Locally Sourced Dining with International Flavors
By Nathalie Rubens
Photos by Sabrina Eberhard

Rhinebeck’s pioneering farm-to-table restaurant, Terrapin, remains at the forefront of the Hudson Valley restaurant scene after 25 years. That’s no small feat, and it is thanks to the vision and creativity of award-winning executive chef and owner Josh Kroner. 

When Kroner came to the Hudson Valley in 1998, there were hardly any eateries taking advantage of the bounty of the local farms. Today, Terrapin, housed in a striking 1825 former Baptist church, offers a casual bistro eatery, Red Bistro, alongside its namesake fine dining room, where patrons eat under 26-foot ceilings and exposed beams. 

The cuisine is not defined by any particular trend or style. “I cook what I like to eat,” says Kroner, who is of Italian origins, studied in a French culinary school, and cut his teeth at Mesa Grill with Bobby Flay. 

The menu is updated seasonally with local ingredients, but there are several stunners that remain on offer all year, such as the barbecued duck quesadilla (which has been on the menu since the very beginning), the crispy artichoke with wasabi aioli, and the horseradish-crusted ahi tuna. One of Kroner’s specialties is Uncle Vinny’s special rigatoni, inspired by his Italian immigrant grandfather’s original recipe.

Beyond the food, Kroner attributes the longstanding success of the restaurant to his staff. “What a lot of restaurateurs don’t get is that you’re only as good as your employees,” he explains, and notes that many of his people have been working with him for more than 15 to 20 years, including maître d’ and beverage director Djan Paunovic. “It’s that continuity,” he says. “If you treat your people well, and give them a sense of ownership, their work is going to reflect it.”