Famous Deli-Licious Italian Pork Store
No need to schlep to the Bronx for your fix of porky Italian products. You can get your fresh Italian sausages (15 varieties!), prosciutto-studded lard bread, Italian combos, and hot soppressata right here. You’ll also find pretty much everything else you’d want from Little Italy, including house-made fresh mozzarella, pantry staples, prepared foods, and rainbow cookies.
Middletown; www.famousdelilicious.com
Roost
What could be better than bacon? The way they make bacon at Roost. Whole slabs of smoked pork belly are braised, sliced, threaded onto a skewer, and seared on the plancha for irresistibly crisp edges. It’s finished with a sweet-and-tangy orange-gochujang barbecue sauce and served with a palate-cleansing salad of shaved Granny Smith apple, mint, and crispy shallots.
Sparkill; www.roostinsparkill.com
Photo courtesy of Roost
Rockland Bakery
This place is like the Willy Wonka of bread factories. Open 365 days a year, the bakery produces tens of thousands of pounds of bread each day. Between the straight-from-the-oven aromas and conveyor belts loaded with every type of bread you can imagine (bagels, club rolls, baguettes, and ciabatta, oh my!), visitors can immerse themselves in the experience as bakers pull selections straight from the cooling racks.
Nanuet; www.rocklandbakery.com
Photo courtesy of Rockland Bakery
Bert’s Bread House
Inside the old Fishkill firehouse, Bert Premuto slivers hard rolls into breakfast sandwiches so good you’ll be thinking about a repeat order come lunch. Premuto wakes up in the wee hours of the morning to craft his homemade loaves and rolls, which he tops with golden eggs and cheese in the a.m.
Fishkill; www.bertsbreadhouse.com
Pamela’s On The Hudson
At Executive Chef/Owner Pamela Resch’s Modern American restaurant, tucked away in a residential neighborhood on the Newburgh waterfront, the view of the Hudson River and Newburgh-Beacon is always a showstopper, whether you’re having crab cakes and a fondue burger inside by the window or sitting out on the patio for weekend brunch or evening cocktails.
Newburgh; www.pamelasonthehudson.com
L&A Café
Sorry Philly, but this tiny, hole-in the-wall take-out joint makes the best cheesesteaks we’ve ever had. With three on the menu, the competition is stiff, but our favorite might just be the namesake version, featuring mozzarella, avocado, tomato, and jalapeños on a to-die-for hero.
Poughkeepsie; www.lnacafe.com
Photo courtesy of L&A Cafe
Front Street Tavern
When you spot it on the menu, your first thought is, Oh, that’s not right. But then you pause and decide, why not? The combination of chicken, marinara, and cheese (in this case, mozzarella and pecorino Romano) that we love in a wedge is even better and more gooey when it’s deep fried.
Kingston; www.frontstreetkingston.com
Barbaro
Friendly faces, lively chatter, and the warm smell of wood-fired pizza welcome you as you walk in the front door of Barbaro, located on one of the Hudson Valley’s cutest main streets. In the open dining room, booths nestled along the walls offer customers an intimate dining experience.
Millbrook; www.barbaromillbrook.com
Charlotte’s Catering & Restaurant
After taking in the beautiful flowering gardens and horse farm from the outdoor dining area at Charlotte’s, it’s time to dive into the equally lovely menu. Among the many options, we’re big fans of the crab cakes. Served as a pair with a scoop of black bean salsa, the Maryland lump crab meat is complemented by the subtle anise flavor of tarragon.
Millbrook; www.charlottesny.com
Terrapin
During Terrapin’s more than two decades in the Valley, few of its dishes have drawn diners as often as its quesadillas. The barbecue duck ones come stuffed with tangy braised duck, red onions, and fontina cheese. When paired with mango-avocado salsa, they’re delightful as an appetizer or a full meal.
