New York Diaries: Hudson

 

I would describe Hudson, NY as the Brooklyn of upstate! The town may be quaint but it is busting with culture, style, and artsiness that will make you feel like you are hanging out in Brooklyn Heights or Williamsburg.

I would highly encourage you to take a day just to explore the downtown area! It's a 2-hour drive if you are coming from the city and it is well worth it.  There are so many coffee shops, bakeries, and restaurants you could spend hours simply eating your way through downtown.

Of course, if you only did that, you would be missing out on some of the coolest stores including vintage shops, Art Deco modern furniture shops, bookstores, and so much more. 

One of the things that is unique and that I loved about exploring the shops in Hudson is that you can actually talk in person to a lot of the local artists and designers. Everyone I met was so friendly and they had this deep passion not only for their creations but for also being a part of such a diverse and close-knit community. It made you feel good about everything you were purchasing and that it meant something.

Oh, and of course, I can't forget to talk about the speakeasies a.k.a. cool and unsuspecting bars! There are so many places you can grab a cocktail from including unsuspecting clothing stores that have a bar in the back. 

We spent hours exploring and we still were not able to starch the surface of what this town had to offer. Below are a few places that I fell in love with:

⋒ Culture Cream:

This is the coolest ice cream shop I think I have ever visited. If you have a dairy allergy or if you are vegan this place, is what you have been dreaming about. 

So many times ice cream shops make vegan flavors an afterthought by typically only offering one sorbet option. I loved that she made all the vegan flavors as appealing as the dairy ones. 

Here make their ice cream with either Keifer or Kombucha. So it's not only delicious but it also helps to produce good gut microbes. 

Some of the flavors they serve are vegan chocolate cardamon chocolate chip, miso with honey-roasted strawberries, and coffee kombucha. 

The owner was so lovely and let me try as much as my heart desired. Everything I tried was amazing! I went with a double scoop matcha (and if you know me you know that this was a definite for me) and Earl Grey lavender.

⋒ The Maker:

The Maker is a posh upscale hotel that also has a restaurant, bar, juice shop, and yes even a speakeasy. The hotel is beautifully decorated and has been highly praised by so many including Chip and Joanna who did an episode about the hotel on their Magnolia Network.

To eat at the Restaurant it is highly recommended to have a reservation, the cafe does not take reservations so be prepared to wait, and the speakeasy/lounge opens at 4pm on the weekdays and 3pm on the weekends.

  The whole establishment gives me a very 1920s feel tied with a wonderful elegance that just makes you feel fancy.

At the cafe, you must order the doubled-baked pistachio croissant. Words can not describe how amazing this croissant is. It has the perfect balance of butteriness combined with flakiness with the perfect flavoring of pistachio. I literally dream about this croissant. 

The speakeasy is in the back of the hotel and is known for creating drinks inspired by perfumes you can buy.

The drinks were creatively crafted and beautifully garnished. There is a limited food menu you can order from, we got the rosemary truffle fries and they were amazing!

Everything about this place makes you feel that you stepped back in time to the roaring 20s. The vibe is a sophisticated lounge. I love how intimate it is with big leather chairs and velvet couches as the seating. Also, there is a waiting list to even sit at the bar so if you come on the weekends or with a big party be prepared to wait.  

⋒ Flower Kraut:

I like big plants and I can not lie!! 

If you know me you know how much I love a beautiful plant shop and this is one of the best. The owner is lovely and the plants are beautiful and healthy.

She has many plants, pots, macrame, and other items from local artists.

⋒ Nine Cakes:

This is the cutest bakery with the world's biggest macarons! As you can imagine I was in love as soon as I set foot into this adorable shop.

Macarons being my favorite cookie, I can be quite picky but these babies did not disappoint! I still can't believe how huge they were and for such a great price.

Nine Cakes has a variety of baked goods including an extensive vegan menu! You can order a whole cake or you can order it by the slice. 

 

⋒ Feast & Floret:

This restaurant is an Italian farm-to-table mixed with a rustic roadside flower stand. It is gorgeously decorated with an actual dried flower cart inside the restaurant where you can make your own bouquet to purchase.

We went on Friday night and they literally had no open tables, thankfully we were able to get one 30 minutes before they closed. I am so happy they were able to get us in!

The cocktail I ordered was made with camomile tea. It was interesting yet delicious. We were at a table right beside an actual working fireplace which made the ambience 10/10.

I almost ordered a pasta dish because it’s an Italian restaurant and I’m sure that’s what they do best but the waiter said that the portions for the pasta are all extremely small. I was starving, so instead I went with the pork ribs which was delicious and my friend went with the chicken which was equally as tasty.

We also ordered dessert but I forgot to photograph it before we ate it all! As you can imagine it was fantastic. 

I would say if you are looking for a cozy romantic date spot this is the restaurant for you. It is farm-to-table, so it is on the pricier side but the food and the atmosphere make it really worth it.

#thechowdown #nowchowdown #hudsonny