INTEL: HAEMA HOSPITALITY MAKES A MOVE TO HUDSON
THE DISHING INTEL: Pop up Haema Hospitality goes official with a move into the former Bar Bene wine bar on Warren Street, Hudson.
We get the scoop from owners S.J. McLaughlin + Chef Hannah Wong about their first brick-and-mortar, and check in with Marie Wong, owner of the Bar Bene building, about the latest move.
A few weeks back, we heard Haema Hospitality would be opening in the Bar Bene space—but without a signed lease, it wasn’t official. Now it’s confirmed: Haema Hospitality, the beloved pop up from chef Hannah Wong and her partner SJ McLaughlin, who met while working at The Aviary in Kinderhook as the founding chef and G.M., will open their first brick-and-mortar by late spring.
Over the last year, Haema Hospitality has been popping up everywhere from Delaware Supply to the Old Chatham Country Store, Kinderhook Books, Neverstill Wines + Klocke Estate. In late July 2025, while interviewing Chef Hannah + SJ for Issue No. 09 of The Dishing’s “It’s Only Tuesday!” newsletter, I asked about their future plans:
SDP: Is there anything you miss about a permanent brick-and-mortar restaurant? Is there one in your future plans?SJ/Hannah: “There are days we miss the physical stability of a brick-and-mortar. It’s something you take for granted until you don’t have it. Our business being so mobile is beneficial in many ways, but it’s also a bit of a psychological struggle sometimes feeling like you don’t have a real home. So we are definitely looking forward to that someday, hopefully in the near future. “
In November 2025, The Dishing chatted with Marie Wong, owner of Bar Bene, for our feature “Why Are so Many Restaurants Closing?” as she prepared to close the doors of her popular Hudson wine bar. In late December, came an update, “As for the bar, I have someone seriously interested in renting the space for a restaurant who would like to have the space by March and open for late spring. We’re currently working through the details, but I’m excited about it…”
In February we knew it was happening, and on March 2, 2026, Chef Hannah and SJ confirmed in an Instagram post:
”The beloved former @barbenehudson on Warren Street is the future home of brick & mortar HAEMA. We could not have been more fortunate to land this gem—it felt just right from the moment we walked in and we are honored to transition this cutie space to its next life.”
Fresh Intel: March 2026 — The Dishing reached out to Marie Wong and the Haema duo for details:
SDP: Marie, congrats. Super exciting Haema is moving in, but is it bittersweet for you as well?
MW: “For sure, saying goodbye to Bar Bene was difficult, but knowing the space will be brought back to life by Haema couldn’t be more exciting! Hannah is an incredible chef and the partnership of she and SJ will deliver something truly special and unique to Hudson. I’m really looking forward to seeing what they create and being their number one patron!”
SDP: Chef Hannah and SJ, congrats on the brick-and-mortar. Are you going to be doing much of an interior renovation or is it mostly turnkey? Is there even a full kitchen there?
HW/SJM: [Laughs] There’s not much of a kitchen. We’re taking all of the resources of what we’ve learned through our pop ups to be able to make food out of a place where there isn’t much in terms of equipment. We’re outfitting the basement for our service kitchen—mostly prep and storage-so we won’t have our commissary kitchen anymore, but it’s still easier than doing it all offsite and carrying it in!
SDP: Can you tell us about the food? Will it be mostly the same as the Haema pop ups?
HW: The kitchen is all electric, so no wood-fires. But we’re working with those constraints and we’re excited to have more of our Asian street food-inspired dishes with a Hudson Valley focus on the menu. There will be bar snacks and handmade noodle dishes. We’re in the process of working on the menu. Maybe handpulled or hand cut noodles… I’d like that to be associated with the space. But, given my background, it’s not super traditional, not fusion, but is drawing from a lot of my experiences… not just one culture. I’m excited to see how we can create different versions of traditional dishes.”
SDP: And how about the space? Any revamp of the design? Will you use the slim outdoor courtyard?
HW: Yes, definitely we’ll use the patio or court yard. It will be a 40-seat inside, utilizing the bar. We’ll change the mid century modern style to something that’s maybe modern, eclectic. We’ll have ceramics made by our friends for people to enjoy or even purchase. Knickknacks collected from traveling. We’re having a friend paint a mural in front that’s a replica of Vietnamese folk art painting, which is pretty cool. We want it to feel more aligned with our own-I don’t know-our, what, more casual vibe? Bar Bene was great for a wine bar but we definitely plan to be open in the day on Sundays to start so we want something that translates to day as well.
SDP: What do you think your hours will be?
SJM: We’ll be open for Wednesday to Saturday dinner. And Sunday daytime with the same menu. And then kinda playing with the idea of family-style pre-orders pick ups like we did at on Sundays at Kinderhook farm. I think families will appreciate that.
SDP: Do you have anyone lined up to run the bar or oversee the cocktail program?
SJM: So, we’re aiming to have full liquor license and it will be us and small team running it. For the bar program, I’m thinking it will be classic cocktails, maybe with Asian twists, but we don’t want to overcomplicate it. We want it to be something we can get out quickly, streamlined, easy enough for staff to get behind the bar and help out. …we do have some bartenders lined up.
SDP: It’s hard to predict how soon licensing and permits will be finalized, but if all things align, when do you hope to open?
SJM: I’d say ASAP, but probably mid-May. Definitely by June!
Read our full 2025 tastemaker interview with Haema Hospitality here.
