Westchester is full of ambitious women entrepreneurs whose venues 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 varietals from other women owners and winemakers. 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 to ensure there’s something for every shopper. Tkachenko and wine producers partner to offer wine classes, seminars and wine tasting; see listings on Instagram.
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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 bake shop 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, paninis, or empanadas. Every item is handmade from scratch daily, using all-natural local ingredients. Call to reserve a date for your private “anytime tea” with finger sandwiches, pastries, and gourmet teas.
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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 cravings at this retro-meets-modern-day sweet shop, featuring Longford ice cream and candy by the pound, including caramels, saltwater taffy, lollipops, Tootsie Rolls, SweeTARTS, Razzles, Milk Duds, Charleston Chew, Ring Pops, Chunky Bars, and bubble gum galore. The shop’s newest delights include slushies, flurries and milkshakes, and artisan chocolate sold by the pound.
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Bedford Gourmet
460 Old Post Rd, Bedford; 914.234.9409
Located in historic Bedford Village, this lovely, upscale spot, owned by business partners Debbie Franzese and Alexandra Walsh, is stocked with artisanal delights for grab-and-go or catering. Expect unique specials like ginger-soy salmon and classic staples like curry chicken salad at this women-owned business. Sample the mango-kale salad — a customer favorite — and the specialty soups by Chef Laura Ercole of Mahopac.
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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, chocolate-enrobed pretzels, and graham crackers. Call ahead to order delectable Easter sweets, including molded bunnies, eggs, and chicks — fill your own basket, or they will do it for you. Most everything is made onsite with all-natural, premium, American chocolate. Treats include gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free options.
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Dam Good English Muffins
2 John Walsh Blvd, Peekskill; 914.293.7190
Woman-owned, family-operated, and mission-driven, this business crafts four varieties of naturally fermented sourdough English muffins with no added artificial preservatives, dairy, or industrial seed oil. The Weale family of Croton-on-Hudson 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 good” 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 original white, multigrain, cinnamon swirl, and 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 the square-shaped English muffins at specialty grocers throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, in the freezer section at select Whole Foods Markets, and via FreshDirect or shipped nationwide via damgoodenglishmuffins.com.
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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 cheddar. Try the Paddy Burger with a pint of Guinness — and come in for happy hour 4-7 p.m. any weekday.
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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. During the fair-weather seasons, drop in for specially curated events featuring music and workshops in the café’s cozy outdoor space.
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Little Crepe Street, Little Kabab Station, Little Mumbai Market, and Little Drunken Chef
29 and 31 E Main St, Mount Kisco; 914.242.0200; 914.242.7000
475 Bedford Rd, Pleasantville; 914.773.0500
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 eateries — two in Mount Kisco and one in downtown White Plains — serve as the perfect venue for almost anything you could crave. Enjoy classic Indian dishes like tikka masala or samosas at Little Kabab Station, Indian street food at Little Mumbai Market, 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 hotspot in her Katonah hometown. Specializing in fresh whole-grain and sourdough bread, the spot serves sandwiches daily along with great coffee and kombucha, as well as wine or beer. It’s open late three nights a week with trivia fun on tap once a month.
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Mambo Osteria
100 Main St, Irvington; 914.231.5437
Co-owners Chef Dani Berarducci of Riverdale and pastry wiz Ana Rusch, a Tarrytown resident, opened this small osteria in February. Specialties include lasagna with house-made pasta, braised chicken thighs over creamy polenta, rigatoni with anchovy, and pork shoulder sandwiches on house-made ciabatta – all made with the freshest ingredients. Rusch’s pastry essentials are tiramisù, mascarpone cheesecake, and affogato, that beloved pairing of gelato and an espresso shot. Super small, with seating for 30 guests (think private parties!), the eatery’s open floor plan gives customers a great view of the action in the cucina. Reservations recommended.
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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 and sesame-free scoop shop. Expect all the flavor basics at this woman-owned hotspot, plus some unusually delicious options, like lavender truffle orange creamsicle.
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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. A best bet is the buffet lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on weekends.
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Related: Where to Find Amazing All-Day Breakfast in Westchester County
