Larchmont
Durian
Thai $$$
Enjoy Thai cuisine in a candlelit setting. Among the dishes on the multi-page menu: crispy pork belly, fried whole snapper, grilled marinated flank steak, vegetarian pad Thai, and sweet Thai sausage in a lime-garlic sauce. A special dessert is durian fruit with warm sticky rice and fresh coconut cream. Open for lunch and dinner Mon through Fri; brunch and dinner Sat and Sun.
147 Chatsworth Ave, Larchmont
​(914) 833-1900; www.durianthai.com
★★★ (07/2013)
Encore Bistro Français
French $$$
Enjoy savory French cuisine in a charming bistro setting, including homemade pâté, escargot, breast of duck, and sweetbreads. Sidewalk dining available at Larchmont location. Open every day for lunch and dinner. A three-course prix fixe lunch is offered Mon to Sat for $14.50. Reservations suggested on the weekend.
22 Chatsworth Ave, Larchmont
​(914) 833-1661
67 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 481-8833
Lusardi’s
Italian $$$
Upscale Italian restaurant with Mediterranean accents from the same owner as Moscato and Chat American Grill (Scarsdale) and Chat 19 (Larchmont). Veal martini, house-made fettuccine with mixed mushrooms; rollatini montanara (pasta filled with spinach, ricotta, and porcini); and sea bass encrusted in almonds are the standout dishes. Open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations a must for weekends.
1885 Palmer Ave, Larchmont
​(914) 843-5555; www.lusardislarchmont.com
Palomino
Spanish/Southwestern $$$
The Southwestern-modern fusion cuisine at Palomino comes to you by way of Chef Rafael Palomino. Go for entrées like seafood paella, pan-seared branzino, and roasted pernil with sweet mofongo, and/or choose from a selection of hot and cold tapas, like guacamole, Maine miniature cod tacos, and Austin sweet-corn shrimp tamales. Open every day for dinner, Mon to Sat for lunch, and Sun for brunch. Reservations recommended.
141 Chatsworth Ave, Larchmont
​(914) 630-7871; www.palominolarchmont.com
Plates
New American $$$$
Chef Matthew Karp’s menu is New American cuisine accented with Italian, French, and Asian influences. For lunch: salads, flatbreads, pastas, sandwiches, burgers. On the dinner menu: a smoked beef short rib and brisket tacos appetizer, buttermilk fried chicken, Crescent Farms local duck, and three local, grass-fed burgers. A commuter special (half-price apps and cocktail specials 5 pm to 7 pm) is also offered. Lunch is served Tues to Fri and dinner Tues through Sun.
121 Myrtle Blvd, Larchmont
​(914) 834-1244; www.platesonthepark.com
Mamaroneck
Club Car Restaurant-Lounge
New American $$$$
Brian MacMenamin is the executive chef of this restaurant housed in the brilliantly renovated Mamaroneck train depot. Dishes to try include portobello mushroom ravioli, pesto-crusted seabass, and lamb shank osso buco. A tavern menu with dishes under $20 (fried calamari, sliders) is also offered. There’s a late-night lounge with fireplace and live music. Open for dinner every day except Mon; lunch on Sat.
1 Station Plz, Mamaroneck
​(914) 777-9300; www.clubcarny.com
★★★ (09/2012)
Frankie & Fanucci’s Wood Oven Pizzeria
Italian $
Frankie & Fanucci’s offers customers thin-crust pizza cooked in an 800-degree wood-fired oven. Choose from one of the 20-plus toppings (from pepperoni to roasted peppers) or order one of their favorites (spicy sausage and onion; di Parma; meatball, sausage, and pepperoni; white clam; and zucchini, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and roasted peppers). Also offered are hot-pressed panini such as the eggplant with breaded eggplant, roasted peppers, basil, and sautéed mushrooms.
202 E Hartsdale Ave, Hartsdale
(914) 725-8400
301 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck
​(914) 630-4360
Il Castello
Mediterranean/Italian $$$
Expect homemade pastas and elaborate table presentations at this Italian restaurant, located a stone’s throw from the Mamaroneck Metro-North station. On the menu: branzino, veal Siciliano, pappardelle Bolognese, chicken Calabrese, and shrimp scampi. A prix fixe $20.95 lunch is offered weekdays. Open Tues to Fri for lunch and dinner; Sat and Sun dinner menu all day. Reservations recommended.
