Paul's Kitchen is the Best Bang for your Buck!

Are you a college student on a tight budget? Do you crave home cooked meals rather than that garb they serve at the dining hall? Do you like local or all natural foods? If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to check out Paul’s Kitchen.

Paul’s Kitchen is located on the corner of S. Oakwood Terrace and Main Street in New Paltz. They are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday serving breakfast, lunch and coffee. This restaurant has a very casual atmosphere and best of all it is affordable! Though the restaurant is right on Main Street it often gets passed by because it is quite small and blends in well with the surrounding buildings.

Photo compliments of Paul's Kitchen Facebook

Paul’s Kitchen is the small white corner building with a tiny patio. Outdoors seating is available and inside there are about 12 tables. The decorations inside remind me of any small-town diner. There is a counter where you can sit and grab a cup of coffee as well as the tables where the server will usually tell you to pick whichever one you want. The walls are decorated with old records as well as posters and pictures from New Paltz in its earlier days. Paul’s has the ability to make even the weary traveller feel at home because of the warm and welcoming atmosphere and especially because of their fresh home cooked tasting meals.

Diner Style Decor in Paul's Kitchen

The service here is great; most of the servers are college students. They are always helpful and recommend the best meals if you are unable to make up your mind about what to order. The owner Paul is also usually behind the counter and willing to talk with anybody about how they cook and what kinds of local foods they use in the kitchen. The only precaution I would take is about when you choose to come here. This place fills up quickly on the weekends so I recommend arriving early or just going during the week.

Paul’s Kitchen has many traditional breakfast specials such as the ‘Good Morning Special’, which is made up of 2 eggs served any style, breakfast potatoes, toast or fresh fruit, and bacon or sausage for only $4.00.  They also have other less traditional breakfasts such as their ‘Aztec Burrito’; a wrap filled with eggs, cheddar cheese and homemade black bean salsa for $5.45. All their meals come with large servings and I always leave satiated.

As far as lunch goes they have a huge variety of delicious meals. You can make your own sandwich, salad, and side combo for only $7.50 or you can try one of their delectable Paninis such as the Hudson Valley, which is made with grilled local vegetables, spices, and Fontina cheese. The vegetables are grilled to perfection in a savory sauce that creates the perfect amount of spicy with a hint of sweet. Their menu also boasts a large variety of gluten free foods as well as vegetarian dishes.

Their best meal is something a little crazy and different from anything I have ever heard of or tasted before. They call it “The Pizza Burger.” When I saw it on the menu I was skeptical, but my waiter said to give it a shot and he even promised me I would not be disappointed. The pizza burger is made up of a ½ pound burger with melted mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan cheese with tomato sauce on it. When the waiter walked out with it and I smelled the potent tomato sauce I knew I had made the right decision. This burger was even better than I could imagine. It was grilled to perfection and tasted amazing. The best part about this burger is that it only cost me $5.95 for a ½ pound burger! I opted to save half of it for lunch the next day and it was still just as delicious.

Paul’s Kitchen is the perfect spot for sitting down for a quiet breakfast and a cup of coffee or grabbing a bite to eat while you’re on the run. No matter how long you stay Paul and his staff will treat you as if you are a guest in their own home with their welcoming hospitality and delicious home-style meals prepared with only the best local and natural ingredients. If you have not already eaten here I highly recommend it. Also, if you get there before 11am you get the breakfast special prices!