Eat Like ‘The Bear’ at Hudson Valley’s Unlikely Fine Dining Spot

It may look like a local pizza joint at first glance, but those in the know are flocking to this little Poughkeepsie shop for fancy dinners that rival the finest restaurants in town.

Last week, I was invited to an evening of fine dining. Always up to trying a new place, I grabbed a clean shirt, threw on some dress pants and headed out to Poughkeepsie. Upon arriving at the restaurant, I instantly feared that I was in the wrong place. A family wearing flip-flops and jean shorts pushed in front of me to pick up a pizza while a couple was shouting their sandwich order at the counter.

As I turned around to take in the rest of this small pizza joint, I noticed a happy couple eating at one of the small tables that was covered with a fancy black tablecloth and decorated with fresh flowers. A few moments later, I was ushered over to the table next to them that had a "reserved" sign carefully placed in the center. Yes, I was at the right place.

Best Kept Secret for Fine Dining in Poughkeepsie, New York

It may look like an ordinary pizza place from the outside but Herbs & Dough in Poughkeepsie, New York is more than just pies and sandwiches. Some of the best dishes in the Hudson Valley are being made in the small kitchen, led by Chef Rudy. Much like the character Carmy in The Bear, Chef Rudy has trained under Michelin-rated chefs in New York City and calls fine Italian cuisine his "passion".

Herbs & Dough is located across the street from Marist University in a rundown shopping plaza that we're told will soon get a major facelift. The new restaurant currently sticks out in this out-of-date plaza. The sleek and modern dining area features bright, clean subway tile with a classic black and white color scheme.

In the same way The Bear took a busy sandwich shop and turned it into a five-star restaurant, Herbs & Dough is offering fine dining in an unconventional setting.

Prix Fix Dinner at Herbs & Dough in Poughkeepsie, New York

On Thursday nights, Chef Rudy offers a delicious prix-fix dinner right inside the pizza shop. On the evening I was there, Herbs & Dough offered the choice of an appetizer, salad and entree for just $38, which we soon found out was a huge bargain.

Appetizers included shrimp tempura in a Thai chili sauce or bruschetta. The shrimp was perfectly fried and crispy and the sauce was so good I wanted to bottle it up and bring it home. Sweet and spicy, it was the perfect complement to the shrimp. The bruschetta was topped with generous portions of kalamata olives and feta cheese that quickly made our table forget that we were sitting in a pizza joint.

The next course included a beet salad with citrus fruit and goat cheese on top of arugula. This could have been a meal in itself. The other salad on the prix fix menu was arugula with figs and almonds in a blood orange vinaigrette.

The entrees served by Chef Rudy included a house-made gnocchi bolognese. The rustic dish made from all fresh ingredients was something you'd expect to find at the finest white tablecloth Italian restaurant in Manhattan. The other entree was a stuffed chicken rollatini in marsala sauce with mashed potatoes. The cheese and salty prosciutto inside the chicken was a flavor explosion complemented by the rich and creamy mashed potatoes.

It's no wonder people are comparing Herbs & Dough to the fictitious Original Beef restaurant on The Bear. Make sure you check this place out now while you can still get a seat.

What to Know if You Go to Herbs & Dough in Poughkeepsie, New York

Chef Rudy's Prix Fix Dinner takes place every Thursday night from 5pm to 8pm. There is limited seating available, so reservations are strongly suggested. While there is no alcohol served at Hergbs & Dough, they do offer a discount at the Wine & Liquor Mart next door, so you can BYOB. Herbs & Dough is located at 11 Marist Drive in the plaza across the street from the Marist campus.