21 Best Restaurants in Hudson Valley, New York

This popular food stand sets up in a tiny trailer on the grounds of Hardeman Orchards between late April and late September. The owner (known by her childhood nickname Bubby) serves vegetarian burritos (with or without guacamole) and quesadillas. The heated tortillas are almost bursting at the sides with black beans, salsa, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream. There are two flavorful salsas that can be added; the green tomatillo one is spicier. Soft drinks and Mexican aguas frescas can be picked out of a cooler.

Hot dogs are the specialty at this narrow spot with a counter and a handful of tables. "One with everything" means a steamed dog on a steamed bun topped with slightly spicy chili sauce, a dab of mustard, and a sprinkling of chopped onions. The sauce livens up fries, too; temper it with ketchup if it's too spicy for you.

This bright and cozy café wins over Cold Spring locals and visitors with its "breakfast until 4 pm" menu that includes chocolate babka French toast, biscuits and gravy, and a grilled Gouda cheese sandwich with Granny Smith apples. Their Bloody Marys are extra spicy. The lunch menu offers lighter fare such as Cobb salads and salmon BLTs. Make sure you leave room for a slice of homemade sky-high carrot cake or flourless chocolate cake.

The Culinary Institute's most casual dining option showcases luscious desserts and breads made daily. The light lunch menu lists soups, sandwiches, pizza, and salads. The atmosphere is relaxed, and prices are reasonable. The line can get quite long around noon on weekdays, but moves fairly quickly.

The European-style bakery receives daily deliveries from its main facility in nearby Boiceville. The loaves, shaped by hand and baked in wood-fired ovens, come in such varieties as hearty whole grain and baguettes—and can be found at many local farmers' markets throughout the Hudson Valley. The café, with six tables and a window bar, is a comfortable place for a cappuccino. There's also a dining room in the back that serves breakfast and lunch. Wine and beer are available.

Riverfront tables under a mandarin-orange canopy make for a relaxed meal at this small eatery, perfect for lunch, dinner, or just dessert in warm weather. When the air is nippy, head inside to the slightly cramped but warm space. The chairs are rickety and the service can be slow, but all is forgiven upon the arrival of the authentic Italian fare. Try a warm panini with Brie, arugula, and truffle oil, or a thin-crusted, prosciutto-topped pizzetta from the wood-burning oven. Tiramisu and cappuccino cake pair well with a selection of dessert wines and ports.

Savory, slow-cooked smoked meats are the draw at this casual eatery with wooden booths and an old-fashioned sports bar. The traditional Southern-style sides—collard greens, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, flaky biscuits—are other reasons to come. Add in homemade desserts, towel napkins, and house-made barbecue sauce and you have one of the most popular restaurants in Kingston for local families and tourists alike.

After a long day on the trails, you can grab a quick pick-me-up at this small café located inside the Bear Mountain Inn. Enjoy a scoop of Perry's Ice Cream, sodas, granola bars, hot cocoa, and more.

Sample sushi and other tidbits are served beneath handcrafted Japanese lanterns at this informal spot. Spider rolls, hot crisp-fried soft-shell crabs in cool nori-wrapped sushi rice, are a delight. Or you can start with the spicy noodle soup or tempura appetizer, and then move on to a Maui roll with tuna, mango, red onion, cilantro, and special sauce, or a baby octopus salad.

Locals and tourists alike flock to this affordable ice cream parlor for fresh, creamy ice cream cones and concoctions. The sundaes are sublime and the whipped cream is homemade. There's often a line out the door but it moves fast.

This cozy restaurant makes you feel right at home with its 1950s kitschy vinyl chairs and tables, and decor to match. Anyone with a sweet tooth will love the homebaked desserts like carrot cake roulade and tiramisu that are on display behind the counter, but you'll still find healthy fare like curried beet, apple, walnut, and goat cheese salad (all local ingredients) or a grilled cheese panini. When the weather is warm, you can relax and eat at the tables in the rear courtyard.

At a busy downtown corner, this family-friendly fixture is known for using fresh ingredients and taking a light approach to traditional Greek fare. Favorites are the enormous Greek salad, which can be shared, and platters of souvlaki, bifteki (Greek-style hamburger), and gyros, served with pita, tomato, and yogurt sauce. Those with bigger appetites can enjoy the Aegean Platter, which includes moussaka, pastitsio, spinach pie, and a traditional gyro.

Since 1929 a diner has sat on this spot, with the current edition, a stainless-steel boxcar version, dating from 1952. It's a great hangout for locals, who love how quickly that early-morning cup of coffee is served. Order hamburgers, french fries, BLTs, and other diner basics here.

Housed in an old warehouse, this craft brewery might not look like much from the outside, but inside the massive taproom you'll find a hip space with exposed brick walls, long reclaimed wood tables, and a compact menu of locally sourced food and wine with more than a dozen in-house brews on tap.

Baskets of fresh baguettes and focaccia greet you as you step inside. Glass counters hold lush chocolate temptations and bags of apricot rugelach. You can pick up goodies for a picnic or grab a table and dig into a sandwich with the house-smoked pastrami. Get here early, as the place is only open until 5 pm. The gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are as good they get.

For anyone who wants to imagine themselves on the streets of Paris, look no further than this bakery serving classic French pastries, crepes, and desserts. In the warmer months there are sidewalk bistro tables, a perfect spot for enjoying a croissant and gourmet cup of coffee, but beware the long weekend lines. For a quick and delicious lunch, you can't go wrong with a simply but tasty baguette sandwich.

The pizzeria is well known for its long-distance service—it'll ship a pie anywhere overnight and promise it's never frozen. But it also serves out-of-the-ordinary pizzas like lemon chicken and eggplant rollatini, as well as pastas and subs. Gluten-free and whole wheat pies are also available.

Day-tripping bicyclists and locals favor this popular bakery, where you can sip gourmet coffee and nibble on omelets or "Hubwiches" (tasty breakfast sandwiches named after various bicycle brands), as well as scones, muffins, and pastries that will satisfy any sweet tooth. Lunch offerings include hot and cold sandwiches, and a variety of hearty soups.

This tiny Vietnamese restaurant serves delicious noodle dishes and soups in a friendly atmosphere with prices that don't break the bank. Choices include crispy spring rolls, tender marinated steak bits, beef soup with vermicelli, lemon-marinated chicken, calamari with ginger, and a few vegetarian options. Vassar College is around the corner.

Before opening this comfortable café, Dan Budd was a James Beard Award–nominated pastry chef in both New York and Chicago. Bard students and locals can hang out for hours enjoying the relaxed vibe and wide-ranging menu that includes breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and gourmet beverages. Everything is casual except the exquisite pastries like the flour-free Red Hooker—a brilliant concoction of Belgian chocolate mousse, chocolate cake, and raspberries.

Playfully cluttered and wildly painted, the Egg's Nest is fun, whether for a casual meal or a couple of drinks. "Praeseux" are house favorites—crisp, pizzalike dishes with various toppings baked on flour tortillas. A popular choice is "The Thanksgiving," which piles on all the typical Turkey Day fixings between two slices of egg-battered whole-wheat bread. Pasta dishes, burgers, wraps, soups, and chili also are offered.