Hudson Valley Restaurants

Shannon McKinney and Brian Doyle are both graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. In 1986, they decided there was a great need for an old-fashioned bakery that still made everything from scratch using only the finest, freshest ingredients.

They opened The Corner Bakery in May of 1986 and the response was Shannon McKinney and Brian Doyle overwhelming! McKinney and Doyle were featured in the New York Times Sunday Magazine Section later that year and customers from all over the tri-state area began to crowd the small shop. Homemade soups and entrees were added to the list of offerings over the next few years and the need to expand to a restaurant became abundantly clear.

In 1991, McKinney & Doyle moved the bakery two blocks into the village of Pawling and opened The Fine Foods Cafe. A 120-year-old brick building was chosen as the new location to house both shops. Booths and benches from an old Pawling pub were restored and became the storefront dining room. Their philosophy of "serious cuisine in a not so serious atmosphere" transformed the restaurant into a true destination. M.H. Reed of the New York Times reviewed the cafe and rated it "Excellent" (see our reviews). Accolades from the New York Times, Zagat Survey, Food & Wine Magazine and others pushed the small cafe into the limelight, and in 1997 the cafe was honored by the Wine Spectator Magazine as having one the finest wine lists in the world, a distinction it has kept ever since. Success however, did not come without a price and after losing most of his hair, Brian Doyle decided to retire from the business in 1998.

Shanon McKinneyShannon McKinney assumes full ownership now but is backed up by an incredible staff of dedicated, hard working people.

Located just 90 minutes north of Manhattan, McKinney & Doyle's Fine Foods Cafe and The Corner Bakery are nestled in the quaint, New England style village of Pawling. The bakery offers a wonderful selection of homemade (from scratch!) pastries, Danish, cookies, layer cakes, special occasion cakes, fruit tartes, pies, pound cakes, jams, jellies, dressings and freshly baked breads and rolls.

Adjoining the bakery is The Fine Foods Cafe, a storefront restaurant serving serious American cuisine in a not so serious atmosphere. Wonderful fresh fish, seafood, steaks, pastas, soups and stews accompany American classics such as meatloaf, crab cakes and lasagna. See our menu section for a full list of our daily offerings.

Full-service catering is also our specialty. We offer a range of catering services, from a simple dinner party or barbecue to a full-scale wedding with tents, beautiful china and elegant glassware. See our catering menu for some ideas.

Join us in our historic storefront café for “Serious” American Cuisine in a not
so serious atmosphere. Our chefs and bakers (on staff for over 10 years) live to create
Fine Food and Baked Goods that will absolutely “Dazzle” you.

Hudson Valley Magazine Voted
“Best Old Fashioned Brunch”—2008 and 2009

Critically acclaimed by: The New York Times, Zagat Survey, Connoisseur, Redbook Magazine and The Wine Spectator

Lunch: Tues.-Fri. 11:30 to 3
Brunch: Sat. & Sun. 9 to 3
Dinner: Weds.-Sat. 6 to 9:30
Open early for Sun. Dinner 5 to 9
Bakery is open 7 days a week
Full Service Catering