You can tell it’s a Taavo Somer space before you’ve even stepped through the door. There’s always something quietly cinematic about the way the light falls, how the materials hum instead of shout, and the way the whole place feels like it’s been there forever, even when it hasn’t.
But Little Goat, his newest spot in Rhinebeck, is different. It’s warmer. More intimate. And if his past projects—Freemans, INNESS, Ray’s Bars—were about creating a world, this one feels like home.
“I moved to Rhinebeck with my family in 2018,” Somer says, “and ever since, I’ve been daydreaming about opening an all-day spot like Little Goat. But for years, there just wasn’t a space that felt right.”
Then came the opportunity he’d been waiting for. “One building in particular—the old Amsterdam restaurant—always caught my eye. I drove past it nearly every day for seven years, imagining what it could become.”
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Set the Scene
It’s become a bakery, café, and pantry in front—with house-made pastries, Sparrowbush bread, local provisions, and florals by Ariel Dearie—and a cozy dining room in the back. There’s lunch and dinner, a cocktail list built for lazy afternoons, and a menu that leans Mediterranean with a distinctly Hudson Valley sensibility.
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But the design is the real heart of the space. This project marks a new chapter for Taavo as he continues to evolve his distinct design voice—this time as sole designer. “The building originally felt dark and a little sad—but it wanted to be happy and bright,” he says. “We brought in a warm, glowy cream-colored palette, golden lighting, brass sconces from deVOL and Nickey Kehoe, and soft cream curtains to completely shift the mood.”
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He designed the space as a tribute to the women in his life—his wife, his daughters, his mother, his muses. “I wanted to create a space that felt soft, feminine, and welcoming—somewhere even my two pre-teen girls would feel drawn to wander alongside me and my wife.”
And so there are layers: vintage French chairs, painted millwork, Calacatta Viola marble, oilcloth curtains, and creamy tones from Farrow & Ball—New White, String, and Wimborne White. A Josef Frank silk light fixture from Somers’ own home hangs above a table. Ironstone from his kitchen lines the shelves.
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“Some of the ironstone dishes and ceramics came straight from my own kitchen— and even the Josef Frank silk light fixture is something I’ve had and loved for years. Bringing these personal pieces into the space makes it feel that much more like home,” he says. His youngest daughter is even contributing. “My youngest daughter is also making little goat figurines at school to add to the shelves.”
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What Can We Expect from the Menu?
The food is equally thoughtful and grounded in the day-to-day reality of family dinner. “One of my daughters is a vegetarian, and the other is very picky—so dinner at our house is often a buffet-style spread where everyone can build their own plate,” Somer explains. “I wanted to bring that same sense of abundance, flexibility, and comfort to the restaurant.”
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Executive Chef Brian Paragas leads the kitchen, with Consulting Chef Brian Arruda lending creative support. Dishes like ricotta gnudi with mushrooms, roasted La Belle Farm chicken with salsa verde, and grilled steelhead trout feel comforting but refined. There’s handmade pasta, of course, and desserts like olive oil spelt cake with whipped mascarpone—simple, seasonal, and satisfying.
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The front café and pantry offer a more casual atmosphere, featuring pastries and bread, as well as balsamic vinegars from Flamingo Estate and Talbott & Arding crackers. You could just stop in for a loaf and a cookie. Or linger over coffee until it turns into cocktails.
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Tell Us About the Drinks
And yes, the cocktails are serious—but unpretentious. Local bartending power couple Natasha David and Jeremy Oertel have built a list that leans bright and Mediterranean: beet-infused gin with cassis and hibiscus ginger beer, a saffron-tinged Contratto spritz, and a savory house martini seasoned with dried tomato and lemon bitters. There’s even a thoughtful spirit-free menu, like a sumac spritz and Aplos with tonic.
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Longtime collaborator Erin Winters—who’s helped helm INNESS and Lola Pizza—co-founded the project with Somer and helped shape the vibe behind the scenes. “Erin and I have been working together for eight years now,” he says. “Along the way, we’ve always talked about opening a place like this. It’s been a long-running conversation—and a shared dream—that finally came to life.”
Final Thoughts
As always with Somer’s projects, the story is in the layers. But this time, it’s also in the heart. “Every project is site-specific,” he says. “So, when I begin designing, I like to let the space guide me toward what it wants to become. Here, it felt it wanted to be a lady, bright and happy.”
And what does he hope people feel when they walk in? His answer is immediate: “I want people to feel beautiful, comfort, and joy the moment they walk through the door. More than anything, I hope the space feels welcoming and uplifting—like a little everyday escape.”
He needn’t worry. It does.
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