Find the Best Places to Eat and Drink in the Adirondacks

Eating and drinking have long been serious business in the Adirondacks.

Finding a consistent, sustainable food source in the Adirondacks has never been easy. Adirondack Life chronicled the trials and tribulations of historic ADK dwellers, from Native Americans to French Canadians and newly arrived Europeans in the 17th and 18th centuries, in an article aptly titled “Plenty of Nothing — The Adirondacks dished out the original lean cuisine.”

The roots of contemporary ADK cuisine.

Today’s Adirondack cuisine origins may not be founded in Michelin star-studded establishments. Still, food has always been an essential part of ADK life, primarily for sustaining the men and women who worked the land — as lumberjacks, guides, farmers, hospitality workers and more — requiring a diet that would equip them with stamina for hard labor.

For example, according to the diary of a cook at an ADK logging camp serving 35 men in the early 1900s, the daily menu consisted of breakfast with over 100 eggs, bacon and fried potatoes, pancakes, toast, and fruit; boxed lunches consisting of three sandwiches, a piece of cake or fruit for dessert; and an evening meal of steak, roast beef or pork, cabbage, and bread.

Every day, she made seven pies, two batches of cookies, two cakes, 500 doughnuts and eight loaves of bread. Every day.

The Gilded Age and Great Camp refinement.

During the late 19th and into the 20th Century, the Gilded Age Great Camps of the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Morgans served multi-course gourmet meals on delicate china and crystal with hand-lettered menus in French and the finest wines in rustic chic dining rooms.

While the luxuries of Great Camps were enjoyed by a small group of individuals, the sprawling estates, their immense gardens, icehouses, smokehouses, laundries, and other amenities kept a sizeable number of North Country residents employed year-round.

Eating in the ADK today.

It's interesting to note that ADK guests' needs and tastes aren't dissimilar to those of years gone by; many visitors come here to indulge in physically demanding pursuits requiring high caloric intake to maintain energy and stamina. Today’s dining establishments and food markets reflect the needs of the thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, skiers and others pursuing intense physical endeavors requiring adequate sustenance.

At the same time, with the rich agricultural heritage and abundance of locally produced high-quality foodstuffs, the Adirondack region is earning an impressive reputation for satisfying the palates of discerning diners and attracting foodies from all over.

And let's not forget with the large number of family visitors to the ADK, the demand for family-friendly comfort food continues to fuel the need for classic American dining options.

We're proud of the depth and breadth of dining options available in the ADK and the people who work tirelessly to deliver quality dining experiences, from good old homestyle cooking to epicurean delights.