New Paltz isn’t the kind of town people visit for a fine dining weekend. It’s a laid-back college town, and most of the restaurants are casual rather than upscale. But if you’re spending a few days hiking in the Shawangunks, biking the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, or exploring the Hudson Valley, you’ll find plenty of good places to eat along with a handful of excellent cafés, bars, cideries, and dessert shops.
I’ve been visiting New Paltz for years since Janice’s sister and her family live nearby. We’ve also stayed in town several times over the years, including when Jacqueline was a baby, so I’ve had the chance to explore many of the restaurants, coffee shops, and bars beyond just a single weekend trip.
Most of the places to eat in New Paltz are concentrated around Main Street and the nearby Water Street Market, making it easy to walk between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks. Historic Huguenot Street, one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in the United States, is also just a short walk away, so it’s easy to combine sightseeing with a meal.
Whether you’re looking for the best restaurants in New Paltz, NY, a great brunch spot before a hike, or somewhere to grab a hard cider after a day outdoors, these are the places I recommend.
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Best Restaurants in New Paltz, NY
While New Paltz isn’t known for fine dining, it has a handful of restaurants that are well worth visiting. From Irish comfort food to Italian classics and Cajun cuisine, these are the restaurants I’d recommend for lunch or dinner.
Garvan's Gastropub
If you’re looking for one of the best restaurants in New Paltz for a casual dinner, Garvan’s Gastropub is hard to beat. The menu blends Irish comfort food with New American cuisine, making it a great spot for everything from a burger and beer after a hike to a more substantial dinner.
Located beside the New Paltz Golf Course in a historic building dating back to 1759 on Huguenot Street, Garvan’s has become a local favorite since owners Garvan and Leonie McCloskey opened the restaurant with the goal of bringing a bit of Irish hospitality to New Paltz.
The Gorgonzola burger and Reuben are both solid choices for lunch or a casual dinner, while the Guinness lamb stew is especially satisfying on a cold Hudson Valley day. If you’re looking for something more substantial, the dinner menu also includes dishes like duck breast with port wine and cherry reduction, short rib ragout, and shrimp and butternut squash ravioli.
RŪNA
If you’re looking for one of the more refined restaurants in New Paltz, RŪNA is a good choice. The menu is smaller than you’ll find at many restaurants in town, but the dishes are more creative, blending French techniques with flavors inspired by the chef’s Bengali heritage.
Originally opened as a French bistro in 2019, RŪNA closed during the pandemic before reopening in 2021. While the restaurant began with French classics like escargot, duck confit, and fromage, the menu has continued to evolve with globally inspired dishes alongside a rotating selection of small plates, entrées, and desserts.
Beyond the food, RŪNA has one of the nicest dining rooms in New Paltz. The inviting indoor space and outdoor patio make it a great option for a date night, special occasion, or a slower dinner after a day spent hiking or exploring the Hudson Valley.
Ciao Bella
If you’re craving Italian food in New Paltz, Ciao Bella is one of the best options in town. Located in the village’s historic train station building, it’s a comfortable spot for everything from a family dinner to a quieter meal after exploring Main Street.
The original Ciao Bella opened in Monticello in 2014, with the New Paltz location following in 2023. The menu focuses on classic Italian dishes, including handmade pastas, veal and chicken entrées, and wood-fired pizzas.
You’ll find familiar favorites like chicken parmesan, veal marsala, and seafood pasta alongside pizzas cooked in the wood-fired oven. Its location near Main Street and SUNY New Paltz also makes it an easy choice for dinner after a day exploring the village or hiking nearby.
The Parish
If you’re looking for something different from the typical pub or American restaurant in New Paltz, The Parish is worth a visit. Located on the second floor of Water Street Market, it serves New Orleans-inspired cuisine and has one of the best outdoor dining spaces in town, overlooking the Wallkill River.
The menu features Cajun and Creole favorites like gator bites, Cajun chicken wings, jambalaya, and other Louisiana-inspired dishes, along with a full bar and creative cocktail list.
The Parish is also one of the best brunch spots in New Paltz, alongside Main Street Bistro. Between the riverside deck, unique menu, and relaxed atmosphere, it’s an easy place to spend a couple of hours after exploring Water Street Market or the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.
Best Bars in New Paltz
New Paltz has a surprisingly good mix of bars, from cozy wine bars and cocktail lounges to craft beer spots with live music and pool tables.
