Hudson Valley eateries are surviving and thriving—despite the challenges of the pandemic on the service industry—with new restaurants continuing to open up across the region, showcasing a variety of styles and cuisines. From celebrity chef John DeLucie's latest take on hyperlocal cuisine at Merchants Social in Hudson, to laidback Dominican street food at Que Lo Que in Woodstock, to the multiple restaurants at the Academy Food Hall in Poughkeepsie, eating out in the region is an adventure in taste.
The Vintage at the Millbrook Inn | Millbrook
After an ownership change and a nearly two-year-long renovation, the Millbrook Inn is once again open and hosting overnight guests in its nine suites. The renovation included the addition of an onsite bar/restaurant. The Vintage, which is open to the public, specializes in seasonal, simply prepared farm-to-table fare, like the weekly changing farm stand salad with a mix of greens and produce topped with goat cheese and candied sunflower seeds ($16). The steelhead trout tartare is served with capers, shallots, cucumber ribbons, and Meyer lemon ($17). Looking for something heartier? Try a dry-rubbed, oven-roasted spring hen served with ratatouille and white bean puree ($32). The Vintage is open for dinner Thursday to Saturday and Mondays and for Sunday brunch.
Good Night | Woodstock
The team behind Silvia, whose wood-fired, seasonal fare in the former Joyous Lake location became a favorite among locals and visitors soon after it opened in 2017, has opened a second restaurant just down the road in Woodstock. Good Night brings Silvia's strengths—thoughtful-but-unfussy food, elegant wine list, attentive wait staff, superb craft cocktails, and sensual design—in a Southeast Asian direction with a menu that spans Vietnamese, Thai, and Lao influences. Good Night's menu is hyperlocal and seasonal, using local produce as stand-ins for Asian produce. One example: The grapefruit, avocado, and daikon salad ($12) is a delightfully light, zesty, and balanced opener, served with a mix of Thai herbs and chili, peanuts, and Vietnamese nuoc cham vinaigrette. For mains, try the confit chicken congee ($26). This hot Asian rice porridge, made here with bone broth, seasoned with scallion and ginger oil, and topped with yolk and crispy shallots, doesn't hit you over the head with flavor but rather delicately delivers a balanced and subtle profile that matches the tenderness of the sous vide chicken. The Vietnamese grilled pork dish ($28) is a show stopper—charred, juicy, luxuriant with flavor.
Sweet Sue's | Phoenicia
After the pandemic shuttered Sweet Sue's for two years, the longtime Phoenicia favorite is finally back and under new management. But don't worry, the new owners bought Sue's famous pancake recipes, which returned to the griddle for the first time in July, complementing the expanded menu of diner-adjacent breakfast fare. A new house-smoked meats program adds specialties like Coked and smoked ham (cooked with Coke), 20-hour brisket, and Faroe Island salmon to the menu of omelets, flapjack stacks, salads, and sandwiches. The coffee and espresso program was developed by Jeff Bailey of Mount Tremper-based Heavyfeather Roasting Co.
The Academy | Poughkeepsie
The Academy food hall has revitalized two vacant buildings in downtown Poughkeepsie. Open daily, the location includes a slew of restaurants, a provisions market, bar, and event space. The locally focused Academy Market sources fresh produce from local farmers as well as meat and seafood from the larger region. Food hall tenants include the barbecue-focused Smoke 33, salad-centric Valley Greens, Asian-fusion eatery East-West, bar and bottle shop Hudson Hopworks, the quick and casual Cafe + Grill, and an east-of-the-Hudson outpost for artisanal bakery the Newburgh Flour Shop. For a fancier evening on the town, check out the 75-seat Academy Kitchen, a New American bistro and bar with entree options spanning spring pea risotto ($19) and cauliflower steak ($18) to seared arctic char ($22) and grilled, bone-in pork chop ($22).
Pima Mediterranean Kitchen | Chatham
Pima, a handsome new Mediterranean restaurant in Chatham, was built as a space to dine together. Chef and owner Kouri Killmier has created a menu and atmosphere that captures both the regional flavors and the communal vivacity of Mediterranean dining culture—from the Greek isles to the African coastline of Egypt and Morocco—while celebrating the abundance of locally farmed ingredients. The showstoppers at Pima, and the dishes that Killmier says really exemplify the spirit of the place, are the two family-style mains. From the wood oven Pima births stunning whole wild-caught seasonal fish ($48) roasted with vegetables and citrus. While it's not mandatory, Killmier encourages guests to serve the fish with their hands, the way his family always did. Then there's the big lamb roast ($72). Slow roasting in the wood oven caramelizes and crisps in a satisfyingly primal way. Served with new potatoes, caramelized fennel and glazed carrots, the lamb turns dinner out with family and friends into an event.
Que Lo Que | Woodstock
In February, Shindig closed its doors after seven years on the Village Green in Woodstock. But the snug eatery came alive again in the spring for a Dominican food pop-up by chef Sam Fernandez called Que Lo Que. After a successful pop-up run, Fernandez set up shop permanently at 1 Tinker Street. Que Lo Que Cocteleria brings bright tropical colors and a focus on homestyle Dominican food and batched cocktails to the village. Latin-Caribbean staples like empanadas ($6), rice, beans, and plantains are at the core of the menu, though Fernandez brings their own fresh and funky twist to classics like ceviche ($19), camarones al ajillo ($19) and Dominican fried chicken ($12). Cocktails include innovations on the tried and true, like the run old fashioned ($11), or straight-ahead delights like a pitcher of margaritas ($32).
Rosie General | Kingston
In the spacious corner storefront at the intersection of Broadway and Abeel Street, you'll find the new Rosie General. Founded by Nicole and Andrea Sasso, the spot is part bakery, part Italian-meets-Jewish delicatessen, and part provisions market. Fresh baked breads include sourdough, baguettes, focaccia rossa, caraway rye, and walnut fig. But that's not all the ovens turn out: There's also bagels, pastries, pies, and fudge by the pound. The breakfast menu spans classics from a bacon, egg, and cheese to an egg and chorizo burrito, while lunchtime picks include hearty offerings like the mortadella served with ricotta, pistachio, cherry bomb pepper, and Kingston honey on semolina hero bread. There's also soups and salads. Sliced deli meat by the pound is coming soon, and in the meantime, you can buy many of the house ferments like Rosie Kraut, giardiniera, and other core deli staples.
Merchants Social | Hudson
New York City celebrity Chef John DeLucie launched his first upstate venture this summer: Merchants Social in Hudson. Headed up by Executive Chef Kevin Rubis, who most recently worked under Dan Silverman at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, Merchants Social specializes in hyperlocal, seasonal fare. In addition to working with area producers to source produce, fish, and meat, the raw bar will stock a wide range of fresh East Coast seafood including oysters, mussels, clams, lobster, and langoustines. Located in the former Ca' Mea building on Warren Street, the new bar/restaurant offers three distinct spaces for dining and drinking: a more casual lounge, a formal dining room with a view to the open kitchen, and a revamped 74-seat courtyard.
