So, you use brunch as a verb. But there’s brunching with your grandmother, and then there’s brunching (sound the five-alarm fire sirens) with your old college friends. Luckily, there’s a time and place for everything in Westchester.
Mild
Elegant or rustic, these brunch vibes are the most chill, with no morning-after side effects.
Tasty Table
Ossining
Lisa Ocasio is the heart and soul behind Tasty Table, a tiny (merely 40 seats) yet somehow airy café. The self-taught home cook didn’t have professional industry experience before opening the eatery in late 2018, and the feeling of being a guest in someone’s home permeates the ambiance and menu. The outdoor seating is canine-friendly — there’s even a special Fido-approved menu, including a barkuterie board and capoochinos.
At the standout brunch, most dishes are less than $20. Start with a sake cocktail or mimosa flight as you peruse the menu with myriad egg plates (huevos rancheros, shakshuka, omelets, four different Benedicts), a brunch pizza, griddle items (the Nutella-stuffed French toast is a fun dessert-as-a-meal indulgence), and delicious house-made empanadas. Fried chicken and waffles, lemon ricotta pancakes, and biscuits with smoked brown sugar butter are some of the chalkboard specials where the kitchen really excels.
Note: Reservations aren’t accepted for brunch, but staff will accept 30-minute call-aheads.
Birdsall House
Peekskill
Don’t let the gastropub classification fool you at Birdsall House, where the fare’s crafted with care just as much as the beer. The ethos is casual farm-to-table food in a tavern setting. Saturday brunch is a la carte, and Sunday’s crowd arrives a smidge earlier for the prix fixe with more options, including one bloody mary, beer, or mimosa. Outside the pub, the beer garden’s picnic tables are surrounded by planters and a bocce ball court, and the patio’s umbrella tables are popular four-tops.
Come for the cultivated-in-house corned beef and its plate partner, the next-level hash, oven-sizzled in a cast-iron skillet before it’s sliced into wedges and dolloped with sour cream. Long revered for its rendition of the Reuben, the restaurant offers its regular menu during brunch too, so don’t let that classic fly by untasted (with the corned beef!). Same goes for the grits ’n’ eggs, where Salumeria Biellese lamb merguez rests in a pillow of Wild Hive Parmesan polenta.
It’s a place where General George Washington paused for a rest, and so should you. After all, the gelato, sausage, and condiments, like the bloody mary mix, are made in-house.
Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant & Inn
Chappaqua
What began as a barn in 1790 has since evolved into a genteel experience for those with a palate for the finer things in life. Oozing with elegance and history inside the storied walls and in the sun-dappled garden patio, the restaurant’s Old-World ambiance is befitting its $49.50 prix-fixe brunch spread, which charms diners with delicacies such as Maine lobster bisque or Goffle Road Poultry Farm chicken liver mousse with red onion marmalade, pecan cranberry crostini, and crushed pistachios. The menu changes based on availability at regional farms, but the berry buttermilk pancakes could be accompanied by macadamia nut brittle, or the chocolate chip bread pudding may luxuriate in Tuthilltown baby bourbon créme.
The provenance of ingredients is prominent here: Eggs can come from Feather Ridge Farm, the goat cheese from Coach Farm, and the broccoli rabe from Hepworth Farm. Sip your selection from among the 45,000 bottles housed in the Wine Enthusiast Award-winning wine cellar, formerly the horse and carriage stables. At Crabtree’s, classic roots matter.
X2O Xaviars on the Hudson
Yonkers
Nestled on the historic Yonkers pier, X2O Xaviars on the Hudson offers a brunch that mixes wonderful views, stretching from Manhattan to the Cuomo Bridge and north, with culinary brilliance. This multilevel, glass-and-steel restaurant softened by sumptuous flower arrangements is led by Chef Peter Kelly and boasts a menu rich in Italian, Spanish, French, and Asian inspiration.
A table menu offers a $48 three-course brunch with unlimited prosecco, Bellinis, mimosas, and Kir Royales, plus assorted extras passed from the kitchen between courses. These extras can include luscious baby lamb chops, mushroom ravioli, or signature coconut shrimp. A basket of warm house-baked goodies sets things off via service that’s unobtrusive, yet professional. Stellar mains include short rib ravioli with foie gras, black truffle risotto, buttermilk fried chicken with Gruyère mac ’n’ cheese, and miso-glazed king salmon. Desserts, always house-made, may be a Belgian chocolate espresso tart or almond pound cake with blueberry compote and candied almonds.
Courses are skillfully timed and of varying degrees of deliciousness, making X2O a top brunch experience you’ll put on repeat.
