A feisty food blogger from the United Nations of Food (one small man’s attempt to eat food from every country without leaving NYC ) took a weekend excursion with his fiance to Haverstraw where he was admittedly “shocked” by the wide selection of uber-awesome, unpretentious, Hudson Valley, non-yuppie, blue collar Latin/Italian, etc. food. Several times he exclaims in as many ways as he can: “And guess what? I had it all wrong. Haverstraw, formerly known as the brickmaking capital of the world, is a mostly working-class town, featuring a gravel mine and a gigantic oil-fired power plant. No silly, pretentious food here. Not even in the prettiest cafe in town.” That pretty cafe he mentions? Well, that’s the Bella Rose Cafe on New Main Street. And where did they sleep while staying in the Village? In the best bed and breakfast in the County, the Bricktown Inn on Hudson Avenue.
“For our first Haverstraw food shock, we stopped by a seven-table tacqueria called Tacos Marianita, thinking that we’d enjoy another mediocre east-coast burrito. Nope. This was roughly my 200th attempt at eating Mexican food in NYC and DC, and I finally found a spectacular plate of huevos rancheros, a jaw-droppingly tasty green salsa, shockingly fresh horchata, and the best chicken mole I’ve eaten east of the Rockies. In a Rockland County restaurant with exactly zero yelp reviews. Huh?” He’s talking about Tacos Marianita at 10 West Street, just off the Bank Corner (Broadway, Main, New Main). Could it be? The best tacos east of the Rocky Mountains is at the center of the Village of Haverstraw?! Looks like a new Yelp review just popped up. . . This post isn’t even long enough to touch on the fusion awesomeness that is Antoine McGuire’s and Union Restaurant.
“And completely by accident, we found my new favorite New York Italian restaurant. . .” the blogger boasts. This is coming from a guy that’s eaten in thousands of restaurants in New York City. While Rocklanders all but ignore this blue collar pearl on the Hudson, New Yorkers take heed. Downtown Haverstraw is the mecca for authenticity in the Hudson Valley. You just don’t know it yet.
HaverstrawLife.com 
Love it, love it, love it!!!
I ventured up to this little village (well, not really little) from NYC about a year ago. I was quite surprised what the down town had to offer with regard to food. Amazing. This guy could be right – best mexican east of the rocky mountains. Union restaurant is killer as well. I have to make an effort to get up there to try this new Rose cafe – sounds good.