New & Notable Eats this May

Notes from the Valley’s dining scene.

Sister restaurant to renowned Peck’s Arcade, Donna’s Italian brings Italian grandma-chic to Troy. Family matriarch favorites like chicken and eggplant parm, meatballs, and rigatoni Bolognese are served alongside thin-crust pizza in this most-welcome sea of red-and-white checked tablecloths. (One 14th St, Troy; 518.238.3932; www.donnasitalian.com)Post Road Brew House, a pop-up gastropub at the CIA, serves beer brewed right on campus and drafts from local makers. Expect casual bar food like mac and cheese, Cassoulet, and Fish and Chips. Hurry: It’s open until May 4 for lunch and June 15 for dinner! (1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park; 845.451.1015; www.ciarestaurantgroup.com/post-road-brew-house)Catch a flick at the Jacob Burns Film Center, then head over to Vela Kitchen just across the street, a New American fusion spot. Imaginative, seasonally changing entrees like Shrimp Rangoon and pan-seared scallops with cauliflower puree, Brussels sprouts, and fig glaze are the order of the day. (14 Washington Ave, Pleasantville; 914.769.2980; find them on Facebook)Build your own custom doughnut at Glazed Over Donuts, the eagerly anticipated artisan doughnut shop where you mix and match glazes like maple and caramel with toppings and drizzles ranging from almond and bacon to chocolate chips and strawberry. (315 Main St, Beacon; 845.765.0505; find them on Facebook)Coming May 20, The Gardiner Cupcake Festival features more than 20,000 cupcakes, plus fare from local wineries and cideries and free children’s activities. Vie for prizes in an amateur competition, or complete the 5K Cupcake Classic through an orchard before the event begins (so you can munch your way through without much guilt). (Wright Farms, 699 State Rte 208, Gardiner; 845.255.5300; www.gardinercupcakefestival.com)

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