There’s a moment, just as dusk begins to paint the Catskills, when the strings of lights outside Conover Club flicker on and the pond mirrors the sky. We arrived for dinner wrapped in autumn air, a little hungry, a little giddy, and fully ready to surrender to whatever this kitchen was about to send our way.
The Conover Club at Callicoon Hills – A Farm-to-Table Feast in the Catskills – Restaurant Reviews with Photographer Maxwell Alexander – LGBTQ+ Travel – Adventure Travel
Farm-to-Table Without the Pretense
The Conover Club has the kind of menu (PDF) that changes with the seasons but never loses its soul. The hills around Callicoon feed it well: Horak Farm’s heirloom produce, Agrarian Feast’s microgreens, Beaverkill Hatchery’s trout, Catskill Provisions’ spirits, Upward Brewing’s mountain-spring beer — the list of purveyors reads like a love letter to the region’s artisans. You can feel it in every bite.
Burgers, Shrimp, and a Terrace That Feels Like a Movie
We started on the terrace, the last golden streaks of daylight catching on glasses of berry-hued cocktails. The bar team here has a knack for building drinks that taste like memory: fragrant, layered, Catskill-grown. When the plates landed — a towering burger that practically glowed under its own halo and a surf-and-turf of shrimp and steak with crisp potato medallions — the table went quiet. It wasn’t just dinner; it was a small spectacle. Dino held the burger like it was a trophy, and I was seconds away from taking that first juicy bite.
After-Dinner Wanderings
One of the pleasures of eating at Conover Club is that you’re already at Callicoon Hills. We lingered over fries and conversation, then drifted down to the pond. The night air smelled of woodsmoke and wet grass; the lights from the barn danced on the water. A few other guests were scattered in Adirondack chairs, chatting softly, as if we were all part of the same story.
Dining as a Gateway to the Catskills
At Conover Club, every plate becomes an invitation to explore the bounty of the Catskills and Hudson Valley. The kitchen’s partnerships with Horak Farm, Beaverkill Hatchery, Agrarian Feast, Catskill Provisions Distillery, Upward Brewing, and other local purveyors embody the region’s celebrated farm-to-table movement. Seasonal produce, heirloom vegetables, artisanal spirits, and mountain-spring brews converge to create a dining experience rooted in place and time — one that mirrors the rolling hills, wildflower meadows, and crisp mountain air just outside the door.
After our meal, we drifted past the terrace toward the pond, the glow of string lights leading the way. Adirondack chairs waited by the water like quiet invitations; the barn loomed beyond, ready for weekend weddings, micro-concerts, and spontaneous gatherings. In that moment, the Conover Club felt like the heart of a living ecosystem — food, landscape, and community beating together.
For travelers chasing the next wave of “slow travel” and “wellness escape” trends — from leaf-peeping weekends and boutique lodges to small-batch distilleries and microgreen farms — Hudson Valley Style Magazine’s Restaurant Review section is your guide to the region’s best tables and hidden gems. Our stories connect you to the chefs, farmers, and artisans defining the new Catskills cuisine, while our travel features uncover cabins, retreats, and luxury stays where the farm-to-table ethos extends beyond the menu to design, hospitality, and daily rituals.
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