These women-owned spots are must-visits in Westchester. AdobeStock/WavebreakMediaMicro
Whether during Women’s History Month or any day of the week, there’s nothing like a bite or a drink from one of Westchester’s women-owned eateries.
By Bianca Asare, Hannah Teligades, and Michelle Gillan Larkin
Westchester is full of ambitious women entrepreneurs whose businesses have become staples of our community. We’ve rounded up some of these women-owned businesses to celebrate Women’s History Month and showcase the amazing female talent flourishing throughout Westchester County.
Aged Cork Wine and Spirits
2237 Central Park Ave, Yonkers; 914.268.0525
Not only is this modern, charming wine shop woman-owned, it also sells an abundance of women-owned wines. Owner Kate Tkachenko focuses on providing a variety of brands, 90% of which are organic, practicing organic, sustainable, natural, and/or biodynamic. In addition to wine, the shop carries liquor options as well.
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Baked By Susan
379 S Riverside Ave, Croton-on-Hudson; 914.862.0874
As a child, Susan O’Keefe dreamed of owning a bakery. With lessons from her mother and her Italian and Hungarian grandmothers, O’Keefe developed her own unique baking style. This cozy, woman-owned bakeshop is a dream for anyone with a sweet tooth, serving up banana cream pie, classic and specialty cakes, and an assortment of cookies. In the mood for something savory? Pick up a chicken pot pie or empanadas.
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Bedford Candy Bar
627 Old Post Rd, Bedford; 914.234.8645
Jennifer Vellano, who co-owns Bedford institution G.E. Brown Fine Food & Provisions with her husband, Jim, peddles childhood craves at this retro-meets-modern-day sweet shop, featuring candy by the pound, caramels, salt water taffy, lollipops, Tootsie Rolls, SweeTARTS, Razzles, Milk Duds, Charleston Chew, Ring Pops, Chunky Bars, and bubble gum galore.
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Bedford Gourmet
460 Old Post Rd, Bedford; 914.234.9409
Located in historic Bedford Village, this sweet, upscale spot, owned by business partners Debbie Franzese and Alexandra Walsh, is stocked with artisanal delights. Expect unique specials like ginger soy salmon and classic staples like curry chicken salad at this women-owned business.
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BXVL Coffee House
2 Station Plz, Bronxville; 914.600.8139
Artfully ensconced within the walls of Bronxville’s Spanish-Mission-style Metro-North train depot, Bronxville resident and Delhi native Charu Rana offers coffee and tea, pastries, overnight oats, and pressed sandwiches to commuters and a local lunchtime crowd that sits along original waiting room benches while leaning in over marble-topped bistro tables. When the sun sets, the crowd heads next door for something stronger and more potent at Rana’s dream-come-true speakeasy, Whistling Rail.
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Cocoa Chocolate Shop
2107A Boston Post Rd, Larchmont; 914.834.6464
Within the shop’s candy pink walls, Angela Ingrao serves up milk, dark, and white bon bons, plus brownies, truffles, velvety hot chocolate, and blissful Belgian bark, delicately dotted with sea salt, toasted coconut, crushed candy canes, dried strawberries, marshmallows, gummy bears, and the list goes on.
Chocolations
607 E Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck; 914.777.3600
Lawyer-turned-chocolatier extraordinaire Maria Valente offers a head-spinning bounty of chocolate treats, from bon bons, truffles, barks, nut clusters, caramels, and malted milk balls to chocolate-enrobed pretzels, nuts, and even crackers, along with brownies and hot (or frozen) cocoa. Every last morsel is made onsite with all-natural, premium, American chocolate.
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Dam Good English Muffins
2 John Walsh Blvd, Peekskill; 914.293.7190
Woman-owned, family-operated, and mission-driven, this wholesale bakery crafts all-natural, non-GMO, soy- and preservative-free, vegan, sourdough English muffins. Croton-on-Hudson residents Denise Weale and her husband, Ross, drew inspiration from the majesty of The New Croton Dam when naming their business, and from the word “go” they’ve been committed to making a “dam” difference in the community by creating both a high-quality product and providing jobs, opportunity, and marketable skills to people with barriers to employment. Available in four flavors (original white, multigrain, cinnamon swirl, whole wheat), the artisan-style muffin-making process begins with a cold-fermentation period and ends with a griddling (yup, just like pancakes) in avocado oil. Find them at specialty grocers throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, select Whole Foods Markets, and via FreshDirect.
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Francey Brady’s
72 Main St, Yonkers; 914.226.8644
With a name inspired by the classic Irish movie, “The Butcher Boy,” Francey Brady’s is an Irish-American bar and restaurant owned by Ireland native and Yonkers resident, Patricia Brady. Expect classic bar food, including buffalo wings, calamari, and Francey’s potato skins made with Dubliner cheese. Oh, and cheers to happy hour every weekday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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The Good Witch Coffee Bar
134 Southside Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson; 914.920.4077
Start your day at this modern café with a loaded, limitless menu. Owner and Hastings resident, Joanna Prisco, has dedicated this spot to empowering women. Need a morning pick-me-up? Pick up a rose latte or a lavender London fog. Allow yourself to indulge in a mushroom truffle bagel, tahini-cardamom parfait, or sourdough pretzel for the most important meal of the day.
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Little Crepe Street, Little Kabab Station, and Little Drunken Chef
29, 31, and 36 E Main St, Mount Kisco; 914.242.8800
91 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains; 914.615.9300
Bonnie Saran is definitely a known face in Westchester, having opened six restaurants in the past decade. Her trio of hotspots in Mount Kisco and one in downtown White Plains serves as the perfect venue for almost anything you could crave. Enjoy classic Indian dishes like tikka masala or samosas at Little Kabab Station or tapas and happy hour at Little Drunken Chef. Lastly, finish off with a dulce de leche crepe at Little Crepe Street.
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LMNOP Bakery
25 Katonah Ave, Katonah; 914.603.5420
Anne Mayhew fell in love with French bakeries while in Paris on a Fulbright scholarship, regularly popping in to try a fresh baguette. Ten years later, she walked away from her costume industry job and started a home-based bakery that eventually blossomed into a brick and mortar in her Katonah hometown.
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Penny Lick
580 Warburton Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson; 914.525.1580
Handmade, locally sourced ice cream with sustainable ingredients is the name of the game at Ellen Sledge’s popular nut-free scoop shop. Expect all the flavor basics at this woman-owned hotspot, plus some unusually delicious options like white bourbon caramel or floral lavender.
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RaaSa
145 E Main St, Elmsford, 914.347.7890
Priya Kapoor-Salian and her husband took ownership of RaaSa nearly a decade ago, and they continue to swap shifts at the stove, whipping up the flavors and dishes of India they both enjoyed as children. Many of the daily specials are Cajun-inflected dishes Kapoor-Salian concocted over the years in her home kitchen, possibly earning RaaSa Michelin recognition.
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Related: Where to Find Amazing All-Day Breakfast in Westchester County
