Things are cooling off in the Adirondacks. The leaves are changing and within no time there will be a fresh blanket of snow covering our mountains. In the meantime, fall is revving up and so are our kitchens. Here are some places you can pair with your leaf peeping. A warm fall treat is perfect on a colorful, chilly fall day.
Gunnison Lakeshore Orchards Old Farmhouse Bakery & Gifts
Crown Point, NY
Who invented the perfectness that is a warm cider donut on a fall day? My gratitude to this person is bottomless. Gunnison’s is the spot for warm cider donuts and fresh apple cider. The place is hopping and has a great bakery and gift shop in addition to a U-pick apple orchard. There’s a great porch where you can relax and enjoy your cider and donuts in perfect Adirondack fall style.
Ledge Hill Brewing Co.
Westport, NY
This little brewery is causing quite a big stir. The beer is top notch with typical favorites like the Hometown Pils and the Goat’s Foot DIPA. There are food trucks and live music on select nights. Whether it’s barbecue or tacos, Ledge Hill is sure to please with its variety of food paired with a cold one. While you’re in Westport, check out a show at the Depot Theatre.
Turtle Island Cafe
Willsboro, NY
This modern, cozy cafe has a dazzling menu offering gold standards like PEI mussels and classics with a twist like pork dumplings drizzled with maple soy sauce. There’s live music on select nights and a specials menu that changes daily. A warm meal at Turtle Island pairs well with a fall hike or boat ride on Lake Champlain.
Ausable Brewing Co.
Keesville, NY
Another favorite Adirondack brewery, Ausable Brewing Co. doesn’t stay open throughout the winter season. But, it’s not closed yet and remains a great spot to catch live music, sip a delicious beer, and eat some crêpes from Northern Feast Food Truck. Lounge in the pavilion with a Simcoe IPA while the kids play some corn hole. The place is fun for all ages, and it’s right around the corner from Ausable Chasm.
The Deer’s Head Inn
Elizabethtown, NY
This farm-to-table restaurant and inn is an Adirondack staple of great food and great company. The menu has the classics, like burgers and poutine, with a variety of innovative seasonal dishes. Zach Jackson, the chef, is still holding on to summer and the bounty of juicy tomatoes, but by the time you read this there will be an updated fall menu. Here’s a teaser of what’s growing: microgreens from Tangleroot Farm, house made chicken curry pâté, and the crunchiest green celery you’ve ever tasted from Wild Work Farm. This restaurant is located a short distance from several trailheads to the High Peaks. You will be hungry after your glorious hike.
Work up an appetite? Start planning your trip to the Adirondack Coast today. Travel by boat, foot, or bike to check out the dazzling fall foliage while you're here!
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