With Fishkill Creek winding its way through town and Fishkill Falls cascading adjacent to Main Street, Beacon is the ultimate quaint Hudson Valley town. Its waterfront views, Mount Beacon backdrop, and fertile farmland make it a beautiful destination fit for foodies just 60 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. Here are some of my favorite Beacon restaurants.
1. Kitchen & Coffee
Although it’s home to fewer than 15,000 people, there is a lot to see and do in Beacon, New York. So before you hit the hiking trail or admire art, fuel up for the day with a cup of coffee and a filling sweet or savory bowl at Kitchen & Coffee. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., this coffeehouse focuses on fair trade coffees and teas while the kitchen serves up 100 percent gluten-free vegetarian dishes.
Want a gluten-free baguette or sandwich loaf to pack a picnic basket to enjoy elsewhere in Beacon? Then you’ll love the breads baked at Kitchen & Coffee.
Vegetarian Pick: Kale and Tempeh Salad
Vegan Pick: Banh Mi Bowl
Pro Tip: Near the corner of South and Main, Bank Square Coffeehouse — which uses only locally roasted coffee beans — is another great coffee spot. Or stop by later in the day for a craft beer as they typically have nine brews on tap.
2. Glazed Over Donuts
For those who prefer to start the day on a sugar high, Glazed Over Donuts is the place for you. Watch them prepare your breakfast as fresh dunkers roll off the donut machine and are glazed, drizzled, and topped to your specifications. Here’s how it works:
- Pick out a delicious donut
- Choose a glaze, like caramel, strawberry, or peanut butter
- Select a topping, like almonds, coconut, or sprinkles
- Top your masterpiece off with a drizzle — like maple syrup, salted choc-caramel, or grape jelly
With so many scrumptious choices of glazes, toppings, and drizzles, you could visit daily all year and not try them all!
And, yes, you’ll need coffee with that. Glazed Over Donuts serves it up brewed or iced along with tea, hot chocolate, and a selection of cold drinks.
3. The Beacon Daily
If your schedule allows for a more leisurely breakfast, head to The Beacon Daily where you can dig into a filling brekkie bowl or burrito. To a base of crisp tater tots and three fluffy scrambled eggs topped with shredded cheddar, you can choose your own breakfast adventure by adding on items like guacamole, smoked portobello mushrooms, and fried chicken. And if you like fried chicken, you’re sure to love the chicken and waffles that come paired with a Liege-style waffle topped with maple butter and a housemade compote.
When you visit this family-owned and operated eatery for lunch, I recommend ordering The Original. It features — you guessed it — The Beacon Daily’s delicious fried chicken on a cheddar scallion biscuit topped with honey butter hot sauce and pickles. And don’t just take my word for it. This fried chicken biscuit sandwich has been hailed as Hudson Valley’s best.
Local Fave: The Original
Unique Bite: Big Mac Tots
Pro Tip: Don’t leave Beacon without a made-to-order s’more at the Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company, located about half a mile from The Beacon Daily. And when you stop in, you’ll probably want a bag of gourmet marshmallows and graham crackers to take home with you!
4. Melzingah Tap House
Just across Main Street from Fishkill Falls, Melzingah Tap House is a delicious spot for lunch or dinner. Bite into a juicy burger — like the Beacon Burger featuring 8 oz of ground Angus beef, whipped feta, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a brioche bun — paired with one of several delicious craft beers on tap. Are you following a vegan diet or allergic to meat? Melzingah Tap House’s Impossible Burger is a vegan-friendly alternative to its namesake burger, with a vegan patty, hummus spread, lettuce, tomato, and onion served on a vegan roll.
But Melzingah’s is so much more than a burger and beer joint, especially if you join them for dinner, where you’ll find an even larger selection of tasty starters, seasonal salads, and filling mains. Start your meal with a cocktail like Melzingah’s Fashion, with Bulleit bourbon, Rittenhouse rye, Angostura bitters, demerara syrup, and a slice of orange. Pair your pour with an order of crispy, Bavarian-style pretzel bites served with spicy cheese dip or the breadcrumb-topped mac and cheese.
Meat lovers are sure to enjoy the tomato braised short ribs paired with parmesan polenta or the Hudson Valley duck breast served with wild rice pilaf and a local apple-and-fig mostarda. And seafood lovers will enjoy the mussels and leek sausage in a white wine butter sauce.