The Meadows Social Kitchen & Bar
Harrison
You don’t need to be a Harrison Meadows Country Club member to enjoy one of the county’s most bountiful and family-friendly brunches. The myriad offerings at multiple buffet tables and serving stations (omelet bar, carving station) vary from week to week and meals are enjoyed with verdant views of the club’s golf course. The cuisine is predominately American comfort fare from Executive Chef Adam Lakis, previously at the Larchmont Yacht Club and Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Brunch selections you may see are antipasti, smoked salmon, a range of hot pasta and fish dishes, eggs Benedict, French toast, and house-baked items like muffins and breads.
The $38 price for adults ($30 for children 12 and younger) includes a mimosa or prosecco, but if you’re a parent, the best aspect is the Kids’ Zone. This reservation-required play area is downstairs and supervised by staff who play with the children while their adults can harken back to more carefree, relaxed brunch days.
Le Poisson
Bedford
Brunches typically are the most casual of meals but expect tradition and elegance at Le Poisson, the seafood-forward fine-dining French restaurant that was previously La Crémaillère. Chef-partner Thomas Burke’s menus are inspired by the coastal regions of France, plus his strong restaurant pedigree under such culinary luminaires as Thomas Keller, Charlie Palmer, and Eric Ripert. There is a modicum of ingredients per dish; Burke emphasizes simplicity and on-point technique so the central ingredient can shine.
The a la carte brunch menu’s first-course offerings include hamachi tartare with marinated cucumbers, cilantro, and avocado gazpacho, a refreshing and vibrant starter that balances delicate flavors and textures.
Mains to try are the decadent lobster omelet with Maine lobster and Comté; crab Benedict featuring Jonah crab and Meyer lemon hollandaise; and prime filet mignon with scrambled eggs, crispy duck fat potatoes, and beárnaise sauce.
Desserts are as beautifully presented as they are a joy to eat: The chocolate orange bar with chocolate mousse and orange crème bavarois is a winner.
At Le Poisson, brunch transcends its casual roots, offering a sophisticated, white-tablecloth dining experience.
Medium
Brunching here can go either way, depending on your crowd. Like Goldilocks’ porridge, it’s not too cold or too hot — just right.
Augustine’s Salumeria
Mamaroneck
Sway along to jams that skyrocket your serotonin while noshing on bites that beef up your dopamine. The good vibes at Augustine’s are only rivaled by gastronomical sorcery splashed across the menu in terms of mortadella benedetto and cinnamon French toast with fresh pane from Kneaded Bread. There is no need to fight the battle of savory or sweet when you can pair your buoyant blueberry compote-drenched pancakes with fries smothered in Parmigiano fonduta, crispy pancetta, and fresh-cracked black pepper. “We wanted brunch to feel magical and seasonal with meticulously curated cocktails, crafting an immersive experience that shows the love and care we put into both food and beverage,” says Chef-owner Marc Taxiera, who, together with partner and wife Brianne Myers, has fostered a place for the brunch faithful to flock. When you’re sipping on a well-balanced cocktail (that may or may not have a flower floating in it), humming along to Stevie Nicks, and passing time with people who make it feel as if time hasn’t moved at all, there is little left to be desired.
Goosefeather
Tarrytown
The 1940s King Mansion and ceilings slashed with abstract paint swirls aren’t the only impressive parts of Goosefeather. It’s not just the four stylish dining rooms, two terraces, tented patio, or garden dining areas either. Nor is it James Beard-nominated Chef Dale Talde’s pedigree, as the host of Tastemade’s All Up In My Grill, two-time chef-testant and judge on Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning Top Chef and judge on Chopped, Knife Fight, and Beat Bobby Flay. It’s the food itself, which shines at brunch, when beachy beats waft through the windows of the sunshine-filled dining rooms, says Cesar Antipas, director of operations. “We like to put a Cantonese twist on your average brunch,” he says of the a la carte menu. “You’re not going to get an omelet; you’re not going to get an eggs Benedict. We have French toast, but it’s Hong Kong French toast, soaked in condensed milk, with ginger maple syrup. Instead of a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich, we do it with fried rice.” Another delicious example: The sauce on the mochi waffle changes seasonally. Lubricate yourself with $40 unlimited drinks for up to 90 minutes from a cocktail menu where the bloody mary is spiced with siracha and the Bellini’s prosecco is accompanied by your choice of: framboise, cassis, apricot, peach, or pamplemousse.
La Casa
Bronxville
Showcasing sophisticated Mexican dishes in a breezy atmosphere, La Casa’s brunch game is hard to rival. Offering bottomless drinks for a two-hour window at a mere $30 per person, you’re already off to a roaring start: May we humbly suggest the La Casa margarita? Papas con chorizo is the ideal welcoming committee for the meal, while the trifecta of guacamole, chips, and salsa comes in as a close silver. Dig into the chilaquiles for a snappy entrée: Corn tortillas are simmered in green sauce with gooey sunny-side eggs, avocado, Mexican cream, and queso fresco. Go beyond your comfort zone and call out for the torrejas, Mexican French toast. To send the event off on a sweet note, the churros come out from the kitchen warm, riding shot-gun with chocolate sauce, wrapped in a paper bag for a quick getaway or a snack for the next adventure up.
