NOW CLOSED: The Hen & The Hound: Cozy Eats in a Quaint Catskills Town

NOTE: THE HEN & THE HOUND CLOSED IN 2021. WE MISS IT!

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Middleburgh, a picture-perfect Catskills town where jewel-toned petunias overflow from hanging baskets on Main Street and hopscotch courts are drawn in pastel chalk on the sidewalk, you ought to find your way into this restaurant nestled in a country house. It’s called The Hen & The Hound.

After a day of antique-hunting at Livingstonville’s Creekside Flea Market or a tour of Howe Caverns, Middleburgh is an easygoing drive down some beautiful country roads.

The Hen and the Hound’s menu is a bit more adventurous your typical bar and grill fare, featuring some international options and a whole separate menu of vegan dishes (salads, seitan wings, a Korean BBQ seitan lettuce wrap, Beyond Burgers, risotto, and tacos of the day).

We’d go back for the crispy, dry-rubbed chicken wings, the guacamole with wonton chips, and the fresh, flaky fried fish.

The restaurant doesn’t have a liquor license, but they do offer a solid beer list and some lightly boozy sparkling shrubs, festively adorned with thyme sprigs. If the sticky-spicy-sweet Korean chicken is on the menu, it’s a must-order, and the big ol’ brownie sundae makes a fine and filling dessert. And since this is very a much a family spot, there’s a great kids’ menu, too.

If you’re watching your cheese intake for any reason, be warned that they go heavy with it here. The tacos were heavily doused in nacho cheese, the arugula salad piled with curls of Manchego, the eggplant meatballs covered with 4 cheeses, including big chunks of blue cheese (which seemed a little out of place), but hearty, cheese-laden eats aren’t something we’re gonna complain about.

Insider tip: They’ve got a little private room that’s perfect for a bigger group. We squeezed in a party of 10 to celebrate my niece’s 6th birthday, and it was pretty perfect. Call ahead to reserve it.

The Hen and the Hound is located at 104 Wells Avenue, Middleburgh, NY; (518)702-4388.