Heritage opens today in Wappinger, brings new farm-to-table option

Geoffrey Wilson
Poughkeepsie Journal

The way Jesse Camac sees it, there are two types of restaurants on Route 9.

There are the mom and pop shops, offering great local food but often lacking in design and aesthetic. And there are the myriad chain restaurants which are uniform while also delivering on a specific look.

Lamb ribs, one of the dishes available at Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

With the opening of Heritage Food and Drink in the Town of Wappinger, owner Camac hopes to have it both ways.

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"I wanted to come up here and open up a restaurant that had quality food that was utilizing local product but what given to guests at a fair price point so they can come here regularly, but also in a really beautiful space," he said. "I don’t get why you can’t have that mom and pop type restaurant in a big box, beautiful space and give people great hospitality."

Heritage Food and Drink, at 1379 Route 9, opened today with the goal of serving up farm-to-table food on a larger scale, with plans to seat about 250 indoors and more outside.

The farm-to-table movement has influenced the mid-Hudson Valley dining scene, with the bounty of the region affecting how many restaurants source food their food. For example, hundreds of businesses exchange information and products through Hudson Valley Bounty which connects farms and food producers to different kinds of buyers.

At the same time, Dutchess has seen an influx of chain restaurants in the last year, especially along Route 9.

Driving south on Route 9, it's difficult to miss the restaurant. The black-and-yellow signage is second only to the lights hanging over the bar, designed to look like stars in the sky.

A view of the bar and decorative overhead lights at Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

While most of Greenbaum & Gilhooley's, the former restaurant at the site, had to be knocked down, the back wall of the bar is the same wall that stood in the original restaurant. And wood from the old building was incorporated into Heritage, Camac said.

Wappinger Town Supervisor Lori Jiava said she's happy to welcome Heritage to the town, adding that she will be attending the private launch party on Friday.

"We have our own town flair here, and we love it," she said. "It embraces our health and wellness initiatives, it's farm-to-table, it's thinking and supporting local."

The New American restaurant will highlight foods and ingredients from around the region.

"We’re trying to utilize product from the Hudson Valley, but we’re using influence from all over the globe," Camac said. "So you’ll see dishes pulling influence from different places, but we’re using product that’s local."

Jesse Camac, owner and operator of Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

While New American fare is well-trodden within the Hudson Valley, Camac hopes to deliver on an understandable menu with many moving parts.

"We’re really focusing on quality," he said. "A lot of the food comes off as simple, but there’s a lot of complex things that go into making those products. For instance, you have something as simple as a burger, but we’re making our own bun. The blend itself is a custom blend of three different types of beef. There’s also a different cut of pork in there. We have onions that are cooked for 72 hours that go on that burger."

And Heritage will specialize in applewood smoked foods.

The wood-burning grill at Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

"We have a big smoker in the back and we have a wood-burning grill where you can actually lower the grill to cook directly on coals and you can also raise it a few feet above that," Camac said. "You’re going to have a lot of elements of smoke in a lot of the food."

The focus on local extends to the beverages, with local craft beer and wine available alongside an extensive cocktail program.

While it may seem obvious for a restaurant to ride the popularity surrounding the farm-to-table movement, Mark Adams, president of the Dutchess County Farm Bureau, said these restaurants make a commitment to the area.

"You have some really dedicated chefs doing farm-to table restaurants," he said. "It takes dedication from the chefs to make it happen. It's not hard to find food around here, but it's a challenge lining it all up. It is a lot easier to call (a distributor) for all your food and have it shipped the next day."

With local food as a highlight, Heritage fits well within Wappinger, Jiava said.

"Heritage is sourcing food from places like Obercreek Farm, embracing the community here," she said.

Camac cast a wide net with Heritage, allowing for multiple price point on the menu depending on the guest's mood.

"The bar room, in general, we want to keep very casual," he said. "If you want to come in here and have a local draft beer, a burger and get out of here inexpensively, you can absolutely do that. If you want to sit in the dining room and have a real experience with really nice bottles of wine, handcrafted cocktails and have a whole roasted chicken for two or a dry-aged steak, we absolutely have that for you."

The main dining area at Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

Where Heritage differentiates from many farm-to-table restaurants is the size. Between the bar and two dining rooms on the first and second floor, Heritage will seat up to 250 people.

Heritage likely won't open its outdoor dining area until next summer, but it could accommodate up to 60 seats, Camac said.

But Camac said his primary concern is ensuring Heritage can provide the best service the customers that come.

"I want to really lock-in the kitchen and make sure we’re putting out great food," he said. "I want to make sure the service is on point. I want to make sure the cocktails are coming out perfect. To me, there’s nothing worse than disappointing a guest coming in and spending money with you."

For more information on Heritage, visit heritagefooddrink.com.

A view of the exterior of Heritage Food & Drink in Wappingers Falls.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW