Chleo

We wandered into Chleo on a weekend getaway and left plotting how soon we could come back. Every dish left us wishing we had come with a larger group so we could try even more dishes. Our waitress recommended we share 5-6 dishes between us. Here is what we tried: - Spaghetti Alla Nerano: the kind of summer pasta dish you dream about. Honestly, we could’ve happily eaten a whole vat of it. - Pork Schnitzel: perfectly crisp on the outside and tender inside. - Scallop Crudo: bright and refreshing with peaches, melon, and pineapple. - Tomato Pie: another standout. The cornmeal crust was so good we joked that if they made a foot-long version, it would be the perfect bite. - Smashed Cucumbers were a hit too, pairing beautifully with smoked and whipped trout roe and fresh dill. Between the perfect flavors and the warm, relaxed vibe, Chleo is definitely a must-visit for a date night or a group dinner in Kingston.

I'm sad to say I was wildly disappointed with our experience at Chleo because I was truly looking forward to not only a wonderful evening, but we are also looking for a restaurant where we can become regulars in Kingston. Unfortunately our search will continue. Perhaps Chleo is more of a sharing restaurant...because there were literally only two dinners to choose from on the menu... lamb or spaghetti...we ordered one of each, and also ordered the potato rosti as an appetizer. Thank goodness we did...because the lamb was just a small plate of meat...there was not a potato, not a veggie, not a roll to accompany it and the spaghetti, was a tiny portion of noodles with a little parmesan and basil. Our waitress was lovely, but I wish she had explained that my $41 entree was just a few slices of delicious meat, and if I was looking for anything else to make it into a full meal, I would need to order more. Needless to say, we will not be returning, and if you're hungry for a full meal with more than one food group represented, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Chleo is a truly special place - everything from the food, wine list, drinks, ambiance and hospitality is deeply intentional and superb. From the moment you enter, you feel welcome and cared for by their amazing team. Each time we dine at Chleo is the best meal we’ve ever had. The kind of experience that leaves us talking for a long, long while. Oh, and don’t even consider skipping dessert. This spot and these people are one of a kind!

It is hard for me to put into words how much I love Chleo. The owners have created a warm, welcoming and beautiful space and just as much thought and care has gone into the food and service. I love the small plates for sharing and I never take photos of my food. I believe the place is very good value when you consider the quality of the fresh local ingredients and the way the chefs transform them. The service is attentive but relaxed...one night we sat at the chef's counter and felt like we enjoyed a show as well as a yummy dinner. Cocktails and the wines are superb. I worked in restaurants in NYC over half my adult life but have lived in Ulster County for over 30 years. These are a talented bunch of folks who very much understand what the hospitality industry is all about and I feel fortunate that they have chosen Kingston for their home.

Food was absolutely amazing!! And I came in right at close (9pm) didn't mean to, just got off work and wanted to eat. The owner suggested my meal and I totally went with it. The potatoes were super delicious and the porkchop was fantastic!! The bartender suggested a citrus mescal cocktail and it was superb!! The bartender suggested a dessert and I went with it!! Overall was absolutely amazing!!

It’s rare that every dish I order wows me, and I was so pleased that Chleo achieved that! 1. Little Gem Salad, Buttermilk Dressing, Radishes, Toasted Seeds (not pictured) • 9/10 The greens were absolutely gorgeous, and the dressing was perfectly decadent while not being too heavy. My only critique is that I am a lover of seeds and nuts in everything, and it was seeded a little too heavily to the point that every bite was a little bit difficult to chew. This didn’t hinder my experience but it was definitely noticeable, 2. Spaghetti with agretti and anchovy • 10/10 This was so delicious. I had never had agretti before and I asked the waitress what it was, neither of us could quite figure it out even though I was googling it while we were talking. The balance in flavor and texture of this dish was incredible. Anchovy can be so overpowering and it was used perfectly here, just as an addition to the depth of the sauce. 3. Kingston Bread & Bar Sourdough + Cultured butter • 9/10 I will never get over how good this bread is. The crust to soft inside ratio is perfect, and the sourness from the sourdough is just right. My only criticism here is that the bread is $5 and the butter is $2. I understand these are local and well made foods but in my opinion the bread should come with butter. I’d be happy to pay for them as a unit it just seems silly to order a side of butter. This is probably on the menu like this because there are other things you can buy to add to the bread (cheese, pate, etc) but still, the bread should come with butter. Overall this was a really amazing experience and I’m so excited to come back when I visit Kingston again!

