15 Remote New York Restaurants Totally Worth The Long Drive
If you have ever chased a great meal down a winding back road, you already know the thrill. The air smells cleaner, the stars show off, and then the food arrives like a secret finally shared.
I have logged the miles so you can zero in on the good stuff, the plates that make your shoulders drop and your fork pause mid air. Buckle up, because these remote New York gems are absolutely worth the detour.
1. Peekamoose Restaurant – Big Indian, Catskills
Driving through the deep green folds of the Catskills, you feel the temperature drop and your appetite rise. Peekamoose glows like a lantern, the kind of mountain lodge where wood-fired aromas linger on your sweater.
Start with housemade charcuterie or a bright salad and watch the hearth throw sparks like quiet fireworks.
The address tucks into the trees at 8373 NY-28, Big Indian, NY 12410, near stream crossings and switchbacks. Roasted chicken crackles, trout tastes like the river whispered herbs to it, and steaks wear smoke like cologne.
Order the sticky toffee pudding and thank me later.
Servers know the roads, the seasons, and which cocktails fit the mood of the night. You come for dinner, and leave with a Catskill calm that follows you home.
Keep an eye out for local art scattered around the space, a reminder this restaurant feels rooted, generous, and perfectly wild.
2. West Taghkanic Diner – Ancram, Columbia County
Sunlight off stainless steel is a promise: coffee will be hot, and the pie will disappear too fast. West Taghkanic Diner takes roadside nostalgia and gives it a chef’s polish, so burgers drip properly and salads crunch like fresh apples.
The booths invite long conversations and shameless fries stealing.
You will find it at 1016 NY-82, Ancram, NY 12502, bordered by fields that turn gold at sunset. Fried chicken lands with a confident crackle, while the patty melt whispers smoky secrets.
Milkshakes roll thick and unapologetic, the kind that require a sturdy straw and a patient tilt.
Weekends get lively, yet the staff moves with easy grace, topping off mugs before you realize you need it. The playlist feels like an old friend in a good mood.
Come for comfort, stay for a menu that honors the past while sneaking in smart twists.
3. The DeBruce – Livingston Manor, Catskills
Silence here is textured, like moss underfoot and water murmuring nearby. The DeBruce serves a set menu that reads like a walk through Catskill meadows, with herbs, trout, and vegetables treated with reverence.
Each course arrives composed but not fussy, flavors precise and calm.
It sits quietly at 982 DeBruce Rd, Livingston Manor, NY 12758, near river bends and tall hemlocks. Expect trout caught from the Willowemoc system, butter sauces that behave, and bread with a crust that sings.
Wines lean bright and food-friendly, guiding the rhythm of the evening.
Tasting menus can be stiff; this one feels like a story told by someone gentle and wise. You will watch dusk fold into the valley and realize you have been breathing easier.
Bring someone who appreciates restraint, patience, and the way good food can slow time.
4. Brushland Eating House – Bovina Center, Delaware County
Cows outnumber people on the drive, which is always a promising sign. Brushland Eating House welcomes you with clinked glasses and the smell of butter meeting a hot pan.
The menu changes often, trading in crisp greens, braised meats, and desserts that wink without being precious.
The location sits at 1927 County Hwy 6, Bovina Center, NY 13740, tucked among dairy farms and stone fences. Order the roasted chicken if it is on, or a pasta threaded with herbs from nearby gardens.
Vegetables get star billing here, each carrot and leek granted full stage time.
Owners hover like friendly spirits, noticing empty water glasses before you do. The room hums with neighbors catching up, hikers owning their hunger, and quiet dates.
Leave space for pie, because flaky crust and silky fillings travel well in the memory.
5. Tabla At Kenoza Hall – Kenoza Lake, Sullivan County
Lakes make food taste slower, somehow, and Tabla at Kenoza Hall leans into that pace. The dining room glows with polished wood and lake light, a tableau that flatters every plate.
Cocktails drift floral and bright, like summer air in a glass.
