With a 101-year legacy of consistency, The Ship Lantern Inn has always been committed to keeping their customers satisfied — an undeniable legacy when they’ve served five generations of some local families.
The fine-dining restaurant is nestled in a building that’s nearly 250 years old, and the timeless look of the restaurant has been preserved.
In the cold months, find refuge by one of their fireplaces, surrounded by natural woods and stone, or in the warmer months, sit outdoors on the patio with a water feature, taking in the mid-Hudson Valley’s farmland scenery.
On March 2, we asked you to decide what restaurant is the region’s most classic restaurant, and of the seven spots, as well as a write-in option, and The Ship Lantern won, with 32.37% of votes.
Michael Foglia, the third generation of the Foglia family leading the restaurant, said, “We’re proud of the longevity,” as one of the oldest eateries in the area. He’s the grandson of the original owner, John Foglia.
Learn what makes John Foglia’s The Ship Lantern Inn, located at 1725 Route 9W in Milton, a mid-Hudson Valley signature.
The history of The Ship Lantern: John Foglia’s story
Born in 1897, John Foglia, an Italian immigrant, came to America in 1912 with no money to his name and unable to speak English. Yet, that didn’t stop his ambitions.
Michael Foglia described his grandad as the “quintessential American success story,” having boarding houses in Manhattan, three restaurants by 25 as a self-taught chef, and only then purchasing The Ship Lantern Inn.
Before John Foglia bought it, the spot was a well-known boarding house and getaway for people from New York City. It was a place where people could escape the metropolis and find reprieve in the countryside.
Although John Foglia may have had a limited education, Michael Foglia said, he was a “very savvy, very social guy.”
At those boarding houses John Foglia had, he frequently accepted hand-built ship models instead of room and board, accumulating quite a collection built by one person. Many of those ship models were displayed in the restaurant but had to be moved out, Michael Foglia said.
Although one remains in the main dining room.
John Foglia ran The Ship Lantern as a boarding house until 1932, before strictly switching to a restaurant.
He also had more casual dining pursuits, being one of the four founders of Chef Boyardee.
Michael Foglia’s father and uncle, Angelo Foglia and John Foglia Jr., later came into the restaurant as the second generation in charge.
In 1976, Michael Foglia took over, being the Foglia to run it for the longest. He is still present in an advisory capacity, but about five years ago he turned over the day-to-day operations to staff.
Michael Foglia fondly reminisced on The Ship Lantern Inn’s history and their family’s “commitment to excellence,” he said.
One couple who had their wedding at the restaurant, while under John Foglia, celebrated their 50th anniversary while Michael Foglia was at the helm.
“My grandad brought us up — my family, my dad, my uncle, myself — that we’re servants of the public,” Michael Foglia said.
What to try when you go
Michael Foglia said their “melt-in-your-mouth” Chilean sea bass is one of their “outrageous dishes.”
The fillet of Chilean sea bass is dusted with ground dry porcini mushrooms, fine herbs and served with a shallot beurre blanc, a teriyaki reduction and black olive tapenade.
He also highlighted their veal ossobuco, which is “fall-off-the-bone tender,” as well as their Calabria seafood stew, featuring Maine lobster, Panama shrimp, littleneck clams, mussels and “a little bit of saffron in there” too.
Guests, when in season, will find fresh produce harvested from their 15-acre vegetable garden.
Plus, Michael said they only buy the “finest quality” products, even if it means sacrificing profit.
It’s always been an effort of consistency, great food and service, for Michael Foglia, as that’s what his grandad taught him, but enthusiasm, passion, the love of producing food and making people happy is just as vital too.
“You can’t go wrong if you do it honestly, charge a fair price and do it with your heart,” Michael Foglia said.
Who got second, third in the vote for the best mid-Hudson Valley classic?
After The Ship Lantern Inn, in second place, with 25.79% of the vote, was Foster’s Coach House Tavern in Rhinebeck. In third, Mountain Brauhaus got 13.95% of the votes.
Foster’s Coach House Tavern, and their equestrian-themed décor, has been around since the 1920s. Since then, four generations, from various families, have owned the tavern. Neil Bender and his son Elijah Bender bought the restaurant in 2016. The pair have worked to uphold the original ambiance and preserve the same recipes used since 1965, while striving for fair pricing, a family-oriented atmosphere and to be a part of the community. Visit https://fosterscoachhouse.com/ for more information.
Mountain Brauhaus, a family-owned business that has been operated by three generations of the founding Ruoff family since 1955, serves German fare. The original owner, Emil Ruoff, was a German immigrant who came to New York City in 1917 but found his way up to Ulster County. Mark Ruoff, his wife, Veronica, his sister, Ilka, and her husband, chef Kevin Casey, are continuing the spirit of Mountain Brauhaus after over 70 years.
Learn more about their history and their menu at https://www.mountainbrauhaus.com/.
For the write-in option of the poll, more than a few submissions, but here were the top three, most submitted, reader suggestions for the most classic mid-Hudson Valley spot:
Nickie Hayes is the Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal and focuses on how to make the most of what the mid-Hudson Valley has to offer. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: The Ship Lantern Inn voted as the region’s most classic restaurant. Read its history
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
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