Page 34 - Valley Table - June-August 2024

FOODIE
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. BY ANDREA TIMPANO
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.
DAY
TRIPS
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.
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.
32 TheValleyTable | June–August2024