9 Best Restaurants in Hudson Valley, New York

What looks like a kitschy old diner on the outside might as well be a trattoria in Capri on the inside: photos of the island adorn the walls and the food is authentic Italian. That's why locals wait in long lines to get in. Its pastas—veal-stuffed ravioli, baked pasta with eggplant and loads of cheese—are renowned. Vegetables such as wilted broccoli rabe are also a specialty.

This clean and classic restaurant serves northern Italian fare. A mahogany ceiling and cherrywood floor in the dining room give way to a lighter, more elegant, birch-maple motif in the main dining room. The homemade pastas and raviolis are local favorites; the ravioli with beef or veal ragout is sublime. During warm weather, enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner in the tiered garden. The owners also run an inn housed in three impeccably restored houses close by.

Riverfront tables under a mandarin-orange canopy make for a relaxed meal at this small eatery, perfect for lunch, dinner, or just dessert in warm weather. When the air is nippy, head inside to the slightly cramped but warm space. The chairs are rickety and the service can be slow, but all is forgiven upon the arrival of the authentic Italian fare. Try a warm panini with Brie, arugula, and truffle oil, or a thin-crusted, prosciutto-topped pizzetta from the wood-burning oven. Tiramisu and cappuccino cake pair well with a selection of dessert wines and ports.

Swaths of sheer fabric and vibrant murals romance the interior of this rustic trattoria—a paean to northern Italian food. Transplanted New Yorkers sip reds and whites from an extensive wine list. Sage-browned butter laces silky calves' liver, and an espresso demi-glace enlivens grilled hanger steak. The gnocchi pairs well with the lamb ragu. Vegetarians can choose from pasta dishes such as whole-wheat fusilli primavera.

A sophisticated clientele crowds the bar, patio, and dining rooms of this lively Italian restaurant, once the showroom of a car dealership. The food, billed as "Hudson Valley Mediterranean," includes artfully crafted salads, house-made pastas, and hearty entrées. Baby greens provide a bed for roasted butternut squash, beets, and asparagus dressed with walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Toppings for the "skizzas" (flatbread pizzas) range from a sausage–broccoli rabe–mozzarella combo to a goat cheese, mozzarella, arugula, pears, and figs option. Reservations are only accepted for parties of 6 or more.

The flavors of Tuscany take center stage at this highly regarded eatery tucked into an unlikely corner of commercial Newburgh. You'll want to toss the menu aside in favor of the exhaustive list of daily specials. Fresh buffalo mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes pop up in many dishes; the osso buco is a signature dish, and the pasta with shaved black truffles has acquired nearly a cult following. For dessert, don't miss the chocolate soufflé cake. The cordial waitstaff, outfitted in ties and crisp white aprons, presides over the dining room with pressed-copper ceilings and blond-wood beams.

Gianni Scappin, who's been serving excellent contemporary Italian cuisine at Cucina across the river in Woodstock since 2007, recently opened a laid-back yet elegant trattoria serving Italian-American specialties in the center of Rhinebeck. Go for the Neopolitan-style pizzas cooked in the wood-burning brick oven, housemade pastas, and excellent meats including a local rib eye topped with a spicy aioli.

A seventh-generation member of the legendary Buitoni pasta family, Franceso Buitoni serves rustic Italian cuisine that could easily be found in a country house outside Rome. The small list features house-made pasta, a savory risotto, and hearty entrées like bison braised with Super Tuscan red wine and grilled branzino served with crispy roasted potatoes. Buitoni is justly famous for his pillowy gnocchi. The bar menu features a small selection of Italian wines and beers.

The Culinary Institute's terraced Colavita Center for Italian Food and Wine is the setting for this complex of Italian dining areas, each with its own character. The ornately decorated main dining room has Venetian light fixtures and is the most formal; the Al Forno room has an open kitchen with a colorfully painted wood-fired oven. Antipasti choices are plentiful, followed by first and second courses. Panna cotta with strawberries and aged balsamic vinegar is a good dessert pick.