Sugar Shack

A wonderful hyper-​local spot just out of the beaten path of the usual Amherst-​Hadley-​Northampton (and student) circuit. The prices are all very low for food in the restaurant, great for a homemade comfort-​food breakfast with real maple sugar on top! I wish the portions were larger because my pancakes were something special. Will definitely be returning come next sugaring season.

The only downside was that they were not boiling the day I was there. :)
OMG so perfect. This place is amazing. The staff was so nice, the syrup was so tasty. The breakfasts were solid. Lots of options,
The coffee was really good.
Perfect spot for a cold spring (Northeast spring. It was snowing.) morning. We huddled at the table, had warm foods covered in sweet fresh syrup.
I am going to bring the kids here soon. There’s a farm/​explore spot on site. (With Goats! Well, a goat.)
I also got a quart of pure syrup, and some amazing apple cider donuts.

I randomly showed up with a table of nine and they were super helpful and friendly. We had to wait about half an hour. Then when we had an unexpected addition to our group, they found a place for them, all while cheerful and happy. The food was top-​notch and the service was friendly and fast! I would recommend this place to everyone (actually I have been since I went) and I am totally going to go back as soon as I can.

The words local and maple would describe this place. There seemed to be maple syrup and products merchandised
At every turn. Unfortunately, I didn’t get breakfast at this visit, didn’t try the maple ice cream, and didn’t get to the petting zoo, because the zoo wasn’t open and the
Ice cream wasn’t available. Mid-​March wasn’t the time to go I guess, except for syrup. They really focus on local items including, dairy, meats, spices, ice cream,
Etc. The bakery is where it’s at, with cider donuts, pies, breads, and various forms of
Maple glazed everything. Beer and wine for sale. A small deli, grocery, produce, and frozen foods. It is a bit touristy, and you could find yourself buying a North Hadley Sugar Shack T-​shirt. Maybe stopping back in late spring or especially fall would be a better bet, to try the ice cream, and see the animals.

This is a review of the deli only. I ordered the logger wrap which was supposed to have turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, etc. and I added avocado. There was no bacon and the cheese wasn’t cheddar and the avocado was brown — not ok at $.75 extra. I got it to go and didn’t know any of this until home. It was very disappointing to say the least. Also there was a veggie wrap listed on the specials board as we walked in and my father in law wanted that. It turned out to be yesterday’s special and the worker was very nonchalant about the error and didn’t offer an apology or any rectification of the situation (such as fixing the board at least), just sort of shrugged her shoulders. Cute market but their deli and service needs some improvement.

Nothing special about the Sugar Shack other than it was clean, had a modest amount of product and most folks seemed to gravitate toward the ice cream and bakery products. I still think if your are out for a Sunday drive in the area it is worth a visit.

A must! We go out of our way every season for the maple soft serve. They make their own maple syrup too and use it on maple sundaes.
Next on the list is their incredible coffee shake. It’s made with ice cream (your choice of flavors) and a shot of chilled espresso! Not overly sweet and big coffee flavor.
At their farm store, you can buy homemade pies and other treats and their own ice cream including maple bacon!
The people who work here are very friendly. Open mid May to Oct till 8pm.

If you want a fantastic breakfast of pancakes and waffles, this is the place. I had waffles with maple bacon ice cream, with a side order of bacon. It was amazing. There is also a store attached that sells various food items and delicious baked goods. There are attractions that I believe feature farm animals for the kids, but this was not yet open for the season when we visited.
When you go be prepared that there is going to be a huge crowd, and that you may have to wait for an hour to be seated. The restaurant is hectic and can be a bit of an ordeal if you aren’t prepared. But in the end you get waffles covered with maple bacon ice cream.
Maple bacon ice cream…

Just had breakfast here today — which was delicious especially the bacon. Although the maple elements of the establishment are great — the store leaves a lot to be desired. I bought a container of half and half, and this afternoon when I tried to use it it had already curdled. Not impressive. I called to see what they could do for me, and the only option given was to drive out there and replace it, but it doesn’t make sense to spend 40 minutes driving to replace a three dollar item. Breakfast is good, but avoid the store — at least the dairy.

A real, working sugar shack which is definitely worth a visit for breakfast during sugaring season. The food is nothing to write home about, but that’s not why you come here — you come for the unlimited wonderful, delicious maple syrup. Skip the pancakes and head straight for the waffles because they hold the syrup better. I always top mine with a scoop of their homemade maple-​bacon ice cream, which could use more bacon but is great anyway.

Having moved from Boston to the Pioneer Valley just in time for sugar season, one of my professors said it’s a New England experience. I was like, I’ve lived in New England for 10 years and I’ve never heard mention of a sugar shack. I think she meant rural New England. Anyway, it was a good experience nonetheless.
The pancakes were good, not great, but the syrup was unbelievable. The service was good considering how packed it was. The coffee was brown water, but that is pretty much par for the course in Western Mass.
The best part was wandering around the grounds and watching them make syrup. I had no idea it took 40 gal of sap to make 1 gal of syrup!

