It’s a good sign when an Italian restaurant starts diners off with top-notch bread. At Sleepy Hollow’s sultry Finalmente Trattoria, you may ruin your appetite munching on the basket of thickly sliced pane di casa—it’s from The Bread Factory in New Rochelle and has a beautiful crust with a healthy crunch and a spongy, soft inside. Ask your server to “prepare the oil”—Molivo olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes—and you’ll have a wonderful dipping accompaniment. The setting is yet another draw, as diners are surrounded by moody lighting;
dramatic Byzantine paintings; oversized wall sconces; exposed brick; and rich, deep aristocratic colors.
The house-made black linguine with shellfish in a cognac cream sauce (a recurring special) and house-made potato-ricotta gnocchi in a slow-braised lamb ragú are the first culinary hint that this 36-seat regional restaurant is a luxurious respite from the routine Italian dining experience. Heading the kitchen is Chef Genco Luca, previously of Harvest on Hudson and Greenwich’s Valbella. Other dishes to try include the rack of New Zealand lamb in a Barolo wine sauce and pan-seared branzino with a white wine and caper sauce.
If you come for a late-night glass of vino, you’ll sip mostly Italian grapes—including organic, natural, and biodynamic options. You can add salad, panini, or antipasti to that wine for your night-owl nibbles. There’s a top-notch cheesecake made silky and light with cream cheese, mascarpone, and ricotta; all the desserts are made in-house. Come spring, revel in the sunshine among the back patio seating. If you’re dining with your date or a couple friends, you might want to slip in early because reservations are accepted for large groups only.
31 Beekman Ave, Sleepy Hollow (914) 909-4787