Update: 3/29/24 NY strip back on the menu + short rib agnolotti. Amazing!! No reservations, but well worth the wait, or get here early. Menu changes regularly depending on what's in season. Locally sourced ingredients. This has become our go to spot for great food and elevated cocktails. Great wine selection, too. Current fave: uni, crab spaghetti!!

We had a beautiful dinner at Chleo on a Thursday night. We had a nice view of all the kitchen action at the chef’s counter. Great menu and wine selection! Excited to go back.

5-Stars all around. Chleo is located in Uptown Kingston and is likely your best option for quality food and drinks at an affordable price. We've been over five times since they opened, and we love the vibe. Chleo opens at 4pm and fills up quickly - I recommend getting there early and/or snagging some wine at the bar while you wait. Small plates are great for sharing so order at least four mains for two to three people. Although we're not huge fans of dessert, we've always been enticed to order and have not been disappointed. Cocktails are unique and tasty - I've had bottles of wine and beer here, and their cocktails are my favorite option for alcohol. If you're looking for Culinary cuisine and service without any haughtiness, Chleo is the spot!

My partner works in fine dining and spotted Chleo while we were exploring the lovely town of Kingston. We stopped in for dinner before rushing to another nearby town. We were lucky enough to be sat right away at the chefs counter and had a truly wonderful experience. From the hostess to the chefs working the line, the staff was impeccably lovely and attentive. As a vegetarian, the menu was full of creative and thoughtful options that satisfied my hunger, each an explosion of flavor and intention. We asked if we could be out in forty-five minutes and the staff was so accommodating. All the dishes were hits, but the cauliflower was insane and I wish I could have it on repeat. I hope we can be back in New York to revisit Chleo and experience their flavor and hospitality again very soon!

Revisited Chleo last night. Glad to see the business thriving after that unfortunate fire. Service by Melissa was top notch. Made us feel extremely welcome and checked up on us after each course. The menu included some awesome seasonal choices. The gnocchi with maitakes really stole the show. Hands down my favorite dish here to date. Everything was delicious, complex and evolved with every bite. Will continue to return.

Chleo - I think it stands for Come Hungry Love Everything you Order. This is our third visit to Chleo and we can't wait for our fourth. The menu is in a constant state of evolution with seasonal offerings that are creative, beautiful, and above all insanely delicious. Chef Mathews and team have created something very special in Kingston. Each visit we have been blown away by the menu, and somehow they manage to raise the bar every time. The staff is knowledgeable and attentive, the atmosphere is just right, and the food is, well the food is worthy of a five-star review and a sincere recommendation that you go and treat yourself to one of the best restaurants in the Hudson Valley. 5-Stars.

Amazing dinner in uptown Kingston. Friendly and professional service with our waitstaff Melissa. Chicken with chimichuri and Chocolate beet cake for dessert. Treat yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Thoughtful menu, well prepared. for starters I had the fennel rillettes which knocked me out, I will try to make that at home. I had a Crabcake on rice swimming in a crab veloute that was delicious. My wife had a burrata plate, that was fine if you like burrata and the grilled panzanella salad, really very good- a special dish. Service was not rushed and friendly the servers took time with each table to make sure things were good. We got there early on a Tuesday night and the place filled up quickly.

Innovative menu, food is sublime. Atmosphere is gorgeous and modern. Service was wonderful.

Great addition to Kingston! All of the food and drinks we had were delicious. They currently do not take reservations so we went early and were able to get a table right away but by the time we were leaving it was packed. Loved the open kitchen concept and staff was great. Lots of wine options and food was delicious! Our favorites were the potato rosti and wild mushrooms

Yep. This is what I want-ed. I have been twice now. Both times more than pleasantly surprised and happy. Inspired is the word of the day. Inspired is how I felt leaving both times and inspired is how I feel the food is created there. It is, in my opinion, currently the ONLY inspired kitchen in Kingston. I have enjoyed every thing I have had there, cocktails included and the only thing I could say that's close to negative was that the duck dish I got was just good. And I say that tongue in cheek because there was nothing left of it when we were done. I don't feel like I need to give any hints as to what to get, and their menu changes rather frequently, so get a few ppl together, try a bunch of things and be pleasantly surprised but not only how you feel when you are done but how the price seems to feel equally as good! Bravo and thank you all at Chleo!

