Nestled in the heart of Ulster County, New York, sort of midway between NYC and Albany, New York's first capital has been experiencing a revival as of late (as has much of the Hudson Valley), with excellent eating and drinking establishments popping up all over and ready to delight your palate. Whether it's as a jumping off point from which to hike the famed Catskill Mountains, a stop off as part of a larger Hudson Valley tour (perhaps, say, on your way to Hudson NY?), or a destination in its own right, Kingston has a food and bar scene which will not disappoint. Below are some of our picks for the best restaurants and bars in Kingston, NY.
Restaurants.
Bursting with wood fired delectables like their stracciatella (red bread, olive oil, pecorino and a fresh creamy cheese for dipping) or their amazing Tiger Paw pizza (pepperoni, tomato sauce, provolone, mozzarella, onion and chili honey), the smells that greet you as you walk into Lola Pizza are bound to put a smile on your face. The scent of fresh roasted pizza dough, good food and good times is about as comforting as it gets. It's also extremely vegetarian friendly, with options like the Fig & Pear pizza (with robiola cparina, pear, arugula, and black fig drizzle (pictured)) and the Beet Salad (with frisee, honey lavender cheese and balsamic glaze), amongst others. Lola offers both interior and exterior seating, has an attached bar and is a great, no frills lunch or dinner spot, frequented by locals and neophytes alike.
On the corner of Wall and John Streets, this (as of the time of writing) relative newcomer is helping to elevate Kingston's cuisine, and to drive food loving travelers to trek to Kingston. Offering locally sourced dishes in a sleek, modern atmosphere, Restaurant Kinsley has become a bit of a destination unto itself (it helps that it's located in a gorgeous boutique hotel spanning multiple historical buildings, known as, you guessed it, Hotel Kinsley). The menu changes frequently, but look for platings like the Steelhead Trout (with crea, cipollini, fingerlings and beet horseradish) or their Squash Soup (with coconut milk, maple syrup, cultured cream and herb oil). It's all good here, with the result being that Restaurant Kinsley has quickly moved up the rank to become one of the best restaurants in Kingston.
It has been said before, but Le Canard Enchaine really and truly looks and feels like it could've been plucked right off of a Parisian side street. In this Kingston staple, Chef Jean-Jacques serves up refined French bistro classics such as Fricassee of Snails and Confit of Duck over Apple Compote. Housed in a cozy café featuring exposed brick and a classic checkered tiled floor, Le Canard's wine list offers excellent pairings, expertly suggested by the well-versed waitstaff. It's been around for quite a bit now, and deservedly so. If you are looking for a date night restaurant in Kingston, NY, look no further. Le Canard has charm (and culinary chops) in spades.
Located in a building dating back to 1679, the Hoffman House Tavern is an absolute cornerstone of the Kingston, NY food scene and absolutely exudes historical charm. Set in a stone building with original wide-plank wood floors and massive stone fireplaces, The Hoffman House focuses on traditional continental fare, with homemade pasta, seafood, steaks, etc. It's a classic establishment, serving classic dishes, like the sirloin steak with shrimp in a bacon and gorgonzola cream sauce, or the crispy half duck with a cranberry demi glace. When you're in the mood for tradition or a little bit of history, Hoffman House Tavern is where you want to be.
Bars.
Stockade Tavern, located on Fair St. (in the Stockade District) about two blocks from Lola Pizza, is a bartender's bar. Set in an old brick and exposed wood building, and offering some excellent small bites to pair with your drinks, the skilled barkeeps at Stockade are perfectly comfortable veering off menu to craft up a bespoke cocktail designed specifically to satisfy whatever peculiar thirst ails you. At our last visit, we asked for something "a bit smoky and sweet, but not saccharine, with a hint of herbs and a full body". Without batting an eye, our talented bartender went to work and handed us some unnamed elixir that hit, precisely, every one of those points. This is, hands down, one of the best bars around. We couldn't recommend it enough.
This tiny, all natural, low intervention, wine bar on Broadway near the Roundout Creek is an absolute must visit when in the Kingston area. Their small, but impressive, wine list is well curated, featuring both local and international wines of notable variety. One of the standouts on our most recent visit was the locally crafted (Accord NY) Knee Deep merlot, with its excellent mouthfeel, and slightly herby, smoky and funky taste. It was the perfect accompaniment to the meat and cheese plates. It's been written about by more than a few major publications, including under the heading "best bars in America". So, yeah, it's good.
Bonus Must Visits.
Bonus: Cheese Louise
Located a few miles west of Downtown Kingston, on Route 26 towards the Ashokan Reservoir, Cheese Louise is a bit off the beaten path. Don't let that short distance dissuade you from making the trip to this amazing little cheese shop, though. With a pleasant, knowledgeable staff and a truly astonishing (given the relatively small size of the storefront) selection of cheeses, charcuterie, caviar (it changes frequently depending upon availability, but at last count they carried 12 different varietals of caviar, from Siberian Ostera to Bowfin to Golden Whitefish) and smoked fish (as well as a slew of other goodies positively crammed into all corners of this little gem), Cheese Louise is, by itself, worth a trip to Kingston. Better yet, two doors down is The Wine Hutch (see below), so a romantic light dinner is basically sitting there just waiting for you to pick it up.
Bonus: The Wine Hutch
This small, unassuming little wine shop, next to Cheese Louise, is a fantastic add to the neighborhood. Its stocked full of some of the vintners you know, but the real joy of The Wine Hutch is getting their suggestions as to wineries and varietals you might not be particularly knowledgeable about. Unlike many other wine shops (which, in our experience, often talk up the more expensive bottle for the sake of making the sale), the fine folks at The Wine Hutch will pitch bottles to you based on your interests, not your wallet. In fact, the last time we visited, the two suggested bottles were both under $20 and were fantastic pairings with our planned meal (and some of the newly acquired Cheese Louise cheeses). It's not the kind of wine shop that you go to buy the most expensive bottle you can (to wow your friends with your wallet, rather than your knowledge). Rather, it's the kind of wine shop you to go get a really good bottle, at a very reasonable price (a much better way to impress your friends, if you ask us).
Bonus: Hudson House Distillery
Although not actually located in Kingston, Hudson House Distillery is close enough for our purposes (it is a mere 10 miles south of downtown) and, more to the point, it is a gorgeous location offering up small batch, sustainably made spirits and cocktails. Set in an 1850 mansion, on 27 acres and overlooking the Hudson River (see picture above), the setting is stunning. Their whiskeys are great and their bites are nothing to scoff at, from an impressive charcuterie board (see below), to some pretty darn tasty butternut squash ravioli, you've got more than a few options to help soak up all that boozy goodness. Better still, there are plans to build a boutique hotel on premises, so if you are intending to have one to many whiskey flights, you'll soon be able to sleep it off on site.
For more of the best restaurants in Kingston, NY, check out the link below prepared by our friends at restaurantji.com.
Looking for to explore beyond the Kingston area? Check out our blog post about the best restaurants, bars and hotels in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Enjoy!
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