Gas up the car and bring your appetite: jam-packed with recommendations, our meal-by-meal guide to eating your way through three of the Hudson Valley’s top culinary destinations starts here.
Hudson
Garnering press from big-name outlets including Vogue, Forbes, and Condé Nast Traveler, Hudson has caught the attention of foodies around the country—and for good reason. The small city teems with culinary talent, all but guaranteeing a treat for your taste buds whether you’re after locally inspired Italian or farm-to-table diner fare.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Kick off your day at Cafe Mutton. Helmed by chef Shaina Loew-Banayan, who received back-to-back James Beard Award nominations this year and last, the Hudson hotspot appeals with buttery crepes, orange muffins, and pork rillettes toast. Lunch, when you’re ready, is at Grazin’. Self-described as an “organic diner,” the longtime (and pleasantly low-key) establishment sources 100 percent of its beef, pork, and chicken from its owners’ farm in Ghent. Fill up on a burger like the Unburdened topped with a steak sauce made with Grazin’s own small-batch whiskey, or opt for the equally casual vibes at nearby Talbott & Arding; the beloved cheese shop offers a robust menu of made-to-order and grab-and-go goods, like the roasted fennel and cauliflower salad with turmeric chickpeas. Want to take things up a notch for dinner? Go for bold flavors—and an equally vibrant setting—at Lil Deb’s Oasis. The restaurant, which plates up what it calls “tropical comfort food” staples like pork-belly tostadas in a rainbow-hued dining space, has received a whopping seven James Beard Award noms since 2019. Color also catches the eye at Feast & Floret, where seasoned NYC restaurateur Jason Denton and his partners showcase locally grown fresh and dried flowers in the dining room that are available to purchase, and serve up Italian mains including pappardelle topped in duck ragu, and chicken Milanese.
The Hereafter. Photo by Lauren Damaskinos
The Hereafter. Photo by Lauren Damaskinos.
Drinks and Dessert
Craft cocktails are the star of the show at The Hereafter, which debuted in late February. Organized into categories including Classy, Deep, and Eccentric, the bar’s libations (think: the tequila blanco-and pineapple brandy-stiffened Tiger) cater to a wide range of tastes. Not in the mood for a mixed drink? Order a pint at Union Street Brewing Co., which arrived on the local beer scene last summer with its roster of IPAs and lagers. Still have room for something sweet (and, arguably, healthy)? Swing by Culture Cream, where fermented ingredients add good-for-the-gut probiotics to handmade ice creams and popsicles in flavors such as vanilla-cardamom kefir and coconut-lime kombucha.
Union Street Brewing Co. Courtesy of Union Brewing Co.
Union Street Brewing Co. Courtesy of Union Brewing Co.
Beacon
Home to what Architectural Digest dubs “one of the most beautiful main streets across America,” Beacon scores major points in the looks department. But the picture-perfect locale, With its river views and quaint storefronts, Offers so much more than a pretty face; It also happens to boast some of the best eats the Hudson Valley has to offer, from authentic Nepalese dumplings to elevated comfort food and everything in between.
Cooper’s. Photo by Meghan Spiro Photography.
Cooper’s. Photo by Meghan Spiro Photography.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Start your epicurean excursion at Nilufer’s Home Kitchen, where chef-owner Nilufer Goodson has dazzled patrons with her Turkish cuisine since launching her eponymous restaurant and bakery in February. Goodson—who, in the early aughts, became the first-ever female executive chef in her native Istanbul—serves up a multi-course Turkish breakfast, complete with menemen (a traditional, veggie-loaded egg dish) and spicy sausage. You’ll feel satisfied and full for several hours, no doubt, but when your belly begins rumbling for lunch, head on over to Cooper’s, which set up shop in the former Dogwood space earlier this year. In addition to elevated comfort foods like short-rib grilled cheese and ahi tuna-topped nachos, you’ll have your pick of six pinsas—a pizza-like Roman flatbread available in varieties like the Morty, which features (you guessed it!) mortadella, stracciatella cheese, and pistachios. Looking for even more variety? Check out Hudson Valley Food Hall. Currently home to seven eateries—including newcomers Five Pennies Creamery and Moreish, which specializes in British staples like bangers and mash—the culinary playground offers plenty of options for all. Choices also abound at Melzingah Tap House, a foolproof dinner spot where outside-the-box starters like cantaloupe gazpacho give way to tasty mains like heritage pork chops with maple-pecan-and-carrot slaw or crispy-skin chicken breast and potato dumplings. Dumplings are also on the menu, albeit in a much more prominent way, at Momo Valley; the vegan-friendly Nepalese standout excels in its namesake momo dumplings among other savory Himalayan dishes such as phing sha, a beef stew.
