Welcome to Quick Bites, our ongoing summary of new restaurant openings, closures, pop-up events, special occasions, food trends, and more within the expansive and lively Hudson Valley dining community. Find it every other Wednesday online and inTaste, our Hudson Valley food newsletter.
Would you like to share some food-related updates? Please send an email.hudsonvalley@timesunion.com.
What to anticipate when Downstate resumes operations this fall
Fans of Downstate Kitchen and Coffeementioned a temporary farewell to the caféa few weeks agoHowever, they won’t need to wait long for it to come back. After outgrowing their Lander Street location, business partners Brandon Grimila and Fernando Cordova are moving the operation downtown to 85 Liberty St.
The restaurant, offering artisanal coffee, street food from Mexico City, and pastries, had difficulty serving customers in its 12-seat area that lacked a restroom and had a kitchen where employees were “bumping butts,” according to Grimila.
“At the start, we believed we would be a lively coffee shop that offered some food,” said Grimila, who also manages the catering company.Promises Keptwith Cordova. “Rather, we are a bustling eatery that offers some coffee.”
When it opens again (the owners are aiming for mid-October), in the previous Crab A Bag space, Downstate will be larger and improved, Grimila stated. It will be able to seat 40 people indoors and outdoors, offer extended hours, a full kitchen, the same selection of tortas and burritos with some new additions, and, most importantly, a restroom.
But that’s not the conclusion of the Downstate transformation. Over the next few months, the restaurant will also offer dinner service. Grimila mentioned that the café will continue to be a place for people to meet and work (this time, with low tables) that transitions into a dinner area without laptops after 5 p.m. Phase three will involve adding more locations throughout the region.
However, for the time being, Grimila and Cordova will concentrate on retrieving their customers following the break.
Union Street Brewing is opening a new location in Kingston
Union Street Brewing announced it will open a second locationat 36 Broadway near the Rondout waterfront in Kingston this fall. The artisanal brewery will occupy the location that previously held Half Moon Rondout Cafe, which relocated to the other side of the street a year ago.
Union Street co-owner Emma O’Donnell mentioned to the Times Union that the new taproom will offer a “contemporary yet inviting and comfortable atmosphere” featuring a spacious bar, some booth seating, and an outdoor section, all sharing design similarities with the Hudson location. All of Union Street’s beers will be available, along with some cider, wine, and nonalcoholic choices, as well as cocktails and a selection of light meals.
Union Street’s brewery began operations at 716 Union St. in Hudson in July 2023, offering a selection of craft beers produced through their 10-barrel system. The establishment is managed by Emma and Paul O’Donnell, who transformed a 1930s warehouse into a two-level area spanning 6,000 square feet, featuring high ceilings, visible trusses, and columns.
We’re thrilled to announce our new spot in the Rondout area of Kingston,” O’Donnell stated. “It’s a lively community with plenty to offer, yet it lacks a taproom from a local brewery.
Union Street plans to open its new location in mid-October. They are seeking front-of-house staff tojoin the team(beer expertise is a plus, they mention).
Casa Latina moves to a new location in Hudson
A popular Mexican and Salvadoran eatery in Hudson relocated at the end of July. You can now findCasa Latina Pupusas and MoreIn a bright space located half a mile away at 101 Fairview Ave. The eatery, which owner María Romero managed for seven years on Green Street, offers Mexican tacos, enchiladas, and sopes, along with Salvadoran dishes such as pupusas, plátanos fritos (fried plantains), and crispy nuegados, made of fried yuca dumplings with cheese covered in a sugar cane syrup.
The bakery in New Paltz is set to reopen following the flood.
Intense rainfall that resulted in over 37,000 gallons of water entering the Bakery in New Paltz caused the establishment to close.business to close indefinitely. Reconstruction is nearly finished due to aGoFundMe campaignthat generated $10,000, and the bakery at 13 N. Front St. is scheduled to reopen on September 1.
Meet these new chefs
In June, The Salt Line at Vassarhired chef John Bush to head the kitchenA native of California recognized for his laid-back American aesthetic, Bush has introduced fresh additions to the seasonal menu this summer, such as the Arlington burger (a modern take on the traditional cheeseburger), rigatoni bolognese with stracciatella, an olive oil cake dessert, and updated brunch options, including shakshuka, cashew ricotta toast, and a country benedict (fried chicken with biscuits and gravy).
Arriving this autumn, Chef Bush and his team will enhance the hotel’s wine dinner series, intending to work with nearby distilleries and breweries.
Bush arrived at the Salt Line at Vassar from the State Grill + Bar located in the Empire State Building, as well as a series of leadership roles throughout the Hudson Valley, such as Millstream Tavern, The Dutch, and Foxfire Mountain House. Prior to that, he spent eight years in finance but eventually returned to the kitchen, working in restaurants in Sacramento.
The dining establishment and the net-zero-emission Heartwood Hotelopened last summerafter two years of building.
The Salt Line operates from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.
Spencer Coplan, who was born in Seattle, became part of Restaurant Kinsley.This summer, he brings a foundation in Southern cooking along with sophisticated French methods. This blend has led to Southern-themed dishes such as chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and Nashville hot chicken. Coplan’s extensive culinary career spanning two decades has seen him work at Michael Mina’s RN74, Seattle’s Lark Restaurant, and hold leadership positions at The Gray Canary in Memphis and the historic Deer’s Head Inn in the Adirondacks, before establishing his own restaurant in Memphis, Wok’n. He has also gained experience in top kitchens around the world, including Alinea in Chicago and Attica in Melbourne, and studied at MAD Academy in Copenhagen.
Situated at 301 Wall St. in Kingston, Restaurant Kinsley operates from noon until 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays; noon to 10 p.m. on Fridays; 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays; and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Brunch is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
Food events
Lobster Festival at Great Life Brewing in RMV:If you’re in the mood for lobster, Great Life Brewing will have plenty available at itsLobster FestOn Saturday, September 7, from noon until 7 p.m., the local band Live Wire Panic will perform live music between 2 and 5 p.m.
Hudson Valley Wine Fest: Wine enthusiasts will gather once more on the weekend of September 6-7 for the 24th Hudson Valley Wine Fest at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. The festival includes hundreds of vendors offering a wide variety of foods and wines, along with local artists and live music performances. Tickets are available.online.
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