By Ann Donnelly
Since Falcons Brewhouse Bistro and Tavern opened in Hudson Falls on January 3, “business has been steady,” according to co-owner Kim Bender.
“We’ve got a lot of community support, and most people coming are local, but we are also getting many people from Glens Falls and South Glens Falls. Word of mouth has been great. We have had a wonderful response from people who have come in.”
Bender and her co-owner and cousin, Alice Huntington, are Hudson Falls natives and have many relatives there. While neither has been in the restaurant or bar business before, they have established a successful menu.
“We did our research, talked to food distributors, attended food shows out of state, and reviewed many recipes,” says Bender, a licensed real estate salesperson. “I’m a project manager, and as a project manager, you are supposed to be able to do everything.”
The restaurant’s menu includes breakfast sandwiches and baked goods, quiche, soups, wings, charcuterie boards, flatbreads, pasta, and other dishes suitable for a quick bite or a night out with friends and family.
“Everyone loves the items on the menu,” says Bender. “We may change out some desserts to suit the season, but most dishes will remain.”
“Alice is always tweaking things in the kitchen. She is determined to do things right,” says Bender.
Huntington, who runs the kitchen, is a passionate baker but has celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that means she cannot eat foods with gluten. She has extensively researched preparing foods suitable for gluten-intolerant people, a growing consumer need.
“We have a separate toaster but not a separate kitchen, and we aren’t certified gluten-free, but we do everything we can. We have several gluten-free items or ones that we can make gluten-free,” says Bender.
Falcons Brewhouse also features freshly brewed, locally roasted coffee and a full bar with draft beers carefully selected from local and regional breweries.
Bender and Huntington have provided an inviting atmosphere, unique décor, and an upscale ambiance to make one feel right at home.
“We are working on getting grants to make improvements,” says Bender. “We would like to put a deck on the back so people can sit out in nice weather and look over the river. Hudson Falls is in the process of revitalization, and we are part of that. We hope it will attract more new businesses and people outside the area.”
The building’s previous occupant, Hudson River Brewhouse, received a $25,000 National Grid Main Street Grant to revitalize the building, home to the first bank in the city, Commercial National Bank of Sandy Hill, chartered in 1906. At that point, the building had been vacant since 2012.
Falcons Brewhouse Bistro & Tavern is open Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.