You will roll up to 5762 NY-52, Kenoza Lake, NY 12750, where pines frame the water and time steps aside. Expect market fish with crisp skin, velvety soups, and grilled meats that pick up discreet smoke.
The bread service is deceptively simple, all crackle and softness.
If weather allows, sit outside and let loons handle the soundtrack. The staff is gracious without choreography, the sort of service that erases friction.
Save room for a citrusy dessert that snaps you awake for the drive back through quiet roads.
6. The Arnold House – Livingston Manor, Catskills
There is a particular Catskills comfort that feels like a blanket fresh from the line. The Arnold House brings that feeling to the table with supper club warmth and campfire confidence.
Burgers, trout, and Sunday roasts arrive unfussy, portions designed for mountain appetites.
Find it at 839 Shandelee Rd, Livingston Manor, NY 12758, just past sleepy bends and tidy cabins. The tavern space crackles when the fireplace is going, while the porch whispers summer.
Cocktails tilt toward classic, with a rye-forward old fashioned that does the job.
Weekenders swarm, yet the kitchen keeps its cool, sending out plates with steady rhythm. Grab a seat early, order something green alongside something grilled, and relax.
On your way out, the night air smells like pine and possibility, which pairs well with leftovers.
7. Stissing House – Pine Plains, Dutchess County
History here is not staged; it is cooked into the walls and the hearth’s glow. Stissing House serves Shaker-influenced dishes with restraint that reads as confidence.
Think spit-roasted meats, seasonal salads, and a wine list that makes you sit up straight.
The address is 7801 S Main St, Pine Plains, NY 12567, right where village calm meets open fields. Bread arrives with a crackle you feel in your fingers, and vegetables shine like they just left the soil.
Do not miss the buttermilk sherbet if it appears, tart and cleansing.
Service knows the vintages and the farms by name, sharing details without fuss. You will leave warmed by the fire and the simple math of good ingredients treated kindly.
Driving off, the road feels quieter, as if the town itself took a deep breath.
8. Gaskins – Germantown, Hudson Valley
Some restaurants feel like they are rooting for you, and Gaskins is on your side from hello. The room glows, the menu reads easy, and the cooking walks that line between comfort and polish.
A crisp chicken, a perfect salad, a plate of gnocchi that is basically a hug.
You will find it at 2 Church Ave, Germantown, NY 12526, tucked near the village crossroads. Seasonal vegetables get proud billing, and the burger has a loyal following with good reason.
Wines lean thoughtful without being precious, and the bar turns out elegant sips.
Reservations help, but a bar seat can become a perfect evening. Finish with a panna cotta that wobbles like a gentle secret.
Step back onto the quiet street and feel almost giddy that something this good sits so far from the noise.
9. Noon Mark Diner – Keene Valley, Adirondacks
Hikers plan routes over pancakes here, and that feels right. Noon Mark Diner serves breakfast that sticks and pies that demand a second fork.
The vibe is pure mountain cheerful, with boots by the door and maps peeking from pockets.
Roll into 1770 NY-73, Keene Valley, NY 12943, where trailheads sit practically down the road. Order the homemade bread, then a skillet special, and finish with apple crumb pie or the legendary maple cream.
Coffee keeps coming, bless them, because summits require caffeine.
Service moves fast without rushing you out, a skill earned over many leaf peeping seasons. On rainy days, steam fogs the windows and conversations slow to a contented murmur.
Leave a slice for the drive, then decide not to, and call that balance.
10. The Hungry Trout – Wilmington, Adirondacks
Rivers teach patience, and The Hungry Trout cooks like it has been listening. The dining room leans lodge-chic, with timber beams and a view that earns silence between bites.
Trout, obviously, arrives crisp-skinned and buttery, but steaks and game hold their own.
Find it at 5239 NY-86, Wilmington, NY 12997, just above the Ausable River corridors. Starters might include smoked fish spreads or a sturdy Caesar with anchovy backbone.
