666 Broadway, Kingston
845.514.2214; masamidtown.com

In the heart of Kingston, Masa Midtown brings the flavors of Turkey to the Hudson Valley. The boutique catering company is helmed by Chef Ozlem Oguzcan-Cranston, otherwise known as Chef Oz, who opened this brick-and-mortar in early 2020 after graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in 2007 and working as a caterer in New York City since 2015.

To craft her signature fare, Oguzcan-Cranston infuses her heritage into dishes like Turkish-spiced skewers, stuffed peppers with pine nuts and currants, and yogurt panna cotta with apricot coulis and candied pistachios. Many of her meals are naturally vegetarian and embrace enticing ingredients like currants, feta, and, most notably, pomegranate.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Masa Midtown has adapted to offer Turkish takeout, with fresh, ready-to-eat meals available for dinner on Thursdays and Fridays and for brunch on Saturdays. The menu rotates weekly, which means Hudson Valley-ites have every excuse to check the lineup regularly for bites like firin makarna, a Turkish version of mac ’n’ cheese, and carrot cardamom pistachio cake.

As restrictions ease, Oguzcan-Cranston hopes to return to her catering roots with Masa Midtown. “I love the hospitality behind Turkish food and cooking,” she says. “It’s not just standing at the counter and serving. It’s the whole experience of showing people what everything is all about.” 

Open Thurs–Fri, 3–8 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.