From Wassaic to Woodstock, Catskill to Beacon, the Hudson Valley’s dining scene continues to reinvent itself with a mix of bold flavors, playful concepts, and hometown heart. This season brings a bumper crop of new openings: Thai kitchens tucked into distilleries, plant-forward bistros glowing with farmhouse chic, tiki bars dedicated to hot dogs, and diners polished to stainless-steel shine. Whether it’s a craft-cocktail hideaway in Tivoli, a Greek mezze feast in Catskill, or a brewery in Athens slinging 20-inch pizzas, these spots deliver both destination dining and neighborhood comfort. Here’s what’s new on the table for fall and winter.
Thai Baan
at Tenmile Distillery, 78 Sinpatch Road, Wassaic
After a series of well-received pop-ups, Thai Baan has officially opened inside Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic. Run by chef Arunee “Runie” Pakaraphag and Jason Jeffords III, the Thai kitchen draws from Pakaraphag’s upbringing on a rice farm in northeastern Thailand and her global culinary experience. The couple relocated from New York City to bring thoughtfully prepared, home-style Thai cuisine to rural Dutchess County. Highlights include a rich Massaman short rib curry ($34), fiery pork stir-fry ($22), and vegetarian-friendly green curry ($20). Tenmile’s cocktails—like the jalapeno vodka-based Regina George—pair perfectly with the Southeast Asian menu.
Little Goat
6380 Mill Street, Rhinebeck
In the former spot of the Amsterdam in Rhinebeck, perennial trendsetter, restaurateur, and entrepreneur Taavo Somer has opened Little Goat with longtime business partner Erin Winters. The warm, design-forward restaurant is already drawing attention for its plant-focused menu and plans to soon be open all day, every day. The interior is a spot-on manifestation of modern-farmhouse Pinterest vibes with worn wood tables and painted board-and-batten walls. A cafe/bakery/pantry, starting on October 6, Little Goat will be open daily 10am–9pm (and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays). The dinner menu includes options like roasted grilled Hudson Valley steelhead trout with charred hakurei turnips ($29) and the Veritas Farm pork chop with olives, fennel pollen, figs, and capers ($30).
Shorties
81 N Chestnut Street, New Paltz
Shorties has recently revived the beloved Village Pizza building on North Chestnut Street in New Paltz, reimagining the space as a playful “hot dog tiki bar.” Opened by the team behind Huckleberry and Darling’s, the new daytime destination offers retro diner charm. Specializing in all-beef hot dogs—including an indulgent tower of mini-dogs, sides, and exotic condiments like grilled pineapple salsa, hoisin BBQ, and kimchi—is Shorties’s main draw, though vegetarian Impossible dogs are also available. (Ask about the hot dog punch card.) Guests can sip on $15 tiki-style cocktails, such as the Shorties Saturn, with gin, lemon, passionfruit, velvet falernum, and vanilla soft serve; or the Jungle Bird with rum, Amermelade, lime, and pineapple Dole Whip. With patio seating, Shorties brings a fun, flavorful twist to the New Paltz food scene, repurposing a local landmark into a sunlit stop for hot dogs, drinks, and high-brow, low-brow fun.
The Wild Kitchen & Bar
416 Main Street, Beacon
The Wild Kitchen & Bar has popped up on Beacon’s Main Street, infusing a once-vacant corner with an airy, industrial-chic glow and an entirely gluten-free, vegetarian-forward menu sourced from its own Hudson Valley farm, Titusville Farm. By day, it functions as a wholesome, fast-casual canteen offering hearty bowls; by night, it transforms into a full-service farm-to-table dining and social hub. Dishes like blistered shishito peppers with smoky nori aioli ($11), miso-buttered cabbage with crispy rice ($17), asparagus-peppered egg noodles ($28), and summer squash with pistachio pistou ($12) capture seasonal flavors. Meat appears sparingly—with brick chicken or steelhead trout playing subtle supporting roles. Crafted cocktails, elixirs, ciders, tonics, and biodynamic wines—with inventive offerings like the Fresa Fresca elixir ($12), Galloway Park Swizzle ($16), and All Dirt Candy cocktail—reflect a forward-thinking bar program under Jessica Gonzalez’s direction. The upper level doubles as a social and wellness venue for events like yoga and workshops.
