Ambos
549 Washington Street, Hudson
The newly opened boutique hotel Pocketbook Hudson revives an 1800s-factory complex with 46 guest rooms three blocks from Warren Street. The hotel’s ground floor houses Ambos, the restaurant led by Argentine-born chef Norberto Piattoni. A disciple of Francis Mallmann, Piattoni is known for his elemental approach to food, one that celebrates both fire and fermentation. His menu centers on local produce, meat, and seafood, transformed by live-fire cooking. Piattoni’s dishes feel both grounded and experimental, familiar and yet untamed like the scallop crudo topped with sour corn, charred hot sauce, cilantro oil, and habanada ($29). For the table, order the Raven & Boar pork chop with charred Asian pear, Mad River blue cheese, and chili crisp ($85).
Union Street Brewing Taproom
36 Broadway, Kingston
Union Street Brewing Co. has built a reputation in Hudson for its wide range of beers: hop-forward IPAs, crisp lagers, and hearty stouts, many brewed with local ingredients. In early November, the brewery opened an outpost in the former Half Moon Donuts spot in Kingston’s Rondout district. There are a dozen beer options here, ranging from a nitro oyster stout, brewed in collaboration with nearby Montauk Catch Club, to a sea salt-and-coriander gose and all the farmhouse ales and IPAs in between. There’s also local wine from Fjord and cider from Brooklyn Cider House. Don’t expect a full menu of pub fare, but beer-friendly bites like chips and dip ($8) and soft pretzels ($12) are joined by slightly more elevated offerings like whipped feta and olives served with toasted pita ($14) and a pesto burrata flatbread ($16) to keep your tummy content while you wet your whistle. The crisply redesigned interior with its royal blue ceiling, includes plenty of bar seating, a handful of two-tops, and a separate street-facing bartop for top-tier people watching.
Franzel
47 West Main Street, Goshen
Franzel is a heartfelt ode to German home-cooking, reimagined through a modern lens. Chef-owner Franz Brendle channels his German heritage into a menu that’s meticulously scratch-made. The culinary concept fuses comforting German classics—like slow-braised sauerbraten with red cabbage and potato dumplings—with inventive modern twists: think a schnitzelwich (pork or chicken schnitzel on house-made pretzel roll, $15) and a German bologna salad ($16). Appetizers include classic potato and cheese pierogies ($14), frikadellen (German meatballs), and obatzda, the traditional cheese spread ($12). Don’t skip the Spaghetti Ice for dessert—vanilla ice cream pressed like spaghetti, drizzled with strawberry sauce and chocolate shavings. The interior maintains a cozy but contemporary vibe, blending German-themed decor with a warm, communal room that encourages lingering over a pint of German beer or even a round of Das Boot Game.
El Jalapeño
48 Eastdale Ave N, Poughkeepsie
The offerings in Eastdale Village’s gastronomic scene continue to expand with the latest opening: El Jalapeno. The new taco and tequila bar balances casual in-house dining with takeout and delivery. Beyond the mezcalitos and mojitos, the house margaritas come in a range of flavors, from watermelon and tamarind to spicy jalapeno and more innovative offerings like blueberry coconut or Mai Tai margarita. Mexican street food classics like yuca fries ($12) or elote ($13 for three) are a solid bet to start. Tacos come in both corn and flour tortillas and range from shrimp tempura to fish, plus all the classic Mexican protein offerings ($14-16) and slow-cooked, beef short rib birria tacos for something a little extra ($18). For a heartier meal, mains include pechuga en salsa verde, grilled chicken breast topped with salsa verde, melted cheese, sour cream, onions, and cilantro ($20); and carne asada, grilled steak served with rice, beans, grilled onions, mushrooms, and potatoes ($30).
San Mul
1109 Main Street, Fleischmanns
For over two decades, Kimchee Harvest has been growing vegetables on East Branch Farms in Roxbury and turning out delicious, probiotic kimchi for sale in local shops and farmers’ markets. The family-run operation recently joined a tide of entrepreneurs opening or expanding businesses in the small Delaware County village of Fleischmanns with their new eatery San Mul. The spot brings a quiet, soulful warmth to Main Street, offering Korean comfort food in a dining room that is simple and cozy, with sunlight pooling across wooden tables. With a focus on nutritious and probiotic foods, the rotating selection of dishes feature farm-fresh ingredients and include offerings like doenjang stew, banchan, chive pancakes, and bibimbap for lunch and to-go. A small market section sells fermented foods and medicinal products made from local farms and forests. The shop also hosts workshops on fermentation, foraging, and food preparation.
This article appears in December 2025.
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