From a buzzy Catskill bar to a brand-new Scarsdale lounge, find out where to drink well in the Hudson Valley.
Leave it to a New Yorker to publish one of the first known definitions of “cocktail.” Defined in 1806 by editor Harry Croswell for The Balance, and Columbian Repository as “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters,” libations have had a tumultuous history.
Centuries earlier, apple orchards throughout New York State produced a bounty of fruit for hard cider. Around the same time, the first brewery emerged in New Amsterdam (now New York City), along with the first commercial distillery in North America, built on Staten Island.
Prohibition brought a swift and sobering end to the industry. While the law lasted just 13 years, it would take nearly seven decades for New York distillers to re-emerge. Now, the state has more distillers than nearly any other state in the country, with many throughout the Hudson Valley.
But the bottle is just the beginning.
Canvas the Hudson River Valley’s 10 counties and you’ll discover a new generation of cocktail lounges, local bars, eateries, and lodging showcasing the spirits of the region, as well as globally produced liquors. Designate a driver and start exploring.
Hemlock
Where: 394 Main Street, Catskill
This summer marks Hemlock’s third anniversary under owner Adam Minegar, who’s built a go-to spot for solid mixology without pretension. The venue landed on Esquire’s 2025 Best Bars in America list, but remains low-key and accessible, with reasonably priced drinks (at least compared to New York City) and a vibe intended to welcome rather than wow.
Minegar’s cocktail credentials include Dear Irving and Raines Law Room in Manhattan. Post-pandemic, he brushed up on his carpentry skills and moved upstate with his life and business partner, Charlotte Daniel, while working at The Maker Hotel.
After their shifts, the pair would head to 394 Main for late-night karaoke, and when the opportunity to take over the space emerged, Minegar jumped at the chance with just enough money for one month’s rent. Daniel designed the interior.
The gamble paid off, along with some help from industry friends. Hemlock features a donated 40-foot Brazilian bubinga-wood bar that Mingear drove upstate from Brooklyn. But it’s what is served at the bar that’s been gaining national attention.
The purposefully limited menu features locally made spirits, including C. Cassis and Matchbook Distilling Co., fresh-squeezed juices, and housemade tinctures. Bar classics like a Cosmopolitan or Margarita have made appearances, along with whimsically named libations such as the 4th Place Ribbon (gin, Fino sherry, cinnamon, and yuzu).
But don’t expect a website or Instagram update. Hemlock is meant to be experienced in person. Simply trust the person behind the bar.
Klocke Estate Distillery
Where: 2554 County Route 27, Hudson, NY
Klocke Estate Distillery founders John Frishkopf and Brett Mattingly saw potential in a dormant 40-year-old apple orchard in the Hudson Valley. Their flagship apple and grape brandies, distilled in a 2,500-liter Alembic Charentais pot still imported from Cognac, form the foundation of their portfolio. Other spirits include unoaked eau de vie, a range of sweet and dry vermouths, and Flyback, a line of ready-made cocktails, including a brandy Manhattan, Appletini, and Claverack Old-Fashioned.
Distillery tours and an on-site tasting room reveal the process behind the product, while the restaurant provides a stunning backdrop for experiencing the elixirs in all their glory. Designer Ken Fulk nods to the mid-19th century with antique chandeliers, brass accents, and jewel-toned wallpaper throughout the stunning venue.
The beverage program amplifies Klocke’s collection, with seasonal cocktails ranging from the spirit-forward Si, Claro (cognac, Brevis bittersweet, amaro, and lemon) to the Barn Cat, which marries Barr Hill ‘Tomcat’ gin with Brevis sweet vermouth, berries, goat cheese, and peppercorn.
Beyond its food and beverage program, Klocke Estate Distillery also curates a range of seasonal events from open houses with master blender Benjamin Galais to live music and pop-ups with local restaurateurs.
Ambos
Where: Pocketbook Hudson, 549 Washington Street, Hudson
A textile factory dating back to 1885 has a new life thanks to New York real estate developer and Hudson local Sean Roland, who reimagined the industrial complex as Pocketbook Hudson, a 46-room boutique hotel featuring an expansive spa and a restaurant with a stellar cocktail program.
The name nods to the late interior designer Eleanor Ambos, who purchased the factory in 1993 to preserve its heritage, as well as its Spanish-Portuguese translation, meaning “both.” Chef Norberto Piattoni and his team work over an open flame, sourcing a bounty of local ingredients, some of which make their way to the glass.
