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111 Pleasant Street
Downtown Northampton
(413) 586-5343
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Sylvester's
Restaurant is steeped in history! |
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To adequately understand and appreciate
Sylvester's Restaurant's history (and current existence),
one must take into consideration that it is nestled in the
heart of downtown Northampton, Massachusetts, which itself
has a diverse and rich history.
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THEN....Purchased
in 1654 from the Nonotuck Native Americans as a small farming
settlement, Northampton is now home to approximately 30000
inhabitants. From very early on, Northampton has attracted
and even been home to a wide variety of remarkable individuals.
Jonathan Edwards, famous (infamous?) fire and brimstone preacher
and founding father of the "Great Awakening" lived
in Northampton for over 20 years in the early 1700's.
Sylvia Plath graduated from Smith College (a prestigious women's
college) and Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke alongside Sojourner
Truth regarding revolutionary ideas of equality and justice.
President Calvin Coolidge started his political career in
Northampton, and on completely disparate note, the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles sprang into existence in the minds of
local residents Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. And of course,
Northampton served as home to Sylvester Graham, the restaurant's
namesake.
For a more in-depth brief history of Northampton, be sure
to check out NoHo.com's Brief History.
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AND NOW...Sylvester
Graham's home's current incarnation began in 1983 when Peter
St. Martin and Maureen McGuinness purchased Graham's home
by scraping together personal savings, and bank and personal
loans. Considering that immediately prior to their acquisition
two restaurants had failed in this location, both were somewhat
apprehensive. However, through years of hard work and determination,
Sylvester's has prospered and gained in notoriety as the premiere
breakfast spot in the Pioneer Valley.
Soon after opening, Sylvester's started attracting attention;
customers would wait in line on the weekends (as they still
do) to get a table. The homey decor (natural wood panels,
tin ceiling, natural flowers at the table) has matured and
grown, as has the building itself.
The restaurant's growing popularity - a testament to which
is that less than a full two years after opening, Sylvester's
claimed top honors for breakfast in the Valley Advocate's
(the Pioneer Valley's alternative news weekly) "Best
Of" reader's poll and since then, Sylvester's has consistently
ranked among the top 3 contenders for assorted restaurant
categories, including this year's 'Best Breakfast Spot' -
prompted (demanded?) Peter and Maureen to add an extension
to increase the restaurant's capacity to satiate the Valley's
diners. Even with the extra, sunny and open space, people
line up outside waiting for the next available table (on cold
days, hungry "Grahamites" pack themselves into the
foyer like sardines - the food is really that good!).
The tremendous success of the restaurant has been augmented
by Peter and Maureen's participation in the community as active
members of the local Chamber of Commerce (the main offices
just happen to be immediately next door to Sylvester's) and
through the donation of the restaurant's facilities for AidsCare
benefits and other fund raising activities.
The connection to the surrounding area (geographically, historically
and communally) is evident in Sylvester's menu. Items like
the "West of Wooster", a sandwich named after our
location, the "Calvin Coolidge Club" (a hearty triple-decker
turkey BLT sandwich), Mohawk Trail Chai Tea are prime examples. |
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