Rhinebeck; www.terrapinrestaurant.com
Photo by Jennifer May
Jack’s Oyster House
Founded in 1913 (when a cup of coffee cost just a couple pennies), Jack’s Oyster House has retained much of its times-gone-by charm. While the prices have gone up, the culinary expertise has evolved, too, featuring seasonal and local ingredients, served by a dressed-to-the-nines waitstaff. Add some romantic lighting, steak and lobster, and a few martinis, and it’s the ideal spot to take a date.
Albany; www.jacksoysterhouse.com
Lolita’s Pizza
DIY pizza night is always a blast, especially when you have delicious ingredients from Lolita’s to whip together your masterpiece. Each kit comes with slow-fermented dough, fresh mozzarella, and sauce, plus the option to add extra ingredients like pepperoni and chili honey.
Poughkeepsie; www.lolitaspizza.com
Photo courtesy of Lolita’s
The Beacon Daily
The Beacon Daily’s fried chicken sandwich is the type of dish upon which foodie Instagram feeds thrive (check out our cover, for example) — but the photos don’t do it justice. To find out just how perfect that combination of crispy chicken, honey-butter hot sauce, and ranch-pimento cheese is on a cheddar-scallion biscuit, you’ll just have to try it yourself.
Beacon; www.thebeacondaily.com
Photo by Kimberly Glatz
– Brunch Cocktail Menu –
Most restaurant brunch spreads come with the standard drink selection: Bloody Mary, mimosa, maybe a Bellini or two. But at Café Madison, the AM Cocktails menu features more than a dozen day-drinking-approved options, including grapefruit-honey mimosas, bacon Bloody Marys, pomegranate-Champagne cocktails, and boozy riffs on caramel lattes and chai.
Albany; www.cafemadisonalbany.com
Boutique Wines & Spirits
For a hard-cider lover, any establishment with more than one cider on tap is worth a visit. In Fishkill, Boutique Wines & Spirits has 13 draft ciders, as well as 175 bottled and canned craft ciders, making it the go-to shop for any cider you’re craving, including single-varietal, heirloom, unfiltered, fruited, and rosé ciders, plus many more.
Fishkill; www.boutiquewsc.com
Coppersea Distillery
Coppersea has distinguished itself in the national spirit market by recovering tradition, establishing terroir, and prioritizing taste. Heirloom varietals of barley, corn, and rye are sourced from their 75-acre farm; production methods reflect centuries of spirit-making traditions; and the results are rich, balanced spirits with warm, vanilla and caramel characteristics.
New Paltz; www.coppersea.com
Photo by Meghan Spiro
Great 9 Gin at Denning’s Point Distillery
The team at Denning’s poured over recipes spanning the history of gin making before arriving at their award-winning Great 9 Gin. (It has converted a long list of self-proclaimed gin haters.) The formula includes nine aromatics, resulting a light-bodied, citrusy spirit that is a perfect in a gin and tonic or with a splash of grapefruit soda.
Beacon; www.denningspointdistillery.com
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery
At any given time, you’ll find at least three, dry rosés — an affordable blend, bubbly sold in growlers, and a Pinot Noir rosé made in the Champagne method — at this Gardiner winery. Lovers of the pink stuff should also visit the tasting room for a flight (a total steal at $8), which features four blushing wines that’ll have you putting together a discounted case to take home.
Gardiner; www.whitecliffwine.com
Kingston Wine Co.
Owners Michael and Theresa Drapkin opened this shop dedicated to biodynamic, organic, small-production bottles well before the natural wine trend took off in the Valley. The shelves are full of (largely affordable) exciting finds, like Chilean skin-contact Muscat of Alexandria, Czech Pinot Noir, fizzy pét-nat, and cherry-colored red blends. But it’s also the Drapkins’ guidance — and their informative, yet never snooty Instagram — that helps the shop reach true gem status.
Kingston; www.kingstonwine.com
Zeus Brewing Company
If the name doesn’t tip you off, Zeus Brewing is kind of epic. From its prime location in downtown Poughkeepsie, the craft brewery pours beers like its Zeus IPA and Queen City Pils alongside Italian-inspired pastas and pizzas. Enjoy them in the brewpub or, during warmer months, on the rooftop overlooking the Hudson.