Bodacious Burger: Beacon Burger
Must Sip: Melzingah’s Fashion
Fun Fact: Curious about the Melzingah name? The town of Beacon was almost named Melzingah after the local native tribe.
5. The Roundhouse
For the best views of the falls, drink or dine at The Roundhouse, where every table has a view of Fishcreek Falls, either through floor-to-ceiling windows or from the back patio. Add a little happiness to a weekday in Beacon by stopping by in the afternoon for a few appetizers and a cocktail. You’ll find a delicious list of options fit for foodies including braised oxtail crispy tots, Spanish octopus served with cannellini beans and bacon, and jumbo lump crab cakes. Whatever you select, it’s sure to taste even better when paired with one of The Roundhouse’s signature cocktails, like the spiced apple old fashioned or a barrel-aged boulevardier.
Amazing Appetizer: Spanish Octopus
Seafood Splurge: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Pro Tip: Regardless of the eateries you enjoy in beautiful Beacon, New York, be sure to head to the Ron & Ronnie Sauers Bridge just east of The Roundhouse. It’s one of the best spots to view Fishkill Overlook Falls (also known as Beacon Falls).
6. Max’s On Main
For delicious American comfort food in Beacon, head to Max’s on Main. Located at the corner of Main and N. Walnut Streets, this local eatery serves up your favorite pub classics — like chicken wings, nachos, chicken tenders, and beer-battered fish and chips — plus so much more. The potato and cheddar pierogies and salmon BLT are absolutely delicious. And if you like pulled pork, you’re in for a treat at Max’s, where their pineapple barbeque braised pork shoulder is served on a toasted brioche bun with cheddar cheese and seasoned shredded cabbage.
You’ll definitely want an adult beverage to go with your food order, and, once again, Max’s delivers. Watch the first football game of the day on Sunday with a BLT Bloody Mary, made with Tito’s vodka and Max’s homemade spicy Bloody Mary mix and topped with thick bacon strips, a skewer of ripe grape tomatoes, and a crispy romaine lettuce leaf. Or ask the bartender to make you a gin and tonic using Great 9 Gin, an award-winning locally distilled spirit from Denning’s Point Distillery with a light-bodied, citrusy flavor.
Amazing Appetizer: Beacon Rolls
Sensational Sandwich: Pull’d Pork
Pro Tip: To enjoy Great 9 Gin beyond a gin and tonic, check out these lip-smacking creative cocktail recipes.
7. Towne Crier Cafe
If you’re looking for delicious food and amazing live music in one venue, Towne Crier Cafe is the place to be in the Hudson Valley. For more than 50 years, it’s hosted a wide range of now-famous musicians in the early stages of their careers, including Don McLean, Judy Collins, Kevin Bacon, David Byrne, Vanessa Carlton, Buckwheat Zydeco, 10,000 Maniacs, Susanne Vega, and many others. But this article is about incredible restaurants to try in Beacon, New York, so let’s get to the food.
If you’re visiting Beacon over the weekend, Towne Crier Cafe has one of the best brunch menus in town. It includes dishes like shakshouka (a North African poached egg dish with spicy tomato sauce, feta cheese, and toasted pita), flat iron steak and eggs, and smoked salmon platters. The Crier also offers an assortment of juicy burgers. Pick a patty — either the house blend of brisket, short rib, and Angus chuck, the Mediterranean lamb with tzatziki sauce, or a plant-based Beyond Burger — and go to town on toppings, including goat cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and guacamole.
For a lighter supper, I recommend the goat cheese and roasted beet salad, served with baby arugula greens and tossed in a Spanish sherry vinaigrette, or the sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna served atop a chilled rice noodle Asian salad. For a hearty dinner, try the wild mushroom ravioli tossed in a Marsala mushroom cream sauce or the sliced flat iron steak.
Amazing Appetizer: Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Tater Kegs
Vegetarian Pick: Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Pro Tip: In addition to these great restaurants, you can support local Hudson Valley Farmers by shopping locally. Discover a wide range of Hudson Valley agricultural products at Taste of NY at Todd Hill, the farm stand at Barton Orchards, and the Adams Fairacre Farms store, including locally raised milk, eggs, honey, apples, and more!