Rae’s
814 Main Street, Margaretville
Located on Margaretville’s quaint main drag, Rae’s is a fresh addition to the Catskills dining scene with a focus on bold flavors and shared plates. Opened by Alexandra Rosenberg and James Bailey, Rae’s pays tribute to Rosenberg’s great-grandmother through a menu of elevated comfort food with playful, regional touches in a grandma-chic interior (think tin ceilings and mismatched vintage dinnerware). Dishes like chopped liver with crisp chicken-skin “chips” ($15), tuna melt on rye ($19), and chile en nogada ($20) reflect both Jewish and Southwest influences. The cocktail menu riffs on classics with nods to family, and the wine list favors minimal-intervention selections. Housed in a former dive bar, Rae’s balances nostalgia and creativity in both its food and inviting atmosphere.
Medo
83 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock
Fans of Woodstock sushi spot Medo were devastated when the restaurant announced its closure in April. But co-owner David Fletcher sought out new partners in Cheese Louise owner Ari Alonso-Lubell and sushi chef Kevin Lin to revive Medo and infuse it with fresh energy. Reopened in June, Medo preserves its original charm while expanding its menu. Nobu-trained, Lin is curating standout omakase dinners that rotate weekly based on the freshest seasonal fish. Favorites like the Woodstock Roll ($20) and local mushroom tempura ($16) return, while Chef Peter Kerwin is cooking up new dishes—including expanded vegetarian and vegan options.
Phos
353 Main Street, Catskill
Phos has opened on Catskill’s Main Street, transforming a century-old space into a refined Greek-American kitchen helmed by Chef Stephanie Skiadas. The five-mezzes—fava-bean green, red-pepper orange, tzatziki-white—arrive like a color wheel for dipping in warm, house-baked flatbread. A seasonal “Greek salad” surprises with leafy lettuce, radishes, and anchovy. Highlights include grilled octopus with smoked pepper vinaigrette, calamari with lentil crust and olive aioli, gyro, moussaka, spanakopita souffle, and honey-caraway glazed bluefish with Castelvetrano olives. Drinks include mocktails built around savory syrups, plus a Naked Mastika spritz. Desserts: baklava, Greek coffee granita, mountain-tea sorbet, and linden-flower ice cream-paired donuts.
Hudson Diner
717 Warren Street, Hudson
The 80-year-old stainless steel shell of Hudson’s historic diner—formerly the Diamond Street, then Grazin’—gleams again with new life. Now called, simply, Hudson Diner, the space has been revived by two popular industry pros and friends: Ashley Berman, co-owner of Mel the Bakery, and Brent Young, famed butcher behind The Meat Hook. The duo, friends from Brooklyn’s food scene, jumped at the chance to breathe new life into the historic spot. With a mission rooted in local sourcing, the menu blends comforting diner classics with elevated ingredients—think chopped steak ($25), spaghetti pie ($18), burgers on Mel’s breads (418), and seasonal pies. A newly added bar serves accessible cocktails like martinis and piña coladas ($13). Berman, running the kitchen, aims for a warm, all-day neighborhood hub—low in pretension, high on flavor.
Bad Times Bar
63 Broadway, Tivoli
Bad Times Bar has opened in Tivoli’s Broadway village, transforming a welcoming housefront—framed by soft pink peonies and climbing roses—into a cozy cocktail haven with an ironic name and all-are-welcome energy. The bar serves a small selection of specialty cocktails (plus rotating chalkboard specials), including a bracing Tomato Martini (gin, vermouth, and tomato and olive juices; $12) paired with buttery rosemary-roasted house nuts ($5), and the smoky-spicy Tormenta Negra (mezcal, ginger beer, lime; $11), balanced by chicken-liver mousse with plum compote and baguette ($12). Light fare like asparagus deviled eggs with bacon ($6), white bean dip with baguette ($8), and the bright, farro-studded Big Chop Salad ($14) complement drinks like the fruity-yet-not-sweet Kingston Club ($13). Plus, there’s rotating Suarez Family beers ($8), wine by the glass ($10-16), $5 PBR, and endless complimentary cheese puffs for extra-salty fun.
Night School
21 Second Street, Athens
Night School has taken over the former Crossroads Brewing taproom on Athens’s 2nd Street, reshaping it into a welcoming neighborhood brewery and pie-centric hangout. Brewery owner Johnny Osborne is pouring house-made beers and Deep Fried collaborations—signature pours include the juicy DIPA Unsportsmanlike Conduct and tropical hop bomb Porgs in a Blanket—alongside Night School originals like Recess Red and nitro-poured Study Hall Stout. The food menu centers on generous 20-inch pizzas—think the lemon- and arugula-topped 4-H Club and the hearty Locker Room—with slices at $4.25–$5.25. Smash burgers, wings, garlic knots, salads, and fried-chicken sandwiches followed. Cocktails by Nate Gebhard shine, with highlights like the refreshing Substitute Teacher and the smoky, citrusy Writer’s Block.
This article appears in Fall 2025/Winter 2026.