Poughkeepsie; www.zeusbrewingco.com
One of three dining spaces at The Maker, the Lounge drips with gorgeous details, including leather walls, original wood and tiled-mosaic floors, tassel pendant lights, an 1878 Belgian Neoclassical fireplace, and a restored 18th-century mirror. The expertly executed cocktails match the vintage vibes (check the origin dates on the menu), from the Bourbon Smash and Vieux Carré to the gin-based Hanky Panky.
Hudson; www.themaker.com/lounge
Photo courtesy of The Maker
Milea Estate Vineyard
On a quiet hillside in Staatsburg, Milea Estate Vineyard is busy crafting award-winning vintages that wow local oenophiles. Say a toast with a glass of Cabernet Franc or, better yet, savor each sip of the winery’s semi-dry Riesling on the panoramic patio. P.S. Did we mention Milea makes cider, too?
Staatsburg; www.mileaestatevineyard.com
Luigi’s Famiglia Cucina
Luigi Rukaj’s path to Carmel is lined with fettucini Alfredo. He got his start in Rome, where he worked for the family who invented the dish, and then came to NYC in 1978, to work for the family in Alfredo’s Original of Rome. Today Rukaj, his wife, and kids serve traditional favorites, such as osso buco, which takes 24 hours to prep; family recipes (try Mamma’s Special cake); and wood-fired brick-oven pizzas. All keep to Rukaj’s motto: “For good stuff, you have to wait.”
Carmel; www.luigisofcarmel.com
Photo courtesy of Luigi’s Famiglia Cucina
Top Taste
Kingston locals may know Chef/Owner Albert Bartley as Sammy or Uncle, but the country knows him now, too, as a 2020 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: New York State. National write-ups have shed light on the heavenly Jamaican dishes he is cooking out of his triangular slice of real estate: Rum cake, coconut rice, jerk chicken, red snapper escovitch…brace yourselves.
Kingston; find them on Facebook
Kale and Beet Salad at Cosimo’s
A favorite version of the ultra-ubiquitous salad is this one from Cosimo’s with delicate leaves of baby kale, creamy goat cheese, and roasted heirloom beets. Tossed in a bright Champagne vinaigrette, it winks at your from behind mounds of pasta and steals your attention.
Middletown, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Woodbury; www.cosimos.com
Equilibrium Bonfire at Equilibrium Brewery
What’s better than a just-poured glass of Hudson Valley beer? That same beer with a platter of Equilibrium’s mouthwatering barbecue. The Middletown brewery’s restaurant concept leans heavily upon Texan ’cue for its finger-licking beef ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Menu favorites sell out regularly, so get those orders in early.
Middletown; www.eqbrew.com
Photo courtesy of Equilibrium Brewery
Goosefeather
Right off the bat, the unexpected old-meets-new décor at this upscale Cantonese restaurant in the historic King Mansion at Tarrytown House Estate is stunning. Thankfully, Dale Talde’s menu — you might recognize him from Top Chef — is equally compelling, giving Chinese favorites a contemporary twist, from the dry-aged beef pot stickers and chilled lobster bao to the watermelon shaved ice with calamansi, dulce de leche, and mochi.
Tarrytown; www.goosefeatherny.com
Photo by All Good NYC
River Street Market
Located on the first floor of Troy’s Hedley Park Place, River Street Market is a treasure trove for all-day eats. Start with a caffeine shot from Stacks Espresso Bar, before hitting health-food hotspot Maria’s for lunch and Albany’s 677 Prime offshoot, Prime Burger, for dinner.
Troy; www.riverstreetmkt.com
Patisserie Didier Dumas
Lines can snake down the block with customers waiting to fill a baker’s box with pretty, pastel-colored sweets at this Nyack patisserie and café. Chief among the offerings are macarons: light, crisp, jewel-toned meringue shells, which sandwich jams, creams, and ganache in flavors like chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio, raspberry, lemon, lavender, and passionfruit.
