The beloved Westchester County restaurant has plans to move across the street into a new development on North Avenue.
At the end of 2019, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill will close its New Rochelle flagship to start a new chapter directly across the street as part of new development on North Avenue.
The newly erected building — which should be open by late spring or early summer of 2020 — was actually part of the plan when Smokehouse Tailgate Grill signed a two-year lease to its current space in 2007. At the time, they knew that their landlord was trying to get zoning approval for a multi-story building that they’d move into. After two years without the new building coming to fruition, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill signed a 10-year extension that lasts through December 2019.
“Obviously our landlord got done what he needed to get done for approval,” says Justin Zeytoonian, managing partner of Smokehouse Tailgate Grill. “It’s a great project that will bring a lot of businesses and more apartments to this city.”
While Zeytoonian and the Smokehouse Tailgate team will miss the divey charm of their O.G. restaurant, they’re excited about building a new spot that’s almost three times larger. Because they have room to work with, expect a private room with its own bar, open kitchen views, the possibility of custom smokers on display, and a few relics from the flagship in the décor. Zeytoonian also stressed that they’ll build a bigger bar with 20 draft lines to further showcase their craft beer credibility. And, in case you were wondering, they’ll still have on-site parking.
Before they become one of the anchors of the new digs, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill plans to go out of their soon-to-be-old digs in style. They’ve already kicked off their “Fridays on the Patio” with live music every Friday night through October, and you can look for a once-per-month “Food Truck Friday” collaboration to go along with the tunes. Past BBQ-themed collaborations have included Walter’s Hot Dogs and Abeetz, with Hapa, Latusion, and Jimmy’s Soft Serve expected in the coming months.
It’s sure to be a party for the rest of their run, albeit a melancholy departure from the place they’ve called home for more than 12 years. Regardless, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill knew they wanted to stay in the city. “We have a really strong regular customer base, and we get new ones all the time. We wouldn’t leave except we have to leave, right? So, now we’re forced to build a new restaurant or go home,” says Zeytoonian. “But we’re not going home. It’s a good place, and there’s no way we’d want to leave New Rochelle.”
Smokehouse Tailgate Grill
606 North Ave
New Rochelle
914.813.8686
