With the Culinary Institute of America on the east bank of the Hudson, it's not surprising that there's some great eating in this section of the valley. Chief among the options are the student-staffed restaurants on the campus of the CIA, which are professionally run in every respect and require some foresight to nab reservations.
The Other, Less-Secretive CIA -- Throughout the Hudson Valley, inns and restaurants large and small count chefs and other personnel trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, also known by its unfortunate acronym CIA, among their staffs. A diploma from the food-industry CIA is a real badge of distinction, and it is a terrific boon to the region to have so many culinary pros in the kitchens. If a local tells you about a new restaurant opened by a chef, in the local parlance, "from the Culinary," check it out; chances are you'll find a winner.
