We asked the the experts where they eat, shop, and relax. And they revealed their favorite spots all across the Hudson Valley. Follow the Map of the Stars for the best each county has to offer.
Green County
Food media star, Matt Lee, shares why he loves these local businesses in the Hudson Valley’s Greene County.
Matt Lee, along with brother Ted Lee, is a James Beard Award–winning cookbook writer, television host, and author of Hotbox, a tell-all about the catering industry. Follow them on Instagram, @theleebros.
Mansion + Reed General Store
Why We Love It: Mansion + Reed General Store is located on Coxsackie’s historic Reed Street. They specialize in sourcing all their goods and groceries from NY State and the Northeast. They also offer a variety of lunch items in the cafe. @mansion.reed
“The Post twins (one a poet; one an artist) have reinvented the country store in a winsome all-day-café model, curating a nice array of essentials like beer, penny candy, hand soap, and sandwiches.” —Matt Lee
Coxsackie Farmers Market
Why We Love It: Located at the scenic Riverside Park in Coxsackie, NY, the farmers’ market boasts locally grown produce and locally raised meats among various other locally created items. @coxsackiefarmersmarket
“This riverside Wednesday market (April–October) attracts locals more than tourists (even in high season) and may be the only farm market between here and San Francisco that can be accessed by boat.” —Matt Lee
Reed Street Bottle Shop
Why We Love It: The Reed Street Bottle Shop brings delicious and affordable wine and spirits to the Northern Hudson Valley. @reedstreetbottleshop
“Susan and Shai’s wine selections are most plentiful in the $15-and-under category, and their sense of taste is fun and adventuresome—perfect for bringing light to the darker corners and months of the Hudson Valley.” —Matt Lee
Gracie’s Luncheonette
Why We Love It: It’s like a diner, but not shitty! Imagine fried chicken, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, biscuits and gravy, but the meats come from local farms, the American cheese is house-made, and the pastrami and bacon are smoked onsite. Oh, and only fools skip donuts. @gracies_ny
“Comfort food favorites made well with fine ingredients at gentle prices. Child friendly!” —Matt Lee
Ulster County
Jordana Rothman, @jordanarothman, is the Food & Wine restaurant editor and author (with Chef Alex Stupak) of James Beard Award–nominated cookbook Tacos: Recipes + Provocations. She shared why she loves these local businesses in the Hudson Valley’s Ulster County.
Brunette Wine Bar
Why We Love It: Established in Summer 2015, Brunette is a local wine bar in the waterfront district of downtown Kingston, NY. Natural wine, beer, cider, cheese, meats, savory snacks, and a true love for pink prevail. @brunettewinebar
“I love Tracy and Jamie Kennard’s cute wine bar, Brunette.” —Jordana Rothman
Village Coffee and Goods
Why We Love It: Village Coffee and Goods is a specialty coffee shop in Kingston, NY offering breakfast and lunch along with provisions for your pantry and home. @villagecoffeeandgoods
“For flat whites and tasty baked things.” —Jordana Rothman
Sullivan County
Food media/marketing extraordinare, Becca Parrish, and all-star chef, Cesare Casella, came together to share their favorite spots in the Hudson Valley’s Sullivan County.
Becca Parrish operates the creative marketing agency Becca. Her clients include Tom Colicchio, Marco Canora, Le Bernardin, etc.
Chef Cesare Casella is the owner of Casella’s Salumi, chief of the Department of Nourishment Arts at the Center for Discovery, and a James Beard Award–nominated author of multiple cookbooks.
Pickled Owl
Why We Love It: Pickled Owl is an award winning restaurant located in Hurleyville, NY that provides a high standard of food with a casual yet refined setting. @pickledowl
“The Pickled Owl is my local spot when I am upstate. I love their fried chicken. It’s so good.” —Cesare Casella
Forestburgh General Store
Why We Love It: A cafe/deli/grocery store located on the southern edge of Sullivan County in the lovely town of Forestburgh. @forestburghgeneral
“Excellent sandwiches, espresso coffee drinks and, basically, everything you didn’t know you needed … Run by a lovely family who’s always there with a smile and great local real estate gossip.” —Becca Parrish
Rockland County
Restaurateur, Drew Nieporent, @drewnieporent, is the owner of Myriad Restaurant Group, which includes Nobu, Tribeca Grill, Bâtard, and Crush Wine & Spirits. He shared with us his favorite spots in the Hudson Valley’s Rockland County.
