There’s a time and place for hip, upscale dining. But sometimes you just want an easy, laid-back meal in a place where you can bring a book or the kids and order “the usual,” then make a small scene when a friend unexpectedly walks in to do the same.
Day June, a luncheonette in the Windham hamlet of Hensonville, creates that casual comfort vibe with breakfast and lunch options served in a charming roadside eatery.
“It’s a place where everyone can be happy,” says Brian MacArthur, one of five co-owners. “It’s a classic American luncheonette. We serve omelets, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, burgers, a club sandwich—the goal is to be a people pleaser with classic dishes everyone knows and loves.”
And although their menu might seem similar to typical brunch-diner offerings, there’s a twist. Two of the owners, Fabian von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone, own restaurants in the city, including the Michelin-starred Contra. That means you can expect fine-dining quality, but in a no-frills setting.
“We’re essentially trying to create the best versions of these classic dishes,” MacArthur explains. “Take our club sandwich: it’s not anything different, it’s not ‘a take on a club’—it’s traditional. But it’s done with the best turkey, the best bread, the best bacon, and all presented in a nice way. It’s classics done very, very well.”
MacArthur and his colleagues weren’t originally planning on taking over the restaurant, which is located at the former site of Nana Gail’s, a local favorite brunch spot. “We were working on a larger project, an inn purchased about 18 months ago, that we’ve been renovating into a 16-room hotel and 85-seat restaurant,” he explains. “So we’d been in the area cranking away, and we heard that the building was available because the owners were ready to retire.”
With von Hauske and Stone’s restaurant experience, including a background in French culinary training, the in-progress inn would feature more fine dining options. The luncheonette, however, provided an outlet to do menus that were fun, simple, and a little easier on the wallet for guests, locals, and passersby.
“It needed some pretty serious renovations, appearance-wise. We replaced the wall paneling, repainted, wallpapered, redid the bar area, and added a new bartop,” he explains. “And we updated the name. Day June is a play on the French word for lunch: déjeuner.”
The restaurant opened in May 2023, and has already seen a wide array of patrons, thanks in part to the building’s past as a casual dining spot, and also its ideal location: five minutes from Windham, 10 to 12 minutes from Hunter, and on the only road that connects one mountain to the other. The group also runs Para Casa, a pantry and provisions shop that serves coffee and pastries, located right next door.
Convenience might bring folks in, but the quality will have them returning. For breakfast, lemon ricotta pancakes with housemade blueberry jam and lemon zest are a crowd pleaser ($13). Those who prefer savory bites tend to lean toward the country-fried steak ($17), a sirloin with two scrambled eggs, a biscuit, and sausage gravy; or the corned beef hash ($17) made with beef that’s brined for 10 days and then slow-cooked overnight, served with two sunny-side-up eggs.
For lunch, The Dipper ($16) is a popular pick: it’s a six-ounce, grass-fed burger on a sesame seed bun dipped in Cooper sharp cheese sauce and topped with pickles and grilled onions. Meals are made in-house and with local ingredients as much as possible, like beef and bacon from Highland Hollow farm, located 45 minutes north. Coffees here are kept simple—just two options, hot or iced—and sourced from a small Brooklyn-based roaster.
“It’s pretty early-on here, so we’re still figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and taking feedback from our guests,” MacArthur says. “And we get a good mix of people. During the week we see more locals, on weekends we get a lot of out-of-towners. Some see us as a place to sit and stay for a while with friends, others are just popping in during a lunch break for a quick bite.”
MacArthur says they’ll likely revamp the menu seasonally and continue to keep a focus on making their food as accessible to as many people as possible. “The most important thing is that we remain a place for everyone,” he says. “I think we do that well, from the food to the decor, the music and our service. We’re welcoming to all.”
Day June is open 7am to 2pm from Thursday through Monday, and is located at 387 NY-296 in Hensonville.
