Travel Guide: Narrowsburg, NY
Narrowsburg is one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it towns, but in a good way. It’s definitely what led Jenna to buy a house here. Two-and-a-half hours outside of New York City and tucked between the Catskill and Pocono Mountains, Narrowsburg gets its name because it sits on the narrowest point of the Delaware River. Like so many of the charming towns that pepper Route 28, much of the action in town centers around Main Street. Here are the best places to antique, unwind and repeat.
Main photo by Michael Mundy with Maison Bergogne
TO SHOP: Sunny’s Pop
Sunrise Ruffalo started Sunny’s Pop as, well, a pop-up shop in Callicoon. It is filled with antiques and beautiful ceramics for New Yorkers who flee the city for summer in the Catskills. Sunny’s Pop now has permanent space on the main drag in Narrowsburg, and Ruffalo consistently proves she has a knack for finding the simplest, prettiest things: From a turn-of-the-century commode chair and 1940s end tables to a maple cutting board, cashmere cushions, and even a chic metal dustpan.
JENNA SAYS: Everyone gets a beautiful Iris Hantverk toilet brush as a gift from me … eventually.
76 Main St., Narrowburg; sunnyspop.com.
TO SHOP: Nest
It’s a familiar narrative: Anna Bern traded in her job as Vogue design director for the slower pace of the western Catskills. She moved to Narrowsburg in 2006 and opened Nest, a lifestyle boutique that she lovingly stocks with big items (a walnut veneer dining table, graphic prints by Scandinavian artists) and small ones (vintage Brutalist earrings, waxed cotton Chore coat). And if you’re in the market for a permanent place, Bern has a Swedish prefab house distributor on speed dial.
JENNA SAYS: I love the Scandinavian candles.
15 Main St., Narrowsburg; nestcatskills.com.
TO SHOP: MayerWasner
Shop owner and designer Pamela Mayer, who studied design at the Pratt Institute, brings her love of natural fibers and well-cut clothing to life with her namesake collection. A thoughtful edit of designers like Ace & Jig and Micaela Greg round out her inventory.
JENNA SAYS: The best collection of jewelry — and poofy pants — in town.
55 Main St., Narrowsburg; mayerwasner.com.
TO SHOP: Maison Bergogne
In a cavernous old garage, artist Juliette Hermant creates otherworldly vignettes that tell stories: a rolling oak ladder, hand-drawn watercolors, an etched wine carafe. Nothing feels staged, expected or too precise. More than 90 percent of the items are local to the region and each piece — from the time-worn furniture to the rusted hardware and taxidermy — are lovingly selected by Hermant. The shop never looks or feels the same. Items get rearranged and rediscovered, making it the kind of place to which you want to return again and again.
JENNA SAYS: A haven of curiosities.
226 Bridge St., Narrowsburg; maisonbergogne.com
Photo by Michael Mundy with Maison Bergogne
TO SHOP: River Gallery
River Gallery owners Barry Becker and Tony Coscia, ex-fashion industry veterans, are Narrowsburg OGs. After spending 30 years living on Washington Square in New York City, they built a home in Narrowsburg and decided to make things more permanent. For nearly two decades, they’ve helped steer Narrowsburg’s revival, starting with the opening of River Gallery. Inside, the couple mixes old and new in a way that feels effortless. Nothing is too country or too rustic. There’s a steady stream of mid-century modern chairs, custom reclaimed teak dinner and end tables, plus local landscape and folk art. If you can’t plan a trip, they regularly post the latest arrivals on Instagram.
JENNA SAYS: Sarah-Kate and Justin picked up a great looking teak bench from here.
8 Main St, Narrowsburg; rivergalleryny.com.
TO EAT: The Laundrette
Located in a former 1970s laundromat on the bank of the Delaware River, The Laundrette has become a go-to spot for wood-fired pizza. Picking a favorite pie feels cruel; there’s a ricotta, gruyere, gorgonzola and mozzarella that would convert any four-cheese skeptic and a perfect a-spicy soppressata with hot honey that packs just the right amount of heat. If you’re feeling virtuous, there’s a good kale salad. For now, it’s take-out only.
JENNA SAYS: Best pizza I’ve ever had.
20 5th St., Narrowsburg; thelaundrette.xyz
Photo credit: Pernille and Thomas Loof
TO EAT: The Heron
In the summer months, take your meal on the patio overlooking the river. It’s fun and lively, and the service is just as warm as you’d expect. No matter what time of year you visit, Southern-inspired comfort food like fried chicken and pickled jalapenos will keep you coming back, or at the very least salivating at the thought of those buttermilk biscuits.
JENNA SAYS: The best f-ing food on the planet.
40 Main St., Narrowsburg; theheronrestaurant.com
TO STAY: The Stickett Inn
Smack dab in the center of town, the Stickett Inn has four 2-bedroom suites as well as a standalone 850-square-foot cottage in the back. The rooms are comfortable, light and bright, some with a small kitchenette. The tie-dyed bedding is custom from New York artist Kalen Kaminski of Upstate, and the bathroom is stocked with toiletries from Red Flower.
Pull up a seat at the Bang Bang Bar and try the housemade cider.
JENNA SAYS: Stay for the hard cider, load up on toiletries (made by the owners’ friends).
3380 Route 97, Barryville; rooms from $150; stickettinn.com