No cell service and winding country roads make Bovina and the surrounding Delaware County feel suspended in time. Photo: Escape Brooklyn.

With no stoplights, no cell service, and more cows than people, Bovina is as pastoral as it gets. Rolling farmland, winding dirt roads, and weathered barns dot the landscape — a scene that feels suspended in time. But beneath the quiet exterior, this Delaware County town has quietly become one of the Catskills’ most exciting culinary destinations.

Recently profiled in Vogue for its “impossibly charming” dinner parties, Bovina is drawing chefs, artists, and travelers in search of a slower pace and a more intimate food culture.

Interior of Brushland Eating House, located right on Bovina’s Main Street. Photo: Christian Harder.

Bovina Farm & Fermentory

The centerpiece of Bovina’s rise is this tavern-style restaurant and brewery from Jacob Sackett and Elizabeth Stark. Saturday night dinners unfold in an antique-filled dining room with handwritten menus, seasonal fare served from cast-iron pots, and beer brewed on-site.

Brushland Eating House

Opened by Sohail and Sara Zandi in a former tavern, Brushland has become synonymous with Bovina. Its intimate dining room serves seasonal menus alongside events like “Persian Feast” nights, where dishes are shared family-style. Upstairs, two apartments extend the experience, making it easy to linger for the weekend.

First Bloom Corner Store

Cookbook author Alison Roman, who once lived above Brushland while writing her books, recently opened this café and provisions shop in nearby South Kortright. Serving coffee, baked goods, and pantry staples, it’s quickly become a community hub and a natural extension of the Bovina food scene.

Beyond Bovina

Just outside of town, the culinary landscape continues to expand. In Stamford, chef Michael Solyn produces artisanal charcuterie at Solinsky’s Meats, while in Delancey, Magpies on Pink Street will soon open as a destination pie shop.

Views from atop Bramley Mountain trail in peak summer. Photo: Escape Brooklyn.

Life in Bovina moves at a slower rhythm. Hiking trails like nearby Bramley Mountain or the Shavertown Trail offer sweeping views of Pepacton Reservoir. In winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing start right from the property lines, while Plattekill Mountain is just 30 minutes away for downhill skiing and snowboarding.

September brings Bovina Farm Day, a beloved annual event celebrating the region’s agricultural heritage. Throughout the year, workshops, farm visits, and pop-up dinners reflect the community’s creative and agrarian roots.

Antique hunters will find plenty in neighboring towns: Fisk Auctions for estate finds, This & That in Delhi, or Franklin for Kabinett & Kammer.

Bovina’s food scene is matched by a growing selection of thoughtful places to stay. Connected to Brushland Eating House, two minimalist-yet-cozy apartments (Above and Behind Brushland, respectively) offer the ultimate in-town retreat. Meanwhile, just outside of town, Owl Nest — a rustic two-story cabin on Bramley Mountain also from the Brushland team — provides a more secluded escape, with a wood-burning stove, cast-iron tub, and outdoor shower tucked into the forest. Owl Nest is one of the featured stays in the Escape Club app, where you can discover Owl Nest along with dozens of other design-forward rentals and boutique hotels across the Catskills and Hudson Valley. Last, for a farm-to-stay experience, the new Shaker-inspired rooms above Bovina Farm & Fermentory let guests pair an unforgettable dinner with an overnight stay in the heart of the countryside.