Lola’s Café and Catering began with modest intentions back in 2005, when lifelong Hudson Valley restaurateur Edward Kowalski decided to open a “little sandwich shop.” Fifteen years in, mid-pandemic, with indoor dining off the menu in mid-May, Lola’s was pushing hundreds of meals out the door on a daily basis and running full throttle. Ed says it’s the biggest challenge he’s ever faced. “We’ve had to pivot every hour, it seems. Closing the dining room meant losing the ability to create that family setting that we’re founded on. I feel like I have no control of the outcome. I’ve worked so hard my entire life to make these restaurants successful, and suddenly everything I know how to do, and was doing so well, has completely changed.”
The concept is classic: freshly prepared local foods for affordable prices in a traditional family business.
What hasn’t changed is the outstanding flavors bursting from Lola’s burgers, bowls, wraps, paninis, sandwiches, and sides—Hudson Valley favorites at both the Poughkeepsie and New Paltz locations for years—and the exquisite Neapolitan pizza from Lolita’s, which joined the family in 2018.
The concept is classic: freshly prepared local foods for affordable prices in a traditional family business.
Lola’s quickly became a rising star on the catering scene, as well. “As far as the catering goes, I feel like we are unique,” says Ed. “We bring fine dining, restaurant-quality food to our clients in an off-premise setting.”
A Poughkeepsie native, Ed learned hospitality from a master in an old-school Italian deli, Assenza’s. (Ironically, Lola’s occupies the same location at the Poughkeepsie end of what’s now the Walkway
These days, reviewers rave about the ease of ordering and pickup along with the topnotch food and customer service that still goes the extra mile.
Over the Hudson.) “Assenza’s was run and operated by an immigrant couple and their son Sal,” says Ed. “Sal treated every single customer like they were one of the family. Race, financial status, whether they drove up in a Porsche or were paying with food stamps—that man welcomed everyone like immediate family and that was the main lesson I was taught.”
That was during his time at Hyde Park High School. After marrying his high school sweetheart at 21, he found himself in the kitchen. “She really didn’t cook much and she was working 12-hour shifts as a nurse, so I taught myself how to cook real quick,” he recalls. Finding that he liked it, he furthered his education at the Culinary Institute of America.
As a young chef, he developed strong opinions about how a restaurant should operate. “I always felt like, ‘if this were my business, I would do this.…’ I was naive. I knew how to cook, I was good at creating a strong work environment in the kitchen, but I didn’t know anything about the intricacies of running a business. When I decided to go out on my own it was a real transition.” Nowadays, he mentors young chefs on his team, teaching them to stay accountable and focused.
“As far as our catering goes, I feel like we are unique,” says Ed.
Needless to say, Ed’s transition into restaurant owner was an extremely successful one. Review sites are full of raves about Lola’s. “Definitely a gem.” “Incredibly flavorful and fresh.” “Like a coffee house and a trendy deli got married.” These days, reviewers rave about the ease of ordering and pickup along with the topnotch food and customer service that still goes the extra mile. “Not only were the burgers delicious—special sauce is perfectly spicy (Sriracha maybe?), cheese, lettuce, homemade pickles, added bacon, the fries well seasoned (as he promised), but he also took the time to direct us to a lovely place to eat by the water with a view of the bridge,” writes a satisfied visitor from downstate of the socially-distanced Lola’s experience.
Ed says his team’s happiness and well-being is the key to survival in tough times. “When you work under this kind of stress all day, you want to enjoy what you’re doing no matter the circumstances. I think the fact that my people love what they do shows in the end product.... We’ve always had strict cleaning schedules and sanitation—all restaurants do—so on that side not much has changed. But not having guests be able to sit in the restaurants, not being able to ask how their day is, how their kids are, what’s going on in their lives face to face instead of through protective face coverings? It’s very difficult for all of us. I miss seeing the smiles the most, I guess. But I am confident that all will return to normal, even if it’s a ‘new’ normal.”
At Lolita’s “we pride ourselves on creating that ‘neighborhood’ dining experience: a variety of local microbrews, a killer wine list, and excellent Neapolitan pizzas and freshly made pastas.”
–Ed Kowalski, owner
Lolita’s Pizza started out in 2009 as Crave Restaurant and Lounge. “It was fine dining straight out of New York City, or at least I felt it was,” says Ed. “We were Zagat-rated, won the Wine Spectator award...pristine tablecloths and high-end spirits—all of it. Then we decided it was time to lighten the mood and take the stiffness out, and Crave turned into a wood-fired pizzeria. We pride ourselves at creating that ‘neighborhood’ dining experience: a variety of local microbrews, a killer wine list, and excellent Neapolitan pizzas and freshly made pastas.”
Ed’s son Tyler followed him into the business and graduated from the Culinary Institute in 2014. He could not be more proud.
That was in 2018, and it turned out that Poughkeepsie had been totally craving Neapolitan pizza; Lolita’s has a solid five-star rating, with even former Crave regulars chiming in to proclaim it “just simply excellent.”
Ed is proud of the way Lola’s and Lolita’s have risen to the occasion, but eager to welcome his family of hungry customers back for leisurely meals. “My business decisions have a direct impact, not just on me and my own family, but all the employees and their families, and I love that there’s no one to point fingers at or blame; at the end of the day, it’s all on me,” he says.
And while everyone at the café feels like family, Ed and his team truly are family—his son Tyler followed him into the business and graduated from the Culinary Institute in 2014. Ed could not be more proud, noting that “my favorite part of this business is working with my son and watching him mature into a leadership role.”
“I love the restaurant business. As hard and demanding as it is, I’d never want to do anything else with my life.... I honestly appreciate every single person that comes into every one of my restaurants. I’ll never take that for granted. There are a lot of options today in regards to where a person decides to eat, and I am honored that they decide to come to one of mine. It validates everything I believe in.”
lola’s café and gourmet catering
131 Washington Street, Poughkeepsie
49 Main Street, New Paltz | 845-255-6555 | 845-471-8555
Lolascafeandcatering.com
lolita’s pizza
129 Washington Street, Poughkeepsie | 845-452-8100
lolitaspizza.com
