North of the Noise July

Insta-worthy cocktails are to be had at the bar.

Tuna tartare with potato gaufrette (essentially, fancy French potato chips!), avocado mousse, spicy tamari

Seared salmon with forbidden black Thai rice (call me weird but I find black food sexy), sautéed kale, coconut-mustard sauce

For years, Harrison’s dining scene was all about pizza, Italian delis, and classic chicken parm or veal Marsala spots—nothing wrong with that, but I like diversity in my dining options. It’s excellent to see things expanding along Halstead Avenue, with new flavors like Peruvian, Greek, and Mexican joining the mix. One standout is the polished New American spot Vesta Kitchen + Bar (@vesta_kitchen_harrison), which opened in May. It comes from the same owner behind Vella in Pleasantville, and formerly Vintage in Larchmont. Amy Allen, events manager, is always present to make sure your experience is on-point.

Pastrami on onion rye with mustard–I was too timid to get the tongue sandwich (next time).

In the mid-20th century, New York City was home to more than 2,000 Jewish delis, with the Bronx being a major hub. But as the Jewish population moved out—especially from the Bronx—and health-conscious eating trends took hold, this iconic NYC food tradition began to fade.

That’s why it’s especially exciting to see a new deli open up—and close to home (my home in Goldens Bridge anyway). Epstein’s of Somers (@epsteinsdelisomers) recently debuted in northern Westchester, a sister spot to the original Epstein’s of Hartsdale (@epsteins_of_hartsdale). Because sometimes, you just need a fix of fatty meats, salty carbs, and a little something sweet—cheesecake, babka, rugelach, you name it.

It’s a knish party up in here…

Fun fact: Liebman’s Deli (@liebmansdeli1953) is now the only remaining Jewish deli in the Bronx—and they’ve even branched out with a second location in Ardsley. Now that’s an OG.

In the Dec 2022 issue of Westchester Magazine we did our second ranking of the top Westchester restaurants and Osteria Padre Pio came in at #22. Chef Andrea Ingenito is small of stature but has a big heart and grand passion for all things Neapolitan. You can read the preview I wrote when this lesser known Mamaroneck Italian (they recently moved to West Harrison to a bigger space) first opened in 2021 here.  There are many Italian restaurants in the county and in some cases it’s hard to tell them apart–I promise Padre Pio stands out. Order the stuffed eggplant app, house-made pappardelle with wild mushrooms, and pistachio cheesecake.

Cheesesteak “wit” provolone and onions

As a NY Giants fan, I hate to give Philly any love—but the foodie in me wins out here. The new Katonah outpost of Wogies opened just a few weeks ago (they also have locations in the West Village and the Financial District), bringing a full-on sports bar vibe with wings, beer, Philly soft pretzels (yes, those), a whole lineup of cheesesteaks, and something called “garbage breads”—house-made loaves stuffed with combos like Italian meats and cheeses or Buffalo chicken. Bonus: some pretty quirky door décor inside.

POLL

John Bruno Turiano

Licensed Real Estate Agent

Coldwell Banker Realty, Katonah

john.turiano@cbrealty.com; C: 914.413.2181