5 foodie weekend getaways from New York City

Home to some seriously delicious regional specialties, this overlooked city is a best-kept gastronomical secret. Try some chicken riggies (a spicy, creamy rigatoni dish loaded with veggies and chicken) at Bella Regina, Utica greens (braised escarole loaded with breadcrumbs, cherry peppers, prosciutto, and pecorino cheese) at Georgio’s Village Cafe, and tomato pie (a cold focaccia-like bread topped with tangy tomato sauce) at O’Scugnizzo Pizzeria. Wash it all down with a beer at Saranac Brewing Company.

Regional specialties aside, Utica is home to large populations of Bosnian, Burmese, Somalian, Vietnamese, and Polish communities. This melting pot of a city is well-reflected in the local food scene, with a fermented tea leaf salad at Lotus Garden, and Muju International Groceries for specialties like pani puri and momos.

How to get there: Amtrak to Utica station (UCA)
Where to stay: The DoubleTree by Hilton Utica is a historic hotel in a prime location.

Saratoga Springs might best be known for its race tracks, but the city offers so much more than that; namely, some exceptional eateries. For an all-American meal in a classic Americana town, head over to The Brook Tavern, where meat lovers will struggle to choose between their steak frites, duck confit, and grilled sugar-bined pork chop. The most iconic Saratoga Springs restaurant surprisingly has Louisiana roots. Hattie’s, a New Orleans-style restaurant, fittingly boasts some incredible history, stretching back to 1938 when founder Hattie Gray opened shop. The entire menu is drool-worthy, but Hattie’s fried chicken is some of the best, not only in New York but in the country.

Fun fact: Saratoga is home to the potato chip, created in 1853 by George Speck (also known as George Crum). Hey, a city that created our favorite salty snack is a city any of us can trust when it comes to good food.

How to get there: Amtrak to Saratoga Springs (SAR)

Where to stay: The Adelphi Hotel is as classic as the city itself

For those who need serenity, picturesque Gardiner is calling. This year, the town’s Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resort Collection is partnering with none other than Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park. Have an elegant taste of home the weekend of October 6-9, 2023, where the Taste of Auberge Package with Daniel Humm offers guests exclusive access to the weekend’s vegetable-forward culinary events.

One of the weekend’s most exciting opportunities will be held at Clay (Wildflower Farms’ signature restaurant), where diners can indulge in a six-course pre-fixe dinner co-created by chefs Robert Lawson and Daniel Humm.

How to get there: Metro-North or Amtrak to Poughkeepsie, and then drive
Where to stay: Wildflower Farms’, Auberge Resort Collection

Buffalo seems to be a victim of a bad reputation, but whatever your opinion on this New York metropolis might be, it’s hard to argue that their food game is anything but top-notch. Anchor Bar serves buffalo wings in their birthplace, where one night in 1964, Teressa Bellissimo conjured up a quick meal of fried chicken wings tossed in a “secret sauce” for her son and his friends. That quick meal became a quick American classic.

Beef on weck is a when-in-Buffalo requirement, so head over to Schwabl’s for one of the city’s best. If you need something sweet, try the Buffalo pastry heart, a massive heart-shaped Buffalo sweet staple that’s best enjoyed at Eileen’s Centerview Bakery.

How to get there: Fly to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), or take the long-haul Amtrak to Buffalo (BUF).

Where to stay: InnBuffalo is a charming boutique hotel in popular Elmwood Village.

Located only 90 miles from NYC in Sullivan County, Eldred is a culinary haven that attracts visitors from all over the country. Home to the Catskill Cuisine fest at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where celebrity chefs like Scott Conant, Marcus Samuelson, Alton Brown, and Alex Guarnaschelli were in attendance this past year, this rural New York town packs a culinary punch.

The fest featured sample dishes from local vendors, with some of the best bites being the wide array of cured meats from La Salumina and a venison shepherd’s pie from nearby Callicoon Hills. Home to plenty of booze, as well, Do Good Spirits offers a Beaverkill Bourbon Cream so good that they swear it’s New York’s favorite Irish coffee.

How to get there: Driving is your best bet.

Where to stay: The Eldred Preserve to feel as far away from the NYC chaos as possible