As the summer is winding down, what better way to spend the remaining warm nights than on the outdoor patios of one of these local restaurants featuring innovative cocktails, local tap beers, and expertly crafted wine lists.
Huckleberry | New Paltz
Sit underneath trees and cafe-style string lights and enjoy a casual, summery cocktail on the patio at Huckleberry. On hot days try out their frozen cocktails, including mango jalapeño margarita, piña colada, and peach lemonade. Opt to keep things classic with their spin on an Old Fashioned or spice things up and try their Secret Garden Daiquiri made from a tea blend from The Ridge Tea & Spice Shop. On top of their extensive cocktail menu, Huckleberry also has 12 tap beers that rotate frequently including Other Half, Threes, Suarez Family Brewery, Hudson Valley Brewery, Yard Owl, and Sloop. Mocktails include lavender-ade, a Yellow Jacket, and a Lenai Spritz. Enjoy small plates like hand-cut sea salt fries, rosemary parmesan fries, wings, or blistered shishito peppers. At night, staff light the chimineas, so you can stay cozy well past dark. Huckleberry is open daily, 12pm to 12am.
Hudson House Distillery | West Park
With one of the most breathtaking views in the Hudson Valley, Hudson House, set on 27 acres, has an unobstructed view of the Hudson River and Vanderbilt Mansion beyond. Previously a monastery built in the 1850s, the property is now an event space, distillery for handcrafted limited-batch spirits and wines, and tasting room, with plans for a boutique hotel. Go on a tour of the extensive Italianate villa led by the owners and try their Altair vodka made from non-GMO corn grown in New York, Bourbon Founder’s Next 1, and Rye Founder’s Next 1. Their wine selection includes rose, white wine, reserve tocai, red wine, sparkling wine, and cabernet franc. The Hudson House is open Thursday and Friday from 4pm to 9pm, and Sunday 12pm to 8pm.
River Grill at the Stewart House | Athens
The River Grill, Stewart House’s outdoor eatery, offers unmatched romance in their waterfront patio, which overlooks the Hudson River from beneath a swaying canopy of mature weeping willows. The restaurant also has a dock, making it accessible by boat if you’re looking for a cocktail after a day on the water. Try their Mothers Little Helper with La Gritona Tequila, pamplemousse, campari, and lime or enjoy a glass of Domaine Collin Cremant de Limoux prosecco. Enjoy a light snack with your drink and choose from their chips and housemade French onion dip, grilled chicken wings, veggie crudite (an herbed greek yogurt dip), hummus, and lots more or try out one of their salads and sandwiches. The River Grill is open Thursday and Friday (4pm to 9pm) and Saturday and Sunday (1pm to 9pm), with live music on Sundays from 2-5pm.
Back Bar | Hudson
Back Bar offers adventurous Southeast Asian-style eats and far-flung drinks to match. In summer months the bar’s large garage doors open for a seamless transition between inside and out. Savor a cocktail in their large outdoor patio with picnic tables, ivy growing up the side walls, and cafe lights strung. For those hot summer days, opt for a “slushee cocktails” such as The Lucy (with tequila, lime juice, and prosecco), The Ricky (with tequila, lime, and BB Lager), and Where There’s Smoke (El Silencio mezcal, chili-infused Aperol, smoked agave, and lime). On tap, Backbar pours draft beer from Hudson Brewing Company, Sloop, Oskar Blues, and more. Back Bar is open Wednesday through Sunday. Their hours are 5pm to 12am Wednesday and Thursday, 2pm to 2am Friday and Saturday, and Sundays from 12pm to 8pm.
Lunch Nightly | Kingston
In Lunch Nightly’s short but impactful run, the deli/butcher by day, bar by night has amassed a devoted following. The interior manages to blend diner vibes with exotic appeal, including fringed light fixtures, bold colors, and neon lights. The patio offers a tempered version of the same with massive, oversized red umbrellas (with fringe) amidst trees and ornamental plants. Though the business climate forced Lunch Nightly to close their regular lunch service in late May, the bar opens for drinks and snacks Friday through Monday, and sporadically for karaoke nights, live music, dinner pop-ups, and other events. The food menu is small, rotating, and adventurous with ingredients from farms in New York including Slope Farms and Greenane both in Meredith, and Sir William's in Hillsdale. The bar is open on Friday and Saturday from 5pm till late, and Sundays and Mondays 5pm to 9pm.
