Recently I ventured outside of NYC to Rockland county for some hiking and good eats! I was on the hunt for the best hike near NYC. During my day trip, I hiked at Hook Mountain State Park and I explored the town of Nyack where I tried the restaurant Art Cafe.
Best Hike Near NYC, Hook Mountain State Park
This hike is about an hour outside of NYC by train and it is the perfect day trip. At the trailhead, it can be a bit confusing to know what trail to follow but this hike has multiple viewpoints, so as long as you are hiking upwards, you are bound to find a view of the Hudson River. This photo was taken after only about twenty minutes of hiking. Unintentionally, we took a very direct route to this amazing lookout. The trail continues along the top of the mountain or you can hike down and follow a flat path by the water. No matter what trail you choose, there is an opportunity for rewarding hiking at Hook Mountain.
Art Cafe in Nyack, New York
After our hike, we wandered around the town of Nyack, New York. Then we grabbed a bite to eat at Art Cafe and it did not disappoint. The food is Israeli and the atmosphere is actually modeled after cafes in Tel Aviv. If you have never had Israeli food before, I highly recommend trying it. Below you can see our incredible spread. We ordered the mezze platter, eggplant malawach, and mozzarella and pesto toastini. It is hard to pick what my favorite dish was but I think the eggplant malawach really surprised me. It had hard boiled eggs inside and if you didn’t know, I have a soft spot for anything with eggs. That being said, if you are looking for something less adventurous then the mozzarella, and pesto toastini is perfect. It is a warm sandwich on bread that I could have just eaten by itself.
Take a second to admire this INSANE cheese pull from the mozzarella and pesto toastini from our post hike meal at Art Cafe.
Are there vegetarian/vegan options?
Yes! Their menu has a note next to all vegan options and there are quite a few. In fact, the whole menu is actually, vegetarian. It is an ideal restaurant for anyone who is a little skeptical to eat at a vegetarian restaurant. The menu is so well jam packed with flavor that you don’t even notice the lacking presence of animal products.
Final Thoughts?
I think it might be obvious, but I am already trying to make plans to go back. Israeli food is one of my favorite cuisines and Art Cafe takes the cuisine to another level.
Restaurant and Attraction Information
Hook Mountain State Park https://www.nynjtc.org/park/hook-moun…
Art Cafe http://www.artcafenyack.com/
Leave a Reply