Greca Estiatorio
White Plains
There are unlimited Bellinis, mimosas, and bloody marys for brunch at Greca, the stylish three-level Med-Greek restaurant encased in glass-and-metal-beams, but a baklava old fashioned (Angels Envy bourbon, cinnamon syrup, black walnut bitters, candied walnut) is more in keeping with the cuisine heritage. This is more than typical comforttaverna fare. It’s often elevated by presentation, creativity, and local or imported ingredients. Expect tsoureki French toast made with Greek brioche and candied walnuts served with Greek yogurt; kayiana, a Greek egg scramble dish with tomatoes, onion, herbs, crumbled feta, and pita; and shakshuka, the North African dish of eggs poached in a tomato and pepper sauce. The lunch menu is available during Sunday brunch hours too, so if you want to go big with a whole branzino cooked on an open flame or a beef-lamb burger dressed up in tyrokafteri, a spicy dip made of feta, roasted sweet red pepper, and hot peppers, you can.
Pro Tip: Park at The Opus Westchester across the street, and Greca validates your parking post-meal.
Southern Table Kitchen & Bar
Pleasantville
Honing in on South Carolina among several decadent Southern (and global) influences, this lively eatery is known for a la carte brunch indulgences that often elicit oohs and aahs when landing at the table. Enter the Charleston-inspired Dirty Nasty, “an anything-goes kind of event,” says Executive Chef Pasquale Abbatiello, where buttermilk-fried chicken sidles up to fluffy cheddar biscuits slathered in white sausage gravy. Also over the top and Insta-famous — the 6-by-6-inch towering French toast cube made from thick-cut brioche, battered, pan-fried, and partnered with bourbon-barrel-aged maple syrup. Or opt for one of the five avocado toasts on sourdough, such as the chef’s favorite with marinated cucumber, red onion, radish, feta, and za’atar.
Abbatiello’s crave-worthy comfort food comes with a heaping helping of Southern hospitality inside and out, to the tune of newer country music, along with indie and rap. And there’s no need to flag down the server for refills during your 90 minutes of bottomless drinks, at $25 or $30, depending on your pick. They’ll deliver pitchers of margaritas, Bellinis, and mimosas because “it’s just easier,” Abbatiello says. And brunch shouldn’t be hard.
tredici NORTH
Purchase
Playful, punchy, and the perfect amount of controlled chaos, the sleek bar and red booths of tredici NORTH invite you in for an afternoon to remember — but with multiple versions of bloody marys on the menu, it’s possible that you won’t. Chef Giuseppe Fanelli keeps the creative spirit of tredici alive long before dinner service hits. Cozy up with a fresh take on chicken and waffles: peanut butter Cap’n Crunch-crusted fried chicken atop a homemade Belgian waffle, draped with maple syrup and bang bang sauce. For a zinger of an order, the Fat Bastard Breakfast Burger is a hunk of beef topped with bacon, cheese, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, a beer-battered onion ring, a fried egg, and avocado, served in tandem with Tuscan fries. Pair the afternoon with a Bellini, built using healthy ratios of bubbles and house-made peach purée.
Wild
These are lively places for festive feasts, where the dial is turned up on drinks, music, and chatter.
Crawdaddy’s Creole Kitchen
Pleasantville
Shake your Sunday scaries away and shimmy up to Crawdaddy’s (and the Voodoo Lounge) for plate-licking brunch options. Snag the biscuits and gravy for a stick-to-your-ribs experience or opt for the chicken and brisket hash for a bear hug of comfort. Tacking on an extra $25 will get you endless mimosas and bloody marys for 90 minutes, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you that the ambiance pairs best with a well-mixed hurricane from mixologist and co-owner Veronica Kallas. “Brunch is a time for relaxation, connection, and indulgence. Setting the scene is the first step in creating this ambiance, which can be achieved with comfortable seating and playful background music,” says co-owner and front-of-the-house manager Maria Amato. “Pair those things with flavorful food and creative drinks for the ultimate experience.” The Sunday scaries fear this brunch.
Polpettina
Eastchester
When there are cocktails called Zombies and Scorpions served in antique crystal punch bowls, you know the vibes are there. Chef Mike Abruzese is a brunch guy: “It’s Sunday or no day.” His brunch’s double smash burger was a secret menu item that was so good it could no longer be a secret, and now headlines the exclusive brunch menu. Along with the short rib hash and breakfast pizza, the savory lovers can truly have a day. Keep your head on a swivel for the quarterly “Brunch and Beats” event. Going ticketed style for the bash, the price of admission will get you unlimited bites and drinks, while a DJ spins your favorite tunes and helps you burn off those extra meatballs. Whether it’s toasting with crystal glasses or a supple shot of a burger bisection, Abruzese churns out an Insta-worthy spread that gives your friends all the FOMO.
