everything i ate in hudson
AUGUST 2024
a high key food destination that is just far enough away from the city to make it a vacation
It was early August and I was over the city heat. So it was time to take a midweek vacation out of the city for a change of scenery. A backpack packed, laptop in tow, and a 2 hour train up to Hudson. And an appetite for some of the buzzy restaurants and low key local food spots in the small town.
After dropping off our stuff at the hotel, it was time to search for lunch. The best thing about Hudson is that most of the things a visitor needs is on one street: Warren Street. So we walked up to a colorful little cafe called Little Rico, with fresh juices and an entirely gluten free breakfast and lunch menu with a Puerto Rican twist. The breakfast sandwiches come with a plantain hashbrown, adding welcoming texture to the bite.
ICE CREAM BREAK
Ice cream, but kefir based. And sorbets. Everything on the menu sounded incredible, with culinary flavor combinations like miso and roasted strawberry and vanilla cardamom and pineapple lemongrass. I can see this place being packed on a sunny weekend, but on a random rainy Tuesday, it was empty.
DINNER
There was just enough time to get a quick dinner outside before the forecasted rain. A giant pizza and caesar salad enjoyed on the patio under the trees. Beer on tap. It felt the perfect amount of suburban.
As it started sprinkling, made a quick pit stop at Kitty’s bodega for a bevvy for a night in.
Woke up early and took advantage of the hazy morning for a peaceful walk over to Wylde for a coffee. The spacious cafe felt warm like a cabin, with ample seating, lots of wood and woven textiles. Natural light from the front supplemented by warm lights throughout. And of course, good coffee. It would be a great place to get some work done.
The meal I came here for. These lacy crepe pancakes have occupied my imagination since I saw a photo of it a year ago. And yes, they were worth the hype. Even on a Wednesday morning, the cozy restaurant was packed. The menu is short and full of hits. A little French influence, but playful and infused with seasonal local ingredients. The crepes are cooked in almost burnt butter, the perfect balance of soft and delicately crisp. The eggs perfectly rich and fluffy. The rice porridge garnished with chili crisp and comforting like a hug on a rainy day. I think it’s best that Cafe Mutton is a safe distance away from NYC. It’s truly a gem that any big city would destroy, better to have a 2 hour barrier.
TEA BREAK
Popped into the homey Verdigris Tea that reminds me of the small town cafe and chocolate shops of my Midwestern childhood. It feels like a time capsule. In here, it could be 1994 or 2004 as much as 2024. A large selection of tea, and plenty of things to satisfy a sweet craving.
DRINK HOUR
After some shopping and wandering through the giant Antique Warehouse, we grabbed some beers at Hudson Brewing Company and sat outside, relishing the overcast but warm late afternoon weather, and the locals and their dogs coming by.
I love this restaurant. The fact that it is right across from the train station. The fact that there’s a little bodega attached to it. The colorful decor. The playful plating of New American dishes in a contemporary diner atmosphere. The decadent chocolate layer cake that we definitely were too full for, but made for an ideal late night snack.
The other meal I came here for. I was heartbroken when Mel’s closed in Manhattan, and I knew I would need to make it out someday to visit the new location up in Hudson. It took everything in me not to order an entire box of pastries, but I did end up settling with a breakfast sandwich and two sweet pastries, snacks for the road.
LUNCH
By midday it was raining. But had to sneak in one last meal before the train ride back. An incredible BLT enjoyed at a communal table in the middle of a local gourmet grocery. It was a perfect end to a rainy midweek escape.
see also
EVERYTHING I ATE IN CDMX
EVERYTHING I ATE IN OSAKA