Take a walk through the village one of these hot summer days (or nights), and you’ll see a veritable beehive of activity. This month, the Saugerties Times is marking the village Renaissance with a series of articles celebrating its beating heart: Partition and Main streets. We recently asked the restaurants on Partition and Main streets to name their signature dish. If you’re looking to try something new, here’s where to start.
Main Street
Café Tango
216 Main Street
A signature dish, popular with many patrons, is Argentine Lomo, made with sirloin steak and Argentine seasonings, says Analia Maya, a co-owner of Café Tango. The restaurant also features empanadas – savory filled pastries – and a variety of Argentine style dishes. Maya thanked the many people who supported her and her brother, Emilio, during their recent troubles.
Hudson Valley Dessert Company
264 Main Street
The name may imply desserts, but a popular lunch order is the chicken pot pie, says owner Constance Bailey. The bargain lunch special includes homemade soup and roll. And, Bailey says, the bakery specializes in cakes, cookies and biscotti, which merited praise in the New York Times, along with the granola.
Village Pizza
284 Main Street
The signature dish is pizza, with a variety of toppings, available by the slice or whole pies at the store, with free delivery service. Operator Rodney Mazzella said the restaurant also offers a catering service with a variety of dishes in its large party room that will seat up to 60 people. The restaurant turns 40 this year, he said.
Dutch Ale House
255 Main Street
The signature dish, bacon, egg and cheeseburger, was rated one of the 10 best burgers in New York State by the New York Beef Council, said owner Karyn Pavich. The restaurant will be competing for the top rating on September 4 at the New York State Fair cook-off. The ale house features a variety of beers and ales from local breweries, and will be operating its own microbrewery this fall, she said.
Main Street Restaurant
244 Main Street
Main Street Restaurant features Latin-American cuisine. Owner Rhianna Rodriguez says quesadillas, especially shrimp, are a signature dish. Fish tacos are also popular, and the restaurant also offers a
variety of traditional American dishes. The restaurant has a full bar and live entertainment on Friday evenings. “We’re family friendly, warm and casual,” Rodriguez said.
Exchange Hotel
217 Main Street
Pizza is a specialty of the Exchange Hotel’s dining room, said hotel owner Tony Buono. The restaurant in an historic building, which has been in the family for three generations, also serves soup, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The restaurant serves soft-shell crabs in season – June and July. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, and dinner is served Friday only. The building also offers three rooms and an apartment, as well as a barber shop/beauty shop, Buono said.
Village Diner
140 Main Street
Wraps, such as the Ranchero wrap and Santa Fe wrap, are a popular choice at the Village Diner, says owner Abraham Argueta. The menu also features burgers, and a variety of specials. The diner is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and huevos rancheros are a popular dish. The diner is undergoing major renovations, and the entrance is actually on the Washington Street side of the building. Argueta said he’s planning a grand reopening when the renovations are completed in about a month.
Dallas Hot Wieners 215 Main Street
As the name implies, hot dogs are the signature dish of this longstanding landmark, with shops in Saugerties and Kingston, but these hot dogs come with a special sauce, a family recipe handed down from the previous generation as well as mustard and onions, said Fred Tampasis, a co-owner with Evan Pappas. In addition, the restaurant serves fries, chicken fillets and sandwiches, souvlaki and salads.
Szechuan King 261 Main Street
Don’t be fooled by the ordinary looking shop front that serves mainly takeout. The adjoining restaurant is softly lit, with linens on the table. The food, as the name implies, is largely Szechuan – a spicy style – but other popular Chinese dishes are also on the menu. A handy red pepper symbol indicates the spicy entrees, such as shrimp with scallops Szechuan style, vegetables in hot garlic sauce or General Tso’s beef, but there are plenty of milder dishes to choose from – and any of the hot dishes can be made more or less spicy to order.
Partition Street
Stella’s Station 150 Partition Street
Stella’s offers a seafood medley of scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari in a light tomato-cream broth as its signature dish, says owner Mark Burns. While there are some tables and a bar inside the restaurant, Burns recommends the outdoor tables in summer weather.
’Cue
136 Partition Street
Owner Marc Propper says the pulled pork sandwich on a Martins roll is a top seller. The restaurant, which just opened Memorial Day, offers a variety of barbecued meats and sides. Patrons can eat at outdoor tables, and the restaurant does a substantial takeout business.
The Pig Bar and Grill
110 Partition Street
Kerri Gartmann, serving at the bar, says the wasabi crusted tuna steak is the dish the place is best known for. It can be ordered as a dinner or a sandwich. However, the drinks, including “the best mojitos in town” are the most popular feature. The Pig has an extensive selection of cognacs and a lot of locally produced drinks.
Miss Lucy’s Kitchen
90 Partition Street
Co-owner Marc Propper (Michelle Silver is the other) describes the most popular dish as scallops with asparagus, risotto, balsamic reduction and truffle oil. The restaurant “is committed to local produce from local farmers,” he said. “The menu is based on what’s available.” The restaurant turned eight years old on Memorial Day, and opened Cue on the same day.
Dave’s Coffee and Wine House
69 Partition Street
Owner David Meade says his cheese boards are a real treat in the informal café-style restaurant. He recommends the cheese with wine, he said. Dave’s also offers a bar and a variety of musical entertainment, featuring local performers of many styles of music.
Fez
71 Partition Street
Niels Nielson said the signature dish is a multiple – tahines – Moroccan stews, which can be ordered with meat, poultry or vegetables. The restaurant serves a variety of Mediterranean styles of food, including Spanish and North African, he said.
Love Bites Cafe
85 Partition Street
This cafe’s specialty is coconut carrot cake with French toast batter, citrus vanilla butter and real maple syrup. It’s been described as a nice, moist, dense dessert. It’s co-owner Mark’s wife’s recipe.
The café is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch.
Café Tamayo
91 Partition Street
The signature dish is comfit of duck, crisp skin, falling off the bones served over rice. The restaurant is run by Rickie and James Tamayo, and it’s purely a family business. The Tamayos believe strongly in the connection between farm, food and customer and were among the founders of the Saugerties Farmers Market, Rickie Tamayo said. The restaurant, which opened in 1987, is celebrating its 10th year of working with the Farmers’ Market.
Mirabella
117 Partition Street
Though it’s billed as an Italian restaurant, the summer specialty is fresh seafood, says owner Brendan Amodio, citing the special clams at $5 per dozen in season. He describes the place as “a community oriented, sports themed Italian restaurant. The restaurant has a full bar. Amodio said his pizza was judged the best in Saugerties last year.
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