From Hudson to Newburgh, local eateries serve authentic, addictive sabor with arepas, chimichangas, and street-style tacos.
Diego’s Taqueria
This colorful Uptown restaurant serves “street-style tacos our way,” and we are perfectly fine with that. Diego’s probably isn’t the best spot for the taco purist, but it is the perfect place for the eccentric eater. Sure, you can keep things simple with barbacoa or El Gringo (ground beef, cheddar, lettuce, and salsa). But it might prove more difficult than anticipated with smoky beet, bacon cheeseburger, and buffalo chicken wing tacos on the menu. Plus, there are plenty of sandwiches and salads!
Kingston — 38 John St, 845.338.2816
Open for curbside pickup and outdoor dining by reservation
Hudson Taco
Another spot with a fantastic location, Hudson Taco gives diners a panoramic view of the Hudson from the old West Shore Train Station. And while passengers no longer disembark at the station, trains haven’t stopped passing by; don’t be surprised if the place starts to hum while you’re digging into some nachos — you can practically high-five the train conductor from the window. At Hudson Taco, the namesake food is a vessel for all manner of flavors: crab cake, Asian tuna, blackened catfish, and our personal favorite — Korean BBQ short rib. Under the “Not Tacos” section of the menu, you’ll also find trendy fare like tuna poke and steak and shishito nachos, as well as favorites like empanadas and chicken soup.
Newburgh — 27 S. Water St, 845.565.8226
Open for indoor dining and takeout
Mina’s Spanish Kitchen
With locations in both New Windsor and Monroe, Mina’s has staked out a claim to the Latin dining scene in Orange County with home-style cooking. Word is this restaurant has some of the best Latin food north of the Bronx with Colombian-style arepas, Peruvian-style ceviche, Puerto Rico’s famous dish mofongo — not to mention Cubanos, chuletas, and stewed oxtail. Mina’s is a great choice if you’re looking to cover a lot of ground in terms of geography and flavors.
Monroe — 400 Route 17M, 845.238.5680
Open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery
La Cabañita
This Poughkeepsie favorite recently relocated to a century-old church. The new space is gorgeous, with much of the original features still in place — just check out the altar behind the bar. As far as food, the tacos can’t be beat with a selection ranging from carnitas to beef tongue. You can also try Oaxacan specialties like one of the seven moles native to the region. Behind the bar, the focus is on tequila and mezcal, since upwards of 70 percent of the world’s mezcal is made in Oaxaca. Try a margarita, or better yet, a “mezcalita”: it adds a smoky flavor to the drink. Stop in from 4–6 p.m. on weekdays (except Tuesdays) and you can grab one for $6.
Poughkeepsie — 763 Main St, 845.452.7544
Open for indoor dining and takeout
Baja 328
This garage-door concept tequila bar features a wide variety of southwest fare, from enchiladas to tequila scampi to quesadillas, not to mention carnitas sandwiches, barbacoa chili, and nachos. Baja also has one of the largest selections of tequila around; be sure to make the trip count with a tequila flight, which lets you taste the spirit at three different stages of the aging process or in the various styles of three distilling companies.
Beacon — 328 Main St, 845.838.2252
Open for indoor dining, takeout, and delivery
