New Paltz’s main drag has its fair share of colorful Mexican restaurants and pan-Asian eateries, but the village's newest hotspot features a menu that combines the two. Agave, which opened on July 10, serves Latin-Asian fusion meals, and a selection of craft cocktails, in a laid back yet sophisticated setting.
“Although there’s a strong Latin influence, I don’t see us as your typical Mexican restaurant—it’s more of a playful mix of Latin and Asian recipes,” says owner Kevin Arias. “We’re stepping away from the traditional colorful decor and recipes you’ll find at most Mexican spots and instead offering more of a tapas-style menu plus creative high-quality cocktails in a contemporary, Spanish-influenced aesthetic.”
When the family-operated restaurant opened in the Main Street space formerly occupied by Mediterranean restaurant Zaytune—and prior to that, Moonlight Cafe—locals were eager to try the Latin-leaning spot. “The response has been great; we’ve had a good crowd since the day we started and already have a lot of regulars,” he says. Although this is Arias’s first restaurant, he’s worked in the industry since he was a teen. “I’ve done every aspect of a restaurant, starting as a dishwasher, but I always had it in mind that I wanted to own a business, and eventually the idea of having my own restaurant became my main goal.”
Arias designed the small but diverse menu and worked with CIA-trained chef Steban Sanchez, who created the recipes. Popular picks include rice bowls, served with a choice of yellow or fried rice, in options like the pollo with grilled chipotle chicken, roasted corn, scallions, and Valentina aioli ($14); Carne asada with steak, chimichurri, shallots, and radish ($15); or coliflor with General Tso cauliflower, pickled vegetable, radish, and Valentina aioli ($14). “People love the rice bowls; I’m a personal fan of the chicken; it’s a healthy option I can eat every day,” Arias says.
The ceviche is one of the most in-demand choices from a handful of entree selections, made with garlic shrimp, serrano pepper, cucumber, avocado, and lime juice ($15). Arias says the ramen dish also receives good reviews; it comes with grilled chicken, bok choy, ginger, and scallion ($20). They’ve also got a selection of starters, like four crispy lemon-pepper wings ($6) or chicken tamale with salsa verde ($6), and a list of individually served tacos, each under $4, spanning flavors from chicken to chorizo to carnitas and General Tso cauliflower.
“I’d like to change the menu every few months to keep in line with seasonality, and we also just began offering weekly deals, including cocktails and dessert specials,” Arias says. “For dessert, I love the churros—they’re stuffed with cheesecake. And for cocktails, you can’t beat the sunset margarita made with fresh blood orange. But the spicy guava margarita is popular, too. We take a lot of pride in the quality of our cocktails, with fresh fruit, housemade syrups, and other quality ingredients.” Each marg is colorful and artfully garnished; the Dame Paleta marg even comes topped with a strawberry ice pop. Additional flavor-rich and eye-catching cocktails include the Yuzu mojito (rum, yuzu, piña, lime, and mint, $13) and La Coquette, a vodka-based drink with naranja liqueur (similar to Cointreau), hibiscus, lemon, and rose petals ($14). A small selection of beer and revolving house wines are available (beer: $6-$8, wine: $10 a glass).
Agave, which is open for lunch and dinner daily, offers bistro and wall-length banquette-style seating in the dining room, with walls painted a chic indigo and adorned with cross-cultural wall decor. A neon sign proclaiming “Margarita Se Llama Mi Amor”—which translates to “My Love is Named Margarita”, and is also a nod to a 1960s Spanish rom-com—hangs on a wall adjacent to a textured, floor-to-ceiling, cherry blossom art-piece.
A full bar with seating is visible through an archway that remains from the previous restaurant’s Mediterranean theme, creating two cohesive yet distinct environments. “The overall vibe is very loungey at night, the kind of place you’d have a girls’ night or a date night,” Arias explains. “But in the daytime, it’s got this cozy cafe feel; it’s a very clean aesthetic and laid back vibe either time of day. But we really pride ourselves on having friendly interactions. I love my staff. We get all kinds of visitors—families, seniors, college students—and they all say our team makes everyone feel welcome. They’re just as grateful as I am to every customer who’s come by and shared the love so far.”
Agave is located at 53 Main Street, in New Paltz. They’re open at 11 am daily until 10pm Monday through Thursday, 11pm Friday and Saturday, and 9pm on Sunday.
