Rumors of a cocktail bar opening in the heart of the Saugerties Village began swirling long before the doors of Margaux Bar ever opened in late August.
The upscale-yet-informal atmosphere of the establishment on Partition Street is far from accidental. Dark shades of blue cast their mood from the interior walls, densely adorned with artwork and illuminated by the kind of lighting visitors might expect in a gallery across the river in Hudson. The headiness is tempered by the large velvet couch serving as an uber-cozy centerpiece and the two-top tables that offer a view of passersby on the bluestone sidewalks outside.
Saugerties is home to a stable of beloved restaurants and bars that are well-known to locals and visitors alike, but a space that is simultaneously cosmopolitan and inviting? That is something altogether new to this corner of the Hudson Valley.
Sarah Viator, Margaux’s owner, wanted the space to feel vintage—to a degree—but to feel a little lived in, and comfortable. “There are so many wonderful places in town that all have their own vibe, but there wasn’t really a place where you could go after dinner, during a date night, to just be chill with a cocktail or a martini,” Viator mused. “I thought I could fill that niche.”
From Miss Lucy’s to Margaux
Viator is especially well-suited to understand the gaps that exist in the Saugerties nightlife scene. Since 2020, she has owned Miss Lucy’s Kitchen, a local institution just across Partition Street from Margaux Bar.
The Lake Katrine resident started working at Miss Lucy’s in 2005, soon after graduating from SUNY New Paltz, and was an employee there on and off—mostly on—until she purchased the place. “I had my 21st birthday celebration in the back room at Miss Lucy’s,” Viator remembers. “I kind of grew up there.”
After moving to Boiceville from Long Island when she was a little over a year old, Viator’s family later settled in Lake Katrine and she attended Kingston schools, eventually graduating from Kingston High School. She lived in Saugerties for three years starting when she was 19 and always had a strong friend group there, so in her mind it made sense for her to focus so much of her time and attention on the town.
That attention turned to the idea of a cocktail bar with specific drinks and a curated feel Viator could never shake. As luck would have it, the space at 83 Partition Street became available and Viator signed the lease in early 2025.
Now that it’s open for business, the staff puts their mixology knowledge on full display. The cocktail menu features plenty of standards like the Negroni, Manhattan, and Old Fashioned. But more fearless patrons can opt for the Freak of the Week, a rotating cast of creative cocktails that might not make most bar lists. (Cocktails range from $9 for no alcohol to $13 for low-proof and $15 for full-strength.)
One recent creation, the Beet Martini, calls for pickled beet juice along with the vodka and vermouth, garnished with pickled beets carved into star shapes. And the egg white-topped Pineapple Express, while not a Margaux exclusive, gets a twist with smoked pineapple, lime, and honey.
Agave also features prominently, with a margarita, spicy mezcal Paloma and Rosita earning their spots on the menu.
Aiming to be a haven for all, Viator was sure to include low-alcohol cocktail options, like the Adonis, with sherry, vermouth and bitters, and the Day Tripper, which features strawberry amaro, lemon, and club soda. A section of the list is even dedicated to non-alcoholic “Prohibition” drinks like the Nojito, Shirley Temple, and cheekily-named Softcore Porn, with vanilla, passionfruit, lime, sugar, and club soda.
That inclusivity shows through in the rest of the drink menu, with its selection of glasses of wine and beers from the Livingston Manor’s Catskill Brewery catering to a variety of tastes.
A Menu Made with Neighbors
Not to be outdone by the drinks, the food at Margaux is equal parts classic and comforting. There is a pate with pickles, mustard, jam and bread ($16), as well as a charcuterie and a three-cheese mac ($10) to which a hot dog (+$3) can be added. Local ingredients make appearances in several dishes. The chili dog ($12) features beef from Kilcoyne Farms in Hudson Falls, while the panini with stracciatella, mortadella, pesto, and olives ($16) utilizes Cairo’s See & Be Kitchen focaccia and the hummus ($10) includes pesto from local maker, BuddhaPesto.
The victuals aren’t the only local products at Margaux. When Viator needed to design the space and the menu, she called on her friends Christine Ferrante and Sam Weller at Woodstock-based design firm Maverick & Muse. The menus themselves were printed by local letterpress operator Kate Murray, who owns Quick Brown Fox Letterpress stationery company with a retail location on Main Street in Saugerties. And Chef Rich Reeve, formerly of Bia and Elephant fame, advised on the development of the menu. “Our local business owners are amazing,” Viator offered. “So many of them really do try to support each other. For me, it’s part of what makes this part of the Hudson Valley so special.”
To make her dream of a cocktail bar come true, Viator’s family jumped into the mix. Her husband, Ryan Viator, who is part owner of Buns Burgers, built the bar and the back bar. And Margaux is her daughter’s middle name.
“It may sound cliche, but I could never have done this without my family behind me, cheering me on,” Viator added. “I’m so grateful to have them in my life.”
Margaux Bar is located at 83 Partition Street in Saugerties. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday.
