Whether you're in the mood for healthy-ish fast food, tacos, Italian-American classics, or a farm-to-table Beacon dinner, these newly opened restaurants have you covered.
Cherries
4166 Route 209, Stone RidgeNormally a jump in ingredient quality corresponds to an even bigger jump in pricing, but the new owners of Cherries Ice Cream are banking on a volume business to sustain them as they source the best quality products, from local, three-ingredient ice cream to grass-fed burgers, with single-digit pricing for the majority of items. The roadside ice cream stand has been a longtime fixture of Stone Ridge and aims to continue being a reliable community hub, open seven days a week from 12pm to 9pm. While the previous incarnation of Cherries had dozens of items on the menu, the new owners have pared back and reinvisioned the offerings—less deli food, more fast-casual food. The hickory-smoked, all beef hotdogs run $4 to $6 a pop, and there are wraps, sandwiches, and finger food favorites like mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders. There are also several plant-based options including a gluten-free, vegan burger and nuggets.
Tortilla Taco Bar Uptown
299 Wall Street KingstonIn June 2020, mid-pandemic, Oaxacan-born and Rhinebeck-raised chef Ruben Lopez opened his dream restaurant in Kingston's Rondout district: Tortilla Taco Bar. As the name suggests, the menu at the new spot is built around the housemade tortillas, from tacos to tostadas. In a neighborhood with more than a few Mexican food options, Lopez's fish tacos, carne asada, and deliciously indulgent birria quesatacos quickly stood out. Oh, and the margaritas. Now Lopez and crew have scooped up a prime Uptown location to serve as an outpost for Tortilla Taco Bar, with a greater emphasis on their mezcal-focused cocktail program and shareable plates than full dining. Tortilla Uptown is open every day except Wednesday.
Homespun Foods
232 Main Street, Beacon
Since 2006, Homespun has been a fixture of Beacon, a Main Street mainstay for breakfast, lunch, and takeout. The quality of the sourcing and its execution has only elevated since Joe Robataille took over the business in 2019, building out a network of local farms in collaboration with chef Becky DeYoe (a veteran of Diner in Brooklyn). A trained sommelier, Robataille naturally built out Homespun's wine list, but there are only so many wines by the glass you can sell at lunch. In June, Homespun launched its dinner service to a Beacon hungry for their Mediterranean bent on New American cuisine. Open for dinner Friday through Sunday, the kitchen turns out a new menu each week inspired by farm-fresh produce. A late fall dinner might include a sweet potato bisque topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro or a seasonal panzanella salad with marinated beets, red pears, radicchio, almonds and croutons. Meat eaters will be delighted by the excellent execution on classics. The confit chicken leg is a toast to fall, braised in duck fat and served with a spicy butternut squash puree, crispy Brussel sprouts and roasted apples ($27). The dining area is small (think cafe) so make a reservation. And don't skimp on the extensive wine list, which spans glasses ($9-$15) and bottles ($15-$300), conventional and natural.
Edgewood
132 Lindsley Avenue, KingstonSitting atop a hill with views of the Hudson River, Edgewood was built in 1873 for brick manufacturer John Cordts. The three-story Second Empire residence is a paragon of the extravagant style, and now you can stay—and eat—there. As part of the Hutton Brickyard portfolio, the house features 12 guest rooms on the top two floors with the glamorous downstairs dedicated to dining and drinking. The menu opens with reasonably priced sharable items like a perfectly sauteed hen of the woods mushroom served over an emerald kale-cashew pesto ($18) and the locally made burrata, which comes with spiced, roasted honeynut squash, fried sage, and barrel balsamic vinegar ($16). Salad boxes are ticked with kale and baby gem options to which you can add chicken or trout for a full meal ($12-$30). For a delightfully umami, meat-forward main, opt for the braised beef short ribs, which are served over a bed of polenta, with a red wine demi glaze and a garden-fresh gremolata ($28). The steelhead trout is sourced locally and served with pickled fennel, toasted fregola, watercress, and a blood orange butter ($34). Aim for a table in the orange-painted salon (the one colorful relic of artist Hunt Slonem's tenure as the owner of the house).
Savona's
136 Warren Street, HudsonSavona's has been a staple of the Kingston waterfront since it opened in 2007, beloved for its wood-fired pizza, ample portions, and laid-back vibes. Propelled by their success, brothers Daniel and Stephen Sabina opened a second location in Poughkeepsie in 2017, followed by another in Red Hook in 2020. The latest in the portfolio is its Warren Street trattoria in Hudson. The pizzas and flatbreads are made in wood-fired ovens, the garlic bread and breadsticks are beloved, and the portions are generous. Kick dinner off with a bruschetta ($10.95), fried zucchini flowers ($13.95), Nonna's famous meatballs ($12.95), or a panzanella burrata salad ($17.95). From the mains, choose hearty classics like bucatini carbonara ($22.95), crimini mushroom truffle risotto ($21.95), Tuscan veal marsala ($33.95), chicken pepperoni parmigiana ($23.95), shrimp scampi ($24.95), or lobster ravioli ($23.95). Savona's in Hudson is open for lunch (both prix-fixe and a la carte), dinner, and Sunday brunch.
