Soul Dog is THE spot for hot dogs in the Poughkeepsie area, so we thought it was only fitting to put it first on our list! There are so many amazing options here, beginning with that famous soul sauce! One of our personal favorites is a juicy hot dog smothered with chili, guacamole, and sour cream! That is a combination that nobody can resist. The sloppy joe topping is also really amazing. There are a surprising amount of options here for vegetarians and vegans too, which is not something you'd expect at a hot dog joint. They've also got excellent chicken hot dogs here, and the macaroni and cheese is one of our favorite things on the menu too. Don't miss that homemade mint iced tea!
107 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 454-3254

Babycakes Cafe is a charming American diner style restaurant with a decidedly modern vibe. It's very cool, almost coffeehouse-ish, with a hint of an urban loft as well. We haven't found many restaurants with this kind of cool ambiance, so we cherish it when we do. They have a really wonderful array of cakes here, and if you're in the mood for something on the healthier side we can't recommend anything higher than that fabulous quinoa salad. Very flavorful and interesting. The sandwiches are really great here, and we are particular fans of the turkey and swiss. If you come in the evenings you can enjoy the bar scene here, and we have heard great things about it though we haven't been able to visit other than for an early lunch. Hopefully soon! In the meantime, enjoy it for us, and let us know what you think.
1-3 Collegeview Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 485-8411

Beech Tree Grill  is one of our favorite places to hang out in the evenings in Poughkeepsie. The bar scene is great here, a nice diversity when it comes to age and ethnicity, and just a cool crowd of people who are friendly and professional. We love the martinis here, and you can't go wrong with any of the food either... they have a large array of bistro favorites that will really fill you up and please your tastebuds too. The grilled hangar steak is always a nice choice. There's an appetizer for which we can't remember the name right now, but that we really love... it's a garlic brie with roasted pepper salsa and a toasted baguette. The flavor is just out of this world and no restaurant does it as well as Beech Tree Grill does! The salads are all very good here and we especially enjoy the caesar salads. Everything is good here, can't go wrong!
1-3 Collegeview Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 471-7279

The Artist's Palate is a very unique restaurant that's very modern and chill. We really love the mirrored walls here, which have a very "today" vibe as opposed to a seventies vibe. The kitchen is somewhat open so you can catch a glimpse of the chefs creating your masterpiece of a meal. It's true that it's quite pricey here, but we really enjoy it and feel that it's worth every penny. They have a really delicious onion soup that nobody can ever seem to resist, and everybody also loves the sandwiches. Try the turkey with avocadoes, chipotle mayo, cheddar, and bacon. It's irresistible. They also have very good ravioli here with a very rich cream sauce plus cranberries and walnuts... those flavors are a combination that we find very hard to resist! Very highly recommended any time of day, and we love the bar here too!
307 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 483-8074

Shadows on the Hudson is one of those upscale restaurants where everybody loves to go for special occasions. If you've got an anniversary or a birthday coming up, or just have some money to blow and you want to get together with your friends for an unforgettable meal, then you will be very happy with your experience here! There's a gorgeous view, and the ambiance of the restaurant itself is just stunning. You'll want to sink in and stay awhile! The appetizer that gets our highest recommendation is the garlic bread tower which comes with a totally delectable cheese sauce. You'll be wanting to make that one at home. They have delicious steaks here, and you can never go wrong with the oysters on the half shell. Always an excellent time, great service, and the kind of surroundings that you can't not love.
176 Rinaldi Blvd
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 486-9500

Thai Spice is located in a little unassuming brick building on Raymond Avenue, and it would be easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. We recommend that you DO look for it, because it's some of the best Thai food that we have ever tasted! The pad thai is always great here if you're a fan of the basics, and if you want something a little more exotic that you won't find everywhere else, try the king massaman curry! Now THAT is some flavor. The mango and sticky rice is of course a very nice treat too, and we try to get that every time we come in. The decor is so cute and really makes you feel cozy, especially the twinkle lights over the comfortable booths. Try the beef satay for an appetizer, it's too good!
28 Raymond Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 486-8888

Palace Diner is one of the nicest diners you will find in Poughkeepsie. More on the upscale end, very nicely decorated and everything is just of a higher quality than you will find at most restaurants that include diner in their title! We love to start off with a hot cup of their coffee because it's always so good. The pastries go very well with that coffee, so if you're in the mood for something sweet, don't pass them up. We love the spanikopita is excellent and we really love their tzaziki sauce here too. We love to come in around St Patrick's Day for their famous Irish soda bread too, so make sure you make a point to do that if you're reading this around that time of year. You will definitely be glad that you did.
194 Washington St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 473-1576

Mole Mole is of course a Mexican restaurant, and like you'd expect from a restaurant that includes mole in the name, their mole sauce is really, really good. The chicken tortilla soup could win awards as far as we're concerned, and we have been enjoying their delicious tamales on a regular basis for as long as we can remember. They've got mango salsa here that will blow any other salsa out of the water, so we definitely recommend that you give it a try. Can't go wrong with the carne asada, and the carne asada tacos are even better! If you love Mexican Coca Cola, you'll be happy to know that they have that here too! Very highly recommended any time you want a great spicy meal. Mole Mole? Ole!
805 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 452-9704

Bull and Buddha is an Asian fusion style restaurant that brings you all your favorite flavors of the Orient in one place. The ambiance here is really fantastic, and you can tell that they have put a great deal of work into making this place what it is. We really enjoy the Orient Club upstairs which has live DJs and a nice dance floor. But back to the restaurant side of things... we love their edamame, and the fusion roll is very good. They have an incredible bacon appetizer that we can never resist, and very good wontons. They've even got some American food here, including hamburgers, in case anybody in your party isn't in the mood for anything Asian. Very good beers on draft and nice cocktails too. You'll love it here!
319 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 337-4848

Coyote Grill is one of the coolest and most relaxed places to hang out in Poughkeepsie. After a long work week, we love to settle in and enjoy a few wonderful drinks. How about that pomegranate martini? Those are all the rage nowadays, so if you want to go a little less trendy and a little more off the map, the key lime martini is even better! And we love the june bug too. If you're not a lover of the mixed drinks, you can always grab a Guinness on tap. Mmm. They have an enormous menu here when it comes to the food, so you will not be underwhelmed whatsoever. The Tex Mex Rolls are one of our favorite things here, and we love the salmon too. Very nice presentation, and everything is of the highest quality. One of the best!
2629 South Rd
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 471-0600