If you had asked New York City celebrity chef and restaurateur John DeLucie before the pandemic about the chances of him opening a spot in the Hudson Valley, he’d have likely told you slim to none. The Long Island-raised Italian-American behind Lumaca, Empire Diner, Bedford & Co., the sprawling Williamsburg eatery Ainslie, and a handful of other restaurants, didn’t feel the same upstate fever that gripped many of his fellow urbanites in recent years.
But the pandemic changed everything. From one quarter to the next, DeLucie was wondering if he would ever work again. Then one day, a partner and contractor on several previous hospitality projects called him up and pitched him on opening a spot in Hudson. DeLucie says, “I wasn’t inclined to go north. I was inclined to go east [to the Hamptons]. That was my familiar,” he says. And quoting Steinbeck, he adds, “But the best laid plans of mice and men…”
A somewhat skeptical DeLucie boarded Amtrak and rode up to Hudson to see the Warren Street space, which for many years housed Ca’ Mea restaurant. He was impressed with the c.1855 Italianate building, but perhaps what sealed the deal was the organic, naturally fermented croissant he picked up across the street at Norman Jean Roy’s cult-famous bakery Breadfolks. “I was completely blown away by the quality and just the absolute deliciousness,” DeLucie says. “Not only that, but the way they presented their business and products. I thought if this could be here and survive, then there is something to be said for Hudson.” Many might say that DeLucie was late to the table on this realization, but in any case, several layers of buttery, flaky goodness later, he signed onto the project.
After a year of planning and renovations, the restaurant at 333-335 Warren Street will open as Merchants Social in May. “We’re not married to any specific cuisine,” DeLucie says. “We’re married to the bounty of the Hudson Valley.” The gut renovation included opening up the indoor space and doubling the size of the patio. The front room will feature a casual, living room-like lounge area with comfortable seating, low tables, the bar, and raw bar; a separate formal dining room connected to the open kitchen; and an ample, sun-drenched courtyard with seating for 74.
“Because of the separate dining rooms, there are a lot of configurations we can do,” says partner and general manager Jaime Donato. “If you want a cocktail and a couple oysters, there’s a space for that. If you want a private celebration, there’s a space. If you want to come with kids and have a leisurely brunch on the patio there’s space for that.” The revamped kitchen will also host an ample catering operation for weddings and other private events (both on- and offsite).
Executive chef Kevin Rubis, who most recently worked under chef Dan Silverman at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, will head up the kitchen. “We had heard about him, I made a phone call, and the rest is history,” DeLucie says. As for the Italian influences that find their way into most of DeLucie’s projects, he frames it more as a conceptual approach than a set of strict culinary parameters. “It will find its way in—it’s the root of all that I do. No matter what happens, I always think, ‘How would my grandmother do this?’” he says. “Italian cooking is just simply local. ‘Do as little as possible’ is a very Italian concept—minimal intervention. That’s because of the quality of the ingredients. You don’t need to hide anything.”
In addition to working with area producers like Liberty Farms, Clear Creek Farm, Hudson Valley Fisheries, and Climbing Tree Farm, to source produce, fish, and meat, the raw bar will stock a wide range of fresh East Coast seafood including oysters, mussels, clams, lobster, and langoustines.
Michael Albin from Hudson Wine Merchants will curate the wine list, including a few low-intervention options. The beverage director will be Micahel Kang, who launched the drink program at the Maker Hotel’s lounge and Scribner’s Catskill Lodge in Hunter. “He is going to be a terrific asset,” DeLucie says. “He is really focused on local spirits and using local produce to make tinctures and syrups. He’s even considering making non-alcoholic options.”
As far as the bar itself, it will feature a zinc top with sleek nickel and glass shelving, embodying the light, chic aesthetic that DeLucie and co. are bringing to the entire interior. The walls have white oak paneling that’s been stained a pale gray color that allows the grain to show through. Another room has crushed silver velvet upholstery on the walls. Antique mirrors are sprinkled throughout, and the ceiling was finished using an air-purifying Japanese plaster made from volcanic ash. “It has a light and airy quality to it, which is a departure from Ca’ Mea, which had stark colors and dark wood,” says Donato, who adds that the raw bar itself will be a major focal point as will be fresh bouquets from Liberty Farms.
“It’s kind of eclectic, super creative, and whimsical in a way,” DeLucie says of the design, which has been an evolving process. “It’s just a really great space. I think that it’s going to be great for the town. It’s going to fit right in. The town itself is so eclectic, there is something for everyone there: art, furniture, vintage clothing, amazing croissants.”
That’s not all the team has in the works. Aside from the restaurant, which will make its debut May 14 as the venue for the annual Hudson Hall gala, the Merchants Social team is also working on Merchants Provisions, which will be headed up by Charlie Miller. The whole-animal butcher shop and market is slated to open mid-summer in the old Talbott & Arding Space on Warren Street. “The whole idea is that everything is going to be self-sustaining,” Donato says. “The butcher shop will sell to the restaurant as well as selling to the public. We’ll also have fish in the market, as well as a nice selection of dry goods, pastas, canned goods, and locally sourced products.” And also a to-go bar of rotating house specialties like crab and lobster salads.
While the doors of Merchants Social are still a few weeks off from opening,the culinary proposition achieved preliminary proof of concept recently at a Soho House pop-up event. The five-course meal included grilled Blue Point oysters served with a sour orange mignonette, urfa pepper, and basil; ravioli made with local egg yolks, preserved lemon ricotta, brown butter, prosciutto, pecorino, and black pepper; corned beef tongue served with marinated beets and horseradish cream; and a pork ham and loin dish with heirloom beans, braised greens, smoked tomato, charred onion jam, and chicharron. “The reception was wonderful,” Donato says. “We got to meet a number of people in the city that were very excited to hear about our project.”
Merchants Social plans to be open by Memorial Day weekend.
This article appears in April 2022.
