The New York Times has chosen Stissing House in Pine Plains as one of the 50 restaurants in the United States that it is “most excited about right now.” The third annual list, published on Sept. 18, includes five restaurants in New York state. Stissing House is the only one not located in New York City.
The Times’ entry on Stissing House, written by food reporter Priya Krishna, heaped praise on chef/proprietor Clare de Boer, who opened the restaurant in March 2022. “In Ms. de Boer’s hands, a simple cup of beef broth garnished with a rosemary sprig can feel like it has healing powers,” Krishna wrote. She concluded, “Practically everything here is cooked over a wood fire, often seasoned with not much more than some herbs, salt and Ms. de Boer’s deft, seemingly magical, touch.”
Krishna profiled de Boer in the Times a few days before Stissing House opened, noting that de Boer, 32 years old at the time, had already been a partner in two standout restaurants in New York City, King and Jupiter. Earlier this year Stissing House was one of 30 semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best New Restaurant in the U.S.
“My name may be on the article, but [Stissing House] is the work of so many people, my manager, the chef, the sous chefs, the whole team,” de Boer said a day after the Times’ accolades. The recognition “makes this an exciting day for all of us,” she added. The restaurant employs more than 30 people.
The building that houses Stissing House was built in 1782 and de Boer is well aware of the history of its previous restaurants. While the Times’ acknowledgement was “wonderful,” and “humbling,” she said the restaurant is still “a work in progress.” She wants it to become a part of people’s lives, “a place for celebratory dinners and weddings.”
“We want to be something that stands the test of time.”