Confetti Ristorante & Vinoteca
Why We Love It: This Rockland County restaurant offers a variety of Italian dishes. @confettiristorante
“They make a duck tagliatelle that will make you cry. The chef is from the outskirts of Venice, and this restaurant is just very satisfying. It’s a cut above everyone else in many different ways.” —Drew Nieporent
Canzona’s Market
Why We Love It: Known for its breakfast sandwiches, this Piermont deli and grocery is a favorite amount Rocklannd County locals. @canzonasmarket
“They make the greatest ham, egg, and cheese sandwich on the planet. There’s, like, a quarter pound of ham in the sandwich, and it’s family-owned. I’m telling you, this is the greatest ham, egg, and cheese sandwich known to mankind.” —Drew Nieporent
Columbia County
Four food world heavy weights, Chef Cesare Casella, Colu Henry, Ruth Reichl, and Jordana Rothman, came together to share their favorite spots in the Hudson Valley’s Columbia County.
Chef Cesare Casella is the owner of Casella’s Salumi, chief of the Department of Nourishment Arts at the Center for Discovery, and a James Beard Award–nominated author of multiple cookbooks.
Colu Henry, @coluhenry, is a New York Times Dining contributor and author of Back Pocket Pasta: Inspired Dinners to Cook on the Fly.
Ruth Reichl, @ruth.reichl, is the former editor in chief of Gourmet, bestselling memoirist and novelist, host and producer of food-based television programming, and winner of six James Beard Awards.
Jordana Rothman is the Food & Wine restaurant editor, author (with Chef Alex Stupak) of James Beard Award–nominated cookbook Tacos: Recipes + Provocations.
Made in Ghent
Why We Love It: Little Ghent Farm is home to the Made in Ghent organization that hosts community events, as well as provides a farm store and cafe for Ghent. @madeinghent
“Little Ghent Farm is a dream of a farm, almost unbearably picture perfect. But their shop, open on weekends, is filled with fantastic homemade meats, soups, pâtés, jams … I hesitate to say this, because Mimi only bakes 15 boules a day, but her sourdough bread is so good that when I served it to Nancy Silverton, she was visibly impressed.” —Ruth Reichl
The Chatham Berry Farm
Why We Love It: More than just berries. Specializing in natural, organic, and local produce and products, The Chatham Berry Farm is a farm and farm store that offers no spray, pesticide-free, greens and vegetables grown in greenhouses year round, as well as farm-made cider from the Greenhouse Cidery. @thechathamberryfarm
“I love hitting up The Chatham Berry Farm, which is family-owned and features great local produce and meat. On the weekends, the Greenhouse Cidery opens in the back featuring local beers, wines, and wood-fired pizzas. Super-cozy!” —Colu Henry
Churchtown Dairy
Why We Love It: Churchtown Dairy is a working Biodynamic farm that intends to serve as a beacon for those working to promote sustainable agriculture and regenerative communities. @churchtown_dairy
“The space is beautiful with a big open kitchen and you can buy their milk, cheese, and meat. Churchtown is a wonderful organization—beautiful farm and healing gardens. You can even see how it’s all made in the dairy.” —Cesare Casella
Talbott & Arding
Why We Love It: Talbott & Arding is an artisan market focused on cheese. They are also a popular lunch and dinner spot known for their daily changing menu. @talbottandarding
“Everything Mona Talbott makes to sell in this wonderful little shop is perfect, and Kate Arding has sourced the best local and imported cheeses. I dream about their porchetta sandwich with pickled shallots. When they moved to Hudson from Rome (Mona ran the organic kitchen at The American Academy in Rome), the food in the neighborhood instantly improved.” —Ruth Reichl
Hudson Wine Merchants
Why We Love It: Established in June 2004, in historic Hudson, NY, Hudson Wine Merchants offers the finest wine and spirits from all over the world. @hudsonwinemerchants
“Michael Albin has such good taste in wine that he has customers in Manhattan and his wife, Marianne, concocts terrific shrubs. The shop is so friendly I always end up just standing around, talking for hours.” —Ruth Reichl
Kinderhook Farm
Why We Love It: The farm has over 1,000 acres of rolling hay meadows and pastures, and cattle and sheep are fed on a 100% grass and legume diet that includes no grain, antibiotics, growth hormones or animal by-products. They also raise pastured broiler chickens and heritage breed pigs. @kinderhookfarm
“Humanely raised pigs, chickens, geese, beef is sold in an adorable little farm store run on the honor system. Like Little Ghent Farm, this is a great place to bring children to introduce them to animals, and if you’re looking for a place to stay, their farm stay cottage is ideal.” —Ruth Reichl
Lil’ Deb’s Oasis
Why We Love It: Lil’ Deb’s Oasis is an ongoing restaurant/installation/performance project, created by artist-chefs Carla Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black. @lildebsoasis
“I go for whole fried fish and salchi papas bravas—crispy potatoes and slices of snappy hot dogs—with a passionfruit ‘oat drink.’” —Jordana Rothman
Otto’s Market
Why We Love It: Otto’s Market has been a part of the Germantown community since 1927 and in its newest incarnation four friends from Columbia County are taking the store into its next generation. @ottos_market
“Otto’s in Germantown for curated groceries, prepared foods, and good coffee.” —Jordana Rothman
Westchester County
Where in Westchester? Five food world titans—Esquire‘s Jeff Gordinier, author and podcast host, Andrew Friedman, and restaurateurs/chefs, Jonathan Benno and Jean-Georges Vongerichten—revealed their favorite local businesses to stop in at in Westchester. Learn more about these celebrity contributors and their hot picks.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, @chefjgv , is the owner of an eponymous restaurant group that operates 37 restaurants in the U.S. and abroad, with locations as far-flung as Brazil, Indonesia, China, London, and Paris. He shared with us his favorite places to go in Westchester County.
