The Catskills is just a place to head if you want to ski, snowboard, or enjoy some hiking, right? Wrong!
Over the last several years, the Catskills has morphed from just a ski destination to the place where New York City residents in search of lower prices and more space retreat to live. And with all those new, hip residents have come a ton of delicious eateries, with cuisine ranging from all-American burgers to vegan fare.
If you’re visiting the Catskills on your next vacation, or even just a long weekend, here are the 5 places you must eat on your trip:
Peekamoose Restaurant & Tap Room
8373 State Route 28, Big Indian, NY
Locally sourced, seasonal ingredients are the stars of this menu that takes comfort food and elevates it to something more. Start your meal with a house-made charcuterie board to share with the table, or a radicchi and shaved fennel salad with orange and sweet vermouth vinaigrette. Dive into a vegetable cassoulet or or slow-braised beef short ribs, then finish off your meal with a buttermilk panna cotta or Fruition chocolate pudding.
And what great meal at a tap room is complete without some exceptional beer, wine, or cocktails. For the traditionalist, try a Freak Tractor Wild Ale from Catskill Brewery. If you’re in the mood for something a little more fancy, try a Dr. Penny’s Good-Time Tonic, made with Vly Creek vodka, watermelon, Kas spiced-honey liqueur, mint, and lime.
Phoenicia Diner
5681 NY-28, Phoenicia, NY
Don’t let the “diner” part of the name fool you. The Phoenicia Diner offers upscale fare for every palate. The beauty of this restaurant is it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can enjoy delicious food for every meal. And they start serving mimosas, cocktails, and bourbon milkshakes at 11 a.m.
Start your day off with house-made granola, cornmeal waffles, or an elote skillet (polenta, grilled corn, queso fresco, chili-lime mayo, and two sunny side up eggs). Enjoy tortilla soup or a sesame chicken salad for lunch, or tuck into a meatloaf or vegetable lasagna platter for dinner. You can even order from Phoenicia Diner for takeout, savoring quality food from the comfort of your rental.
Need a place to stay near Phoenicia? Check out this serene oasis in Woodstock, which sleeps 6. The house features a sauna (dry or wet) and a steam shower for a spa experience without going to the spa. Enjoy the restorative wooded terrain while only being a short distance from the amenities of town.
A Taste of Catskill Cafe
395 Main St., Catskill, NY
Enjoy breakfast or lunch at this down-home cafe with delicious food and excellent customer reviews. From soups and salads to omelets and pancakes, everyone will find something to love at A Taste of Catskill Cafe. They even deliver, so you can get all the comfort food you want without having to leave your rental!
Check their Facebook page for each day’s specials; the handwritten specials menu gives you everything you need to make a tasty decision. Some recent specials include a taco quesadilla, Santa Fe chicken, kale and quinoa salad, and creamy pepperjack mac & cheese.
Want to stay near Catskill? Mizu is a Japanese-inspired tiny house in Cairo that has a Shou-sugi-ban exterior with gorgeous, large windows. It sleeps 2 to 5 people and overlooks Catskill Creek and offers beautiful outdoor spaces for a relaxing vacation.
Brio’s Pizzeria
68 Main St., Phoenicia, NY
This pizza joint is well-known in the Catskills for, of course, its pizza. Choose from its signature recipes including vegetarian and goat cheese pizzas, or gourmet choices such as the wild mushroom or chicken and broccoli. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, create your own pizza with ingredients including eggplant, anchovies, and jalapenos.
Not in the mood for pizza? Brio’s has an extensive lunch and dinner menu including sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and Tex-Mex. Start off with some mozzarella sticks to share, or dig into a cup of French onion soup of your own. Enjoy some comfort food such as meatloaf or pot roast, or try some Rham schnitzel with red cabbage for a little something different. And don’t forget dessert! Heavenly Cakes offers a variety of decadent desserts, including Boston Cream cake, cannoli cake, and ultimate chocolate cake.
Tuna III
82 Main St., Delhi, NY
Want something lighter and a little more exotic? This sushi restaurant in Delhi has just what you need! Start off with some seaweed salad, steamed or fried gyoza, or spring rolls. If you’re not into sushi, Tuna III has a full selection of traditional Asian dishes, including fried rice, udon noodle soup, or stir fry.
Their sushi menu is extensive, offering sushi and sashimi in all varieties. Traditional selections include shrimp tempura rolls, California rolls, and tuna rolls. If you want something more interesting, try a special roll. The Black Dragon Roll (crab stick, avocado, and cucumber in a roll topped with eel and black tobiko, eel sauce, and spicy sauce) or Wasabi Tiger Roll (spicy tuna and tempura crunch inside a roll with tuna, avocado, and crab roe on top and tuna, salmon, eel, and wasabi mayonnaise).
Need somewhere to stay near Delhi? This little piece of heaven in Delancy sleeps 8 and offers stunning exterior views from its screened-in porch. Perfect for a family getaway, girls’ or guys’ weekend, or reunion, this home is close to all sorts of outdoor activities, no matter the season.
Exceptional Vacation Rentals in New York
At New York Rental by Owner, we want you to have the vacation you’ve always imagined. Whether you’re looking for room enough for two or want to host a crowd, we’ve got great properties all over the state just waiting for you.
Have a property you’d like to make some extra money on? We’re always searching for the best rental properties throughout New York. Contact us today for more information!
