top notch noms
As absolutely delectable as the Marist cafeteria is, sometimes a kid needs a real meal, right? Since we are both hardcore, dedicated foodies, we've visited basically every restaurant in the Poughkeepsie area. That may sound impossible, but trust us, it can be done. This page is where we will be sharing our favorite spots with you.
hyde park brewery
The Brewery has been on our list of places to eat at since junior year when we ventured far enough into Hyde Park to find out it was there. It is definitely somewhere that you have to check out. We went there for dinner a few weeks ago and it was top notch. The coolest part about the Brewery? They actually brew their own beer. They're not one of those fake places that throw the "brewery" word on at the end of their restaurant name to sound cool, they actually brew their beer on site.
Aside from the unique selection of beer, the Brewery has an absolutely dreamy menu. They have the perfect combination of bar food type appetizers, burgers and sandwiches. And, as an added bonus, each dish on the menu has a suggested beer to compliment it. The menu is also very wallet friendly, especially if you don't get a drink. All of the sandwiches and burgers are around or under $15. The Brewery became one of our favorite places after just one visit.
Crowd Favorites: Spinach Artichoke Dip - we ordered one and ended up wishing we ordered five.
Buffalo Fried Calamari - the perfect amount of kick
The Rodrigo Pizza - just dreamy
BBQ Burger - you cannot go wrong with bacon and barbeque. Ever.
Here's a Tip: Go on a Tuesday and sit at the bar, they have $11 pitchers and you can get a "beer sampler" of all six of their on-site brewed beers for nine bucks.
Aside from the unique selection of beer, the Brewery has an absolutely dreamy menu. They have the perfect combination of bar food type appetizers, burgers and sandwiches. And, as an added bonus, each dish on the menu has a suggested beer to compliment it. The menu is also very wallet friendly, especially if you don't get a drink. All of the sandwiches and burgers are around or under $15. The Brewery became one of our favorite places after just one visit.
Crowd Favorites: Spinach Artichoke Dip - we ordered one and ended up wishing we ordered five.
Buffalo Fried Calamari - the perfect amount of kick
The Rodrigo Pizza - just dreamy
BBQ Burger - you cannot go wrong with bacon and barbeque. Ever.
Here's a Tip: Go on a Tuesday and sit at the bar, they have $11 pitchers and you can get a "beer sampler" of all six of their on-site brewed beers for nine bucks.
LOla's cafe
Lola's Cafe is nearly famous in the Marist community. I do not know one person who has eaten there and NOT liked it. It is just too good. They have an amazing selection of soup , which changes daily, salads, sandwiches, and panini's. They also have great side dishes such as pesto pasta salad, couscous, black bean and corn salad, fruit salad, fries, and, last but not least, peanut noodles. I highly recommend the peanut noodles, they are the best thing that ever happened to Poughkeepsie. Their menu is relatively fairly priced. It is about 10 dollars a sandwich, but it is perfect to have half for lunch and half for dinner! The only sticky thing is that it closes at 5 on weekdays and 4 on Saturdays and is CLOSED on Sundays. So make sure you get in there for lunch time! The Cafe is very cute inside although it is small. Dining there makes me feel like I am in my kitchen at home. The staff is very friendly and very helpful when it comes to making a game time decision.
Personal Recommendations: The tomato, mozzarella, avocado panini with side of peanut noodles or the buffalo chicken salad. The chili is also great and people rave about the butternut squash soup.
"People keep coming back for our food because it is made with love" - Lola's staff member
Personal Recommendations: The tomato, mozzarella, avocado panini with side of peanut noodles or the buffalo chicken salad. The chili is also great and people rave about the butternut squash soup.