576 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck
(914) 777-2200; www.ilcastellomenu.com
Massa’ Coastal Italian Cuisine
Italian $$$$
Father-and-son team Pasquale and Francesco Coli run the kitchen at this Italian restaurant, where seafood is front and center. Look for broiled North Atlantic salmon; sushi-grade bigeye tuna with black-pepper crust; and grilled swordfish steak. Grilled whole fish, shellfish, and oysters are available at market price, and non-seafood options include grilled veal chops, New York strip, and Colorado lamb chops. A $36 rotating, four-course chef’s menu is offered. Outdoor sidewalk seating is available. Open Mon to Sat for lunch and dinner. Reservations accepted.
599 E Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck
(914) 732-3535; www.massacoastal.com
Rosa’s La Scarbitta Ristorante
​Italian $$$
Chef/Owner Rosa Merenda greets patrons warmly at this cozy Italian restaurant. The menu includes homemade cuisine such as ricotta gnocchi with Bolognese or marinara sauce; eggplant parmigiana; swordfish with capers, olives, and cherry tomatoes; and osso buco. Lunch Fri to Sun and dinner Tues to Sun. Reservations recommended on weekends.
215 Halstead Ave, Mamaroneck
(914) 777-1667; www.scarbitta-hub.com
★½ (03/2012)
Turkish Meze
Mediterranean/Turkish $$
Offering more than just meze (appetizers), this eatery features stuffed chicken, lamb shank, grilled branzini, char-grilled skewered shrimp, Jerusalem salad, and falafel. Order the excellent baklava for dessert. Lunch special: appetizer and entrée for $9.95. Open every day.
409 Mount Pleasant Ave, Mamaroneck
(914) 777-3042; www.turkishmeze.com
New Rochelle
A Place 2 Go
Caribbean $$
Across from Metro-North is this Caribbean
restaurant serving entrées such as jerk chicken, braised oxtail, Dutch pot chicken, and red snapper. For dessert: Jamaican black cake made with rum and dried fruit. Live music weekly on Thurs and Fri. Open Tues to Sun for dinner only.
273 North Ave, New Rochelle
(914) 365-2525; www.aplace2gowestchester.com
Food:★★★½; Service: ★★★; Atmosphere: ★★½ (01/2014)
Alvin & Friends
Southern/Caribbean $$$
This contemporary Southern and Caribbean eatery features entrées such as jerk-rubbed duck, jumbo lump crab cakes, and the 2011 Best of Westchester–winning crispy fried chicken. Besides the main dining room, a rear dining room is available for private events. Open for lunch (noon-3 pm) and dinner
(5-11 pm) Tues through Sun, plus brunch and dinner on Sun.
14 Memorial Hwy, New Rochelle
(914) 654-6549; www.alvinandfriendsrestaurant.com
★★½ (01/2012)
Calcutta Curry House
Indian $$
The lengthy menu at this 30-seat eatery features an assortment of curries as well as dishes like chana, dhansak, and matar (peas), available in lamb, beef, and chicken. Look for tandoori and kebabs, as well as specialty masalas, biryani and malai, and extensive seafood and vegetarian options. Reservations are recommended, and outdoor seating is available in the warm weather.
1 Huguenot St, New Rochelle
(914) 278-9690
Don Coqui
Puerto Rican $$$
Jimmy Rodriguez’s (Manhattan’s Sofrito, Jimmy’s Bronx Café) upscale and lively Puerto Rican restaurant offers dishes such as seafood stew, plantain-crusted red snapper, braised oxtail, and slow-roasted pork with pigeon-pea rice. A cooking school is on the premises and live music is offered on weekends. Open for lunch and dinner Tues to Sun. Reservations suggested.
115 Cedar St, New Rochelle
(914) 637-3737
107 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains
(914) 576-7676
Modern Restaurant & Lounge
Italian $$$
Old-school Italian fare in a contemporary setting. Dishes to order are the chicken parmigiana, veal Sorrentino, pork chop contadina, and whole-wheat spaghetti putanesca. A selection of brick-oven pizzas are also offered. An 85-person catering room is available. Open Mon for dinner only and Tues through Sun for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended.
310 Huguenot St, New Rochelle
(914) 633-9479; www.modernrestaurant.com
NoMa Social
Tapas $$$
Chef Bill Rosenberg, formerly of F.I.S.H. and Barcelona, is serving a menu of mostly small plates at the 125-seat NoMa Social in the Radisson Hotel. On the dinner menu entrées include wood-fired pizzas, paella Valenciana, and grilled Colorado lamb. The restaurant also features an extensive wine and beer menu, plus a bar menu. Open for lunch weekdays and dinner every day. Reservations required.