121 Restaurant
Why We Love It: North Salem restaurant that offers a fireplace, porch dining, and a buzzy bar scene serving upscale New American fare. @121restaurant
“Great for pizza with the family, and close to my home in Waccabuc.” —Jean Georges Vongerichten
Purdy’s Farmer & The Fish
Why We Love It: The restaurant features seafood and vegetables grown on-site and whipped up in a cozy 18th-century farmhouse. @purdysfarmerandthefish
“Great atmosphere. Love to order the lobster and steak.” —Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Chef Jonathan Benno, formerly of Per Se, The French Laundry, Leonelli Taberna, Leonelli Focacceria, and Benno, shared with us his favorite place to go in Westchester County.
O Mandarin
Why We Love It: A variety of Chinese dishes, including Peking duck, Sichuan hot pot, and steamed dumplings served in a stylish setting. @omandarinwestchester
“At O Mandarin, it is so easy to forget that you are in a strip mall—Eric Gao’s food is truly authentic Chinese. Make sure to get the soup dumplings and bubble scallion pancake.” —Jonathan Benno
Andrew Friedman, @toquelandandrew, is the author of Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll, a blogger at Toqueland, and the host of the Heritage Radio Network podcast “Andrew Talks to Chefs.” He shared with us his favorite place to go in Westchester County.
La Lanterna Restaurant & Caffe
Why We Love It: A Yonkers restaurant offering Italian fare served in a contemporary space with a summer patio that hosts weekly live entertainment. @lalanternarestaurant
“This unassuming mom-and-pop on the fringe of the Saw Mill Parkway between Yonkers and Hastings-on-Hudson—with a gigantic seasonal outdoor beer garden—is an oasis of hospitality and rock-solid Italian-American food with a few curveballs like schnitzel (rumor has it the chef trained in Switzerland).” —Andrew Friedman
Jeff Gordinier, @thegordinier, is the food & drinks editor at Esquire Magazine and author of the forthcoming book about Chef René Redzepi, Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World. He shared with us his favorite places to go in Westchester County.
Caffelatte
Why We Love It: An Italian cafe serving coffee, pastries, and a variety of sandwiches.
“Caffelatte appears to have been beamed into a nook on Cedar Street from some Italian village circa 1962; ask Basilio Colaizzi (the silver fox behind the counter) for an espresso.” —Jeff Gordinier
Harper’s
Why We Love It: The motto at Harper’s? “Where we eat and drink with purpose, and relax like there isn’t one.” @harpersonmain
“Find a stool at the bar at Harper’s—or outside on the patio, if the weather is warm. A martini and half a dozen oysters to commence an early dinner, then maybe the mushroom toast crowned with melted gruyere and a duck egg, and then—if your appetite continues to gnaw—some trout from the Catskills. Treat yourself to a bottle of Riesling or Cabernet Franc.” —Jeff Gordinier
Rochambeau Wines & Liquors
Why We Love It: Established in 1933, Rochambeau Wines & Liquors is one of New York’s oldest post-Prohibition wine shops. @rochambeauwines
“Walk across the street to Rochambeau Wines & Liquors, where you’ll engage in a second conversation—take your time—with Jeff Wooddy, who’ll know precisely what you’ll want to drink with your score from Campbell Meats.” —Jeff Gordinier
Dobbs Diner
Why We Love It: Breakfast to burgers to pasta dinner served in an unpretentious restaurant with a neighborhood vibe.
“If it’s lunchtime, stroll across Broadway and order the spanakopita at Dobbs Diner. (It’s homemade and it arrives as an amber-crusted slab the size of a paving stone.)” —Jeff Gordinier
This story was originally published in March of 2019.