The Lemon Squeeze
If you’re looking for cocktails and live music in New Paltz, The Lemon Squeeze is one of the best places to spend an evening. The restaurant and piano bar has a more relaxed, adult atmosphere than many of the college-oriented bars in town, making it a great choice for a date night or drinks with friends.
Cocktails are the main attraction, but the live entertainment is what really sets The Lemon Squeeze apart. A pianist usually plays during dinner service, while live bands perform Thursday through Saturday nights alongside occasional open mic events featuring local musicians.
Opened in 2022 by SUNY New Paltz alumni Ed Carroll and Gina O’Brien, the restaurant also features a heated outdoor deck with two fire pits. While many people stop in for drinks, the food is worth ordering too, with standouts like oysters, lobster mac and cheese, and one of the better burgers in town.
Jar'd Wine Pub
If I could pick one place in New Paltz to unwind with a glass of wine, it would be Jar’d Wine Pub. It’s a tiny, cozy wine bar tucked into Water Street Market that feels more like a neighborhood hideaway than a traditional wine bar.
The best seats are out back on the small porch overlooking the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. It’s one of my favorite places in New Paltz to relax with a glass of wine, especially around sunset as people walk and bike along the trail below.
The wine list focuses on organic, biodynamic, and natural wines, but you’ll also find a small selection of cocktails, local beer, cider, and light snacks if wine isn’t your drink of choice.
Bacchus
Bacchus is the best beer bar in New Paltz. With one of the largest craft beer lists in town, a full pub menu, and a billiards room in the back, it’s the kind of place where you can easily spend an entire evening.
The food menu goes well beyond typical bar fare, with wings, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and several dinner entrées, along with an impressive selection of vegan and vegetarian options.
What really sets Bacchus apart, though, is the large billiards room in the back. Between the pool tables, dart board, arcade games, occasional live music, and relaxed atmosphere, it’s an easy place to spend an entire evening with friends. The bar is also 21+ after 10 p.m., giving it a livelier late-night atmosphere.
Best Coffee Shops & Breakfast in New Paltz
Whether you’re fueling up before a hike or looking for a leisurely weekend brunch, these are my favorite places for breakfast and coffee in New Paltz.
Main Street Bistro
Main Street Bistro has long been considered the best brunch spot in New Paltz. It’s been serving breakfast and lunch for more than 30 years, and the crowds waiting outside on weekends show that its popularity hasn’t faded.
The menu focuses on classic breakfast and brunch favorites at reasonable prices, making it a dependable choice whether you’re fueling up before a hike or recovering afterward. Popular dishes include the corned beef hash, chicken and waffles, and the Huckleberry Frolic—a tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, spinach, pesto, avocado, sprouts, tomato, and cheddar.
Alternative: If you’re looking for something quicker, Main Street Marketplace is another solid option for breakfast or lunch. The casual café serves sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods in a self-serve setting where you order at the counter before grabbing a table.
Mudd Puddle Coffee Roasters
Mudd Puddle Coffee Roasters is one of my favorite stops in New Paltz for coffee and a quick breakfast. While it’s known for roasting its own coffee beans, it also serves breakfast, lunch, baked goods, and even beer from its sister brewery. Located at the far end of Water Street Market, it’s an easy place to stop while exploring one of the village’s most popular shopping areas.
The coffee is excellent, but the egg panini is what keeps me coming back. Made with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, pesto, and egg on French peasant bread, it’s one of my favorite breakfast sandwiches in the Hudson Valley. Two others I’d put in that conversation are from The Hog in Wappingers Falls and Kelly’s Bakery in Poughkeepsie.
Husband-and-wife team Michelle and James opened Mudd Puddle in 2002. Although they weren’t married at the time, they later built both a family and another business together by opening Yard Owl Brewery in nearby Gardiner. Today, you can even order Yard Owl beer while relaxing at the café.
If you spend any time at Water Street Market, you’ll probably end up walking past Mudd Puddle. Whether you’re stopping for coffee, breakfast, or an afternoon beer, it’s one of those places that’s worth making time for.
Recommendation: Right next door, The Grazery is a great place to browse local cheeses, beer, wine, and other Hudson Valley specialty foods before heading home.
Best Cideries Near New Paltz
The Hudson Valley is one of New York’s premier apple-growing regions, and both of these cideries are just a short drive from downtown New Paltz. They’re two of my favorites in the area, although you’ll find plenty of other great options in my guide to the best Hudson Valley cideries.