1 Radisson Plz, New Rochelle
(914) 576-4141; www.nomasocial.com
Posto 22
Italian $$$
Pan-seared, Parmesan-crusted halibut, sizzling Black Angus steak, and pappardelle with porcini mushrooms in a truffle-cream sauce are popular entrées at this downtown eatery. Open every day for lunch (look for the $10.95 special Mon through Fri) and dinner. Reservations suggested.
22 Division St, New Rochelle
(914) 235-2464; www.posto22.com
Port Chester
Alba’s Restaurant
Northern Italian $$$
Northern Italian cuisine featuring cold antipasto, branzino arrosto, Caesar salad prepared tableside, escargot with polenta, gnocchi alla Alba, and snapper brodeto. Private dining rooms are available every day. Open Mon to Fri for lunch and dinner; Sat dinner only.
400 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 937-2236; www.albasrestaurant.com
Arrosto
Italian $$$
A wood-burning oven and grill is the centerpiece of Arrosto, Manhattan restaurateur (Carmine’s, Ouest, Virgil’s BBQ) Godfrey Polistina’s 230-seat farm-to-table Italian eatery. Menu items include wood-oven-fired pizzas; house-made pastas (spaghetti with white wine, garlic, and clams); grilled lamb chops; and seafood brodetto. Ready-to-cook take-home menu items also are offered. There’s seating outside for 60. Open Tues to Sun for dinner only. Reservations recommended.
25 S Regent St, Port Chester
(914) 939-2727; www.arrostorestaurant.com
bartaco
​Mexican $
From the owners of Barcelona in Greenwich, Connecticut, comes this taqueria serving—what else—tacos: baja fish, falafel, pork belly, spicy chorizo, curry shrimp, and portobello with queso fresco ($2.50 to $3.50). Also on the menu: small plates including tamales and ceviche. Outdoor seating is available overlooking the Byram River. Open every day for brunch, lunch, and dinner (until late).
1 Willett Ave, Port Chester
(914) 937-8226; www.bartaco.com
Coals
Italian $$
Pies are not baked but grilled on a flattop at this pizzeria and craft-beer restaurant duo. The Dean Martin, with Fontinella, pecorino, mozzarella, tomato, and pepperoni, and the Smokey Joe with Fontinella, smoked mozzarella, tomato, pecorino, red onion, and sweet coppa are popular choices. Pies are made using cheeses imported from Italy and olive oil cold pressed in Sicily. The original location of Coals is in the Bronx’s Morris Park section. Open Tues through Fri for dinner and Sat and Sun for lunch and dinner.
35 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 305-3220
131 Parkway Rd, Bronxville​
(914) 337-1901
★★★ (11/2012)
Nessa
Italian $$$
Look for the bocce court behind this enoteca. The restaurant serves small plates as well as full-plated meals such as spinach gnocchi with asparagus and artichoke hearts, pan-roasted salmon, and chicken “cooked under a brick” with spinach in a spicy sauce. BYOB on Mon. Reservations suggested. Open every day for dinner; brunch on Sun.
325 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 939-0119; www.nessarestaurant.com
★★★ (10/2007)
Pollo A La Brasa
​Peruvian $
Bargain Peruvian cuisine including lomo saltado (sliced beef sauteed with onion, tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili), chaufa de pollo (chicken fried rice), ceviche, steaks, and Peruvian spaghetti dishes. Open every day for lunch and dinner.
100 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 959-9437
Port Chester Hall & Beer Garden
Gastropub $$
Housed in the 1890 Port Chester Train Station and packed with wooden tables—both in the wainscoting-and-brick-lined interior and the spacious outdoor beer garden—the focus here is on a selection of craft brews from the Hall’s brewmaster, Kelly Taylor. Food options cover salads, burgers, and sandwiches, with mains including Maui fish tacos, shepherd’s pie, and grilled bratwurst. A coffee concession operates weekdays, 6 am to 11 am. Open Mon to Thurs 4 pm to midnight; Fri 4 pm to 2 am; Sat 11:30 am to 2 am; and Sun 11:30 am to midnight.
3 Broad St, Port Chester
(914) 305-8383; www.portchesterhall.com
Food: ★ ; Service: ★; Atmosphere: ★★½ (10/2014)
Q Restaurant & Bar
Southern $$
From the owners of venerated The Kneaded Bread, this Southern/Midwestern eatery offers mouthwatering smoky brisket, pulled pork-and-coleslaw sandwiches, Texas no-bean chili, and heaping sides of collard greens and house-cut fries. Open every day for lunch and dinner.
