Got the winter blahs? Picture yourself snug and cozy, surrounded by leafy greenery and beautiful views, sipping beer, wine, or cider, and then digging into a fresh, expertly prepared locavore meal. Then head to Benton and make your dream come true.
When the creators of Full Circle wanted a relaxing, enchanting eatery to be part of Gardiner’s multifaceted community hub, they knew whom to ask: Greg and Melissa Gagne, owners of the beloved Grazery at the Water Street Market in New Paltz, whose cooking and hospitality had built the Red Rooster Cafe into a Gardiner cornerstone before the couple took some time off to focus on their kids.
“Mike Benevento came into Grazery and asked me if we’d be interested in creating something for Full Circle, and I loved the idea,” Gagne says. “I’ve always wanted to combine a bar with a greenhouse, and this was the perfect opportunity.” Benevento agreed. They’d wanted a greenhouse anyway; a greenhouse in which one could sit down and have a beer would be just the thing.
Open since February of 2025, Benton serves up fresh local comfort food and casually wonderful drinks in a welcoming, laid-back setting. The lush, fragrant greenhouse is the perfect antidote to the winter blahs—the perfect solution when you’re craving an outdoor meal, but the weather isn’t cooperating. “We have a woodstove, so it’s this warm, cozy heat.”
“I’ve always wanted to combine a bar with a greenhouse, and this was the perfect opportunity.” – Co-owner Greg Gagne
And being in there amid the greenery when the snow is falling, having a beer and a hot meal, is pure magic,” Gagne says. “It’s a great place to be after a day in the mountains, on a Sunday night with the kids when you don’t feel like cooking, or for a Friday night drink after work.”
Eight barstools offer another hangout option in the rustic kitchen building, where you can order from the simply delicious menu, and there’s patio seating for nice days. Burgers made with fresh grass-fed beef from Kilcoyne Farms, hand-cut fries, and authentic, perfectly seasoned poutine, in generous portions, are the perfect complement to the warm welcome. “Food was awesome. Portions are huge. Staff was lovely,” writes a local guide on Google.
It’s a natural fit for the Gagnes, Gardiner residents with life-long food and hospitality experience (Melissa attended the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, and both have worked in the industry in a large variety of settings), and a deep love of people and community. “It’s a small space, so there’s no table service,” Gagne says. “You order inside, you get a buzzer, you hang out, you pick up your food at the window. We are very helpful and accommodating, but we’re not at your table asking you if you want another drink. You can just kick back and come get that when you’re ready.”
The lush, fragrant greenhouse is the perfect antidote to the winter blahs—the perfect solution when you’re craving an outdoor meal, but the weather isn’t cooperating.
Full Circle is a unique facility, envisioned by its creators as offering “a break from the hustle,” and the Gagnes couldn’t be happier to be in the mix. “There’s a top-notch bakery and cafe, and an event space, the Living Room, where all kinds of things happen,” Gagne says. “It could be yoga in the morning, an educational event in the afternoon, a dance party in the evening, and somebody’s milestone gathering the next day; it’s whatever people want it to be, which is beautiful. Then too, Hudson Valley Trailworks has their headquarters there; they build trails all over the place, and it’s a great vibe having them for neighbors. There’s a lot for families to explore—natural playgrounds, a little pickleball court, walking trails all around the property, a pump track for bikes and scooters.”
It’s all based on building community, a perfect fit for the Benton business model. “It’s a very collective atmosphere,” Gagne says. “Everyone shares the work; everyone shares the tips. Everyone shares everything. If there’s something we want to do in the kitchen, it goes on the board, and we can mess around and figure out what works best for everyone and how it’s going to work. So it is a very collaborative, close-knit group that works really well together.”
“Everyone shares everything. If there’s something we want to do in the kitchen, it goes on the board, and we can mess around and figure out what works best.” – Co-owner Greg Gagne
Bouncing back and forth between New Paltz (the Grazery’s combination of plants, fine cheese, and community goodness is still a huge hit within Water Street Market) and Gardiner, Gagne says life just keeps getting better. “We’re lucky enough to be working with a great group of people at both places, so it allows us a little more flexibility. We don’t necessarily have to keep rigid schedules; we just kind of do what needs to be done.”
When they sold Red Rooster to Café Mio to devote more time to family, the Gagnes knew they were making the most precious investment they possibly could, and it’s working out beautifully at this point. “Our kids, the older ones, work at both places. Their friends work at Benton. Our 18-year-old daughter started a group of students at Water Street Market for when we do parties; they do all types of kids’ activities and stuff. So they’re pretty in tune and connected, and know that they can be a part of the community and work and help. It’s nice.”
benton beer garden
299 Brunswyck Road, Gardiner
845-419-2012,
bentonbeergarden.com
