The Hudson Valley welcomed 20 new restaurants and bars over the past few months, and there’s more to come. So, stay tuned and read on for our guide of the latest and greatest to grace our region’s already thriving gastronomic scene.
Among the notable newcomers, five eateries opened second locations in the Valley, including: burger joints Meyer’s Olde Dutch (Poughkeepsie) and The Burger Loft (Nyack); a Return Brewing taproom (Catskill); gastropub-slash-coffee shop Underground Coffee & Ales (New Paltz); and uber popular Cafe Diem (Piermont).
A handful of spots traded NYC for greener pastures: Shelter in Woodstock—formerly of Williamsburg—whips up unique cocktails, wood-fire pizzas, and Argentine empanadas on Mill Hill; acclaimed Brooklyn-based whole-animal butchery, The Meat Hook, opened a new location on the 300 block of Warren in Hudson (check out their prepared foods, local cheeses, and specials like burgers, barbecue, sandwiches, sausages, and more); Nansense—which was a cult-favorite vendor at the Queens Night Market—is cooking up Afghan burgers, masala fries, and mantu (dumplings) in Beacon.
Also in Beacon are two new Asian cafés to check out: Asahi Poke & Tea and Long Cha Thai. At Asahi, sip on refreshing milk, fruit, and slush bubble teas (check the wall poster with the top nine popular drinks, if you need help choosing) or indulge in poke bowls with spicy salmon or tuna, eel, yellowtail, or tofu. Head to Long Cha for Thai-style coffee and tea drinks, plus pastries.
BLK Hudson—across the river in Newburgh—is a woman-of-color-owned event venue (in a 160-year-old church) that has debuted a coffee bar and art house on Liberty. In addition to coffee drinks, iced teas, and lemonades, enjoy art installations, live music on the lawn, and co-working day passes.
Speaking of coffee, Autonomous Coffee Roastery joins Kingston’s strong lineup of java spots. You may recognize their beans (from Ethiopian French roasts to Viennese) from local farmers’ markets or the shelves of The Meat Wagon and Rosendale’s MyTown Marketplace. Grab a cuppa to go (or a bag of beans) at their new drive-thru location on Foxhall Avenue.
Fifty minutes north in Hensonville is Matilda, a farm-to-table dinner destination in a charming 16-room inn, The Henson. Owned by the couple behind Paracasa and Day June Luncheonette, popular dishes include Montauk ruby red prawns; cannelloni with morels, chard, nettles, and hen egg; and duck with hibiscus, bok choy, beets, and cherries.
Greene County is seeing a rise in bar culture with Bar Piscina (sibling to Casa Susanna) in Leeds, Chemistry Wine Bar (Catskill), and Athen’s pizza-forward Night School.
Keeping with the bar theme for a bit, don’t miss Sorry Charlie in Kingston’s North Ponckhockie for bar pies paired with cocktails.
Italian classics with a modern twist are on the menu at Hudson’s Via Cassia (try the bucatini all’Amatriciana), Pasta D’Oro in Pine Island (veal Cleopatra), and wine bar Lavagna in Suffern (order the caviar service for two).
Recently Opened and Coming Soon
The Governess: An American gastropub on the Poughkeepsie Waterfront
Pinkerton’s Bakery: A bakery-café in Kingston from the team behind Pie Society
Talia: Italian-French cuisine in a two-story, 120-seat restaurant in Port Chester