Sophisticated, delicious food and drinks. Good wine and very welcoming staff and bartender. Lovely chill vibe. Go by an hour or more before you want a table on the weekend and put your name in.

Really wonderful meal in Kingston! Service, food and ambiance are all A+. I was happy to enjoy my birthday dinner here and everything exceeded my expectations. It has that Scandi vibe and a short menu, so everything is on-point. Bread and butter was 5/5, worth the $7 Green tomato carpaccio was 5/5 Beef fat fries were 4/5, good but a bit small

Fresh, local ingredients. Nice simple ambience. Can't wait to go back! Most places aren't worth the price but this one was.

This is an extraordinary restaurant, and would be if it were in New York City, or any city. Beautifully run, smartly decorated, stellar wines, and a well edited menu where a group of 4 can order and share most if not all. I absolutely love Chleo and try to go at least once per month.

The food is stellar but it's the most overpriced restaurant I've ever been to. $8 for bread and butter. In most restaurants, that's free! That left such a bad taste in my mouth. I would love to come back and see what's on the changing menu but who could afford it? I don't see locals like me making this a regular spot. It's catering to NYC tourists. It's a shame.

Incredible meal! We had the grilled radishes on green tehina, grillled potato salad with Gruyère, grilled chilled, black garlic and lumache pesto. Amazing! The wines, aperitifs and digestifs selection was perfect to complement appetizers, meal and dessert. Beautiful meal, Exactly what we were hoping for.

Best restaurant in the area, hands down. Have been here multiple times and each visit has provided me with at least one new dish that's blown me away. The vegetarian options are fantastic, and the meat is some of the best I've ever had-specifically the chicken they had on their summer menu. They source everything locally, the service is excellent, and oh, yea, the wine selection is great too. But really, come here for the food--you won't be disappointed. My only criticism is that it's expensive. But it's well worth the money IMO.

Chleo has the best (high-end) food in the area, it's pretty much perfect! The chef has a way with flavors that are both balanced and bold and the open wood fire for cooking provides many dishes with a deep flavor that other techniques don't provide. Our 3rd visit last week ... we enjoyed every single perfect dish. One thing to note is that the portions are small. We are small eaters and often share 1 app and 1 entreé at most places - and here we each need our own app and entreé. I'd also go for the cocktails over wine since wine pours are tiny. LOVE IT HERE and will go for my birthday!

too late, finished everything! we had the parisian gnocchi with maitakes and sage cream sauce and steelhead trout with winter squash, juanita peppers, and bonito. spectacular from start to finish, excellent service. chic without being pretentious. sampled two of the three desserts with no regrets.

In my opinion, has been one of the best meals I've had in the Hudson Valley. If you have time to wait for the Chef's Counter - do it:

Exceptional food. Truly gifted chef. The gnocchi is the best gnocchi I have ever had. The service is great and the food is beyond.

Go and enjoy the creative food and excellent service. Interesting wine list too. Highly recommend.

Our dinner at Chleo may be the best meal I have enjoyed in years due to the amazing food, a delightful and helpful staff, inviting atmosphere and the curated wine list. The food was so fresh tasting, unique in flavors, beautifully presented and simply delicious. The spring green salad ingredients were farmer's market fresh, and the vinaigrette made with charred herbs was amazing. Our fire-charred broccolini was beautifully presented in a chris-crossed fashion, and came alive with the Calabrian chilis and almonds. And both starters were large enough for the two of us to share. For the main, I tried the braised lamb cavatelli which was hearty and flavorful comfort food that even my not-lamb-loving wife liked to the point I had to restrict her "sharing." She had the half chicken with unique vadouvan spices and grilled to perfection. Our server was delightful, and the atmosphere is warm and lively without being too cozy. We will be back!