Here’s The Best Food & Drink You’ll Find in the Hudson Valley

Looking for the best food, drinks, and overall dining the Hudson Valley has to offer? Our 2018 winners have foodies covered.

Country-Style Breakfast

Betty’s Country Kitchen

You can always count on service with a smile, generous portions of delicious food, and a full cup of hot coffee at this Orange County spot. Betty’s country-style breakfasts include classics like pancakes, waffles, French toast, omelets, egg sandwiches, and breakfast burritos. Don’t miss the corned beef hash!

Washingtonville; www.bettyscountrykitchen.com

Adult Frozen Treat

Lola’s Café and Gourmet Catering

The New Paltz location of this Poughkeepsie favorite has transformed some of our favorite summer drinks into adult versions of our favorite childhood treats: ice pops! The sangria pops are made using local fruit, and classic cocktails like Moscow Mules and piña coladas are also available. Fair warning — try one and you’ll want to try them all.

New Paltz; www.lolascafeandcatering.com

Related: Find the Best Food & Drinks in the Hudson Valley in 2021

Bagel Shop

Rhinebeck Bagels

There are bagel shops, and there is this bagel shop. You can order the basics, but we recommend you amp it up with any of their bagel sandwiches or seasonal bagel and cream cheese flavors, like peach or cucumber dill. Need inspiration? Go to their Instagram page, filled with photos of daily specials. Just make sure you do it when you’re near Rhinebeck.

Rhinebeck; www.rhinebeckbagels.com

BBQ on the Go

Handsome Devil

You’ll find this award-winning food truck at festivals up and down the East Coast, but only folks in the Hudson Valley get hometown bragging rights. Based out of Orange County, Handsome Devil’s team has churned out more than 10,000 plates at an event, like the NYC Wine & Food Festival, where they were voted Best BBQ. They’ve even taken their mouthwatering comfort food to victims of Hurricane Sandy through Operation BBQ Relief.

www.handsomedevilllc.com

Café to Take the Kids

Frida’s Bakery & Café

Not only is the food here fresh and delicious, this neighborhood bakery/café has a comfortable and welcoming ambiance. Particularly unique is the kid-friendly playroom upstairs. The dedicated space is filled with toys and activities perfect for kids looking to burn a little energy before, or after, their meal.

Milton; www.fridasbakeryny.com

Grilled Octopus

8 North Broadway

The octopus at 8 North Broadway arrives to the table still sizzling in a cast-iron skillet, with crispy suckers and melt-in-your-mouth meat. Spear-caught off the coast of Spain, the mollusk is cooked in Spanish wine and oranges, cooled, and then charred on the grill. Served atop a bed of Israeli couscous and red wine vinaigrette, this dish will have you dreaming of a dip in the Mediterranean.

Nyack; www.8northbroadway.com

Coffee Bean Selection

Greenwood Lake Roasters Craft Coffee

Yolanda and Dave Kozuha know their coffee, down to the altitude at which the certified organic and Fair Trade beans grow. You can find Ethiopian Sidamo decaf, Colombia Tolima, Peru Aprocassi, Bali Blue Moon, and more beans from around the world. Plus, roastmaster Dave doesn’t use computers to run his custom Turkish roaster; having been a home roaster for several years (with a burned pan to prove it), he instinctively knows when the beans are perfect. One drink of the coffee, and you’ll get it, too.

Greenwood Lake; www.gwlrcc.com

College Dining Option

Marist College/Rosticceria Rossi & Sons

Marist College’s North Campus project — the largest capital project in the school’s history — features new residential housing and a new dining center. But the crown jewel (at least in many students’ minds) is an outpost of downtown Poughkeepsie’s famous Rosticceria Rossi & Sons Deli, whose signature sandwiches put it on BuzzFeed’s list of top college-town restaurants.

