Location, location, location—it means everything in the world of business startups, as Jared and Tara Braithwaite found out when they opened One With Land at a Pine Bush landmark last September.
The couple’s restaurant on Awosting Road had, after all, been known to the locals as a one-time post office, market, reputed brothel, bar, and most recently, the popular Hoot Owl eatery, which closed in June 2023. From the get-go, the couple aimed not only to preserve the 19th-century space with neighborly spirit but take it to another level by connecting cuisine to the local land—thus the name, One With Land (OWL as a nod to the prior restaurant).
Their idea for the 2,000-square-foot, two-story structure built in 1850 seemed, in their minds, like a good fit for Orange County and a natural evolution in the building’s life. “When you’re trying to open a restaurant, you look for a great spot or one that supports what you believe in, and this site matched both,” says Jared. “Pine Bush is well positioned on the map, so when we started looking, we realized it could work, and it has. We’ve been well-supported, and people say they love the refresh of the space and that we’ve given new life to the building.”
One of the big pluses for Jared, a Culinary Institute of America graduate and Toronto native, is that he already had relationships with local farmers. His resume includes the Michelin-starred Public in Manhattan and Colonie in Brooklyn, where he sought out products from HV growers at New York City farmers markets. “Coming up here, I didn’t even have to relearn my vendors or who I could trust,” he says.
One With Land sources its meats and poultry from Veritas Farms in New Paltz; chicken from La Belle Farm in Liberty; vegetables from Black Horse Farms in Coxsackie; maple syrup from Russell Farms in Rhinebeck; sweet potatoes from MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson; and onions from Brian Pawelski’s farm in Goshen. “We think farm-to-table is the way to cook and eat,” he says. “What makes us different is how we approach the food. First and foremost, it’s delicious, but it’s also well-sourced food that’s treated with respect before it’s put on the plate. We treat the ingredients with our own style and present it in a way that people haven’t experienced before.”
The seasonal menu features starters like crispy potato croquettes and mushroom pâté crostino and salads such as shaved celery salad sprinkled with toasted pistachios, dates, and Parmesan. Other options include crispy Brussels sprouts with maple syrup-sherry agrodolce, hazelnuts, mint, and smoked sea salt, or the wildly popular charred caraflex cabbage with tahini, toasted breadcrumbs, and lemon. “It’s a vegan dish, but it needs a steak knife and fork to cut through. That’s been a fun one for me to watch people eat. We’re always trying to give our guests something new and interesting,” says Jared.
Though the main entrées range from pasta to sea scallops, fan favorites include brined and spice-crusted bone-in heritage breed pork chop and the grass-fed beef burger smothered in caramelized onions and Gruyère. For dessert, indulge in vanilla bean panna cotta; warm donuts with chocolate hazelnut sauce; olive oil cake garnished with cranberry preserves and whipped cream, or a dark chocolate torte.
The beverage menu is built on local flavors as well with wines from Fjord Vineyards (Milton), Wild Arc Farm (Pine Bush), and Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery (Gardiner); beers from Union Street Brewing Company (Hudson) and Newburgh Brewing Company; and whiskey and bourbon from Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery (Gardiner).
We’re always trying to give our guests something new and interesting.
On the design end of things, Tara gets all the credit for One With Land’s minimalist interior. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she spent her career in business development focusing on emerging brands in wellness, fashion, retail, and hospitality. Tara’s goal was to create a space that expressed the couple’s core values of sustainability and community. She incorporated a neutral palette, using shades of gray and furniture to evoke a sense of home. “We wanted the space to feel warm and welcoming with a focus on connecting with others by using intentional pieces that bring joy, comfort, and togetherness.”
This new venture is a far cry from the frenzy of the NYC dining scene, where the couple met in 2011. “We moved up here to take this opportunity, find more balance in our lives, and get back to basics,” says Tara. “For us, it’s about working with the local farms and employing local people.”
Jared adds that they’ve filled a void in the region by pushing home-grown cooking to new heights. “We’ve added another option to the Hudson Valley dining scene, but of the upscale variety that celebrates the region’s bounty. It’s a good spot, and we’re glad to call Pine Bush home.”
One With Land
26 Awosting Road, Pine Bush
onewithland.com
845.524.4219
Related: Callisto Farm Is a Hub for Creativity in the Hudson Valley
