Welcome to Kingston! Don’t mind the housing emergency, it’s just proof we’re the hottest place to be.
Kingston’s transformation over the last three decades I’ve lived here has been astonishing. Our city was always the place for city residents to escape to a more affordable bohemian lifestyle without sacrificing urbanity or culture. The great pandemic exodus utterly and permanently changed our cultural landscape. Countless businesses shuttered, deep pockets were there to replace them. It’s still more affordable here than in New York City, but the roots that established our superlative restaurant and bar scene are either lost to the economic ebbs and flows of time, or increasingly hidden under a thriving tourism business stoked by new businesses geared toward the needs of the 2025 Kingston visitor and transplant.
Look, there’s nothing wrong with spending a weekend in a boutique luxury hotel, perusing the boutique mercantile, hitting the spa, eating artisanal farm-to-table sustainable small-batch food while gawking at horses in the sun. No judgement. It’s not like locals don’t enjoy these luxuries from time to time, budget allowing. It’s certainly one of the perks that offsets the aforementioned fastest-rising housing costs in the country.
Locals still dine and drink at Kingston’s most storied institutions – vintage establishments with 20 years or more under their belts. If you don’t experience this side of Kingston, are you truly experiencing the city, or just a glossed-up, upscaled postcard abstraction of what it used to be?
Eng’s
726 Broadway, Kingston
It doesn’t get any more old-school Kingston than a Chinese restaurant that opened in 1927. Known for its classic Chinese-American fare and retro diner-style ambiance, Eng’s is a nostalgic destination for locals who have dined there since childhood. With its distinctive neon signage and longstanding reputation for generous portions at fair prices, Eng’s has weathered shifting tastes and economic cycles while maintaining a loyal customer base. It’s like dining in a time capsule.
Wing Shui Chinese Restaurant
53 North Front St.
Whereas Eng’s is a red-carpeted retro experience, Wing Shui is more utilitarian, providing lunch break fare to Uptown Kingston for decades. It’s fast, tasty, inexpensive and reliable, checking all the boxes for a go-to Chinese take-out establishment.
Dallas Hot Weiners
51 North Front St.
A Kingston landmark since 1925, Dallas Hot Weiners has been serving up its famous chili-covered hot dogs for nearly a century. The small, no-frills counter-service spot is a rite of passage for locals and visitors alike, known for its fast counter service and retro ambience. The recipe has stayed remarkably consistent over the decades, and that’s precisely what keeps longtime customers coming back.
Savona’s Plaza Pizza
1090 Morton Boulevard
The Savona family have spread their Italian roots far beyond the original location at the Kingston Plaza. Still, nothing compares to their first location in terms of capturing the city of yesteryear. Serving classic Italian-American comfort food to Kingston families for generations, this neighborhood pizzeria is a dependable source for lunch breaks and casual “let’s order a pizza” nights. The Plaza location has quietly embedded itself in the community’s weekly routines. Its longevity is a testament to doing the basics well—quality ingredients, friendly service, and the kind of unfussy reliability that keeps locals returning year after year.
Little Italy / Mariner’s Harbor
14 Thomas St. & 1 Broadway
Frank Guido’s Kingston restaurants have defined dining in the city for decades. Each has its own Italian-style flavor, with a reputation built on consistency, hospitality, and old-school charm. Little Italy is perfect for family gatherings, birthdays, and major life events. Mariner’s is the spot to sip a cocktail, watch the boats and soak up the waterfront vibe with seafood dishes.
Ship to Shore
15 West Strand St.
Ship to Shore is the ultimate date night spot with upscale dishes in an intimate, festive environment. The food and service is fancy, but not pretentious. The establishment has been widely regarded by locals as one of the top restaurants in our city for some time. For local steak and seafood, it’s top-shelf.
Stella’s
44 North Front St.
While there’s no doubt Guido holds the crown for the most eminent restaurateur of Kingston, when it comes to the epitome of Italian cuisine in Kingston, it’s hard to compete with the perfection of Stella’s. Their homestyle, authentic Italian dishes represent the end-all, be-all of longtime local cuisine for many. Stella’s remarkable quality and hospitality have been unflappably consistent for decades amidst the many transformations Kingston has undergone. Stella’s holds the top culinary spot amongst many locals. Dinner is often packed – a mouthwatering lunch at Stella’s is perhaps the most criminally underrated dining experience in the whole county.
Hoffman House
94 N. Front St.
The Hoffman House, housed in a stone structure dating back to the 1600s, is one of Kingston’s oldest and most atmospheric dining spots. Serving classic American fare since the 1970s, it combines historical character with hearty, homestyle meals.