Poughkeepsie; www.marist.edu; www.rossideli.com

Experimental Brewery

Equilibrium Brewery

With a lineup of “Fractals,” “Perturbations,” even an “mc²,” it’s no surprise that this brewery was started by MIT grads. Ricardo Petroni’s and Peter Oates’ experiments result in hazy, tasty brews, like the “Hoptimization” series, which toys with process, ingredients, and fermentation. Luckily, you don’t need a degree to enjoy each one.

Middletown; www.eqbrew.com

Comfort Food for Everyone

County Fare

The selection of comfort foods at this casually cool neighborhood hangout will fill any belly with happiness, including vegetarians and vegans. Try the Buffalo Cauliflower, Fare Tots with Fakin’ Bacon, the Peppadew Veggie Burger, and the Tempeh Reuben sandwich. Of course, there’s also comfort food for carnivores including great burgers, fried chicken, and chili.

Wappingers Falls; www.countyfareny.com

Empanadas

Ramiro’s 954

Chef Ramiro Jimenez’s Empanadas de Picadillo appetizer is so delicious, we would eat it every day if we could. The fried turnovers are stuffed with ground beef cooked with onion, garlic, pepper, olives, raisins, and red wine, and topped with sweet-and-spicy chipotle cream sauce that shouldn’t be left on the plate.

Mahopac; www.ramiros954.com

Farm Dinner

Blooming Hill Farm

Last spring, Chef Matt Casino and his team at Blooming Hill Farm hosted a dinner with five courses prepared by five chefs (four of them from the Hudson Valley). The event brought together farmers, flavor makers, and artists, all in service of their guests. The evening, which unfolded like a wedding at which no one was married, was one for the books.

Monroe; www.bloominghill.farm

Jam Selection

Wright’s Farm

Put that grape jam back on the supermarket shelf and head out to Gardiner. Celebrating nearly 115 years of family farming, Wright’s Farm has been producing some of the most unique flavors of jams and jellies for more than 30 years now. Stock up on delicious and inspired creations like peach habanero, strawberry basil, or our personal favorites drunken cherry and pear ginger. Feeling less adventurous? The more traditional triple berry and apricot will not disappoint, and purists can still opt for concord grape and strawberry.

Gardiner; www.eatapples.com

New Restaurant

Silvia

With its veggie-centric, meat-friendly menu constructed from local, sustainable sources, Silvia stands at the frontier of food. Implementing kitchen practices that have emerged over the last two decades, the restaurant defies traditional methods of food sourcing, and embodies the Hudson Valley’s role in the farm-to-table movement.

Woodstock; www.silviawoodstockny.com

Pig Out

Defiant Brewing Co.

Hit this craft brewery, across from the Pearl River train station, if you’re hungry. Try the Ample Sampler: enough ribs, brisket, wings, pulled pork, pickles, cornbread, and side dishes for two or three people. Better yet, order the Monster Sampler — more than double the size of the Ample — if you dare.

Pearl River; www.defiantbrewing.com

Place for Brews & Blues

The Vinyl Room

Music and beer lovers rejoice! This recent addition to Wappingers Falls is the best of both worlds: a record shop and tap room. Owner John Kihlmire has brought his love for the warmer, deeper sound that vinyl records produce and created a collection ranging from rock to psychedelic. Come to listen, buy, or sell. When it comes to drinks, beers on tap are rotating; recent selections included brews from Equilibrium and Industrial Arts.

Wappingers Falls; www.tvrny.com

Penny Candy Shop

Canal Towne Emporium

Checking out at this beautiful 150-year-old general store may take longer than expected. The counter has so much candy you could be there for hours. Old-fashioned candy sticks, black-licorice Scotties, rock candy, candy dots … and that’s not counting the 50+ glass jars full of gumballs, hard candy, and other kid-heaven deliciousness behind the counter.

