For almost 150 years, The DeBruce has served as a refuge to travelers in the Catskills. Established in the 1880s, the property changed many hands and names over the years, including The Maple, St. Brendan’s and the Ararat and most recently the DeBruce Country Inn. Specializing in revitalizing independent small hotels and restaurants across the Catskills region, Foster Supply Hospitality took over the property in 2017. Besides sprucing up the rooms, upgrading the facilities and shaving the name down to just The DeBruce, the hospitality group introduced a restaurant concept well worth the trip.
Since the inception of the dining program in 2017, The DeBruce’s philosophy has been to follow the rhythm of The Catskills. In step with the beat of the land is chef Jean Paul “JP” Medina. Initially working as chef de cuisine at The DeBruce in 2018, chef Medina rejoined the team as executive chef in 2023. Coming from a long line of bakers and chefs, Medina honed his craft at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan before working at a series of New York restaurants, including BLT Restaurant Group by chef Laurent Tourondel. Within a year of Medina’s arrival in the kitchen, the restaurant received a semifinalist nod from the James Beard Foundation for “Outstanding Restaurant.” This accolade is likely tied to the restaurant’s tasting menu.
Held Monday through Thursday with one seating on Saturday, the tasting menu explores the bounty of the Catskills, from what’s growing on the property to goods from local farmers and purveyors. And it is all experienced in the dining room, one of The DeBruce’s finest gems. Suspended over the valley, the sun-soaked room is reason enough to visit, as floor-to-ceiling windows give expansive views of trees and the mountains beyond. However, during dinner, don’t be surprised if the window into the kitchen rivals your attention.
As I sat in The DeBruce’s dining room on a Saturday evening this past fall, my eyes were drawn to the kitchen. There, chefs quietly prepared and plated the Farm Progression menu, which showcased the wealth of goods from the valley. Most everything about the experience leaned fine dining with crystal wine glasses to hyper-seasonal bites. However, there is no need to spruce up and wear your finest. Waiters here are garbed in denim aprons and khakis, with sneakers and hiking boots gracing their feet.
Memorable bites from the six-course tasting included the Onion soup—a caramelized and jammy number with pickled bits, all served out of a carved-out onion. The Beef came with a pour of a smooth and peppery au poivre sauce served tableside, complimented with a perfectly cut square of mille-feuille potatoes. An incredible spread of macaroons, truffles and ginger-sugar-dusted madeleines ended the meal, spilling out in the Grand Room.
And while the meal had all the trappings of a tasting menu, including the $175 price tag, there are ways it can be improved. The Tomato, while impressively shaped like the actual thing, was so light on the tomato gelée that it was easily overpowered by the salty bed of capers it sat on. Wrapped in a corn husk and tied with twine, The Trout gave a nice interactive element, as each table was given twee golden scissors to snip it open. But after all the fanfare, the flavor was so mild it leaned forgettable. Pours of wine came midway through dishes and waiters gave more history on the grape than it did the tasting notes of the bottle. This aside, the menu here rotates so often, including a recent offal-based dinner, that I’d be more than willing to give it another shot.
But even if the budget doesn’t allow for the tasting, the casual meals are well worth a stop. Guests of the hotel can opt-in, and should, for the dining package which includes dinner and complimentary breakfast for up to two. Even if you aren't a guest of the hotel, The DeBruce welcomes all to eat on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Mornings start with a main, a side, coffee and freshly squeezed juices. I took too many pictures of the delightfully crispy duck-fat hash browns, crosshatched with hot sauce and mayo. The Avocado Toast with smoked trout and a hunk of avocado was plenty to fuel any day ahead, but it was the French Toast I could’ve ordered a few days in a row. Nearly dressed like a croque madame, the sweetened toast came with a slice of ham and comté cheese, cloaked by a wonderfully runny fried egg.
As for dinner, expect a la carte options that also follow the season. But if you can, I’d try for the Friday Family Meal. Only served on Fridays, the shareable four-course meal welcomes guests and locals alike to break bread over a feast. And to solidify your newly found friendships, you can duck downstairs to the wooden-clad bar, The Club Room. Peruse through a selection of local beers and ciders or thumb through the cocktail menu that infuses spirits with florals and herbs, including my personal favorite, the Ole’ Thymer with thyme-infused sazerac, pear syrup and lemon. No matter what you choose, the river stone fireplace is made for gathering.
Whether a wandering traveler or a longtime local, The DeBruce is a welcome hub for all to enjoy.