Adobe Stock / Zaikina
The Eastdale Village storefront serves up seriously creamy scoops with a sprinkle of hospitality in the Hudson Valley.
The sweetest addition is on its way to Poughkeepsie’s Eastdale Village.
Admittedly, the live-work-play community, which first broke ground in 2018, is already more than a little enticing. With big Hudson Valley names like Rossi’s Deli, Amanda’s Macaron Shoppe, Sweetbakes Café, The Crafted Kup, Pizzeria Posto, and Ye Olde Candle Shoppe all slated to open their doors there, the venue promises to be a must-visit destination in Dutchess County.
Starting this August, Hudson Valleyites have one more incentive to make the drive to Route 44. In addition to stopping by Amanda’s Macaron Shoppe for light-as-air macarons and The Crafted Kup for java, visitors can also swing by Spoons for a perfect scoop of ice cream.
Unlike the other eateries at Eastdale, which are either relocating from their current digs or opening up new locations, Spoons is a first-time endeavor for co-owners and sisters Alyssa and Kellie Fasano. Both born and raised in Highland, the duo credits their love for the hospitality industry as their driving force to open a business of their own.
“Kellie and I have wanted to open a restaurant for the last five years,” Alyssa, who got her start as a server at Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, explains. Like Kellie, who also began her hospitality career as a server at the ranch, Alyssa boasts 15 years of experience in the industry. She cites her passion for providing consistent, quality service as her impetus to send that fateful email to Eastdale earlier in 2020. She had heard of the community through a friend and was immediately intrigued by the cottage storefronts at the site.
When she heard that there was only one cottage left, she made a visit and promptly fell in love.
“We’re not doing it anywhere else,” Alyssa remembers telling Kellie, who was living in Arizona at the time. Soon after, Kellie relocated back to the Hudson Valley so she and Alyssa could commence planning for Spoons. Step one was finding the perfect ice cream to carry, and they quickly found the perfect fit with Gillette Creamery, the Gardiner-based ice cream supplier and producer known for its line of ultra-creamy, super premium ice cream.
“It has a higher butterfat percentage,” Alyssa explains, adding that the creamy richness is ultimately what sold her and Kellie. In addition to stocking a variety of Gillette’s hard-serve flavors, the sisters will also offer soft-serve, milkshakes, and sundaes that incorporate homebaked goods and bites from other Eastdale businesses (Amanda’s Macaron Shoppe ice cream toppers, anyone?). Dairy-free and vegan options will be available as well.
Of course, ice cream isn’t the only treat to be found as Spoons. Because the Fasanos plan to operate year-round, they will offer salads, sandwiches, and soups for the lunchtime crowd. With Premier Medical Group Urology already open on the grounds and Dutchess Community, Marist, and Vassar Colleges nearby, Eastdale Village is an attractive, convenient destination for grabbing a bite in Dutchess County.
Until August arrives, the Fasano sisters plan to pour their efforts into crafting an ice cream shop that customers will want to visit on repeat.
“We’ve been working together on every decision that’s been made,” Kellie reveals. “It’s going to be [Alyssa] and me interacting with the customers and getting on a first-name basis. We’re hoping we can create an experience for them that’s one of a kind.”
If all goes well, Spoons will open at Eastdale Village on August 15. And yes, it will serve ice cream year-round.
