Apple picking season is upon us here in the Hudson Valley. These 9 locations offer excellent apple dishes and treats to enjoy this fall.
Fall is most enjoyed with delectable flavors of cinnamon, sugar, pumpkin, and of course, apple. Sipping on a steamy caramel latte with a slice of warm apple pie sitting in front of you — there truly is nothing better.
Angry Orchard
Walden
This one you probably knew already, but Angry Orchard is the spot to hit if you are looking to enjoy hard cider this season. Book an experience to tour the orchard and enjoy various draft, canned, and bottled ciders. Or, if variety is what you seek, enjoy a cider tasting flight. Excellent fall picks include the Crisp Apple Cider, the Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple Cider, and the Green Apple Cider. The Cider House offers indoor and outdoor seating, and there is fresh food available from the in-house kitchen.
Capital City Diner
Albany
You can always depend on a diner for delectable apple-themed plates. Capital City Diner offers apple pie French toast topped with sweet apples, cinnamon, and vanilla ice cream. Or, if you are looking for a savory dish, order the chopped apple salad, a combination of mixed greens, apples, toasted walnuts, blue cheese crumbles, grilled chicken, tomato, cucumber, and tangy red onions.
Dolce
Kingston
If you’ve never tried crepes, fall is the perfect opportunity. Spend a chilly weekend morning sipping on a chai latte and enjoy stewed cinnamon apple crepes at Dolce. Warm crepes with freshly stewed apples topped with cinnamon and pure maple syrup sound like the perfect fall treat.
Frida’s Café & Bakery
Milton
If you are more of a savory apple food lover, you must check out Frida’s Café & Bakery. Savor the House Favorite salad, a combination of mixed greens, chopped tomatoes, red onion, shredded carrot, toasted sunflower seeds, sliced apple, and creamy goat cheese, finished off with an apple cider vinaigrette. Next up taste the Turnt Turkey sandwich, featuring sliced turkey, cheddar cheese, bacon, sliced apple, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli. Also try the Warm & Toasty sandwich, hot baked turkey piled high on a ciabatta roll with cranberry relish and apple and onion gravy.
Minard’s Family Farm
Clintondale
Minard’s Family Farm serves up all kinds of goodies at its barn market. Make a beeline for the warm apple fritters and dumplings, which are not to be missed. The apple turnovers are also fresh and delicious. Hudson Valley products are available for sale at the barn store, including local jams, jellies, and hot sauce.
Pieconic NY
Chatham
Head to Pieconic NY for layers of cinnamon, sugar, and Hudson Valley apples in the Backyard Apple Pie. The classic fall pie can be made gluten free or vegan as well. Check out the apple hand pies for a perfectly sized treat that can also be made gluten-free. For a unique treat, give the Foggy Bottom Cranberry Apple Crumble a try. It features local apples mixed with fresh tart cranberries and topped with delicious brown sugar.
Sleeping Giant Ice Cream
Kerhonkson
What could be better than creamy apple pie ice cream? Sleeping Giant Ice Cream serves scoops of smooth apple pie ice cream with chunks of apples and loaded with crunchy graham cracker swirls and fall spices. Add that to a cone and you have apple perfection!
The Candy Apple Shoppe
Warwick
Candy apples are the definition of fall desserts. In Warwick, The Candy Apple Shoppe has so many options to choose from. Take a bite of the apple pie caramel apple, brown cow caramel apple, cake crunch caramel apple, classic caramel apple, or the cake crunch caramel apple with milk or dark chocolate.
Wright’s Farm Market
Gardiner
Fall baked goods are plentiful at Wright’s Farm Market. Stop in to taste sugary apple cider donuts, crisp candy apples, caramel apples, fresh baked apple and apple crumb pie, and apples chips. This is the perfect spot to grab something sweet for all your fall gatherings.
Related: Bourbon Maple Apple Cake