Dining Al Fresco or Indoors on the Hudson River

The interior of Sunset Cove restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y. showing tables, chairs, windows, the Governor Mario Cuomo bridge and the city in the distance. Photo credit: M. Ciavardini. — Great views at Sunset Cove restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini.

Sunset Cove restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y. just keeps getting better and better. Having visited in the past to dine on the Hudson River or out of convenience on an evening really planned for the Tarrytown Music Hall, I always enjoyed the view and the food. On a visit during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, though, the food served absolutely delights us.

A Tarrytown Restaurant on the Water

With a view of both the newly anointed Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge (the replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge connecting Tarrytown to Nyack) and a hazy silhouette of Manhattan, we kick off our evening with martinis (dirty for the Brawny Sherpa, a lemon drop for me).

Martinis and a view at Sunset Cove Tarrytown. Photo credit: M. Ciavardini. — Martinis and a view at Sunset Cove Tarrytown.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini.

We are seated on a windy day at a window overlooking the Hudson and marvel at the sunny skies and choppy river and imposing presence of that brand new bridge (with what seem to be a few remnants of the old one remaining).

Sunset on the Hudson River and Memorable Food

Servers do not rush us even though we visit on a Saturday evening. The sun begins to set as we move on from our warm bread to mussels swimming in spicy, toasted coconut milk for me and surprisingly good chicken meatballs (“nonne polpette”) for the Brawny Sherpa.

Stella cadente at Sunset Cove restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y. Photo credit: M. Ciavardini. — Stella cadente at Sunset Cove restaurant in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini.

A generous portion of stella cadente—that’s ‘shooting star’ in English—features fresh pasta that looks like it might have been pressed through a Play-Doh Fun Factory. The pasta provides plenty of surface area for enrichment by the pistachio pesto that coats it. Aspargus, arugula, and white beans complete the dish.

Stella cadente, or shooting star pasta, looks like it might have been pressed through a Play-Doh Fun Factory.

Ever the carnivore, the Brawny Sherpa selects a medium rare skirt steak with grilled asparagus, purple hash browns, and charred shishito butter.

Mascarpone cheesecake at Sunset Cove Tarrytown. Photo credit: M. Ciavardini. — Mascarpone cheesecake at Sunset Cove Tarrytown.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini.

Moving on to dessert, we finish with a round of double espressos and mascarpone cheesecake for me and chocolate decadence (flourless chocolate torte with berry sauce) for him. Now we have it all—the bridge, the river, the city, the food. We cannot help but wonder why we do not come here more often. We will.

Hints for Bashful Adventurers

Sunset Cove is a popular restaurant. If you go, you may well want to make reservations. To try to get a table with fantastic views, you might arrive at opening time. Those good tables go quickly.
Tarrytown has developed significantly in recent years. If you are making an afternoon or an evening of your visit, Tarrytown Music Hall and Lyndhurst Mansion are viable sources of entertainment.
The afternoon sun shining on the restaurant can be bright. Bring your sunglasses.