Nyack; find them on Facebook
Nine Cakes
Betsy Thorleifson opened a second location of her beloved Brooklyn cake studio in Hudson in 2019. Wedding and special occasion cakes are the specialty here — Thorleifson’s creations have graced the pages of Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings — but you can also drop in anytime for a mini cake or slice of classic chocolate and vanilla, funfetti with fresh strawberries, hazelnut with maple buttercream, or other rotating flavors.
Hudson; www.ninecakes.com/hudson
Photo courtesy of Nine Cakes
Love Bites Chocolate Shoppe
These Instagram-worthy creations are as delightful to look at as they are to eat. Gilette Creamery ice cream serves as the base for these creative confections and fun flavors, which range from a shocking blue shake topped with a generous portion of cotton candy, to PB&J with swirls of peanut butter and jelly. Head there now for special seasonal flavors like apple pie.
Monroe; www.lovebiteschocolateshoppe.com
Restaurant Kinsley
At the new Hotel Kinsley, Zak Pelaccio and Taavo Somer (of NYC’s iconic Freemans) have pulled off the seemingly impossible: They’ve managed to create a restaurant that’s buzzy, impeccably styled, and yet, somehow, feels laid back and unpretentious. And while the design gets all the Instagram love — the historic bank building has been completely renovated with rust-colored booths and lush banana plants — the dining is what’s truly noteworthy, from the wine list to the strip steak with chicories and poached figs.
Kingston; www.hotelkinsley.com/the-restaurant
Photo by Nicole Franzen
Don Fernando Restaurant
In Lima, Peru, long lines stretched around the block every day at lunchtime for Don Fernando’s famous chicken. These days, you can join the fiercely loyal lunch crowd in Newburgh for one of the plump birds with crisp, salty, mahogany skin that will have you licking your fingers for the rest of the afternoon. Order a quarter, half, or whole chicken with your choice of fries, salad, or chaufa (Peruvian fried rice).
Newburgh; www.donfernandorest.com
Izla
Unless it’s abuelita’s cooking, Puerto Rican cuisine doesn’t get much better than Izla. The Fishkill restaurant serves Borinquen classics like empanadas, pernil, tostones, and even pasteles, a savory treat typically served only at Christmas. Izla also offers sandwiches and salads, but enticing your sweet tooth with the flan or tres leches is truly where it’s at.
Fishkill; www.izlaspanishrestaurant.com
Mohonk Mountain House
Served Saturday and Sunday (by reservation only) in the historic main dining room, the indulgent three-course brunch features homemade pastries, signature omelets, mouthwatering entrées like lobster mac ’n’ cheese and crispy pork belly sandwiches, and decadent desserts, including crème brûlée with fresh berries. The $84 per person price tag also includes access to the grounds, with 85 miles of hiking trails, Victorian Gardens, and Sky Top Tower.
New Paltz; www.mohonk.com
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York
Noodle Hub
From the pad see eew to the spring rolls and green papaya salad, the vast majority of the menu can be made vegan (and often gluten-free) at this Tappan spot, where the sauces are made in-house, the ingredient list never includes MSG or processed white sugar, sourcing emphasizes local and organic products, and everything from the straws to the takeout bags is environmentally conscious.
Tappan; www.eatnoodlehub.com
Backbar
The art of Japanese yakitori hasn’t quite caught in the Hudson Valley, except on select nights at Backbar, when Zak Pelaccio fires up his steel-and-brick charcoal grill. The menu includes the traditional variety of chicken (breast, thigh, filet, heart, oyster, and oh-so-crispy skin), as well as a variety of other dishes, like raw oysters with Szechuan mignonette or grilled foie gras, and an excellent selection of sake.