Brooklyn Cider House
Don’t let the name fool you. Brooklyn Cider House is not actually in Brooklyn. It sits just outside New Paltz. And it’s one of my favorite places near New Paltz to spend a fall afternoon. Set on the grounds of Twin Star Orchards just outside the village, it’s a beautiful place to enjoy hard cider, wood-fired pizza, and views of the surrounding apple orchard.
In 2014, founder Peter Li convinced his sister to leave her job and help him open a cider house. Although the original plan was to open in Brooklyn, they instead revitalized an old Hudson Valley orchard, creating the cidery, tasting room, and event pavilion that visitors enjoy today.
Whether you’re stopping in for a cider flight, lunch, or one of the seasonal events, it’s an easy addition to a weekend exploring New Paltz and the Hudson Valley.
Kettleborough Cider House
Kettleborough Cider House offers a more traditional Hudson Valley orchard experience than Brooklyn Cider House. Located at Dressel Farms just outside New Paltz, it’s a great place to sample hard cider made from apples grown on the family’s fourth-generation orchard.
Kettleborough was founded in 2011 by Tim Dressel after he returned home following his graduation from Cornell University. Rather than simply growing apples for eating, the family expanded the orchard to include traditional cider apple varieties alongside familiar apples like Honeycrisp, McIntosh, and Red Delicious.
Today, visitors can enjoy cider flights while learning how different apple varieties influence the flavor of each cider. If you’re interested in the agricultural side of the Hudson Valley’s cider scene, Kettleborough is well worth a visit.
Sweet Treats in New Paltz
If you’re craving dessert or want to bring something home, here is where to go before leaving town.
Krause's Chocolates
If you have a sweet tooth, Krause’s Chocolates is worth a stop before leaving New Paltz. The family-owned chocolatier has been making hand-dipped chocolates since 1929, and the New Paltz shop carries the same selection of treats you’ll find at its longtime locations in Saugerties and Rhinebeck.
The display cases are filled with classic confections including truffles, caramels, fudge, peanut brittle, and chocolate-covered favorites, making it an easy place to pick up a small gift or something for the drive home.
In addition to the everyday selection, Krause’s also creates custom chocolate boxes and molded chocolates for holidays and special occasions.
More Places to Eat in New Paltz
These places didn’t quite make my main recommendations, but they’re all popular with locals and worth knowing about depending on what you’re looking for.
P&G's:
Probably the most recognizable restaurant in New Paltz, P&G’s has been a Main Street fixture for generations. The menu sticks to casual American fare, and while I think Garvan’s serves the better meal, P&G’s is the kind of place locals return to again and again for a burger, a beer, or to watch a game.
Underground Coffee and Ales
After Schatzi’s Pub closed, this popular Highland café and beer bar opened a second location in New Paltz. It’s a relaxed spot to grab coffee in the morning or a local craft beer later in the day.
Apizza!
One of the newer additions to the New Paltz dining scene, Apizza! specializes in coal-fired, New Haven-style pizzas served by the whole pie.
Lola's
A dependable breakfast and lunch café serving wraps, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies. While the menu differs slightly from the original Poughkeepsie location, it’s still a popular stop for a quick, casual meal.
Beans Cat Cafe
Part coffee shop, part cat lounge, Beans lets visitors enjoy a drink before spending time with adoptable cats from a local rescue organization. It’s a fun stop for families or animal lovers, and there’s also a second location in Beacon.
Snug Harbor
A classic Main Street dive bar that’s about as unpretentious as they come. It opens earlier than many of the other bars in town, making it a good place for an afternoon beer, before getting busier later in the evening.
New Paltz may not be the first Hudson Valley town that comes to mind for food, but that’s part of its charm. Most people come for the hiking, rock climbing, apple orchards, and small-town atmosphere, then end up discovering there are plenty of great restaurants, cafés, bars, and cideries to round out a weekend.
Whether you’re looking for the best restaurants in New Paltz, a hearty breakfast before hiking the Gunks, a craft beer after biking the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, or a hard cider during apple season, there are enough places to eat and drink here to keep you busy for several days.
If you’re planning to explore more of the Hudson Valley, be sure to check out my guides to the best weekend getaways from NYC, where to eat in Beacon, the best restaurants in Kingston, and my favorite Hudson Valley wineries, cideries, and apple picking destinations.
If you’re looking for more destinations throughout the region, check out my guide to the best weekend getaways from NYC for additional towns worth visiting across the Hudson Valley and beyond. You may also want to explore my other Hudson Valley guides, including where to eat in Beacon and the best restaurants in Kingston, along with my guides to Hudson Valley wineries, cideries, and where to go apple picking.
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