112 N Main St, Port Chester
(914) 933-7427; www.qrestaurantandbar.com
Sonora
Nuevo Latino $$$
Chef Rafael Palomino’s first county venture is perhaps his best; popular are the ceviches, Spanish cocas, seafood paella, and for dessert, churros (cinnamon and sugar sticks). Outdoor patio in the summer. Open for lunch Wed to Fri; dinner every day; brunch on Sun. Reservations recommended on weekends.
179 Rectory St, Port Chester
(914) 933-0200; www.sonorarestaurant.net
Tarry Lodge
Italian $$$
The Roman-style, wood-fired brick-oven pizzas and artisan pastas are available to go at this classic trattoria owned by famed restaurateurs Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali. The kitchen is helmed by Partner/Chef Andy Nusser, and dishes include fusilli with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, beet greens, goat cheese, and walnuts; grilled pork chops with parsnips and quince; and gourmet personal pizzas. Open every day for lunch and dinner.
18 Mill St, Port Chester
(914) 939-3111; www.tarrylodge.com
Rye
Aurora
Northern Italian $$$
Northern Italian cuisine served in a Venetian-inspired dining room. Popular dishes include Parmesan-crusted halibut, red wine-braised short rib, and Kobe beef and spinach ravioli. Open seven nights for dinner and Mon through Sat for lunch. Reservations recommended.
60 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 921-2333; www.zhospitalitygroup.com/aurora
Fogama
Japanese $$$
This 35-seat restaurant offers traditional sushi and sashimi as well as specialty rolls (think duck confit and spicy mango lobster), noodles, and entrées like broiled black cod, chicken teriyaki, and Japanese eggplant. Open daily for lunch and dinner, with takeout available.
92 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 921-6888; www.fogamarye.com
Frankie & Johnnie’s
Steakhouse $$$$
Upscale steakhouse with a posh bar and lounge area. Specialties include porterhouse steak for two, Chilean sea bass, and lobster ravioli. Open for lunch Tues to Fri and dinner every day. Reservations recommended.
77 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 925-3900; www.frankieandjohnnies.com
La Panetière
French $$$$
Fine French cuisine served in an elegant setting. Signature dishes include slow-poached Atlantic salmon, seared duck breast, sauteed Montauk amadai, and roasted rack of lamb. Lunch Tues to Fri plus Sun; dinner daily 6-9:30 pm. Reservations always advisable.
530 Milton Rd, Rye
(914) 967-8140; www.lapanetiere.com
Morgans Fish House
Seafood $$$
This casual seafood restaurant offers a dinner menu featuring such dishes as blackened Montauk swordfish, porcini-dusted halibut, and filet mignon with lobster mashed potatoes. Lunch and dinner served Mon to Sat; brunch and dinner on Sun. Reservations recommended.
22 Elm Pl, Rye
(914) 921-8190; www.morgansfishhouse.net
Ruby’s Oyster Bar & Bistro
Seafood Bistro $$$$
A seafood bistro serving Continental food with a French flair. Popular entrées include broiled sole with lobster caper-butter sauce, barbecue-rubbed salmon, and bacon-crusted sea scallops. Come for breakfast (Mon to Sat at 8 am), lunch, and dinner or Sun brunch. Reservations recommended.
45 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 921-4166; www.rubysoysterbar.com
Rye Bar & Grill
Traditional American $$$$
This bi-level Rye eatery in the Metro-North parking lot has reopened after an almost two-year renovation. Some entrées to try are pan-seared scallops, grilled cowboy steak, grilled swordfish steak, and farfalle with hot Italian sausage. Open for lunch and dinner Mon to Sat; Sundays brunch and dinner. Reservations recommended.
1 Station Plz, Rye
(914) 967-0332; www.ryegrill.com
Watermoon
Pan-Asian $$
Enjoy Pan-Asian cuisine in this sleek and stylish restaurant. A mélange of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian dishes are featured, including dim sum samplers, sushi, crispy red snapper, Thai crab cakes, and ginger scallion duck. Bottles of wine are half price every Mon. Open every day. Reservations are recommended.
66 Purchase St, Rye
(914) 921-8880; www.watermooncafe.com
Whitby Castle, Rye Golf Club
New American $$$
A seasonal menu is served in this 19th-century Gothic castle overlooking the verdant Rye Golf Club. Try the blackened swordfish (weekends only), New England seafood Cobb, and lamb chop trio (also weekends). Sandwiches and burgers always available. Open for lunch and dinner Tues through Sat; brunch and dinner on Sun. Reservations recommended.
330 Boston Post Rd, Rye
(914) 835-3200; www.whitbycastle.com