Beverage creative director Arley Marks has devised a menu that keeps the fire close but the cocktails chilled. Highlights include the Eleanore, a martini riff featuring Quattro Gatti olive gin (or vodka, if you must), seasalt, charred olives, and smoked olive oil; and La Manzana, scotch shaken with Bonal (a French aperitif), pear brandy, honeycrisp apple juice, and charred sage.
Marks also lends his expertise to zero-proof cocktails with an intentionality that reflects the menu and the local terroir. The Golden Hour (fresh ginger, Fever-Tree ginger beer, honey syrup, and lime) tingles with a hit of heat and effervescence. For a cool, crisp sip, the Pink Moon, with shiso, cucumber shrub, lime, and soda, offers a refreshing palate cleanser for the meal ahead.
Moquette
Where: 11 Boniface Circle, Scarsdale
The team behind Simple Motive Brewing Co. is thinking beyond beer these days, setting their sights on a new Scarsdale location featuring a cocktail menu and small plates, all served in a warmly lit environment, perfect for a date or a gathering among friends.
The bar’s name references the durable textile found on New York trains and a sense of motion. “We wanted to create a space that feels like a destination, but is still distinctly Westchester, refined by comfort, with an energy that encourages conversation and creativity,” said Simple Motive’s CEO and co-founder Matthew Williams.
But unlike other more secluded Hudson Valley cocktail lounges, Moquette is an easy day trip from New York City with a quick ride on the Metro-North Harlem Line from Grand Central Terminal to Scarsdale Station.
Moquette’s social media presence has remained relatively off the radar since opening in early 2026. No website, but a bit of cocktail hunting reveals whimsical names of classic drinks, such as the Plane Jane (Paper Plane), To Bee or Not to Bee (Bee’s Knees), and the Hill Fire—a mezcal mule with blackberry cordial and ginger beer.
Just as important as the cocktail program is the energy that Williams and team hope to bring to their latest venture. “It’s a community that appreciates quality and connection,” he said, “and there aren’t many places here that merge a high-end cocktail bar aesthetic with the personality of a local brewery.”
Lone Wolf
Where: 240 Foxhall Avenue, Kingston
Culinary Institute of America graduate and Hudson Valley native Anton Kinloch opened Lone Wolf with his wife and business partner, Lisa Dy, in 2023, a mere month after closing their first venture, Fuchsia Tiki. While that concept focused on fruit-forward cocktails, Lone Wolf celebrates the classics with an understated modernity fitting of its Hudson Valley locale.
Kinloch describes the menu as “a conversation, built out in a series of categories,” representing variations on the Old Fashioned, Martini, Daiquiri, and Sidecar. He’s not shy about paying homage to New York City cocktail institutions like Death & Co. and PDT (short for Please Don’t Tell). Still, Lone Wolf is singular in its integration of education, technique, and locally made spirits.
The tight-knit staff is in constant training and responds to guests’ requests, even if they’re rogue. “We love to go off-menu,” says Kinloch of his team’s ability to cater to a particular flavor profile.
No cocktail menu is complete without a savory bite to accompany. Kinloch puts his culinary training to good use with an Asian-inspired menu that draws on Dy’s Cambodian heritage, including smoked duck confit with Khmer curry.
And for those nostalgic for Kinloch and Dy’s previous venture, a recurring Sunday Fuschia Tiki Popup brings back tropical sips with a rum-centered cocktail menu that draws on its “deep and intentional” collection of sugarcane- and molasses-derived spirits.
Hotel Lilien
Where: 6629 Route 23A, Tannersville
The Lost Boys Hospitality Group has transformed the late-19th-century Lilienthal family estate into Hotel Lilien, a boutique, 18-room bed & breakfast with all the Gilded Age charm one would expect.
Among its storied walls is a cozy cocktail bar and lounge, with wood covering nearly every surface from the chevron-laid wall panels to the intricately carved bar stools.
The cocktail menu is updated seasonally, featuring offerings across all major spirit groups, with a particular focus on mezcal, including the Smoking Gun (Ilegal mezcal, Mr. Black cold brew coffee liquor, panela syrup, and a burning cinnamon stick).
Adding to the ambiance on the seven-acre property, Hotel Lilien hosts live music on Tuesdays and Sundays, and a DJ spinning summer sets on Thursdays and Saturdays through Aug. 25.