Mama Roux | Newburgh
Mama Roux’s New Orleans-inspired menu has extensive Southern influence. Sit beneath the fairy lights in the gravel side patio, which has its own outdoor bar and sip one of the signature craft cocktails. For drinks, they have Mama’s Night Cap with Antica Torino amaro, Six & Twenty Carolina cream and Mr Black Amaro Liquor, Shiso Fine with Shiso infused spirits lab vodka, orange flower water, Dry Routin vermouth, and japanese shiso bitters, and a Oaxacan Moroccan. Mama Roux also carries an extensive wine list and a rotating draft beer selection. In cans, they offer KCBC, Lawsons, Urban Artifact, Singlecut, Good Nature, and Narragansett. Try out Mama Roux’s small plates for a light pairing with your cocktail, like the shrimp and grapefruit, barbecue brussel sprouts, vegan pate with pimento and pickles, or mussels. Mama Roux also offers weekend brunch, including the monthly Drag Brunches.
The Roundhouse | Beacon
Originally built in the 1800s as a factory complex that served various industries over the years from textile manufacturing to machine-making, The Roundhouse has been converted into an elegant hotel, restaurant, and popular event venue along the Fishkill Creek. Though the hydro turbines that once powered the factory are no longer in use, the restaurant takes full advantage of its waterfront location, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular vistas of the falls. Or you can sit outside on the deck for an up-close sensory experience of the rushing falls. The Roundhouse’s signature cocktails include a Bourbon Mickey, Passionate Lemonade, Barrel Aged Manhattan, Peach Rum White Sangria, and more. They have a full lunch and dinner menu to go along with their cocktails including classics like fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, filet mignon, the Roundhouse burger, and a New England lobster roll. The restaurant is open Thursday through Monday.
Diamond Mills | Saugerties
Diamond Mills is a restaurant, luxury hotel, and event spaces alongside the Esopus Creek in the village of Saugerties. The Tavern offers seasonal specialty cocktails, an extensive wine list, and local beer, plus a full food menu. Depending on the time of day you visit, enjoy their bottomless mimosas at brunch or on their dessert menu try the mojito popsicle with rum, toasted coconut, lime, mango, and mint semifreddo. Their dessert cocktails this summer are The Mills Sour, Summer Splash (with white rum), Blueberry Fizz, the Diamond Negroni, and a hibiscus-infused tequila sunrise. Sit at a table on the ample back deck (ideally along the railing) to take in stunning views of the falls that once powered the 18th-century paper mill for which the property is named. The Tavern is open Tuesday through Sunday.
The Station Bar & Curio | Woodstock
Set inside an old train station brought to Woodstock on a flatbed truck, the Station Bar & Curio is a town staple. Enjoy your drink inside the eclectic interior, under their covered patio or in their beer garden. For cocktails, they have all the classics including a margarita, Moscow mule, negroni, and a few innovations including a Campfire Old Fashioned with toasted marshmallow syrup. For the beer drinkers, the Station offers eight rotating taps, which always include a pilsner, a few IPAs, and something seasonal. On the food menu is a honey and basil grilled cheese sandwich, a warm German pretzel, and a hot dog on a brioche bun. The Station is open seven days a week from 1pm to midnight, and 1pm to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Hutton Brickyards | Kingston
The River Pavilion at Hutton Brickyards is an open-style pavilion overlooking the Hudson River with wood-fired ovens and grills as the culinary focal point. In their wood-burning hearth, they cook both salmon and chicken served with a side of greens or try their burger, lobster, pasta, mussels, and duck. Enjoy their full bar and specialty cocktails including the Brickyard Manhattan (with bourbon, carpano antica, and orange) and Kingston Mule (with vodka, cranberry-thyme, lime, and ginger beer). The River Pavillion is open Monday through Wednesday for drinks only from 5pm to 9:30pm, and their full menu Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Stay the night in one of their luxury cabins overlooking the water or host a concert, corporate retreat, or wedding on the property.
