New bars and restaurants open in the Hudson Valley this August include an Asian noodle shop in Warwick, hyperlocal farm-to-table eats in Millbrook, tasty lunch sandwiches in Kingston, and more.
The Vintage at the Millbrook Inn
3 Gifford Road, Millbrook | Themillbrookinn.com
After an ownership change and a nearly two-year-long renovation, the Millbrook Inn is once again open and hosting overnight guests in their nine suites. The renovation included the addition of an onsite bar/restaurant. The Vintage, which is open to the public, specializes in seasonal, simply prepared farm-to-table fare, like the weekly changing farm stand salad with a mix of greens and produce topped with goat cheese and candied sunflower seeds ($16). The midsummer steelhead trout tartare is served with capers, shallots, cucumber ribbons, and Meyer lemon. Looking for something heartier? The summer fowl dish is a dry-rubbed, oven-roasted spring hen served with ratatouille and white bean puree ($32). The Vintage is open for dinner Thursday to Saturday and Mondays and for Sunday brunch.
Next to 14
14 Railroad Avenue, Warwick | Nextto14.com
Opened mid-July, Next to 14 in Warwick is Aussie-born restaurateur Damien Georges’s homage to culinary favorites from his time living in Asia, served with craft cocktails and local beer. For starters, snack on innovative small plates like beef bulgogi gyoza, fried shrimp spring rolls, confit duck or oyster mushroom bao (all $8). The bahn mi comes in both classic braised pork belly and vegan tofu varieties, both served with herbed mayo, pickled daikon, carrots, red onion, cilantro, and cucumbers ($12). Similarly, Georges offers a vegetarian miso ramen bowl ($14) and a pork ramen ($16). Both are customizable with a long list of ingredients ranging from the bok choy ($2) and soft boiled egg ($3) to more indulgent picks like beef filet and duck ($6 each).
Sweet Sue’s
49 Main Street, Phoenicia
After the pandemic shuttered Sweet Sue’s for two years, the longtime Phoenicia favorite is finally back and under new management. But don’t worry, the new owners bought Sue’s famous pancake recipes, which returned to the griddle for the first time in July, complementing the expanded menu of diner-adjacent breakfast fare. A new house-smoked meats program adds specialties like Coked and smoked ham (cooked with Coke), 20-hour brisket, and Faroe Island salmon to the menu of omelets, flapjack stacks, salads, and sandwiches. The coffee and espresso program was developed by Jeff Bailey of Mount Tremper-based Heavyfeather Roasting Co.
The Academy
33 Academy Street, Poughkeepsie
The recently opened Academy food hall has revitalized two vacant buildings in downtown Poughkeepsie. Open daily, the location includes a slew of restaurants, a provisions market, bar, and event space. The locally focused Academy Market sources fresh produce from local farmers as well as meat and seafood from the larger region. Food hall tenants include the barbecue-focused Smoke 33, salad-centric Valley Greens, Asian-fusion eatery East-West, bar and bottle shop Hudson Hopworks, the quick and casual Cafe + Grill, and an east-of-the-Hudson outpost for artisanal bakery the Newburgh Flour Shop. For a fancier evening on the town, check out the 75-seat Academy Kitchen, a New American bistro and bar with entree options spanning spring pea risotto and cauliflower steak to seared arctic char and grilled, bone-in pork chop.
Lucky Lefty’s
331 Hasbrouck Avenue, Kingston
After a lengthy “winter” break, Midtown Kingston’s favorite lowkey sandwich window, Lucky Lefty’s, is back open Wednesdays through Saturdays. Located in a shoebox space next door to the Meat Wagon on Hasbrouck Avenue, this is the go-to place for a killer Cubano with house-roasted pork and whole-grain mustard, or an on-point bahn mi served with jalapeños, carrots, and cucumber. The barbecue pulled pork sandwich is a sweet affair served on a milk bun with pineapple slaw; while the hearty brisket sandwich comes with havarti cheese, kraut, and broccoli shoots. There’s also breakfast sammies and weekly rotating tarts, with flavors like cheddar onion; heirloom tomato, and fennel zucchini.
