With summer officially underway, it’s time to make the most of those long, sunny days and warm evenings. The Lower Hudson Valley is packed with lots of ways to celebrate the season — think toes-in-the-sand concerts, scenic waterside sunsets, and plenty of excuses to ditch your couch and get outside.
Naturally, with a food writer behind the keyboard, many of these recommended adventures involve food and drinks. Whether it’s tracking down the perfect lobster roll, grabbing a frozen treat on a hot afternoon, or lingering over cocktails with a view, the following serve up the flavors of summer.
Summer restaurant openings in Westchester
If you like dumplings, pizza, burgers and Italian food, you’re going to get your fill with the following July/August openings, including some that may open slightly before:
Beachside dining
There’s nothing better than pairing a meal with a beachside view and at Rye’s two summer stunners: Tiki Beach Pier Restaurant and The Barley Beach House, you get both. Plus look for a July opening of The Mariner Waterfront Kitchen & Bar, opening later this season at Stephen E. Johnston Beach in Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck.
Waterfront dining
Waterside dining is right up there with the beach for top places to dine when the warm weather hits. For that get-away-from-it-all-vacation feeling, check out Harvest on Hudson in Hastings; Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry; The Sailhouse and Barley on the Hudson in Tarrytown; Red Hat on the River in Irvington; The Boat House and 3 Westerly in Ossining; bartaco in Port Chester; Hudson Farmer & the Fish in Sleepy Hollow; The Water’s Grill in New Rochelle; Hudson Water Club in West Haverstraw; and Trata on the River in Piermont.
Wine, dine and paddle
What’s better than dining by the water? How about getting out on it. With hour-and-a-half tours from PaddlePub Lower Hudson, you can take in the scenery of the Hudson while enjoying food or drinks you either bring on or buy. Tours depart from either The Sailhouse or Barley on the Hudson in Tarrytown, making for a uniquely summer-worthy way to experience the river.
Each restaurant offers options from their menu for your boating adventure (The Sailhouse is also working on a drinks package). You can also order direct from DeCicco & Sons Sleepy Hollow and they’ll deliver to the marina. Just keep in mind, no beer bottles are allowed). Make it a party with a bunch of friends (the one leaving from The Sailhouse accommodates up to 16; the one from Barley accommodates 20) or go solo and meet some new ones. Details at paddlepub.com/lowerhudson.
Another boating option, with emphasis on craft cocktails from the Hudson Valley, can be booked through Peekskill-based New York Boat Co. which offers a variety of sightseeing, history, sunset and private charters for families and corporate events. More info at nyboatco.com.
Lobsta love
Nothing says summer quite like lobster. Whether you like it tucked into a buttery roll, served as part of an overflowing seafood platter, or steamed whole for a hands-on feast, it’s one of the tastiest parts of summer. Some of the top go-to spots in Westchester and Rockland include Dobbs Ferry Lobster Guys in Dobbs Ferry, Sound Shore Seafood Market in Mamaroneck, KEE Oyster House in White Plains, Dive Oyster House in Briarcliff Manor, The Boathouse in Ossining, Bread & Brine in Hastings-on-Hudson and The Burger Loft in New City or Nyack.
The sweet taste of summer (it’s ice cream)
No summer bucket list would be complete without one of the season’s sweetest traditions: ice cream. With decadent shops galore in the Lower Hudson Valley, offering everything from soft serve to gourmet flavors, it’s hard to list them all. Classic old-timers include King Kone in Somers and Pearl River; Red Rooster in Brewster; The Blue Pig in Croton-on-Hudson; Penny Lick in Mamaroneck; Hastings and Ossining; Bona Bona in Port Chester; Main Street Sweets in Tarrytown; Longford’s in Rye, Armonk and Larchmont; Kups N Kones in Valley Cottage; Twist & Shake in New City; Temptations in Nyack and Piermont Creamery in Piermont and Nyack.
New this season is Gelateria Sorella, opening June 27 in Bronxville, featuring made-from-scratch flavors (from a pastry chef) along with Frannie’s Goodie Shop in Somers. Frannie’s also has locations in Mount Kisco and Chappaqua.
And opening in July: Sundae BIS at 55 Hudson Ave. in Peekskill from the folks behind the Hudson Fusion Hospitality Group. The new ice cream shop will also sell burgers and shakes (what the “B” and “S” stand for; the “I” is for ice cream).
Music on the beach
For me, there’s no two better words in the summer lexicon than “free” and “beach.” For the past five years, 107.1 The Peak Radio Station, based in White Plains, offers both, thanks to its concert series at its summer beach house aka The Barley Beach House in Rye. Here, you can dig your toes in the sand as you listen to top talent such as Kashus Culpepper, Slap Dragon, Michigander and Devon Gilfillian.
Bring your own beach chair or come early to grab a seat on the restaurant’s beach deck. The restaurant also offers food and drinks for purchase. Details at 1071thepeak.com. (Tell Coach, one of the DJ’s and the visionary behind this series, Jeanne sent you!)
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Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: From boat rides to lobster rolls, soak up summer in Lower Hudson Valley
Reporting by Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