Wurtsboro; www.canaltowne.com

Place to Spend a Saturday Night

Orange County Distillery at Brown Barn Farms

A 100-year-old barn was converted into this two-floor cocktail bar surrounded by 23 acres of farmland. Enjoy farm-fresh cocktails mixed with spirits from Orange County Distillery, and other New York-made craft beers, wines, and ciders. The family- and pet-friendly space offers live music, games, outdoor picnic tables, and an on-site food truck in addition to drinks.

New Hampton; www.orangecountydistillery.com/brownbarnfarms

Roadhouse

Rhodes North Tavern

For a beer with a buddy, or date night with your honey, Rhodes North Tavern is the place to be. The multi-level restaurant’s walls scream “roadhouse” with old signs and quirky décor; the whimsically illustrated menu is equally entertaining. But it’s not all for show here: Rhodes offers great meals, from breakfast to late-night.

Sloatsburg; www.rhodesnorth.com

Riverside Brunch

West of the Hudson River —     Blu Pointe

East of the Hudson River — Shadows on the Hudson

The Bonura Hospitality Group knows how to host a spectacular brunch. Both restaurants offer a gourmet Sunday brunch buffet, complemented by a specialty cocktail menu and magnificent views of the Hudson River. Brunch is popular at both locations, particularly on holidays, so call well in advance to make reservations.

Blu Pointe: Newburgh; www.blu-pointe.com

Shadows on the Hudson: Poughkeepsie; www.shadowsonthehudson.com

Seasonal Wedding Menus

Main Course Catering

This full-service catering company has been voted best in the Hudson Valley for nearly 25 years, thanks to their modern approach to wedding catering. Their customized seasonal menus feature the finest local ingredients from small Hudson Valley purveyors to provide the freshest organic produce, free-range poultry, line-caught fish, and hormone-free meats.

New Paltz; www.maincoursecatering.com

Vegan Deli

Berben & Wolff’s

The Capital Region’s first and only vegan deli opened in 2016 and prides itself on creativity, quality, and ethical consumption. The evolving menu features a selection of classics, along with daily and weekly specials that are sure to expand your idea of the cuisine that vegan dining spans.

Albany; www.berbenandwolffs.com

Vegan Cooking Class

Catskill Animal Sanctuary

The feathered and furry residents here remind visitors of veganism’s benefits. This intimate cooking class is offered through Compassionate Cuisine in the kitchen of the Homestead, a pre-Civil-War-era B&B on the sanctuary’s property. Free food demos also take place on site at Peabody’s Place.

Saugerties; www.casanctuary.org/compassionate-cuisine

Vegetable Pizza Pie

Villa Gaudio

When you want something meatier than plain pizza, but not sausage, meatballs, or pepperoni, here’s your pie. Owner Frank Gaudio’s authentic New York-style vegetable pie isn’t a salad pie: It does have green peppers, onions, and mushrooms, with a bit of broccoli as well, but the thin strips of lightly breaded eggplant that are generously scattered throughout are so good, they might make you swear off meat pizza forever.

Bullville; 845.361.3747

Freshest Ice Cream Cone

Zoe’s Ice Cream Barn

What do you get when a former dairy farmer partners with a CIA-trained pastry chef? The best and freshest ice cream around. Father/daughter owners Bob Ferris and Katie (aka Zoe) Ferris go “from cow to cone in three days,” using Hudson Valley Fresh dairy products in their constantly rotating flavors. The cherry on top? Toppings are homemade, and the food is really awesome, too.

Lagrangeville; www.zoesicecreambarn.com

Focaccia

Talbott & Arding Cheese and Provisions

It takes highly specialized skills to create the perfect focaccia, but Talbott & Arding succeeds at making this light, springy, and slightly sour bread with a perfectly golden crust. Have it with hunks of cheese folded in the dough, or enjoy it simply with freshly cracked sea salt. Eat it on the go, or take it to the next level with the various deli meats, cheeses, and mustards that the shop has to offer.