"People keep coming back for our food because it is made with love" - Lola's staff member
ROSSI's deli
This is not just some plain-Jane deli that has the traditional cold cut sandwiches. Rossi's is a gourmet Italian deli that really knows how to hit the spot when you are missing home cooked food. Their food is so fresh and delicious. They offer a wide variety of different panini options and sizes. They also have many entree dishes, such as pastas, chickens, and salads. The panini's and entrees vary between 8 and 12 dollars which is totally worth it, you will understand when you try it. Rossi's also freezes their homemade sauces and pastas so you can buy and cook them up yourself at home! In the four years at Marist, I have never heard one single human being say they didn't like Rossi's, and if you are reading this and you don't like Rossi's, I would consider getting your taste buds checked!
Personal Favorites: the panini sandwiches - how can you go wrong with chicken cutlet, mozzarella, tomato, and pesto on ciabatta bread? YOU CAN'T! Their penne alla vodka sauce is also AHHHHHmazing. They also have different daily specials to keep people coming back for more.
Here's A Tip; This is top secret information that I have acquired from being a Rossi's regular: if you go around the time they are packing up and closing (5 p.m.) they usually give you FREE, yes I said FREE, leftovers from that day.
Personal Favorites: the panini sandwiches - how can you go wrong with chicken cutlet, mozzarella, tomato, and pesto on ciabatta bread? YOU CAN'T! Their penne alla vodka sauce is also AHHHHHmazing. They also have different daily specials to keep people coming back for more.
Here's A Tip; This is top secret information that I have acquired from being a Rossi's regular: if you go around the time they are packing up and closing (5 p.m.) they usually give you FREE, yes I said FREE, leftovers from that day.
RED FOX EATERY
RedFox is accessible to any aged student due to its location right across from campus! Half the time I just go to RedFox because of Steve the owner, he is so friendly and welcoming every single time I go in there. He provides great customer service and is very reasonably priced. Also, on the bright side, as of recently he accepts Marist money! RedFox offers a variety of egg sandwiches, hot and cold subs, wraps, and salads. Personally, I think that their egg sandwiches are the best and very fairly priced. Their wraps are also very delicious. Steve keeps RedFox very student orientated by having pictures of the students who have eaten there placed around the restaurant. He also has Marist t-shirts hanging on the walls which makes the students feel welcomed. The good thing about RedFox is that it has such a wide variety that it is hard to get sick of it, so make sure to check it out. I think that Steve should be awarded for having the most school spirit by not only naming his place after our mascot, but decorating it with a Marist theme!
Amici's
Amici's is awesome because it is the best of both worlds. It's a great place to take a hot date, and is also a great place to just swing buy and pick up a hot pizza. Amici's offers potentially the best Italian food in Poughkeepsie, and just about everything on the menu is delicious. While it is a little pricier to sit down and eat (entrees range from 15 to 30 dollars) their pizza is not only reasonably priced, it tastes like heaven. Here's another little secret; every Monday through Friday you can pick up a large cheese pizza for $7 if you're a Marist student - THAT right there is a bargain
Crowd Favorites:
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Bonsai Sushi
Bonsai is arguably one of the best sushi joints in the Poughkeepsie area. Its other competitors, Kobe and Akari, are great, but no one does happy hour like Bonsai. Their happy hour (everyday from 3:00-6:00 pm) offers half price on a huge selection of their appetizers and sushi rolls AND half price on all of their beer and sake. $3.99 for a shrimp tempura roll?! That's basically like stealing. It is the perfect place to go to Friday evening when you're looking to get a head start on your weekend festivities.
Make sure you try the mango shrimp roll, the Incredible roll and the California salad. |
BABY CAKES CAFE
Baby cakes is a little cafe located by Vassar College, a little further than the rest, but it is worth the drive! It features American bistro-style cuisine which will mix up the types of food you usually eat. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I always make my mom take me here, because it is a little bit on the pricier side. They have a variety of egg sandwiches, wraps, and fritatas, and omelets. For lunch they have GREAT sandwiches, salads, and soups. They also let you do half sandwich and a cup of soup which is a great combo! Personal favorites off of the lunch menu is the Chipotle Chicken sandwich, I HIGHLY recommend it. Their dinner menu includes steak, chicken, and pastas. Personal dinner favorites are the Thyme Chicken! Baby Cakes is great because it is a change of scenery and provides a very different type of food that you really can't get in any other restaurant. If you love trying news foods I suggest you make your way over there so that you don't miss out!
