Doug Thompson has no trouble swimming a mile or stirring up enough hearty soup to warm the hearts of those who call Main Street Bistro their home away from home.
Thompson bought the Main Street eatery 16 years ago from its previous owner, slowly changing it over to what he envisioned he wanted to offer the community – from its name to its menu, it has Thompson’s signature on it. Thompson offers something for everyone: vegan lover to meat maven. Better still, his prices are affordable and despite the sour economy, Thompson isn’t skimping when he serves his customers.
Originally from Long Island, Thompson came to the Hudson Valley as a SUNY New Paltz student and to live closer to his father, who was a chef at the Culinary Institute of America. His father’s sudden death in an automobile accident when Thompson was 19 sent him reeling … and eventually brought him back to New Paltz once he finished school.
“I’ve got a real connection to this place,” said Thompson. His father would be proud of the success his son has made of a failing business, turning it into a standing-room-only eatery on weekends and in the summer because of its flavorful food and reasonable prices. A little offbeat art gives the restaurant a bit of downtown Manhattan’s cachet.
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