Hudson Valley German Restaurant Still Going Strong After 70 Years

There's a restaurant in the Hudson Valley that's still making traditional German dishes from scratch like they did in the 1950s.

The story of the Mountain Brauhaus actually goes all the way back to 1917. That's when Emil Ruoff and his two brothers emigrated from southern Germany to New York City. Eventually, Emil settled down in Gardiner, New York where he opened a restaurant on the corner of Route 299 and Route 44/55. Originally named The Sugar Bowl, the business was primarily a burger joint. But Emil and his German employees couldn't resist adding some of their favorite recipes from their homeland to the menu. Eventually, word got out about these incredible dishes and The Mountain Brauhaus was born.

Since 1955, The Mountain Brauhaus has been run by three generations of the Ruoff family. All aspects of the business are handled by family members from running the kitchen to tending to the beautiful garden and even sewing the traditional German clothes worn by the servers.

The Mountain Brauhaus in Gardiner, New York

As someone whose great-grandmother also came to America from Germany in the 1950s to start a restaurant, the Mountain Brauhaus feels like home. During our most recent visit, my family ordered some of the restaurant's signature dishes. I had the Jager Schnitzel. Several enormous, thinly-pounded-out pieces of chicken are breaded, fried and topped with a "hunter's sauce" made of mushrooms, onions, white wine and sour cream.

My wife had the Sauerbraten, which is marinated in vinegar and spices and slow-cooked for hours, just like my great-grandmother used to make. Both of our meals were served with Spaetzel, a traditional German egg noodle that's pan-fried and smothered with a delicious brown sauce, and a generous serving of braised red cabbage.

Our son ordered the ultra-tender pot roast, which came with mashed potatoes and beets with goat cheese. All of the meals included a fresh salad with a choice of housemade dressing (the buttermilk herb is to die for) and a basket of pumpernickel bread.

Of course, no German meal would be complete without beer. The Mountain Brauhaus has a huge selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Rarities like the smoky Schlenkerla Rauchbier and the Spaten Optimator as well as more popular Oktoberfests, Dunkles and Weissbiers are all represented.

My pro tip is to bring a cooler with ice and leave it in the car to transport leftovers home because not only will you struggle to finish the enormous portions the Mountain Brauhaus serves, but you'll also want to leave room for the extras. We started our meal with a fresh-baked Bavarian pretzel and ended with a warm Apple Strudel. These were the perfect bookends to an amazing German feast.

The Mountain Brauhaus is located at the corner of Route 299 and Route 44/55 in Gardiner. Reservations are suggested, especially on busy weekends. The restaurant also operates a food truck with some quick-serve options that can be enjoyed at tables in the restaurant's beautifully maintained backyard with outdoor games and amazing views of the Shawangunks.