Upper Depot Brewing Co.
708 State Street #1, HudsonFor being the proverbial it-town of the Hudson Valley, Hudson has lagged in the region's craft brewery trend. But at the end of 2022, the city got its second brewery when Upper Depot opened in a historic circa-1871 train station. Raised in nearby Stuyvesant Falls, friends and co-owners Montgomery Bopp and Aaron Maas pitched the building's owners on the brewery concept back in 2019. It's been a long road with plenty of bumps, but on December 28 the brewery opened its doors with eight freshly brewed beers on tap inside the industrial-chic space. Skipping the headache of an onsite kitchen, the team has opted to tap into the local circuit of food truck operators, with Whale Belly as a regular fixture.
The Gnome Bistro
1267 Route 295, East ChathamThe Cottage on Route 295 in East Chatham was a beloved stop for locals and tourists. After it closed, several iterations followed but none had the requisite staying power. Now, as The Gnome Bistro, run by accomplished chef and Chatham local Zak Russell, the restaurant offers a varied assortment of comfort food with all-day breakfast items like Gnomecakes, the Gnomelet, and the Hangry Gnome. But fear not: The gnome theme doesn't get in the way of the creative menu items and the well-stocked bar.
Post Road Brewhouse at the CIA
946 Campus Drive, Hyde ParkThe Culinary Institute of America revives its beloved pop-up the Post Road Brew House this winter for a casual gastropub experience run by students. Located inside the General Foods Nutrition Center on campus, Post Road serves up CIA-made and local beers on tap, plus Hudson Valley wine and spirits. The menu is split into large and small plates. Start with the tuna Nicoise salad ($16) or perhaps the smoked brisket poutine ($15). For mains, the ramen dish fuses cuisines with a pozole broth, braised pork belly, a six-minute egg, scallions, and cilantro ($20). Beet bourguignon offers a vegetarian twist on the Julia Child classic ($18). And port-braised ribs offer wintery heartiness served over local polenta with bacon lardons, pearl onions, mushrooms, and crispy onions ($28).
Chleo
288 Fair Street, Kingston
After long delays, the much-anticipated Uptown Kingston wine bar Chleo is finally open at the corner of John and Fair streets. The renovated spot (formerly Ecce Terra) sports an elegant, neutral color palette and serves up locally sourced eats. For a teaser, order grilled bread or seed crackers and carrot 'nduja spread, made with a mix of lacto-fermented and slow-cooked carrots, Calabrian chilis, and roasted garlic ($8). Dishes like the charred cabbage with anchoiade and kraut krispies ($12) and the wild mushrooms with porter vinaigrette, egg yolk, and breadcrumbs ($17) offer an umami-packed vegetarian option. If you want meat, though, go for the grilled short rib with black trumpet duxelle and jus ($32). The natural-leaning wine list ranges from an Oregon Syrah to a Catalonian Malvasia with some 30 selections, almost half of which are available by the glass ($11-16).
The Notch
55 Allen Lane, TannersvilleTannersville's apres-ski game just got kicked up a notch with the new Asian street food concept from the owners of nearby restaurant Tabla. The Notch, which opened in early December in the Colonial Country Club, serves up a short list of drool-worthy dishes like pork belly bao buns ($15), dan dan noodles ($17), and fried chicken with spicy gochujang or soy ginger sauce ($16). A $12 classic Aviation and the Kundalini, with rye, yuzu, ginger, and basil offer a sampling of what the bar can do. Munch some fried dumplings and sip on a drink while you take in the epic mountain view at sunset. Inside, a foosball table entertains while the outdoor ice rink offers fun for all ages.
