3 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.

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.

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.