Amenia

Peggy’s Sweet and Savory, Amenia, NY, 10/24/24

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building – 3312 NY-343, Amenia, NY 12501

Peggy’s Sweet and Savory was a bakery cafe that started as Back in the Kitchen in 2010.  Peggy cooked and everyone seemed to call it Peggy’s so the name was changed in 2021, especially since she wanted to further explore the sweeter side of cooking. There were about 13 seats in this small ground-floor cafe. The bathroom was on the second floor, which was otherwise unoccupied.   The third floor houses a local artist.  In the restaurant, the kitchen radio provided the background music and the menu was on a chalkboard.  You order and pay at the counter and they bring it out to you.  Most of the business seemed to be to go. Windows provided plenty of light and the walls were filled with photos of local townspeople and Peggy’s family photos.  An old wood floor and other decorations gave it a wonderfully cozy feel. The servers were friendly and helpful.  The food was simple and well-made.  Stop in when you’re in the area, you won’t be disappointed. Continue reading →

Troutbeck, Amenia, NY., 10/23/24

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
building – 515 Leedsville Rd, Amenia, NY 12501

The Troutbeck’s dining room is on the first floor and is a long room divided by stone structures and booth backs.  The small bar, with about 6 stools is in the hallway where you check in.  A couple fireplaces are in the dining room and some bench seating is along the walls.  Lighting is way lowered and no music was in the background one night and on the next.   The bare wood tables were small and in some instances quite close.  Many of the guests are staying at the lodge but just as many come from surrounding towns, likely to celebrate a special occasion.  They have added on to the original structure and now have a large event space at one end of the building but also have firepits outside so that one night they had a large dinner party outside.  The portion sizes varied but the staff was able to help steer the ordering process.  Unfortunately they didn’t know that much about the food but still were very pleasant.  The menu likes to feature locally produced items and changes little night to night but rather monthly.  We repeated the duck from the previous night, it was that good but had to pass on dessert because we were too full.   I would encourage you to book a room and give it a try. Continue reading →

Troutbeck (breakfast), Amenia, NY., 10/23/24

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
lodge – 515 Leedsville Rd, Amenia, NY 12501

Breakfast is offered in the same room as dinner at the Troutbeck.  In the morning the room is much brighter and music was in the background.   The room has a dark wood floor, art on the walls and small tables to accompany the bench seating around the perimeter.  Breakfast is not included in your stay and overall was a bit pricey for what you got.  Dinner is what you want to get here but you can’t challenge the convenience of eating on the property.  The food and service were both fine but it might be better to get a pastry from their pantry or head to town for coffee and whatever.  It’s a short meal so I’ve included a couple photos of the other rooms in the lodge where you can relax and enjoy your $5 drip coffee. Continue reading →

Troutbeck, Amenia, NY., 10/22/24

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exterior – 515 Leedsville Rd, Amenia, NY 12501

Troutbeck been around since the 1700s as an inn, private estate and tavern.  It was originally owned by the Benton family who frequently hosted people like Thoreau and Emerson. The Spingarn family then owned it from 1875-1939 while Colonel Spingarn was head of the Comparative Literature Dept. at Columbia University, and hosted folks like Sinclair Lewis, Thurgood Marshall and Theodore Roosevelt.  The Spingarns were active in the civil right movement and hosted early meetings of the NAACP at Troutbeck.  In 1917 the original house burned and the Spingarns built the stone manor in 1919, which stands today.   After some years of neglect it was bought in the 1970s and extensively renovated in 2016, reopening its doors to the public in 2017. We were fortunate to be able to get a reservation to stay there for two nights during the lovely fall season.  It has multiple rooms in the main lodge but also many surrounding cottages.  You don’t have to stay there to eat in their restaurant but it is the most fun way to go.  There is a small bar for before-dinner drinks or you can order them and enjoy them in any number of cozy rooms with lots of fireplaces and stuffed furniture.  Meals are all a la carte.  It’s a lovely place and some of the food is outstanding. Continue reading →