The Best Restaurants & Bars In Hudson, New York

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis is full of serious food and wine in a place that makes a point not to take itself too seriously. Pretty much everyone here is wearing a crop top, and wine descriptions read like cryptic Connections solutions (tasting notes include “barefoot in moss” and “big spoon”). Always order the whole fried fish—digging into the crisp, piping-hot flaky goodness with your bare hands before dipping it into the citrusy sauce is a sensual experience.

Cafe Mutton feels like it was made for a rapidly-disappearing version of Hudson—one that remains eccentric, affordable, and connected to the natural world around it. Things like sausages and buckwheat scones are made in-house, with the kind of care and attention you couldn’t manage in New York City without charging at least three times as much. The dinner menu changes weekly, but recurring dishes like country pâté, served in sandwich form, and a savory pig head porridge, are worth an order should you spot them. Expect crowds and a constant wait on weekends, while weekdays are usually a bit more relaxed.

Everybody thought Merkin was an April Fool’s joke. But Merkin is not an April Fool’s joke. In an old garage just down the street from Cafe Mutton (which has the same chef/owner), Merkin does wine, sandwiches, stew, and "sometimes oysters.” The room feels very thrown-together-last-minute, but in a charming way. When it's nice out, the garage door is up, and the music is on, Merkin is the sort of place where you'd plan for a quick glass of wine, and then end up staying several hours.

Find us a better bagel in the Hudson Valley. That’s not a dare or a threat, it’s a genuine ask. We don’t think they exist. The sourdough bagels at Circles, located in the lobby of a Hudson coworking space that feels like it could be in LA, are on the bready side of the spectrum. If you opt for a sandwich (you should), it’ll be topped to the point of near-overload with spicy whitefish or shiso leaves, chili crisp, raw onion, cucumber, and whipped cream cheese. It helps that Circles Bagels serves some of their sandwiches open-faced—no squishing and smushing. This shop will make you appreciate the variety of the bagel-toppings universe, and also the power of kooky clocks.

New York City bakery fanatics collectively mourned when Mel closed up shop on the Lower East Side. But now, people who brag about having sourdough starters older than most kindergarteners can flock to Mel’s location on Warren Street, where you can get flaky laminated pastries and boules to pair with the fancy butter sold in nearby shoppy shops. You can’t really go wrong here, but we especially love the cinnamon roll, which has a thick pat of frosting in the center rather than a pervasive sticky glaze. They also do breakfast sandwiches starting at 9am and lunch sandwiches starting at 11am.

There’s a world outside of Warren Street in Hudson, and it’s absolutely worth exploring, especially when you’ll have lunch from Quinnie’s as a reward. You’ll need a car to get here, as it’s located just on the outskirts of Hudson, but it’s worth it for the schmaltzy chicken salad sandwich. Plop down at one of the picnic tables in their sprawling outdoor area while you wait, or kill time at their ping pong table. And always get a buttery, sandy halva shortbread cookie as a post-meal treat.

As its name suggests, you can eat eggs at Hudson Diner on the weekends. But it’s really a nighttime place—more an upstate version of Brooklyn’s Long Island Bar than a diner in the classic sense of the word. The menu at this collab between Mel The Bakery and The Meat Hook leans small, random, and charming—think steak tartare and baked rigatoni vodka—but all you really need to know is that the chicken tenders are an absolute must. Also, the cocktails are really good. You’ll see plenty of people just sitting at the bar sipping salt-rimmed strawberry margaritas in cactus-shaped glasses. Then, when they order one too many, you’ll notice a plate of chicken tenders arrive next.

Return Brewing was founded by former Sixpoint employees, and its old tire repair shop setting gives it the perfect laidback feel. Their Polished Pilsner has become a local favorite, as has the Westwhere West Coast IPA, which harkens back to the piney goodness of early craft beer days. If they have the Sword Lily Sour on tap or in a can, snag that one—you’re in for a tart treat. On the weekends, they have a rotating cast of food trucks set up to keep you nourished. And if you’re looking to make a whole day of it with a crawl, Union Street Brewing is just a five-minute walk away.

If you’re looking for a backyard where you can eat a simple, extra-thin-crust pizza and drink an interesting $25 bottle of wine, head straight to The Half Moon on Front Street. They also serve pizza by the slice in case you get to town hungry at 10pm after everything else has closed. The classic cheese pizza is a favorite, but we also like the white pie with ricotta and garlic.

In recent years, Hudson has become the kind of town where you can’t step outside without spending $50 on a candle. So we’re all the more appreciative of places like Backbar, where you can roll in with a group of friends without booking a reservation weeks in advance or spending $100 per person. It’s easy to make a meal out of small plates like edamame dumplings and smoked pork belly bao buns on the outdoor patio, but you could also camp out inside with a smoky mezcal slushie to watch whatever movie is being projected onto the wall. They host events all the time, which means you might even stumble on a “bring your own backgammon” night.

Suarez was founded at a time when most breweries were packing in the hops, pushing the boundaries of ABV, and going big, big, big. When everyone zigged, they zagged, and created some of the most delicious, dialed-in pilsners, lagers, and ales using ingredients from local farms. They’re a bit like a master guitarist playing a blues riff—you know they can go off, but they’re focused on respecting tradition. That being said, the team at Suarez does play some jazz, so don’t be surprised to find wild fermented country beers with sumac, chamomile, thyme, and buckwheat. Their tasting room is a simple space with shared long tables that invite strangers to meet each other and become fast friends.

Wm. Farmer & Sons is connected to a hotel of the same name, and it feels like a much-nicer-than-average hotel restaurant. The service is great, and the food menu has things like grass-fed beef tartare, argentinian red prawns, and a burger with butter-braised onions and tomato relish. They also have an exhaustive cocktail list that takes inspiration from historical cocktail books and modern bars like Dutch Kills and Attaboy.

Feast & Floret feels sort of like a curated playground for adults who like nice things, all wrapped up in a gorgeous brick building that would feel at home in the Italian countryside. They sell fresh and dried arrangements of flowers from their very own farm, as well as housemade amaro and flavored salts. The rotating menu of Italian dishes is solid for a romantic dinner, if a bit predictable with things like burrata and tagliatelle bolognese.

Union Street Brewing opened in July 2023 and quickly made a name for itself by producing easy-drinking, accessible beer. It doesn’t hurt that they brought in a world-class brewer, whose extensive experience at Alewife in Queens and Sixpoint in Brooklyn lent some early street cred. It’s only a few blocks away from  Warren Street, and is the perfect place to sit down for a bit, have a few beers, and split some appetizers. The outdoor patio is dog- and kid-friendly (though you’ll want to tuck the kids in by 7pm, when it becomes adults-only), so bring a big group and share the salad, big pretzel, and tacos, all paired with a Planning An Escape hazy IPA.

Le Perche has been in Hudson for years, but it was revamped in 2018 by the people behind Swoon Kitchenbar. The wood-covered interior and long bar are nice places for a low-key dinner or drinks, and you should keep the greenery-covered patio in mind for all your brunch needs. If you’re here in the morning, get a chocolate croissant—they’re made in-house and super flaky.