Poughkeepsie

Crew has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2011 and it's earned — this is one of the better-reasoned wine lists in the Hudson Valley, especially for anyone who wants to drink local without sacrificing quality. Send a friend here if they're curious about New York wine; keep them away if they're dead-set on a deep cellar dig.

Shadows on the Hudson is a genuine surprise for the Hudson Valley — a dramatic room, serious river views, and a wine list that earned its Wine Spectator credentials without coasting on them. No sommelier on staff and no real specials program keeps it from going higher, but as a destination dinner with intent, this one's worth the drive up the Taconic.