Dietz Stadium Diner
127 North Front St.
For decades, this family-run diner has served breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the clock, earning a reputation for hearty comfort food. It’s as classic as diners get. Over-the-top friendly, lightning fast, community-centric and delicious enough to keep customers returning.
B&B Bagels / Sunrise Bagels
292 Plaza Rd. / 496 Albany Ave.
The debate will forever rage among locals as to which is the best bagel pace in Kingston. Ultimately, the controversy is silly – each of these decades-old dough slingers has its unique charms. Sunrise bagels are significantly larger than B&B’s, but other than that both use similar ingredients to dress them. If you like a smaller, crispier, chewier bagel, B&B is the spot, whereas Sunrise serves up large, soft and doughy discs for more of a mouthful.
Le Canard Enchaine
276 Fair St.
This classic French bistro in Uptown Kingston has been a staple for nearly three decades. Known for its white‑tablecloth setting, duck à l’orange, escargot, and generous martinis at a charming bar, it offers an old‑school dining experience that locals prize. The restaurant feels like a step back in time and a step out of the country.
Bowery Dugout
857 Ulster Ave.
Where do you get seafood in Ulster County? The Bowery Dugout has served as Kingston’s iconic seafood joint for many decades. Lobsters have been awaiting their fate here since 1947. What started as a modest clam bar has transformed into a beloved two‑level restaurant, maintaining its reputation for quality coastal fare and welcoming atmosphere for over 75 years.
Golden Ginza
24 Broadway #28
Kingston’s hibachi haven has been the birthday spot of choice for decades. The food here is consistently tasty, portions are generous, and the entertainment of watching hibachi chefs make onion volcanos never gets old.
Deising’s Bakery and Restaurant
111 N. Front St.
Long before they were making headlines with their John Oliver cakes, Deising’s was beloved by generations of locals for their high quality and great diversity of baked goods. Maybe it’s all the butter talking, but something about their restaurant fare just hits different than your average diner. That’s why it’s been consistently packed with patrons for decades.
Broadway Lights Diner
713 Broadway
Since 1976, Broadway Lights has served diners under its retro neon-and-chrome marquee. It’s the most classic of Kingston’s diners. The menu has so many options it’s like a diner encyclopedia, and the staff are as hospitable as they come.
Terri’s Deli
56 Emerson St.
Terri’s Deli has been a Kingston fixture for over 50 years. Locals are religiously dedicated to it, since the days of clerks referring to handwritten price lists at checkout. There are locals who would sacrifice their lives for their Thanksgiving-style turkey sub (complete with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo, bacon, and cheese). It’s a mainstay for anything that sits on bread or a roll. As a general store it’s a bit pricey, but if you’re used to a Manhattan bodega you’ll be right at home.
Market Basket
308 Wall St.
Market Basket is the epitome of a no-frills lunch counter, and Uptown locals have relied on them as a lunch break staple for many years. Even as fancier options sprung up all over the Stockade District, Market Basket kept its doors open while remaining unpretentious and reasonably priced. It certainly helps that the friendly staff has always made customers feel instantly at home.
Chic’s Sports Bar
226 Plaza Rd. #2
This longtime neighborhood bar is known less for watching sports than for its unhinged karaoke night and wild late night drinking crowd. Chic’s is where folks get loose and let it all hang out. It’s also for sale – so if that description entices you, visit before it gets upscaled.
Snapper Magee’s
59 North Front St.
Snapper’s (as the locals call it) is the archetypal punk rock dive bar. Stickers and ephemera coat the walls. There’s a jukebox, foosball table, pinball machine and dartboard. The urinals are sawed-open beer kegs. Live punk bands play on the small stage in the rear. Even though it’s under new ownership with a new generation of patrons, very little has changed here, which is good news for folks who like to tie one on and rock out late into the night.
Shamrock Tavern
482 Broadway
Rounding out our tour of Kingston’s oldest late-night watering holes is Shamrock, known to locals as “the bar that opens at 10am”. Here you’ll find basic bar drinks and domestic beers, and a bar crowd full of regulars. A popular day drinking spot.
Keegan Ales
20 St. James St.
Believe it or not, 20 years ago Keegan Ales was basically the only microbrewery between NYC and Albany. The late Tommy Keegan was way ahead of the curve, and his legacy has continued and even grown since his passing. Besides boasting some delicious brews, the brewery hosts regular live music from every imaginable genre with a great sound and lighting system inside, and a tented stage outside.
Boice Brothers Ice Cream
62 O’Neil St.
We live in an ice cream paradise, and white Del’s and Jane’s deserve all the praise they get, Boice Brothers have been doing dairy in the area since 1916. Their farm-to-cone ice cream store opened in 1999 and has done a brisk business ever since. The selection of flavors and toppings is kaleidoscopic – you could come here every day of your life and still not experience every combination.
Join the family! 
