From a new cafe to tapas and an organic grocer, here are five places to eat, drink, and food shop this June.
Kitchen & Coffee
From the outside, the one-story brick building housing Beacon’s new Kitchen & Coffee looks squat, but step inside to find high ceilings and a bank of windows that flood the bright cafe/bakery in sunlight. The health-conscious plant-based fare at Kitchen & Coffee ranges from avocado toast (duh) to bowls both sweet (think cacao banana pecan granola, $7) and savory (like the meatless bahn mi bowl, $17). There are also salads, sandwiches, quiche, and a mushroom burger for heartier lunch options. Everything at Kitchen & Coffee is gluten-free and vegetarian, made using local ingredients whenever possible. The coffee shop side of the operation serves up small-batch-roasted Fair Trade coffees and teas. Planning a birthday or a special event? You can custom-order gluten-free cakes and cupcakes that are decadent enough to convert even the staunchest of wheat-eaters.
Millstream Tavern
The rolling greens of the golf course offer a scenic view as you drive into Woodstock on Route 375, but for those that aren’t a member of the club, there haven’t been many reasons to turn in to the parking lot. But now Millstream Tavern, under the direction of Dallas and Ted Gilpin (of Dutch Ale House in Saugerties) is open to the public. During the pandemic, the couple scooped up Michelin-starred chef Ryan Tate, formerly of Deer Mountain Inn, to run the food program. Tate, who helped open TriBeCa’s acclaimed Le Restaurant, has toned down his adventurous streak for the golf club setting, turning his culinary expertise, instead, to perfecting familiar classics. Start out with oysters on the half shell ($18) and the hangar steak tartare, served here with a smoked egg yolk, shallots, capers, and mustard ($16). The cobb salad boasts a stunning presentation, with soft boiled quail eggs, gem lettuce, endive, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, and mustard vinaigrette ($15). It’s easily a meal even for the biggest appetite. On the mains, a standout is the crisp chicken sandwich, served with sesame-chili aioli, shredded lettuce, and scallions on a sesame seed bun ($18). Sit on the deck and sip a craft cocktail or split a bottle of natural wine, while the stream gurgles by.
Village Grocery & Refillery
In mid-April, the team behind Village Coffee & Goods threw open the doors on their newest venture: Village Grocery & Refillery. The location shares a parking lot with Kingston Standard Brewing Co. on Jansen Avenue, in a spot longtime locals will remember as Sunshine Market. The shoebox grocery store carries a selection of organic and local produce, dairy products, charcuterie, pickles and preserves, fresh sourdough, and bulk dry goods and home cleaning solutions, plus a full coffee bar, deli case, baked goods (including vegan and gluten-free options), and Asian-inspired fare. At the deli counter, you can order a selection of lunch sandwiches. And under newly promoted head chef Jessica Tibbetts, the menu features options like cold peanut noodles ($12), a sushi rice bowl ($12), and Singaporean kaya toast (think sweet and savory: coconut jam and an egg your way, $9), inspired by the CIA grad’s travels through Asia. Sit and lunch in the back patio before heading next door for a cold beer from the microbrewery.
Toasted
It doesn’t take many trips to Newburgh to recognize that Liberty Street is a veritable corridor of dining opportunities, from Korean to New American fare, cafes to pubs. In May, Toasted Newburgh, a new lunch spot opened, dishing up wholesome soups, salads, and sandwiches to brighten your mid-day meal. For something light and summery, try the caprese with basil pesto and fresh basil, fresh mozz, sliced heirloom tomatoes, and a balsamic vinegar glaze on a toasted ciabatta ($13). There’s a grilled chicken sandwich with hummus and red cabbage slaw ($14) as well as a fried oyster mushroom sammy with sriracha mayo and pickles for the vegetarians ($13). Soup may not sound like a hot-weather food, but the homemade chilled gazpacho is a classic Spanish summer treat. On the salad side, we’re digging the snow pea and pancetta offering, with mint and pecorino cheese dressed with a lemon vinaigrette ($13). There are a couple of bistro tables out front, or dine inside, where exposed brick and Edison bulbs give the space a warm glow.
Flores Tapas Bar
While the concept of tapas, or “small plates” in English, has certainly caught on in the Hudson Valley, few places are sticking to the Spanish culinary origins. At Wappingers Falls’s newest restaurant, Austin and Danielle Flores build on the success of their four food trucks with a brick-and-mortar. At Flores Tapas Bar you can mix and match a meal of shareable, authentic Spanish dishes like Iberian jamon and cheese ($22), Spanish olives ($9), croquetas ($12), paella ($22-32), gambas al ajillo (sauteed garlic shrimp, $16), pulpo a la plancha (grilled octopus, $18). If you’re having trouble deciding, go all in with the Flores Experience ($68), the chef’s selection of seasonal dishes, classic tapas, and jamon. There’s also a multinational brunch menu with eggs all ways—benedict, huevos rancheros, Spanish tortilla—plus sangria and mimosas to wash it down.
