Amherst Corner Restaurant

August 2024

I needed a place for a quick bite while driving to Lynchburg Virginia, and I found a hidden gem: Amherst Corner.

I entered and an older woman smiled and said, “What do you want to drink, honey?” So I knew this was a Southern restaurant, which was a bit of a relief.

I perused the menu, which was basically diner food: burgers, BLTs, chicken strips, and wings, plus quite a lot of fish. Good; they’re not over-extending themselves.

My server came over, and she looked maybe 16 years old. Which was odd, given that it was around noon on a Wednesday. That’s also when I noticed the 10-year-old boy handling the register. Again, odd.

After a little dithering I ordered the fish platter: fried haddock, fried shrimp, hush puppies, corn, and mashed potatoes. I bit in, and my eyes popped. I tasted the platonic ideal of fried haddock. And of fried shrimp. And of absolutely everything else on that plate. Not a reinvention or elevation; just exactly what I wanted and hoped for.

That’s when I saw the white knitted caps on several of the women in the kitchen. This was a Mennonite (or Mennonite-adjacent) restaurant. No wonder the food was so good.

I wish I’d gotten photos of the food instead of just the outside, but at least now you know what to look for. This is now my number one restaurant destination if I’m in the area.