Chris Vergara, who owns Meritage in Scarsdale and Harper’s Restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, is executive chef at Saint George (155 Southside Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson 914-478-1671; saintgeorgebistro.com), a contemporary French bistro in the space that previously housed Buffet de la Gare. The menu offers classics such as cod confit, tartinettes (a French take on crostini), and steak frites. The average cost of entrées is $25. Specialty cocktails include absinthe-based selections. Saint George is open for dinner only Tuesday to Sunday
Yorktown Heights native, Chopped winner, and former executive chef of Peter Pratt’s Inn Nick Di Bona has opened his first restaurant, Madison Kitchen (7 Madison Ave, Larchmont 914-732-3024; mklarchmont.com). The New American eatery is open every day but Tuesday for dinner only and serves such dishes as Evil Cajun jambalaya, everything-crusted Hawaiian bigeye tuna, and seared breast of Rohan duck (mains range from $18 to $34). Manhattan-based Celano Design Studio created the rustic modern space that includes a reclaimed-wood bar with custom zinc top, bio-fueled fireplace, chevron-patterned wood-plank ceilings, and textured stone walls
Graham Elliot, two-Michelin-starred chef (Graham Elliot and Graham Elliot Bistro, both in Chicago) and judge on MasterChef, will open Primary Food & Drink (409 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich, CT; primaryrestaurant.com) sometime this winter on property that once housed Thataway Café. Elliot’s director of operations, Merlin Verrier, will serve as executive chef and the contemporary American menu will have creative takes on classics such as Caesar salad, pot roast, beef stroganoff, and Buffalo chicken
Sweet! Chef Ethan Kostbar at Moderne Barn (430 Bedford Rd, Armonk 914-730-0001; modernebarn.com) has launched a new dessert menu. Among the dozen selections (most $9): pumpkin cheesecake with cranberry chutney and maple candied pumpkin seeds; rosewater yogurt mousse, port wine figs, and pine-nut rosemary brittle; salted chocolate caramel tart, banana cake with cream cheese frosting and peanut butter cup ice cream; and cast-iron skillet brownie à la mode
Chef Mariano Aznar, a native of Spain who has cooked at the Michelin-starred Beresetegui, has opened Patrias (14 Lawton St, New Rochelle 914-278-9811), a (mostly) small-plates restaurant featuring the cuisines of Spain and Peru (“patrias” means “mother countries” in Spanish). On the menu: more than a dozen tapas including garlic shrimp, squid in black sauce, and sautéed mushrooms with garlic and herbs; six ceviches; and a trio of paellas. Patrias is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Aznar’s previous iteration of Patrias was in Port Chester
Set to have opened by publication time in the location that held Rainwater Grill is The Prime An American Grille (19 Main St, Hastings-on-Hudson 914-478-1147; theprimeamericangrille.com). Traditional American lunch and dinner fare is served daily, and breakfast on weekends to start. The Prime owners previously had The Primeburger Coffee Shop on 51st Street across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral until closing it in 2012
The team behind the defunct Antipasti in White Plains and Pomodoro in Greenwich, Connecticut, is planning to close Amore Pizzeria & Pasta, reopening it as Amore Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen (1 Kent Pl, Armonk 914-273-3535; amorearmonk.com) sometime this month. The new Tuscan farmhouse digs will include organic vegetable gardens, a terrazzo, wood-burning pizza ovens, antipasti bar, and a private events room
The Byram, Connecticut-based restaurant group cb5 has closed the Mexi-Goth mash-up Lolita Cocina, and in its place is opening ROUGE Brasserie & Oyster Bar (230 Mill St, Greenwich, CT)
Havana Central (Ridge Hill Shopping Center, 238 Market St, Yonkers 914-423-5500; havanacentral.com) has introduced a Skinny Menu with items such as a Cubano sandwich made with spiced pork loin (leaner than pork shoulder), turkey, low-fat Swiss cheese, and Dijon mustard on a toasted whole-grain baguette; Skinny Paella with chicken, clams, mussels, shrimp, tilapia, and chorizo over brown basmati rice; and Skinny Picadillo, a hash containing ground turkey and vegetables sautéed in grapeseed oil
Mount Kisco resident Robert Zalkin has developed Westchester Wine Delivery, an app designed for iPhone and Android mobile devices that provides wine and liquor doorstep delivery service (no delivery charge on orders over than $100) in one to two days