Hudson; www.talbottandarding.com

Happy Hour

Heritage Food + Drink

Happy hours are notorious for watered-down drinks and puzzling pricing, but not at this Route 9 restaurant. Sit down at the gorgeous bar on weekdays (yes, that includes Fridays) from 4–7 p.m. for $5 well drinks. Even better are the food deals, which let you try items like black pepper mussels, smoked chicken wings, and a smoked bacon ranch burger for single digit prices.

Wappingers Falls; www.heritagefooddrink.com

Neapolitan Pizza

Lolita’s Pizza

Thirty seconds. That’s all it takes for a pizza to go from perfectly cooked to a scorched black disk. It’s a fine line, but the folks at Lolita’s walk it so well. Their sourdough crust ferments for three days, gets topped with a proprietary tomato sauce and rotating ingredients before spending two minutes in their Italian wood-burning oven, emerging soft, chewy, and lightly charred.

Poughkeepsie; www.lolitaspizza.com

Place for Fettuccine or Fajitas

Eduardo’s

This restaurant-pizzeria is located in the corner space of a strip mall. You might not think much of it passing by — you might not even think much of it walking in — but you will think of it once the leftovers are gone. The menu is divided into Italian and Mexican cuisine, and both are outstanding. There are no page fillers here, just made-to-order food and sauces that will have you begging for the recipe. We’d call it a hidden gem, but everyone in the area already seems to know.

Salisbury Mills; 845.496.8050

24/7 Butcher Shop

Applestone Meat Company

Need a midnight snack? Skip the chocolate cake and pick up a steak. Applestone’s hormone-free, antibiotic-free meat products are available at vending machines in both their Stone Ridge and Accord locations 24/7 with freshly broken-down cuts of beef, pork, and lamb. The best part? You don’t have to bring quarters.

Stone Ridge and Accord; www.applestonemeat.com

Repurposed Space

A & P Bar

What better way to salvage the space of a former grocery store than with a New Wave, European-style bar? Owners Gemma D’Entrone, Pierre Luc Moeys, and Nicole Paturel renovated the enormous space, swapping aisles and cashiers for a tile floor, gorgeous wood furniture, and a stellar cocktail menu. With a Blueberry Gin Swirl in your hand, it’s almost impossible to picture the freezer section now.

Woodstock; www.aandpbar.com

Soda

Gracie’s Luncheonette

Gracie’s homemade sodas are a sensory experience: The vanilla soda is speckled with vanilla bean seeds; the fizz tickles your nose as you bring the glass to your lips; and the freshly carbonated beverage burns oh-so-good going down. What seals the deal, though, is that these drinks are not cavity-creating sweet. With flavors like root beer, ginger, and lemon lime, Gracie’s makes it hard to return to Pepsi.

Leeds; www.graciestruckny.com

Specialty Cakes

The Pastry Garden

This family-operated bakeshop has a list of specialty cakes eight pages long! Detailed in mouth-watering descriptions, there are nearly 100 cakes that can be made in any size to accommodate your needs. Cakes include the best-selling Chocolate Mousse, Peanut Butter Kiss, Cinnamon-Pumpkin Mousse, Rainbow Cake, S’mores, and more.

Poughkeepsie; www.thepastrygarden.com

Thai Lunch Special

Sukhothai Restaurant

From 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. on weekdays, you can get an entrée — like panang, pad siew, and of course, pad Thai — spring rolls, and a fountain drink for just $8.95. Usually, this would run you more than $20, but stop in on a lunch break, and you’ll save big-time on some of our favorite Thai food in the Valley.

Beacon; www.sukhothainy.com

Reader’s Picks

Breakfast

Bread Alone Bakery

Rhinebeck/Boiceville/Kingston/Woodstock; www.breadalone.com

Ice Cream

Joe’s Dairy Bar and Grill

Hopewell Junction; www.joesdairybarandgrill.com

Tasting Room

Hillrock Estate Distillery

Ancram; www.hillrockdistillery.com