Unique Dishes to Try: Greek Lamb Sliders, Crispy Goat Cheese Rounds, and Duck Confit Flat Bread Pizza
Unique Dishes to Try: Greek Lamb Sliders, Crispy Goat Cheese Rounds, and Duck Confit Flat Bread Pizza
RHINebeck bagel
Okay, So here's the deal. We went exploring in Rhinebeck the other weekend and fell in love. With a bagel shop. Yes, that is physically possible, we promise. Rhinebeck Bagel is the bagel place that you find yourself craving every weekend morning, but cannot find near Marist. Honestly, I have a serious bone to pick with Poughkeepsie. How is it possible to NOT have a decent bagel place in this town? Thank god for Rhinebeck Bagel, it is worth the 20 minute drive Route 9. Also, another bonus, there is so much more to this place than just bagels. We're talking sandwiches. Wraps. SALAD. SOUP. It's mind blowing, really. Six of us went and we all got different things, and no one had a negative thing to report back. After much deliberation, we decided on our top three favorite items on the menu so far (we will be going back and trying new things, so we'll keep you updated if the top three changes):
1. Pipe Doctor: turkey, bacon, cheddar, tomato and mayo on a wrap, roll or bagel. We went with the roll, wish we went with the wrap, but it was still TOP NOTCH.
2. Buffalo Chicken Wrap: chicken, buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato and blue cheese dressing - spicy and perfect
3. 7-grain bagel toasted with vegetable cream: might have been one of the most delicious bagels I have ever tasted, it was simple and delicious, the best way to start my Sunday morning.
*this list is subject to change or further additions*
1. Pipe Doctor: turkey, bacon, cheddar, tomato and mayo on a wrap, roll or bagel. We went with the roll, wish we went with the wrap, but it was still TOP NOTCH.
2. Buffalo Chicken Wrap: chicken, buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato and blue cheese dressing - spicy and perfect
3. 7-grain bagel toasted with vegetable cream: might have been one of the most delicious bagels I have ever tasted, it was simple and delicious, the best way to start my Sunday morning.
*this list is subject to change or further additions*
ICE house
We must have driven by the Ice House on the Hudson 25 times before finally deciding to eat there. The restaurant opened in September, 2012 and has seen nothing but success since. Before I even talk about the food, I'm going to talk about THE VIEW. Ice House is located quite literally on the Hudson River. Not next to it, not above it, on it. Go on a sunny day and eat on the deck and you will literally feel like you are floating in the river. It really is a unique experience. So, aside from the incredible view, the food is also something worth raving about. While the menu is somewhat limited, everything we have tried on it is DELICIOUS. Seriously, delicious. It is definitely a bit more on the pricey side, but the lunch menu is really reasonable, it would be the perfect place to take your parents if they were up visiting for the day. We've also been stalking the Sunday brunch menu, which looks exceptional. Hopefully we will be able to make it there for brunch before the year ends (the Frangelico french toast is really calling our names).
Based on our expert opinions, these are the top three dishes you HAVE to get if you go to Ice House:
1. If you don't start with the Rosemary Calamari, than you are a crazy person.
2. The Baby Spinach Salad, which sounds boring, but is anything but that.
3. The Seafood Mac and Cheese will change your life and you will never want to eat another mac and cheese ever again.
Based on our expert opinions, these are the top three dishes you HAVE to get if you go to Ice House:
1. If you don't start with the Rosemary Calamari, than you are a crazy person.
2. The Baby Spinach Salad, which sounds boring, but is anything but that.
3. The Seafood Mac and Cheese will change your life and you will never want to eat another mac and cheese ever again.