Hudson; www.backbar-hudson.com
AJ Café
Wappingers Falls
www.ajcafewappingers.com
Hopewell Hot Bagels
Hopewell Junction
Find them on Facebook
Deising’s Bakery
Kingston
www.deisings.com
Liberty Street Bistro
Newburgh
www.libertystreetbistro.com
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Billy Bob’s BBQ
Poughkeepsie
www.billybobsbbq.biz
Terrapin
Rhinebeck
www.terrapinrestaurant.com
Eveready Diner
Brewster, Hyde Park
www.evereadydiner.com
Shadows on the Hudson
Poughkeepsie
www.shadowsonthehudson.com
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Handshakes Bar & Grill
Hopewell Junction
www.handshakes-bar-and-grill.com
The Anchor
Kingston
www.theanchorkingston.com
Smokehouse of the Catskills
Saugerties
Find them on Facebook
Lola’s Café and Gourmet Catering
New Paltz, Poughkeepsie
www.lolascafeandcatering.com
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Samuel’s Sweet Shop
Rhinebeck
www.samuelssweetshop.com
Cosimo’s Brick Oven
Middletown, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Woodbury
www.cosimos.com
The Beacon Daily
Beacon
www.thebeacondaily.com
Danny Crocco of Mill House Brewing Company
Poughkeepsie
www.millhousebrewing.com
P&G’s Restaurant and Bar
New Paltz
www.pandgs.com
Krause’s Chocolates
New Paltz, Rhinebeck, Saugerties
www.krauseschocolates.com
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Bank Square Coffeehouse
Beacon
www.banksquarecoffeehouse.com
County Fare
Wappingers Falls
www.countyfareny.com
Sweet Obsessions Café
Poughkeepsie
www.1sweetobsession.com
Rosticceria Rossi & Sons
Poughkeepsie
www.rossideli.com
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Mamma Musetti’s (closed)
Wappingers Falls
Eveready Diner
Brewster, Hyde Park
www.evereadydiner.com
Glazed Over Donuts
Beacon
www.glazedoverdonuts.com
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Henry’s at the Farm
Milton
www.buttermilkfallsinn.com/henrys
Farmers & Chefs
Poughkeepsie
www.farmersandchefs.com
Heritage Food + Drink
Wappingers Falls
www.heritagefooddrink.com
Chakra Bowls
Poughkeepsie
www.chakrabowlscafe.com
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County Fare
Wappingers Falls
www.countyfareny.com
Holy Cow
Red Hook
Find them on Facebook
Blend Smoothie and Salad Bar
Middletown, Mohegan Lake, New Windsor
www.blendsmoothiebar.com
Alexis Diner
Newburgh
www.thealexisdiner.com
Lola’s Café and Gourmet Catering
New Paltz, Poughkeepsie
www.lolascafeandcatering.com
Mix N Mac
Middletown
www.mixnmac.com
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Joe’s Dairy Bar & Grill
Hopewell Junction
www.joesdairybarandgrill.com
Café Con Leche
Wappingers Falls
www.nycafeconleche.com
Oak & Reed
Middletown
www.oakandreeddowntown.com
The Dutchess Biercafe
Fishkill
www.thedutchessbiercafe.com
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Shadows on the Hudson
Poughkeepsie
www.shadowsonthehudson.com
Stephano’s Ristorante
Fishkill, Wappingers Falls
www.stephanosristorante.com
Pizza Mia
Highland, Newburgh
www.pizzamiagroup.com
Pizza Shop
Newburgh
www.pizza-shop.com
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Fetch Bar & Grill
Warwick
Find them on Facebook
Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz
www.mohonk.com
Terrapin
Rhinebeck
www.terrapinrestaurant.com
Rosticceria Rossi & Sons
Poughkeepsie
www.rossideli.com
Blu Pointe
Newburgh
www.blu-pointe.com
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Yum Yum Noodle Bar
Kingston, Red Hook, Woodstock
www.yumyumnoodlebar.com
The Ship Lantern Inn
Milton
www.shiplanterninn.com
Schlesinger’s Steak House
New Windsor
www.schlesingerssteakhouse.com
Bonsai
Fishkill, Poughkeepsie
www.bonsaisushiny.com
Hudson Taco
Newburgh
