Kitschy + Delicious: Darlings Roadhouse
Darlings Roadhouse in Tillson is our secret weapon as we travel to and from the Catskills. As long as we promise to stop at Darlings, the complaints from the backseat on our 3-hour trek from Brooklyn have drastically decreased. The maximalist decor—deep blue walls, velvet couches that stand in for dining chairs, checkerboard floors, a disco ball—is as much fun as their menu, which includes hot pink, beet-pickled, deviled eggs, creamy mac and cheese, and crave-worthy desserts that make it hard to choose just one. We avoid arguments by doubling up on the banana pudding, which is sublime, and the Oreo-topped dirt cake pudding, which is somehow vegan.
Is Darlings Roadhouse a quick stop? Well, it’s a convenient detour off the New York State Thruway (I-87), but with enough space to seat 250 guests, they’re not known for speed-demon pit-stop service. Between the 85-seat dining room, the horseshoe bar in a separate area, a covered patio, and a family-friendly 3,000 square-foot backyard filled with happily mismatched umbrella tables, the servers have their work cut out. So, make definitely a reservation in advance, get a drink, and plan on staying a while.
My husband likes the simple, clean, and boozy Brooklyn—rye, dry vermouth, amaro, and a Luxardo cherry. As for me, I have a lot more tolerance to Friday traffic when I know there’s a tropical but not-too-sweet B-A-N-A-N-A-S cocktail—bourbon, house banana mix, green tea, ginger, and bitters on a big rock—waiting for me at Darlings. (If you like Sunken Harbor’s Tijuana Taxi, a banana-infused white negroni, you can probably get into this, too.)
Darlings’ Southern menu goes comfort-heavy with hush puppies, shrimp and grits, fried chicken, burgers, and wings (chicken and cauliflower, with five rubs and sauces to choose from). They also have plenty of vegan and gluten-free options delineated on their menu, and their smoked veggie patty, made in-house, is legit. Plus, they’ve got a dedicated kids’ menu featuring cheeseburgers, nuggets, buttered noodles, and mac and cheese.
Another thing I love about Darlings is the plethora of plants, real and faux living in harmony, dripping from ceilings, adorning every windowsill, overflowing from hanging pots and window boxes around the perimeter of the porch, spiking up between tables with sofa seating, and surrounding the backyard area.
The covered deck at Darlings Roadhouse
The 3,000 square-foot backyard at Darlings Roadhouse in Tillson, NY
In short, there’s a lot of joy packed into this roadhouse. I’m a little jealous of folks that live nearby, but I’m glad to have Darlings as our go-to as we head upstate from the city or save a visit for our return trip.
Inside Darlings Roadhouse, the checkerboard floors glow pink
The hot pink, beet-pickled deviled eggs at Darlings have captured my 10-year-old’s magenta heart.
A good veggie patty is hard to find, but Darlings’ house-smoked holy trinity vegan patty gets it right!
Darlings’ dirt pudding (creamy, chocolatey, vegan!)
The kids’ menu at Darlings Roadhouse
Darlings Roadhouse in Tillson, NY
Darlings Roadhouse is located at 838 Route 32, Tillson, NY; 845-658-2406. Follow them at @darlingsNY.
