It’s Freaky Friday, and Tillson bar/restaurant Darlings is finally throwing open its doors to the public. Don’t expect to see Jamie Lee Curtis. But do expect lots of familiar waitstaff faces from Huckleberry and other area bars, happy locals, colorful cocktails, and a tasty menu of Southern comfort food.
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Darlings: A Southern Restaurant and Bar to Open in the Old Postage Inn in Tillson
The venture is the latest hospitality undertaking from the owners of Huckleberry in New Paltz, Julie Dabbs and Billy Simkiss and Leah Allen and Mike O’Neil, with the addition of Madi Taylor and Luke Peters, who have worked front-of-house at Huckleberry since its opening in December 2015.
After top-to-bottom a DIY makeover of the old Postage Inn location, the roadhouse is back in action with the slogan “paradise in Tillson” and an eclectic aesthetic that includes checkerboard flooring, thrifted furniture, sylvan wallpaper, and beadboard. Outdoor seating abounds thanks to a new 4,000-square-foot patio, which reflects lessons learned from Huckleberry.
The food menu includes a handful of small plates like smoked trout dip served with butter-baked saltines and raw veggies ($15), hush puppies, cause duh, ($9); and a pimento cheese dip ($14). Southern food is fried food, and here you have your pick of chicken, “vegan chicken” (oyster mushrooms), catfish, or mix of all three.
All the classic Southern sides you can imagine are available a la carte with some fun, unexpected additions like cucumber salad ($7) and maple-roasted cauliflower ($8). If you’re looking for a full-on meal, the fried options come as sandwiches, there is also a burger and veggie burger ($18 and $17); a vegan, gluten-free Hokie Bowl ($18); a few classic salads; and mac and cheese.
Co-owner Maddie Taylor previously told us, “We’re keeping the food menu really fun, really playful, and tight, so we can play around with specials and add some depth on a weekly basis.” But the proof is in the corn muffins, so go check out Darlings, open now
4pm to midnight, seven days a week.
This article appears in May 2022.
