Located in a historic, restored railroad hotel from the 1800s, Bartlett House’s charm is surpassed only by the caliber of its food. The all-day bakery and café has both an impressive selection of breads and pastries (the cherry cornmeal scone is especially phenomenal), plus a satisfying menu of American classics like breakfast sandwiches on homemade English muffins, and hot, fried apple pie slices. Don’t leave without buying some of their incredible jams, in flavors like blueberry-rose or beet-blackberry.

Located steps from Hudson’s train station, this waterfront spot is ideal to hit on the way in or out of town. Currently, the space is a mix between a market and café (with a more proper restaurant forthcoming); dishes include everything from an upscale take on a yogurt parfait made with labne and citrus, to a whole roasted chicken served with sides like chicken fat-slicked potatoes. It’s also worth swinging by their sister business Grapefruit Wines, who sells natural wines, cider, and Amari.

This new spot in Hudson is the rebirth of Fish & Game, one of the first restaurants in the Hudson Valley that piqued the interest of city folk enough to have them jump in the car and drive up. The new menu is modern Italian, with a focus on seasonality and local ingredients. Dishes range from a mezze maniche pasta served with meaty white beans and pecorino, to octopus with chili, potato, and olive. On your way out, pick up a bottle of smoked citrus honey to liven up the next day’s yogurt.

Long the favorite spot in Hudson for grab-and-go goodies, this July, Talbott & Arding will move to a new, 8,000 square-foot location two blocks from the original store. While the new spot will feature an expanded menu of seasonal salads and sandwiches (plus indoor customer seating for the first time), all the old favorites will still be available, like their perennially popular focaccia pizzas, plus exquisite pastries like rhubarb-frangipane galettes. This is also one of the best places to stock up on cheese in all of the Hudson Valley, especially for those looking for regional selections.

The history of this spot stretches all the way back to 1953, when it opened as a pit stop to serve drivers on the Taconic Parkway. Chef and owner Kristopher Schram has worked everywhere from Napa Valley to Copenhagen and his dishes have a worldly sensibility while still remaining comfort food. The star of the menu is the 12-hour-smoked pastrami reuben — the meat is brined for seven days before a half-day’s smoke in the nine-foot-long Lang smoker in the backyard.

Alleway claims  that it is the “world’s smallest and hardest to find ice cream shop.” While they’re not far off, it is absolutely worth the effort to seek out this 80-square-foot spot, housed in a former linen closet down an alleyway in Saugerties. Owner Julian Hom draws from his world travels, specifically throughout Asia, to come up with flavors. Best-selling scoops include Ube Heath Bar Crunch, Thai Tea Cookies and Cream, and Sour Cream and Blueberry.

One of the original “hickster” restaurants, Phoenicia Diner is now simply known as one of the most famous spots west of the Hudson River. And with good reason: the traditional diner food here features local, seasonal ingredients. While the buttermilk pancakes are by far their best seller, the breakfast skillets are also ideal to scarf down before a day of exploring. Don’t sleep on their dinner menu, either: there’s everything from chicken pot pie to the less-traditional loaded mac and cheese topped with fried chicken, bacon, and a hot honey drizzle.

When Francesco Buitoni’s beloved Mercato Osteria Enoteca in Red Hook closed, the Hudson Valley mourned the loss of one its best Italian restaurants. But luckily, the James Beard nominee just moved up the road to Tivoli, where he opened the already-popular GioBatta. The pasta is the star of the show here, especially dishes like the hand-cut tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce, or the spaghetti carbonara topped with guanciale and egg. Pro tip: the restaurant also stocks many dishes to go, including their incredible lasagna Emiliana made with spinach pasta.

With a New American menu developed by Zac Pelaccio (formerly of Fish & Game, Backbar) and run by Taavo Somer and Charles Blaichman, this sunlit spot inside Hotel Kinsley has been a magnet for diners since opening in 2019. The dinner menu changes seasonally, but currently features spring favorites like asparagus with lemon ricotta, and arctic char with cultured cream and horseradish. The chic environs are also ideal for just popping in for a drink, especially for cocktails like the Garden Party, made with gin, rhubarb, salted lemon-lime cordial, and celery bitters.

From restaurateur Taavo Somer (Freeman’s, The Rusty Knot), this pizza spot located in a historic building in Kingston’s Stockade District brings a bit of New York City avant-garde to upstate. The menu is pizza- and pasta-focused, with standouts including the Tiger Paw pie made with pepperoni, provolone and mozzarella cheeses, and chili honey; and a fun build-your-own soft serve ice cream option. The cocktail menu is also worth a taste: it’s from Natasha David and Jeremy Oertel (Donna, Nitecap).

Come hungry to this unassuming Jamaican spot located on a quiet corner in Kingston. Every entrée comes with a heaping pile of rice, beans, and fat, fried plantains, along with a generous portion of meat, like a classic jerk chicken or the fall-off-the-bone-tender oxtail. Top Taste also stocks many hard-to-find Jamaican pantry staples, like flavored soup mixes, Easter bun, and hot pepper sauce.

Since opening in 2017, “The A” has been one of Rhinebeck’s most sought-after places for farm-to-table cuisine. The team here takes great pride in cooking with local ingredients as well as working with vendors who employ sustainable and ecologically sensitive practices. Since the pandemic began, the restaurant has also opened up a market, where customers can pick up local goods as well as imported items that are hard to find in town. One standout entree is the roasted Hudson Valley duck breast, served with spring cherries, wheat berries, and Swiss chard.

Located in the historic waterfront district of downtown Kingston, this chic natural wine bar has been a magnet for both weekenders and locals. The by-the-glass list here rotates weekly, and features wines from all over the world, including from the Republic of Georgia, Chile, and Armenia, along with local wines from New York State. One of the goals of owners Jessie Harris and Max Botwick is to dispel the misconception that all natural wines are “funky” in flavor. Find some lighter dishes like country pate and chilled ramen as well.

Located at the welcoming Hasbrouck House hotel, Butterfield gets its name from the surrounding area of the Hudson Valley; the lands were often compared to fields of butter due to the rich soil. The menu here is fancy farm-to-table, with an ever-changing roster of seasonal dishes like ricotta gnocchi with asparagus, morels, and fiddleheads, to a slow-braised lamb shank served alongside polenta, olives, and preserved lemons. The brunch menu is also strong: make sure to ask for a table outside on the picturesque patio.

The debate: is it the pizza or the cider that draws the crowds here? Luckily, it doesn’t matter, as they’re both excellent. Run by Fabio Chizzola, who hails from Rome, Westwind slings top rate, thin-crust pies in flavors traditional (Margherita) and unique (Ortolana, topped with in-season vegetables sourced from the farm). Cider-wise, they make both bubbly and still varieties, neither of which use any sulfites or sugar. It’s also just a lovely place to spend an afternoon: there are plentiful outdoor tables and it’s even dog-friendly.

With one of the prettiest views of any restaurant in the Hudson Valley — it overlooks a waterfall from floor-to-ceiling windows — the menu here is worth a stop all on its own. Standouts include three different types of macaroni and cheese (including one with spicy lobster), gnocchi with grilled corn and heirloom tomato, and a large selection of Pat Frieda steaks. There is also more casual barbecue fare served at Smoke on the Water, The Roundhouse Hotel’s other on-site restaurant.