Sure, churn isn't good, but as a foodie, news of a new restaurant or bar is always exciting. In Kingston, after a relatively chill last year, recently we've had our hands full as whispers have flooded in about new openings, closings, transfers of ownerships, and projects in the works. It seemed high time we rounded up all the hot goss on new Kingston bars and restaurants into one post so you know where to go, what to mourn, and what to look forward to.
Openings
Lone Wolf
240 Foxhall Avenue, KingstonThe boxy building on Foxhall Avenue that housed glam cocktail and Polish tapas bar Lis sat dormant for a year and a half until reviving on November 3 as Lone Wolf. The brainchild of Anton Kinloch and Lisa Dy, owners of the now-defunct Fuchsia Tiki Bar in New Paltz, the new spot brings craft cocktails and Asian-inspired eats to Midtown Kingston. Think spicy tuna crispy rice ($12) and pork belly ($15) for small plates and for cocktails a mix of historic (Penicillin, Paper Plane) and modern classics (Sasha Petraske’s Sherpa). A daiquiri and Mexican mai tai Tia Mia scratch the tiki itch, plus Fuschia lives on as a weekly Sunday pop-up.
Eliza
582 Broadway, KingstonEliza is the latest endeavor of the culinary crew behind Ollie’s Pizza, who teamed up with chef Chris Bradley, an alum of Cafe Boulud and Gramercy Tavern for this project. It’s part of the three storefronts on Broadway that also house Fletcher & Lu and Ollie's Slice Shop, all above a massive commissary prep space spanning the entire footprint of the building in the basement. The wood-burning grill is the central conceit that holds Bradley’s European-inflected, world-traveling menu together. The menu is a choose-your-own-adventure affair, with the main proteins served a la carte and diners adding on as they like from the sides. The wine program, with a list over 50 bottles strong, is by Katie Morton, an Eleven Madison Park vet and manager of Kingston Wine Co.
Camp Kingston
36 St. James Street, KingstonInspired by his family’s seven-decade heritage running a summer camp in Sullivan County, Samuel Shapiro conceived of Camp Kingston as a multifunction meeting place for the community. From pinball and a pool table, which gets covered during the day to provide desk space for coworking, to the mercantile section with grab-and-go snacks and pantry items, espresso drinks, beer, and cocktail, there is something for everyone from 7:30am opening time to 10pm close. Kids can play mancala in the back room while parents work or catch up with a friend over a latte or a beer. The made-to-order food menu, designed by Hudson Valley local and chef Lee Kalpakis, includes elevated deli sandwiches, soups, salads, and some childhood-nostalgia options like loaded tater tots, grilled cheese, and pizza bagels.
Edgewood
132 Lindsley Avenue, KingstonAfter closing for five months due to a catastrophic flood, which precipitated a management overhaul, Hutton Brickyards reopened to the public in May. More recently, the onsite indoor restaurant, Edgewood, located in Cordt Mansion up the hill, reopened in November. Now under the direction of chef Daniel Bagnall, who continues to own and run Sonder wine bar on Broadway, the kitchen offers a concise, all-(New)-American menu 14 items long from app to dessert. Raw bar options include oysters and scallops, while turf dishes include a local venison and steak. Veggies have
a handful of options from endive salad to cauliflower.
Ownership Changes
Front Street Tavern
63 N Front St, KingstonAfter a tumultuous couple of years with multiple ownership and name changes (from the Parent Teacher Store to Frogmore to Redwood), and the construction of a rooftop bar with epic sunsets and mountain views, the restaurant on North Front Street finally seemed to have found stability in 2019 as Front Street Tavern under the Guido Restaurant Group. The spot survived the pandemic serving up classic American pub food, and in summers the rooftop deck buzzed. However in early October, the family-run Guido Restaurant Group sold the business to Antonio Graccio and partners. The new owners, who run restaurants in Brooklyn, will be rolling out a new name and menu in the coming months as well as renovating the rooftop deck.
Snapper McGee’s
59 North Front Street, KingstonSituated between Front Street Tavern and (formerly) Esther Wine Shop, Snapper’s was Uptown Kingston’s one gritty hold out amid the chichi takeover of the last few years. Cheap pints, a jukebox, pool and pinball, gnarly bathrooms were among the hallmarks of this gloriously grungy dive bar. November marked the end of an era as owner Travis Myers sold to new owners, who also own bars in Brooklyn and will keep the name. Beyond minor (major) upgrades (improving the bathrooms, for example), the plan is rumored to be to keep the vibe the same: cheap drinks, communal singalongs, and a laid back spot for all.
Coming Soon
Nightswim Kingston
744-746 Broadway, Kingston
In February 2022, Brandy Walters, owner of the much-loved Midtown Kingston bar and restaurant The Anchor, announced that she would be selling the business and building at 744 Broadway. It took a year to find the right buyers, but in October she sold to Rebecca Kush, Tiffany Themens, and other all-women partners. The upstairs of the big corner-lot brick building will remain apartments and downstairs will get a minimal makeover (think sleeker, darker with more art), and reopen sometime in January or February as Nightswim. Kush and Themens co-own Williamsburg’s neighborhood bar Crystal Lake, and aim to bring the same friendly, mid-price, non-precious vibe to the Kingston spot with bar eats like smash burgers, tap beer, and mixed drinks (though not “10-minute cocktails” specifies Kush).
Unicorn Bar
224 Foxhall Avenue, Kingston
It’s been a sad few years for Kingstonians mourning the extended “temporary” closure of the Beverly Lounge on Foxhall Avenue. The building, neighbor to Lis Bar (now Lone Wolf), will get a fresh infusion of life soon though under the banner Unicorn Bar. Headed up by musician Francesca Hoffman, founder of the Brasskill band and the Kingston Brassroots Festival, the spot will be a queer-forward performance venue and neighborhood bar. Following a total makeover, including new decor, a new drink list, a lineup of shows with local musicians, and parties, the Unicorn bar is slated to open late winter/early spring.
Sorry Charlie
523 Delaware Avenue, Kingston
In July, longtime North Ponckhockie watering hole the Corner Bar & Grill was purchased by a group of Poughkeepsie business partners including Davina Thomasula of Goodnight Kenny and Charlie Webb of Hudson & Packard. Their group, Half Full Hospitality, aims to have the spot up and running as neighborhood bar Sorry Charlie. This up-and-coming watering hole, located in the North Ponckhockie neighborhood of Kingston, will serve upscale cocktails, bar food, and pizza, combining the co-owners’ strong suits.
Mirador
636 Broadway, Kingston
Musician cum restaurateur Nick Africano fell in love with Spain—specifically Andalusia—years ago, and since has done his part to bring the culture and libations of the region stateside with his bottling project En Rama Sherry Co. the accompanying Enramistas Sherry Club. Now, he’ll open brick-and-mortar Mirador for enjoying Andalucian tapas alongside imported sherries, wines, and conservas on Broadway in the former spot of Lunch Nightly. The bar is under construction but plans to open in December or January.
