In article ,
Matt Whiting wrote:

I think you are located about 200 miles from ELM, any airports you'd
recommend that have a decent restaurant? The plan is to fly out late in
the day, spend some time chowing down while the sun sets and then fly
back for the night 200 miles.

Starting about 50 miles SW of HPN, Sky Manor (Pittstown, NJ) has a nice
restaurant. Added bonuses are the collection of tropical birds in cages
outside (at least during the summer), and some guy on the field has
imported a couple of Russian twin-engine seaplanes that he's trying to fix
up; they're on the ramp so you can gawk at them (I think they made the
cover of AOPA Pilot a while ago).

A little closer, in northern NJ, Lincoln Park, Blairstown, and Greenwood
lake all have small restaurants on the field. I use all of them on a
semi-regular basis for BFRs (fly there, do the ground work over lunch, then
fly back). Of the bunch, I think Lincoln Park is the nicest, if you were
looking for real food. Not sure I would recommend Lincoln Park for a night
departure if you're unfamiliar with the airport; small runway, complicated
airspace, and close-in terrain.

Sky Acres (Millbrook, NY) has another nice little restaurant, overlooking
the runway (another good BFR destination). The word around my flying club
is that the new restaurant in Orange County, NY is pretty good, but I
haven't been there myself yet.

Dutchess County used to have a place called the Woronock House that was
excellent; it's since changed hands and I don't like the food as much.
Park at the BP pumps, and you can walk to a gate in the fence which leads
to the restaurant. These days, I suspect you need an escort from the
airport to get through the gate. As you might suspect from my lack of
familiarity with the current procedures, I don't frequent that much any
more (like I said, the food isn't as good as it used to be).

A really class act is Columbia County. Walk to a gate in the fence at the
north-west corner of the airport and there's an excellent restaurant. They
do a nice lunch buffet (maybe just on weekends?), and have a full menu. Of
all the places I've mentioned, this is the best, food-wise. No runway
view, however.

On all of these, I really only know about lunch. Some may not even be open
for dinner. Best call ahead.