6 Best Restaurants in Red Hook, Hudson Valley

This popular food stand sets up in a tiny trailer on the grounds of Hardeman Orchards between late April and late September. The owner (known by her childhood nickname Bubby) serves vegetarian burritos (with or without guacamole) and quesadillas. The heated tortillas are almost bursting at the sides with black beans, salsa, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream. There are two flavorful salsas that can be added; the green tomatillo one is spicier. Soft drinks and Mexican aguas frescas can be picked out of a cooler.

Named for the Manhattan neighborhood where the owners (chef Craig Stafford and his wife Jessica Stingo) met, this sophisticated steak house wouldn't be out of place in its namesake neighborhood. Three cuts of steak (hanger steak, filet mignon, and a 16-ounce rib eye) are served with your choice of sauces including chimichurri, housemade steak sauce, and au poivre. There are plenty of options for non-carnivores, including oysters, littleneck clams, fish, pastas, and a terrific veggie burger made with roasted eggplant and brown rice. The shoestring fries alone are worth the drive.

Locals and tourists alike flock to this affordable ice cream parlor for fresh, creamy ice cream cones and concoctions. The sundaes are sublime and the whipped cream is homemade. There's often a line out the door but it moves fast.

A hickory smoke oven was imported from Louisiana to give authentic flavor to the Southern-style cooking found here. Slow cooking takes on a new meaning when meats are smoked for 4–15 hours. Hearty dishes of pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and crab cakes are served with your choice of two sides; the cheese grits and collard greens are popular.

A seventh-generation member of the legendary Buitoni pasta family, Franceso Buitoni serves rustic Italian cuisine that could easily be found in a country house outside Rome. The small list features house-made pasta, a savory risotto, and hearty entrées like bison braised with Super Tuscan red wine and grilled branzino served with crispy roasted potatoes. Buitoni is justly famous for his pillowy gnocchi. The bar menu features a small selection of Italian wines and beers.

Before opening this comfortable café, Dan Budd was a James Beard Award–nominated pastry chef in both New York and Chicago. Bard students and locals can hang out for hours enjoying the relaxed vibe and wide-ranging menu that includes breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and gourmet beverages. Everything is casual except the exquisite pastries like the flour-free Red Hooker—a brilliant concoction of Belgian chocolate mousse, chocolate cake, and raspberries.