Spend a Weekend Eating and Drinking Through the Southern Catskills

I recently spent 18 months in the southern Catskills, an undulating patch of emerald hills and valleys located about 120 miles northeast of New York City. Charming villages are scattered throughout Sullivan County, including Livingston Manor, Liberty, Narrowsburg, and Roscoe (also known as Trout Town, USA, which is where I lived). Our house backed onto the Beaverkill River, near Junction Pool, a revered fly-fishing spot that draws anglers from all over the country. 

Naturally, trout is on almost every menu: smoked, roasted, or fried. And the area teems with locally grown and made bounties, like fresh produce, funky cheese, maple syrup, milk, honey, and so much more. It’s no wonder the Catskills has become a destination for weekend getaways and summer vacations. This river-lined paradise is home to jewel-toned lakes, swimming holes, and wooded hiking trails. Breathe in the fresh air, eat up, and go with the flow.

The Essentials

The best time to visit is… between July and November, for the glistening waterways and changing foliage.

Don’t forget to pack… a swimsuit to dunk in all the watering holes and hiking boots to carry you there. Bring a layer for the cooler evenings, too.

Don’t leave town without… house-made trout jerky from Van Smokey.

The best place to stay is… the Red Rose Motel + Tavern, a revamped 1930s roadside inn, with a comforting low-key menu and fire pits for an outdoor hang. Or, for a more affordable option, head to the The Roscoe Motel, a riverside spot brimming with 1950s charm that’s popular with seasoned fly fisherpeople.

If you would happily exist entirely off charcuterie (me), La Salumina in Hurleyville is your one-stop shop. Here you’ll find a carefully curated selection of cheeses, butter, local beer and cider, specialty Italian grocery items, and, of course, salumi handmade on-site from pasture-raised pigs. Snag the pork Ton-no (an olive oil-braised delight), the fennel-y Coppa, and the Pâté Rustico, for a luxe post-hike spread.