Restaurant Review

Moreish, the newest addition to the Hudson Valley Food Hall, located at 288 Main Street in Beacon, NY, officially opened on Saturday, March 7. 

The term moreish in regards to food is defined as “having a very pleasant taste and making you want to eat more.” 

Moreish is the brainchild of English chef Michael Johnson. Originally from Brighton, Michael has worked as a private chef and in various restaurants across the globe for nearly 20 years. Michael and his partner Shey Aponte had been ruminating on the idea of opening a restaurant for years, and they finally decided that it was now or never. 

“I found myself missing the dishes from home,” Michael said. “I figured if I’m missing it, then other people are too.” 

On the menu 

The savory menu at Moreish is chock-full of British classics like bangers and mash, made with grilled British pork sausages, creamy mashed potatoes, and caramelized onion gravy; cornish pasty, a traditional cornish pasty recipe using beef skirt steak, rutabaga, potato, and onion encased in a rich, shortcrust pastry shell; and of course, full English breakfast, made with grilled British sausages, smoked back bacon, black pudding, hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes, Heinz baked beans, eggs of your choice, and toasted sourdough.

The sweet menu also includes classics like crumpets and jam, two pieces of unsweetened grilled bread served toasted with butter and homemade berry jam; the bakewell tart, a traditional bakewell recipe using shortcrust pastry, homemade berry jam, and almond sponge topped with icing and a cherry; and banoffee pie, made with a buttery biscuit base, topped with sliced bananas, toffee, and whipped cream, and described as “Britain’s best-kept secret.” 

“We’re focusing on classic British fare and putting our own spin on it,” Michael said. “We’re doing the basics, but doing them really well.”

Moreish sources their food locally whenever possible. They use local farms for fresh produce, source their sausages from a supplier in New York City, and the bread they use is baked in Beacon. “We’re trying to keep it as local as we can, not skimping on the ingredients, and making everything from scratch if we can,” he said. 

But being open doesn’t come without significant challenges. The kitchen space is a very small, so Michael is trying to work out the flow. 

“This was the first time we’ve ever worked together and in this capacity,” said Shey. “I’m at the register and Mike is cooking, so it’s a constant dance of us navigating the space and trying to get everything ready and moving.”

Another concern of Shey and Michael’s was not knowing how much food to have on hand. Because this was their first weekend open, they were unsure of how much business to anticipate. “I didn’t want to have too many ingredients that would then get wasted, but I also didn’t want to run out of stuff,” Michael said. “There’s a balance that we have to find. But a week on, we’re definitely in a much better position. It’s more organized and our processes are more streamlined.” 

Why Beacon?

Micheal and Shey live in Beacon, so it made sense for them to open their business there as well. “We really like Beacon and see a lot of potential here,” Michael said. “We live here too, so we’ve got quite a soft spot for Beacon overall.”  

“It’s definitely a benefit to be in the food hall specifically as well because there’s so many established places, so we’ve definitely benefited from that additional exposure,” Shey added. 

Additionally, being located in the community in which they live has also provided Michael and Shey with immediate feedback about their business. “Being a chef, you can be in the back and you have no idea if the customers are enjoying themselves,” Michael said. “We’ve seen a lot of expats and British people who live in Beacon and have come out to Moreish and have just been so supportive. It’s the best to hear from British people themselves that the food tastes just like home and they’re enjoying it.” 

Looking ahead

Short-term, Michael and Shey are planning on utilizing the food hall space for events. “With the Premier League specifically, we can host watch parties. We hosted one last weekend and it was really successful, so we’re looking to do more of that,” Shey said. 

They would also love to partner and collaborate with other businesses in Beacon and plan to host more exciting events in the spring and summer. 

While the menu is going to stay relatively fixed, Moreish plans to have specials regularly that celebrate various American and British holidays. “We’re seeing where it goes and taking each day as it comes. We’re focused on fine-tuning what we’re working on now,” Michael said. 

“We’re open, come on out, and stay tuned for more information and exciting events!” Shey added. 

Moreish is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 10am to 6pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 8pm. 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY. Follow them on Instagram @moreishnewyork for more updates.