Soft serve maple ice cream makes this place a DESTINATION!!!

Amazing breakfast as usual during sugar shack season. This time around I was lucky enough to watch the maple process as well as visit the other building where they make the treats. I was disappointed there was no farmstand but I think because this winter has been so cold the veggys are coming in later. I bought 6 bags of cotton candy for my co-​workers as well as many different maple products.

Makes me happy I live in the Pioneer Valley! Homey atmosphere and yummy breakfasts with their own syrup; what could be better? Nothing fancy, but that is part of its charm. They are friendly and accommodating and it’s fun to be there when they are boiling the sap. Delicious maple syrup and you have to bring home some of that and some maple cream that they make themselves. Homemade desserts, too including donuts dipped in maple cream. So glad they’re open for the season! A local treasure!

I love maple syrup so this place is great when its boiling season.
But $ 6.50 entry fee PER person (kids over 2) for the petting zoo? You have to pet the animals through the fence too! Seems a little over-​priced for Hadley.
They do have a great job displaying their pumpkins and mums during the fall. The inside of the store could definitely use an update, I wish they had more to browse around and look at.
Nice place to look around, takes about 10 minutes to look in the «store», 15 minutes for the outside. Prices are reasonable.

MAPLE SOFT SERVE?! Literally the best soft ice cream I have ever had.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as this place is concerned! Fresh produce, outstanding maple syrup, and smiling faces!

This review is for the restaurant only, as I haven’t had the opportunity to visit other parts of the farm.
One reviewer described the experience as «no frills» and I can’t agree more. Although I wasn’t expecting a fine dining experience, and don’t at all mind plastic cups and plates, the food was just so-​so. I ordered pancakes, eggs and sausage. The pancakes were fine, though nothing extraordinary. The sausage, however, was really overcooked and tough. My meal was $ 8, which I thought was high, given that it was so average. I really felt as if I could have done better in my own kitchen. We also ordered a side of home fries, which were a little too soft, and not terribly well seasoned.
That said, I appreciate their use of local ingredients, and would like to check out other parts of the farm. I’d certainly give the Sugar Shack another try.

I just have to rave about this place. Try the farm waffle with blueberries add whipped cream — and definitely add the maple syrup. It’s far from the best dish for your body, but it is delicious!
The whole area is gorgeous and rural, the staff is very friendly and professional and there are a ton of things to purchase in the restaurant itself. I highly recommend it.
For wheelchairs, it’s fairly accessible. It can be a tad difficult to get in the door, as there is a bump in the doorway, but I am sure the staff will help anyone who needs it, and it’s definitely worth the minimal amount of effort.
I went there on a cold, overcast March morning, and didn’t go close to the animal pen and the rest of it, but I intend to return some time when it is warmer and sunnier out. I did see some goats playing nearby in the pen, however.

I can’t say anything about the Sugar Shack without saying something about the road it sits on; Route 47 through Hadley is picturesque and gorgeous, winding its way along the Connecticut river and many local farms joining South Hadley and Montague. If you’re looking for a scenic country drive, I’d strongly recommend traversing its length from end to end. When I was in shape, I did this by bicycle quite frequently. The North Hadley Sugar Shack was my favorite stop along that ride.
Now, onto the Shack. There’s nothing like their signature maple soft serve anywhere. I’ve never heard of them running out. They use local ingredients from other local farms whenever possible, such as milk from Mapeline farms in Hadley and strawberries grown on the premises.
As family destinations go, what more can you ask than ice cream, a petting zoo, maple candy, a scenic location, a small playground and plenty of seating? Well, I suppose a sunny day can’t hurt.
Also, they sell pumpkins when in season. Big ones. Cheap.

I am pleased to be first. I love this place so much.
Seriously, if you’re traveling to Western Mass for one of those weekends in the country that I hear are so pleasant, get some soft serve maple ice cream here. Additionally, if you are there during sugaring season, have pancake breakfast and enjoy their FRESH, REAL maple syrup. It’s so lovely. Made from trees.
The sugar shack is a real maple sugar house (syrup made on site), family owned, and has been around for ages. Not a true local, (born in suburban Boston) I don’t know them personally, but have attended many a pancake breakfast, and saw them bustling around, serving and chatting with people who are.
they also have a muddy yard with animals to pet. Pigs and sheep and kids and dogs delight! Also chickens and roosters, which are only slightly less delightful.
It’s a sweet morning. Expect to have sticky hands. And if you’re into trees and syrup and all that hippie weirdness, you can expect to really, really love this place also.