Let’s agree that pandemic dining—eating in at a restaurant— is just a little bit fraught. So why not head out for the ultimate comfort food, pasta? The Bashful Adventurer researches restaurants that are close to home. Mangia bene!
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Pandemic Dining in Katonah, NY: Peppino’s
Sited in Katonah’s former railroad station (remember those?), Peppino’s has been my go-to restaurant for the last decade or so, and even more so during the pandemic. Now featuring even more outdoor dining (with heaters) than in the “before times,” Peppino’s remains a classic with friendly (now masked) service and Italian food like your grandma might have made it. Tables are fewer and spaced farther apart inside.
What to Order: Start with a Grey Goose martini or the Signature Martini (a lemon drop), and then opt for a shrimp cocktail or string beans and potatoes in a peppery tomato sauce. For a main course, I go for the pasta puttanesca, hold the anchovies, and sometimes for shrimp francese over linguini. The Brawny Sherpa’s go-to meal is chicken parmesan with a side of meatballs. For dessert, the limoncello cake is sublime, as are the cannolis and tartufo. Wash dessert down with a double espresso (and maybe a limoncello or a sambuca).
Peppino’s Ristorante, 116 Katonah Avenue, Katonah, NY 10536
Pandemic Dining in Somers, NY: Il Forno
Il Forno has adapted to the “new normal” by offering expanded—and socially distanced—outdoor dining during better weather. Inside, fewer tables are separated via screens, which offers a nice dose of privacy that’s all the more important during this insane pandemic. Plexiglass covers much of the bar area, where additional screens also separate parties.
What to Order: Begin with a house red wine, which is great to wash down some arancini (risotto balls) or fried calamari. For pasta with protein, opt for shrimp scampi. A big bowl of penne vodka works well, too. The Brawny Sherpa loves the chicken parmesan here, too. Finish with a limoncello parfait in the summertime or biscotti and an espresso or cappuccino.
Il Forno Trattoria, 343 US-202, Somers, NY 10589
Pandemic Dining in Pound Ridge, NY: DiNardo’s
DiNardo’s is always delightful for indulgence, and so on bright summer days and winter ones alike, a lemon drop martini or a Grey Goose martini is a perfect way to begin. Like other restaurants, DiNardo’s has expanded its outdoor dining (and has heaters to diminish the chill) and has thinned out the tables it has indoors.
What to Order: Go for some frittura mista (fried calamari and fried zucchini in a marinara sauce) if you are hungry, then move on to a salad (insalata mista works for me), before digging in to what makes a trip to Pound Ridge worthwhile: gnocchi. The Brawny Sherpa is partial to the veal chop. Finish with torta al limoncello e mascarpone or coppa caffe with an espresso.
DiNardo’s Ristorante Italiano, 76 Westchester Avenue, Pound Ridge, NY 10576
Pandemic Dining in Croton Falls, NY: Primavera
A visit to Primavera feels so grown up. Housed in a home originally built in 1864, it has a delightful cupola and front porch as well as a large main dining room and a couple of other dining rooms used for large parties back in the before times. The bar area is inviting as well. In the main dining room, savor the view out the large picture windows and enjoy the mural of horses on one wall. Courtesy of the pandemic, interior tables are fewer and farther apart.
What to Order: If you’re not in the mood for martinis, start with some prosecco, which pairs nicely with the antipasto. As a starter, opt for fried calamari or coconut shrimp. The fettuccine puttanesca is also worth a visit, as is penne vodka. The Brawny Sherpa likes the veal chop. For dessert, I always go for the hot champagne zabaglione with strawberries. Heavenly!
Primavera Restaurant & Bar, 592 Route 22, Croton Falls, NY 10519
Pandemic Dining in Mount Kisco, NY: Stone Fire Italian
Located in an old house across from Saint Frances Cemetery in Mount Kisco, the Stone Fire in the before times was a great place for a breezy lunch or Friday-night dinner. In good weather, windows are open and the patio is, too. Inside, tables now are fewer and are separated by screens giving diners privacy as well as reassurance.
What to Order: Small plates can be the way to go here. Polenta bites are yummy, as is the Szechuan cauliflower. Truffle mac & cheese beckons if you’re in the mood for indulgence, as do mussels in white wine. There are plenty of salads to choose from; if you opt for the roasted cauliflower Caesar, remember to ask to hold the anchovies if you don’t want to see any. The Brawny Sherpa likes the Stone Fire burger. Fries are good here, too. Because we can’t be good all the time: opt for a Bloody Mary.
Stone Fire Italian Eats, 251 Lexington Avenue, Mount Kisco, NY 10549
Pandemic Dining in Brewster, NY: Aversano’s
Not far over the border of Northern Westchester is Aversano’s in Brewster. Located in the Towne Center strip mall in Brewster, Aversano’s is a classic, both for pizza and submarines on its less formal side (and for much-relied on catering during the holidays and at any other festive time) and for good Italian classics in the more formal dining room. Tables are now fewer and farther apart in the main dining room than they once were.
What to Order: Kick off your visit with a Grey Goose or lemon drop martini. I typically start with a crab cake. The Brawn Sherpa is partial to Nonna’s Meatballs. Eggplant rollantini here is as good as my grandma’s. Also worth a try: shrimp francese, penne alla vodka (it does have prosciutto in it), and shrimp fra diavolo. The Brawny Sherpa likes the chicken parmigiana and the veal seal saltimbocca. For dessert, ricotta cheesecake or tartufo tend to beckon along with a double espresso.
Aversano’s Restaurant, 1620 Route 22 (Town Centre), Brewster, NY 10509
—Lori Tripoli
Lori Tripoli is the editor and publisher of Bashful Adventurer. Based in the New York City vicinity, she writes about travel for a variety of publications. Contact Lori at loritripoli @ bashfuladventurer.com.
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