Ellenville, NY.

Food and Drink.  

Start your morning at Morning Sunshine, a beloved café and market dishing up some of the best breakfast and lunch in town. The sandwiches and coffee are the best around (I love the cauliflower pita and the chicken chubbie), and they have a specialty grocery section stocked with pantry staples as well as a artisanal cheeses. Plus, don’t miss their summer Market on Market—a weekly farmers’ market they host featuring fresh produce, oysters, pop-up chefs, live music, and DJs. Cohen’s Bakery is a local institution famous for its raisin pumpernickel, challah, pastries, and bagels. For farm-fresh indulgence, Barthel’s Farm Market & Creamery (a fifth-generation family operation) offers seasonal produce, plants, and homemade ice cream at their old-fashioned creamery.

Gaby’s Cafe serves Mexican classics alongside margaritas while Aroma Thyme Bistro elevates farm-to-table dining with a hyper-local menu. Last, but not least, head to M&C Jamaican for oxtail, Jamaican patties, and curry goat. The Common Good blends bookstore charm with craft cocktails and lively events like poetry readings. And, Underground Coffee & Ales is a gastropub that specializes in handcrafted burgers, pub fare, craft beer, and coffee.

Shopping.  

Fashion meets global craftsmanship at Alpana Bawa, where hand-embroidered clothing for men and women—plus luxe home textiles—are ethically crafted by artisans in New Delhi. Bespoke orders let you customize patterns and fabrics. Vinyl collectors will love Everything Nice, a cozy shop stacked with new and secondhand records and a few thoughtfully selected reads by One Grand Books. For more books, stop by The Common Good which blends bookstore charm with a bar and lively events like book readings and live music. Top Shelf Jewelry is a go-to for thrift finds and beautiful jewelry pieces handmade by the shop’s owner.

Everything else.  

Ellenville’s best spot for a night out is Love Velma, an underground social club, hosting live music and cocktail nights in its mid-century modern space—think intimate jazz sessions in someone’s hip and chic basement. Dive into local history at the Borscht Belt Museum, celebrating the region’s Jewish resort era, or catch a cutting-edge play at Shadowland Stages, a professional theater in a restored 1920s art deco cinema. For outdoor adventures, hike through the rare dwarf pine forests and past icy limestone caves at Sam’s Point Preserve. Thrill-seekers soar with Mountain Wings, offering paragliding lessons, while mountain bikers tackle the rugged trails of Lippman Park.

A community organization you should know is COFFE (Coalition of Forward-Facing Ellenville), a nonprofit driving community uplift through social service partnerships, cultural arts programming, and volunteer initiatives. They host Movies in the Mountains—outdoor film screenings under the stars—and artist meet-and-greets, fostering creativity and connection.

Whether you’re savoring farm-fresh meals, browsing eclectic shops, or exploring the great outdoors, Ellenville invites you to experience its unique blend of charm and adventure!