Mini Review: Sissy’s Cafe in Uptown Kingston

My friend Penny is not a true foodie, but she is particular, and lately she’s been wittering on about the tasty food at Sissy’s Cafe on Wall Street in Uptown Kingston. I’ve walked past Sissy’s a few times and thought, I must try that one of these days. Then, when I deliberately went there last week, it was closed for vacation. Rats!

Sisters Shani and Denee Francese-Smith opened Sissy’s in the summer of 2012, serving soups, salads, sandwiches and fresh-baked goodies, with an emphasis on wholesome ingredients, and gluten-free stuff for the sensitive. It’s a laid-back, colorful little spot with a cheerful atmosphere. “It’s cozy,” says Tess, who works the front of house. “People like to hang out.”

At breakfast, there are choices like the Southwestern wrap (eggs, avocado, salsa, cheddar and black beans); or the Hammy (eggs, grilled ham, melted cheese, spicy mayo and sprouts); or the Sunshine Breakfast (Fakin’ bacon, avocado, tomato, sprouts and hummus). Fakin’ bacon, in case you’re wondering, is soy in one of its zillion guises.

The Hot Bird panini — turkey, bacon, avocado, red onion, cheddar and spicy mayo — is a lunchtime hit, Tess reports. The Red Goat (goat cheese and pickled beets) sounds good, and so does the Sweet Tooth (banana and Nutella/almond butter). 

Penny’s husband, Peter, who never gushes about food, really liked his tuna wrap, and almost raved about the delicious kale and bean soup — and he doesn’t even like kale. Penny, who’s a painter, enjoyed her Artist Salad: fresh mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. She chose blue cheese and Cheddar as add-ons to round out the color scheme. Other add-ons include house-pickled beets, feta, hard-boiled eggs, sprouts, chickpeas, grilled sweet potato or yes, avocado, which seems to pop up a lot here. “Everything tastes good and home-made,” Penny reports.

There’s a juice and smoothies bar, a few wines, and four or five interesting beers on tap, like Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and Bronx Black Pale Ale. “We have Prosecco, too, for mimosas,” Tess says. “And we make a drink with kombucha and Prosecco — it’s called a komosa. It’s pretty good!”

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch daily, and for dinner Thursday through Saturday, when there are pizzas instead of sandwiches. Check sissyscafekingston.com for more info and to find out about live music nights.

» Visit Sissy’s Cafe in Kingston, NY
» More from The Accidental Foodie blog
» Find a Hudson Valley restaurant
» Find a Hudson Valley food & drink retailer