Moreish. Photo by Meghan Spiro Photography.
Melzingah Tap House. Photo by Tipsy Social.
Momo Valley. Photo by Meghan Spiro Photography.
Drinks and Dessert
What’s a day of dining without a nightcap or a sweet treat to top it off? Adult-beverage seekers should fire up their Untappd apps at Hudson Valley Brewery or Pillow & Oats, which opened its doors to craft-beer lovers last May, or swing by the Vinyl Room for cheeky cocktails (like the bourbon- and rhubarb-spiked Mo’ Honey Mo’ Problems). Dessert fiends, meanwhile, will find their fix at Håkan Chocolatier, where Swedish pastry chef Håkan Mårtensson crafts gorgeous bonbons and candy bars including the ruby-hued Sunrise—flavored with mango and chili.
Chef Nilufer Goodson has dazzled patrons with her Turkish cuisine since launching her eponymous restaurant in February.
Kingston
Not unlike Beacon and Hudson, Kingston has seen its fair share of change in recent years—especially when it comes to dining options. A booming arts scene (not to mention and influx of residents, courtesy of COVID) has helped attract a buzzy new wave of restaurants to the city, where masterfully prepares Jamaican dishes and Spanish tapas are just two of many choices for discerning eaters.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Hit the ground running with a morning meal at Rosie General, which first began whipping up its tempting baked goods and all-day breakfast sammies in 2022. Go classic with a bacon, egg, and cheese, or try something unexpected like Rosie’s chewy avocado bialy—made fresh with guacamole, cherry tomato, shaved radish, and pickled onion. Next on the eating agenda is lunch at Top Taste, a small but mighty Jamaican joint helmed by James Beard Award-nominated duo Albert and Malenda Bartley. Here, the husband-wife team flexes their culinary muscles on island staples like curry goat and uber-tender jerk chicken, packed with Caribbean spices. Craving a different kind of flavor? You’ll find it at the well-loved Tanma Ramen, where umami-forward noodle soups—painstakingly cooked with a pair of seasoned broths and seven types of re-fermented miso—take top billing. For dinner, continue sampling international cuisine by grabbing a table at the recently opened Mirador, which doles out small and large plates inspired by Spain’s Andalusia region. Tuck into dishes including patatas bravas and arroz negro (bamba rice with smoked trout roe and squid ink) and wash them down with a glass of sherry, an Andalusian specialty. International flavors are also on the menu at the one-year-old Brickmen Kitchen + Bar, where the culinary team presents entrées such as wild-mushroom truffle ravioli and a tempura-fried steak roll with cream cheese, eel sauce, and crispy garlic.
Brickmen Kitchen + Bar. Photo by Keith Hudak.
Rosie General. Courtesy of Rosie General.
Rosie General. Courtesy of Rosie General.
Drinks and Dessert
Happy hour feels especially cheerful at Brunette, a chic wine bar that offers a revolving door of globally sourced vinos that pair perfectly with bites of tinned fish, charcuterie, and cheese. Beer drinkers (and bibliophiles of all stripes), on the other hand, will feel right at home at the always-charming Rough Draft Bar & Books, where brews, cider, and coffee are sold alongside texts spanning genres like cooking, poetry, and fiction. At Half Moon Rondout Cafe, the shop’s made-to-order donuts, including varieties like powdered sugar and maple glaze, are a perfect snack for reading that new novel (or literally anything else).
Happy hour feels especially cheerful at Brunette, a chic wine bar that offers a revolving door of globally sourced vinos.
Rough Draft Bar & Books. Photo by Anthony and Amanda Stromoski.
Stock Options
Need a break from eating? Take time to digest—and pick up a few kitchen essentials—at these local stores.
Fletcher & Lu. Photo by Josh Goleman.
Beacon
Hudson
Farm Shoppe. Courtesy of Forts Ferry Farm.
