Hudson Valley Guides

A Taste of the Bayou at Barbue in the Hudson Valley 🍽️

Nestled in Poughkeepsie’s Eastdale Village, Barbue brings the spirit of New Orleans to the Hudson Valley. With sleek interiors—from brass alligator accents, to colorful restroom wall paper, to tufted leather banquettes—the restaurant fuses Southern warmth with bold Cajun flavors.

🥢 What We Ate: Small Plates to Start

  • Cracklins’
    Crispy pork belly, dusted in a signature house spice blend with a side of cane syrup. Rich and savory, it’s one of Barbue’s standout snacks.

  • Okra Fries
    Sliced lengthwise for extra crunch, these fries skip the usual breading. Seasoned with lime, cayenne, Maldon salt, and served with a tangy buttermilk dip—they were addictive. Don’t get me started on that buttermilk dipping sauce, I’m still thinking about it.

  • Deviled Eggs
    A creamy, classic Southern starter.

🍴 Lunch Highlights: Fresh and Flavorful

  • Shrimp Po’ Boy
    A classic New Orleans favorite—crispy Gulf shrimp nestled in soft bread, dressed with remoulade or Creole-style sauce. They import their po’ boy rolls for New Orleans too!

  • Peach Caprese Salad
    A seasonal offering reflecting Hudson Valley produce: creamy burrata tossed with juicy peaches, possibly atop arugula or frisée, with a touch of citrus or vinaigrette.

🍨 Sweet Finish: Beignets for Dessert

A New Orleans–inspired meal isn’t complete without beignets—Barbue serves them, typically at brunch and dessert hours, as fluffy, sugared pillows reminiscent of Café du Monde.

🍹 What We Drank

Barbue doesn’t just serve amazing food—their drink menu is just as well thoughtout. Here's what we sipped. Non-Alcohlic versions of these which I love that they have mocktail and zero proof options:

  • Hurricane
    All the flavor of the iconic Bourbon Street cocktail. Fruity, tart, and refreshing with notes of passion fruit and citrus.

  • Garden Party Sour
    A beautifully balanced drink with botanical notes and a gentle tang. It’s bright, herbaceous, and ideal for summer sipping.

  • Coconut Margarita
    A tropical twist on a classic—creamy coconut meets zesty lime in a cocktail that feels like a vacation in a glass.

🌟 Why This Spot Stands Out

Barbue excels at giving traditional Cajun and Creole food a welcoming, refined home in upstate New York. The seafood, spices, and shared-plate approach make dining feel communal and celebratory. They have outdoor seating and a private bar section that would be great for a private small event. It’s hard enough finding things like BBQ and good southern food in NY and Barbue has done an excellent job brings the atmosphere and flavors here.

Planning your next foodie outing? Head to Barbue in Eastdale Village for a meal that feels like a Southern getaway. Bring your appetite—and your camera. You’ll want to savor every bite and snap every dish.

Coffee Shops You Need To Visit in Orange County, NY

Coffee is my absolute love language, cold brews specifically. Being from Orange County, NY I have quite a long list. When it comes to coffee I always look for quality coffee and community coffee shops to visit.

Here are my top caffeine choices in the area.


Valkyerie Coffee Roasters - Chester, NY

23 Main St, Chester, NY 10918

Valkeryie is located on Main Street in downtown Chester, New York. They roast their coffee in house and sourced directly from farms they have partnership with, and only use single-farm, single-origin beans that attain specialty coffee grades from experienced Q-graders.

Dakota Rudolph is the owner and roast-master. The shop was inspired by his Swedish heritage. He’s one of the nicest guys and business owners I know; super friendly just like the rest of his staff!

Come here for the coolest merch, seasonal flavors, and specialty coffee drinks… or if you just need a great community coffee shop to hang out in.


Greenwood Lake Coffee Roasters - Greenwood Lake, NY

160 Windermere Ave, Greenwood Lake, NY 10925 (The Triangle - Counter Service)

Love this little coffee spot in Greenwood Lake, whether your headed to Warwick or Route17 you can grab coffee at their “Triangle” spot, which is window service only. It’s locally roasted organic and fair trade coffee, and family owned.

If you’re looking for sit down, right down the street at 58 Windermere ave (The Square), is where you can find their sit down coffee shop.


Noble Coffee Roasters - Campbell Hall, NY

3020 NY-207, Campbell Hall, NY 10916

With a cafe in Campbell Hall, NY, Noble Coffee Roasters offers breakfast, lunch, and some evening bites when they have music, open mic nights, and other events. Including not only coffee, but baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, wraps, and paninis.

They offer wholesale beans, from a selection of only top quality beans from around the world. I love how spacious this cafe is, it’s kid friendly, and really enjoy the community vibe here.

Go to order is: Large Cold Brew and the Arugula Egg Sandwich or the ABC Egg Sandwich with apple butter, bacon, and cheddar cheese. You won’t be disappointed.


Diplomat Cafe - Goshen, NY

190 West Main Street, Goshen, NY, 10924

Diplomat Cafe offers a taste of Europe in Goshen, NY. Best known for their chimney cakes, coffee flights, duo cup, and European pastries and cookies, Chai, and refreshers and tea.

It’s a very small cafe so only outdoor seating is available, and they are closed on Monday.

Diplomat Cafe in Goshen, NY

Cafe Yen - Goshen, NY

170 West Main St, Goshen, New York 10924

Cafe Yen is very close to Diplomat Cafe in Goshen, NY. You could visit both and I’ve definitely have done that.

They are open from Tuesday to Sunday 8am - 4pm, and have specialty coffee drinks and some breakfast items and pastries. Indoor and outdoor seating available here too. They do not have a website, but here is their Instagram account.


Downstate Newburgh - Newburgh, NY

47 Lander St. Newburgh, NY, 12550

This 10 seat cafe is serving up high quality coffee, tea, and CDMX style food and is open daily from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

Everything is so good here from their cold brews to lunch offering of chilaquiles, avocado toast, torta, tamales, burritos, and more. Definitely go check out Downstate Newburgh, such a great coffee shop.


Cornwall Coffee & Mercantile- Cornwall, NY

310 Main Street, Cornwall, NY, 12518

Cornwall Coffee Co. & Mercantile welcomes you to experience the artisanal traditions of coffee making in the heart of the Hudson Valley of New York. Part coffee shop, part apothocary which showcases the craftsmanship of homewares and goods.

I can appreciate the slow drip and small batch coffee process with the cups decked out with smiling faces and mustaches. They have a location in Beacon, NY as well.