Cocktails skew classic with Adirondack personality, and the whiskey list runs deep.
After dinner, step outside and hear water rushing like a promise to return. The staff is warmly professional, guiding without hovering.
Bring someone who appreciates a plate that tells you where you are, loud and clear.
11. The Hedges On Blue Mountain Lake – Blue Mountain Lake, Adirondacks
Arriving by the water feels like entering a postcard with your name already printed. The Hedges offers dinner that honors Adirondack tradition without dust.
Expect prime rib nights, pan-seared fish, and sides that remember butter exists.
The address is 122 Hedges Rd, Blue Mountain Lake, NY 12812, down a quiet turn from the main thoroughfare. The dining room frames the lake, and sunsets stage their own curtain call.
Soups run honest and warming, while desserts pull from simple classics.
Because it is seasonal, check dates and book early, then let the road unwind you. After the meal, waves nip the shore like friendly dogs.
You will carry that hush with you, packed beside the leftover roll in your bag.
12. The Pickled Pig – Lake Placid Region
Smoke greets you at the door, cozy and persuasive. The Pickled Pig turns out barbecue that respects patience, with bark you can hear and tenderness that laughs at knives.
Brisket, ribs, and pulled pork pile up like small victories.
Head to 2725 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946, where skiers and hikers share tables without ceremony. Mac and cheese runs creamy, pickles snap bright, and cornbread earns its crumbs.
Sauces cover the spectrum from tangy to sweet heat, so try them all.
It is casual in the best way, the kind of place where your hands get happily messy. Grab extra napkins and an extra side, because the portions encourage ambition.
For dessert, banana pudding does exactly what you want after a day in the mountains.
13. Glen Iris Inn Dining Room – Castile, Letchworth State Park
Few dining rooms borrow drama from a waterfall, but this one makes it look easy. The Glen Iris Inn sets you beside the roar of the Genesee River gorge, serving classics that match the view’s confidence.
Think roast chicken, trout almondine, and cobblers that perfume the room.
Point your wheels to 7 Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427, where trails meet manicured lawns. Sit by a window and watch mist drift like stage smoke over the Middle Falls.
Service keeps pace with the scenery, steady and gracious.
Time your visit for golden hour, when cliffs glow and your photos look suspiciously professional. After dessert, a slow walk to the overlook feels mandatory.
It is a reminder that meals can be memories with napkins and silverware.
14. Stonecat Café – Hector, Finger Lakes
Roads narrow, vines thicken, and then Stonecat appears with music in its bones. The menu leans seasonal and soulful, with smoked meats, local greens, and sauces that sing.
On warm nights the deck becomes a neighborhood in the sky.
Find it at 5315 NY-414, Hector, NY 14841, perched over Seneca Lake’s long blue ribbon. Order the smoked fish spread, then a seasonal entree that flirts with spice and citrus.
Cocktails pull in Finger Lakes spirits, while the wine list celebrates nearby producers.
Live music sometimes slides into the evening, and suddenly you are lingering. Staff offer suggestions that feel like good gossip, accurate and fun.
Leave with the lake breeze in your hair and a plan to return when the grapes turn sweet.
15. The DeBruce Meadow Picnic Experience – Livingston Manor, Catskills
Not every meal needs four walls, and this meadow proves it beautifully. The DeBruce curates picnic spreads that feel composed yet playful, with cheeses, cured fish, and breads still warm.
You lay a blanket, open a jar of something pickled, and listen to grass gossip with wind.
The pickup happens from 982 DeBruce Rd, Livingston Manor, NY 12758, the same address as the main lodge. From there, staff point you toward scenic nooks near the Willowemoc.
They pack thoughtful utensils, chilled drinks, and the kind of cookies that vanish.
Bring a book, a friend, or your best appetite for quiet. The flavors are bright and meadow-fresh, reminding you that elegance can travel.
When you finally stand, the imprint in the grass feels like a signature you are proud to leave.