Cocktails and Small Plates at Karma Lounge in Poughkeepsie, NY

Whether you’re in need of an attitude adjustment, want to cap off a good day, or are just in search of a late bite, you can amble into Karma Lounge, sit at the long, copper-topped bar (or take a table among the sofas in the lounge-y part in back), sip a seriously good cocktail, and nibble something tasty — mission accomplished!

The cozy-meets-cool, year-old gastropub dispenses small plates of dressed-up bar food, so the sliders, for example, are a blend of elk, pork, Kobe beef and duck, served with crumbled blue cheese, caramelized onions, and black-bean barbecue sauce. The mac and cheese mixes penne pasta with Gouda, goat cheese, and bacon. The karma dog is bacon-wrapped knockwurst, with Fontina cheese on a pretzel bun. The wings are curried with an apple-bourbon sauce. Portobello mushroom fries (at right) come with frizzled green beans. Like that.

If it’s chilly, warm your cockles with the house-infused apple-bourbon sidecar, infused with organic apple cider, and a squeeze of fresh lemon, and served up with a cinnamon sugar rim. The black currant basil mojito or Thai chili chocolate martini will put a smile on your face. If you’re not in cocktail mode, there are eight craft beers on tap to do the job, as well as a few by the bottle, and a limited but nice wine list.

The happy clientele runs from young professionals to after-work restaurant staffers — Karma serves until the small hours.

» Visit Karma Lounge in Poughkeepsie, NY
» Go to Karma Lounge’s Web site at www.karmalounge.us
» Go to the Hudson Valley Restaurants Guide