Via Cassia — Restaurant in City of Hudson

I was really looking forward to trying Via Cassia after reading so many great reviews. The space itself is beautiful—stylish with a great vibe—and our evening started off on a high note. We waited just about 5 minutes for our table to be cleaned, then were seated with a complimentary glass of prosecco, which was a lovely touch.

We started with cocktails. I had the Cosmo Italiano, which I didn’t care for, but my fiancé enjoyed The Tainted Lady, a mezcal-based drink. When we were ready to order, the waitress asked us to place everything at once, saying the kitchen would send out dishes in their suggested order.

First came the charcuterie board. It included three cheeses and three types of meat. The goat cheese stood out, but overall, it felt just okay—not bad, but not memorable either.

Next, both the white and red pasta dishes came out at the same time, which was a bit confusing since we were sharing plates. Naturally, we started with the cacio e pepe, which was absolutely phenomenal—perfectly balanced and one of the best I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, while we enjoyed that, the pomodoro pasta just sat. By the time we got to it, it was lukewarm and overcooked. The sauce was overly sweet, and we ended up not finishing it.

Then came a long wait—at least 25–30 minutes—with no update from the staff. We had no idea the steak was still coming until I asked if we could move on to dessert. The waitress then mentioned the steak was still on its way. I was honestly surprised. When it finally arrived, the skirt steak was actually very good and my fiancé enjoyed it, but it was served completely on its own. Had we known, we would’ve ordered something to go with it. Again, no communication.

For dessert, we had the panna cotta and the affogato. The affogato was excellent. The panna cotta, unfortunately, was way too soft and overly sour—definitely a miss.

One final detail that really disappointed me: we made our reservation through Resy and noted that we were celebrating my fiancé’s birthday. Not only did no one mention it, but there wasn’t even a basic acknowledgment like a candle or a “happy birthday.” It felt like a missed opportunity to make the night special.

There’s good potential here—the ambiance is beautiful and the cacio e pepe was truly a standout—but poor pacing, lack of communication, and missed details really affected the overall experience. In an area full of exciting and well-run spots, Via Cassia has some work to do if it wants...

Dinner was excellent and that's what you go to a restaurant for. Service was very good. When I booked a 5:30 reservation (early for us but that is what they had) I was told that they would need the table at 7:00. We stood up at 7:00, perfect timing. So why 4 stars? Let me say again that the meal was exceptional. Portions were perfect and pasta cooked to just al dente and sauced and flavored in amazingly well. For example: the Caccio e Pepe pasta had just the RIGHT amount of pepper to taste it without being overwhelming. Truly the chef is incredible and keeps his eye on the dining room. If you want to avoid kids make a later booking. With the earlier booking we had several tables of families with kids that cause quite a lot of noise while we were trying to enjoy our excellent meal. In honesty the restaurant did fill up and it became difficult to hear each other. Would I go back to Via Cassia? Absolutely. My hope would be that they put some rugs on the tile floor to help dampen the sound. It gets too loud in the dining room and that affects peoples' enjoyment of...

As a fellow chef, I know how tough this industry can be and how much heart and hard work it takes to run a kitchen. That’s why I don’t hand out reviews casually. Honestly, many places just lack overall quality — and I don’t complain, because I know the deal. But then you come across a place like this, and you have to tell everyone how impressive it is.

Via Cassia is one of those rare gems. Chef Gaetano and his team are creating food that’s thoughtful, authentic, and full of flavor. We enjoyed dishes like the Cavatelli Grano Arso with sausage and dandelion green ragù, the Bavette Cacio e Pepe with black pepper and pecorino, and the Black Tuscan Kale Salad with honey, black truffle vinaigrette, and ricotta salata. Every dish showed craft, balance, and care.

On top of that, the hospitality and warmth in the room matched the quality on the plate — you can feel the passion behind everything they do.

From one chef to another, much respect. If you’re anywhere near Hudson, NY, make sure to stop at Via Cassia. This place is truly...