Route 97 sweeps over and beside the hamlet of Callicoon, ushering travelers across a high bridge and through a quiet, tree-lined street that sits well off the main strip. But turn off the highway’s path and follow the side roads as they wind down the gradual slope of the hill towards the Delaware River, and you’ll find a delightful collection of shops, restaurants and community gathering places, the perfect place to spend a summertime afternoon. 

Callicoon Caffè

While it calls itself a caffè, this roadside eatery wears the stylings of a diner: comfortable booths, attentive service, overflowing plates. It’s a great spot for affordable breakfasts of the pancake, egg and sausage variety, or for solid diner-style coffee. (There’s a full lunch menu, too, for those seeking weightier fare.) It shares space and some clean, no-nonsense aesthetics with a gas-station convenience store, and its tall windows offer a direct view of the Delaware River and the perpetually-under-construction Callicoon Bridge. 

The Kitchen Table

The only spot on this list that doesn’t have “Callicoon” in its name, the Kitchen Table offers a wide range of delicacies one would be hard pressed to find in an average kitchen. From delectable pastries to finely crafted lattes, the Kitchen Table has something for every nibbler’s taste. For a special treat, it’s got boba (the initiated need hear no more; for the uninitiated, I will say no more, other than it’s worth a try). 

Callicoon Theater

The Upper Delaware’s premier (and only) movie theater, the Callicoon Theater brings the newest flicks and the hottest dramas to the riverside area. It’s the oldest continually operated cinema in Sullivan County, having opened in 1948, and stepping through its doors feels like a blast to the past, with low-key comfort and lower prices. Now playing (at least, if you’re reading this on release): Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” a timeless tale about the dangers of starting off on a journey without turning on your GPS. 

Callicoon Marketplace

Sometimes, the act of shopping is as much about the experience as it is about the end result, about the feeling of digging through a treasure chest of varied findings. The Callicoon Marketplace offers that experience, hosting a selection of permanent retailers and temporary vendors. Of note is the Callicoon Pantry, a low-waste grocery store that offers bulk goods for personal restocking, and the County Road Bakery, a gluten-free bakehouse. 

Callicoon Brewing Company

Feeling peckish? Don’t want to stop at Peck’s for food you’ll have to make yourself? After a long morning of wandering the shops of Callicoon, you can stop in at the Callicoon Brewing Company for thirst-quenching drinks and stomach-filling foods. This brew pub is located in the former 1880s Olympia Hotel, giving it a solid, old-timey atmosphere, and it boasts a menu filled with rich classics like cottage pie and meatloaf. 

Callicoon Depot

There aren’t any passenger trains stopping by the Callicoon Depot anymore. These days, it’s the depot itself that’s the destination, with a community-led effort looking to turn it into a combination town square, community center and visitor center. While hours at the center vary, it holds a market and used book sale every second Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., as well as regular community conversations and special events. 

Callicoon Farmers’ Market

The Callicoon Creek Park lets wanderers take an amble down to the banks of the Delaware River, surrounded by greenery and soothed by the bubbling of the river’s path. On summertime Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Callicoon Farmers’ Market sets up shop in the park, making it a destination for anyone looking for fresh produce or artisanal goods. The market’s “producer-only” bona-fides ensures that all participants either grow or produce their own goods and operate within 75 miles, ensuring that the market’s spirit remains strong.