Freebird Kitchen & Bar
White Plains
Despite Monday’s fast approach, your mood will lift and spirits will soar when seated at an umbrella-shaded table on the rooftop at Nick and Caitlin Fusco’s Freebird. Casual, fun weekend vibes float as expertly mixed drinks like mojitos with generous sprigs of fresh mint appear on your table. Amp up the Southern rock-style party with the $22 bottomless mimosas, Bellinis, Champagne, house wines, or select drafts for up to two hours with your food. The relaxed spirit continues downstairs too, among the wooden plank-paneled walls with Southern sayings and under the paper birds dangling from the ceiling. And the slightly spicy hollandaise-slathered poached eggs Benedict topped with tender, moist fried chicken thighs — or brisket, sausage, ham, or crab cake — will have you saying, “goodness gracious.” The farmer avocado toast featuring a hearty grilled sourdough slice is something to celebrate, piled high with pickled onions, fresh arugula, perfectly poached egg, and confetti of roasted pistachios. The Brussels sprouts crunch like chips, crisped with a sweet cider agrodolce hiding just a tad of heat. It’s agreed: Let this kitchen butter your biscuit.
Krave
New Rochelle
For your own safety, it’s best to get a warmup and some stretches in before this brunch — you’ll only stop dancing to ask the bartender for another round. You won’t find anything less than decadent at Krave via Chef Edwin “Chrissy” Crisp’s kitchen. Indulge in lobster and crab Benedict, get lost in the tender and silky fish and grits, or find a fork full of comfort in the skillet banana pancakes. For the supreme brunch experience, Krave hosts a delectable buffet-style brunch every first and third Sunday of the month, affectionally called “Rum @ Breakfast,” and you better believe it’s the party everyone wants to be at. With a spread of the restaurant’s classic dishes, you’ll learn quickly how to shake your hips while holding on to a plate of food and a cocktail. Bottomless mimosas are served until 3 p.m., while a rotation of guest DJs keeps the party’s temperature sky-high. It’s extra in the most fantastic way, that’ll have you marking your calendar months ahead.
Pro tip: A dress code is enforced and doesn’t allow athletic wear or hoodies.
Top Tippling on a Timer
Admit it: Sometimes the draw has a little bit to do with the drinks. What’s brunch without bottomless booze? These are three favorites, all offered within 90 minutes.
Boro6 Wine Bar
Hastings-on-Hudson
The Deal: From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, enjoy bottomless bloody marys or white peach margaritas for $38 — or mimosas or Bellini for $34. Also, there’s a bottomless Bellinis bar for $34, with blackberry, green apple, peach, raspberry, and mango among the flavors.
Buleria Tapas & Wine Bar
Tuckahoe
The Deal: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays, bottomless sangria, mimosas, Bellinis, and bloody marys will flow at $25 per person.
Iron Vine
Peekskill
The Deal: From noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, add bottomless mimosas to your brunch for $29.99.
Brunch Buzz: The Edit Staff Picks
When lightly prodded, a few of our editors answered the two-pronged question: “What do you think about brunch, and do you have any favorites?”
“Situated in The King Mansion at the Tarrytown House Estate, Goosefeather serves up singular brunch beauties like Chinese bao with a Reuben filling, crab Rangoon scallion pancakes, smoked salmon fried rice, mochi waffles, and many more one-of-a-kind creations, all proving this meal makes for truly artistic eats.”
—Paul Adler, Arts and Culture Editor
“My favorite thing about brunch is being able to choose sweet and savory in one meal, and of course, the unhurried feel of a Sunday.”
—Jessica Jafet, Associate Editor
“Tucked away from the bustle of Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck, Nonna Carola’s stylish second-floor patio is a quiet refuge to enjoy elevated Sicilian fare carefully crafted by Chef Rikhard Milici. Containers overflowing with colorful blooms complement the sophisticated, white-tablecloth décor and attentive service, making this spot a must for a casual or special-occasion midday meal. And who says you must have eggs for brunch? I prefer one of the chef’s summer salads, prosciutto with shaved melon, crispy calamari, and of course, a Nonna’s Spritz cocktail. Top it off with the strawberry shortcake parfait for dessert. If you bring the kids, they’ll undoubtedly love the pappardelle Bolognese or the chicken Parm.”
—Valerie Abrahams, Copy Editor
“I wish every meal were brunch!”
—Bob Supina, Creative Director
Related: 5 Brunch Destinations Near Westchester County Train Stations
