NEW YORK—As summer winds down, a day trip upstate proves imperative. And no matter where you go, you will need to eat. Here’s some of the finest culinary stops in the Hudson Valley.
The Winery That Avoided Prohibition
Brotherhood, America’s oldest winery, located in Washingtonville, was established in 1839, making it the oldest U.S winery that was in continuous operation.
Jaques, a cobbler and shoemaker by trade, made sacramental wines for the churches, which subsequently earned him an exemption from Prohibition.
The winery consists of a vast network of underground cellars, holding over 200 oak barrels behind a crested vault. The winery also has a gift shop and café.
It was excavated by hand in the late 19th century.
The winery is celebrating its 175th anniversary next year with an abundance of specials. They recently released a new sparkling wine called “B” Sparkling.
They won the Trip Advisor’s 2013 Award of Excellence, ranking the winery as the top 10 percent of destinations worldwide.
The winery is reopening its catering facility “Grand Monarque Hall,” which was destroyed by a fire in 1999. It is now a premier wedding destination in the Hudson Valley.
Tour Hours, April through December:
11 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday-Friday
11 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturday
Tour & Tasting Pass: $10
Includes a tour, one tasting flight, and a Brotherhood Wine Glass to keep.
Brotherhood Winery
100 Brotherhood Plaza Dr.
Washingtonville, NY 10992
845-496-3661
Touched Up by the Food Network
Fishkill’s Joe Willy’s Fish Shack received a makeover from the Food Network this spring, so you know it will be good.
Diners can now order Restaurant: Impossible specialty dishes such as Crab Cake Burger, which consists of a jumbo crab cake, topped with remoulade, tomatoes and comes with fries ($16); Pan Seared Scallops, smeared with spiced lobster sauce, tomatoes, spinach and Parmesan over linguini ($19); and Shrimp Topped Salmon, which consists of a filet of salmon, topped with shrimp scampi, with mashed potatoes and wilted greens ($19).
It’s child-friendly and there’s outdoor dining space.
Joe Willy’s Fish Shack
10 Old Route 9 W
Fishkill, NY 12524 (Next to Splash Down Beach)
845-765-0234
Craft Beer and Artisanal Fare
The Hop is a craft beer and artisanal fare tasting room. It opened in March in the heart of Beacon.
It serves over 150 craft beers by the bottle, as well as a rotating draft list of nine craft beers. The Hop also feature local artisan cheeses, chocolates, pickles, and jams, as well as house-made sausages and terrines and pâtés crafted by Chef Matt Hutchins.
All the meat is sourced locally and butchered in-house.
Menu items include Vegan Reuben, made with Sour corn rye, seared Soyboy tempeh, Daiya tapioca cheese, Vegenaise Cajun rémoulade, Perry’s Pickles’ sauerkraut, simple salad ($14); Polenta & Egg with Wild Hive soft polenta, cast-iron fried egg, smoky tomato marmalade, braised kale, almonds ($14); and Lamb & Kale Sausage Mascarpone Wild Hive soft polenta, kale-almond pesto, hot spring egg, and Amazing Real Live Food Co.’s “Stella Vallis” ($18).
The Hop
458 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508
845-440-8676
Farm-to-Table Goodness
The Red Devon is one of the most popular farm-to-table restaurants in the Hudson Valley.
The market-restaurant-bar, located between Pine Plains and Millbrook in Dutchess County, serves seasonal, sustainably grown foods from local farms.
Their summer menu includes items such as a local artisan cheese plate, made with a selection from three artisan cheeses, toasted baguette, and seasonal compote ($16); fish and chips, made with beer battered line caught cod, house made tartar sauce, with coleslaw and hand-cut french fries ($24); and dry aged steak frites, made with cremini & log grown shiitake mushrooms, sautéed green beans, red wine sauce, served with hand-cut french fries ($32).
Red Devon
108 Hunns Lake Road, Bangall, NY
845-868-3175
Finer Than a Diner
Another Fork in the Road sources their ingredients from Ethel Earone, Kenny Migliorelli, Montgomery Place, Hearty Roots, Northwind Farms, Lenny B Production, and The Pampered Cow.
Popular dishes include: Warm Fingerling Salad made with bacon, mushroom, prunes, shallots, arugula & whole grain mustard vinaigrette ($8); Warm Duck Confit Salad made with roasted apples, radish, arugula ($9); 2 duck tacos cabbage made with cilantro & spicy carrots ($10); Fresh Goat Cheese on a Baguette made with radishes, butter lettuce, and black olive tapenade ($10).
Another Fork in the Road
1215 Route 199, Milan, NY 12571
845-758-6676
Old America, Elegant Cuisine
Ever wondered what it would be like to dine in the 19th century? New upstate restaurant Fish & Game brings an elegant ambiance to American cuisine.
The restaurant is located inside a 19th century brick structure, which originally housed a blacksmith shop in Hudson.
The site had lost much of its historic architectural detail over the years, but award-winning architect Michael Davis exposed, fortified, and integrated the original brick walls with the new architecture.
Using re-adaptive period sensitive techniques, he rebuilt the building to represent its historical aura.
The restaurant is decorated with pre-war voided-velvet wallpaper. The kitchen’s brick oven is built from the brick and stone salvaged from demolished walls in the restaurant.
The cuisine is American, using local ingredients from upstate.
13 South 3rd Street
Hudson, NY 12534
518-822-1500