www.hudsontaco.com
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Tomáš Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Wappingers Falls
www.tomasrestaurantgroup.com
Tea Talk
Poughkeepsie
www.teatalkteas.com
Chakra Bowls
Poughkeepsie
www.chakrabowlscafe.com
Steven Aigner of The Roosevelt Bar
Beacon
www.hudsonvalleyfoodhall.com
Melzingah Tap House
Beacon
www.melzingahtaphouse.com
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Half Time
Mamaroneck, Poughkeepsie
www.halftimebeverage.com
Newburgh Brewing Company
Newburgh
www.newburghbrewing.com
Angry Orchard
Walden
www.angryorchard.com
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Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery
Gardiner
www.tuthilltown.com
AJ Café
Wappingers Falls
www.ajcafewappingers.com
Mahoney’s Irish Pub & Steakhouse
Poughkeepsie
www.mahoneysirishpub.com
Café Maya
Wappingers Falls
Find them on Facebook
Heritage Food + Drink
Wappingers Falls
www.heritagefooddrink.com
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di’Vine Wine Bar
Wappingers Falls
www.divinewinebarwappingers.com
Max’s on Main
Beacon
www.maxsonmain.com
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
Millbrook
www.millbrookwine.com
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di’Vine Wine Bar
Wappingers Falls
www.divinewinebarwappingers.com
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
Millbrook
www.millbrookwine.com
Liberty Street Bistro
Newburgh
www.libertystreetbistro.com
Jade Palace
Wappingers Falls
www.jadepalacewappingersfalls.com
Brasserie 292
Poughkeepsie
www.brasserie292.com
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Schatzi’s Pub & Bier Garden
New Paltz, Poughkeepsie
www.iloveschatzis.com
Athena Gyro
Lagrangeville
www.athenagyrolagrange.com
Tanjore
Fishkill
www.tanjoreindiancuisine.com
Cosimo’s Brick Oven
Middletown, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Woodbury
www.cosimos.com
Kobe Hibachi
Poughkeepsie
www.kobeny.com
Café Con Leche
Wappingers Falls
www.nycafeconleche.com
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Athena Gyro
Lagrangeville
www.athenagyrolagrange.com
Café Maya
Wappingers Falls
Find them on Facebook
Golden Buddha Thai
Fishkill
www.goldenbuddhathai.com
Druthers Brewing Company
Albany
www.druthersbrewing.com
Ca’Mea Restaurant
Hudson
www.camearestaurant.com
Mill House Brewing Company
Poughkeepsie
www.millhousebrewing.com
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Rip Van Winkle Brewing Company
Catskill
www.ripvanwinklebrewery.com
Hudson Taco
Newburgh
www.hudsontaco.com
Riverview Restaurant
Cold Spring
www.riverdining.com
Plumb Oyster Bar
Troy
www.plumb.bar
La Terrazza
New City
www.laterrazzarestaurant.com
Main Street Bistro
New Paltz
www.mainstreetbistro.com
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Pocantico Hills
www.bluehillfarm.com
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Beer World
Kingston, Catskill, Monroe, and six other locations
www.beerworldstore.com
Brookby Farm
Dover Plains
www.brookbyfarm.com
Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market
Rhinebeck
www.rhinebeckfarmersmarket.com
Gadaleto’s Seafood Market and Restaurant
New Paltz
www.gadaletos.com
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Adams Fairacre Farms
Kingston, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Wappinger
www.adamsfarms.com
Warwick Valley Olive Oil
Warwick
www.warwickvalleyoliveoil.com
Mother Earth’s Storehouse
Poughkeepsie
www.motherearthstorehouse.com
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Arlington Wine & Liquor
Poughkeepsie
www.arlingtonwine.net
Arlington Wine & Liquor
Poughkeepsie
www.arlingtonwine.net