The heat may be unbearable during these scorching summer days, but the cooler evenings in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown make for perfect outdoor dining and drinking any night of the week.
There are plenty of venues where you can sit outside and enjoy the warm summer air over a refreshing cocktail or mouthwatering meal. Here are a few local gems:
Sleepy Hollow
The beer garden at J.P. Doyle's is open for the season. As we previously reported, Monday is Build Your Own Pasta Night ($14.95), a perfect opportunity to bring the whole family along. The per-person deal also includes soup or salad and a drink. Wednesdays feature a barbeque of all the American favorites, from hot dogs to ribs and cornbread, all for $25. For three hours, diners will also have access to an open bar. If it gets too cool, the establishment's heated lamps will warm you right back up.
Part wine bar, part delicious eatery, Finalmente Trattoria has a quieter outdoor area for guest who want to enjoy a relaxed environment. Owner Daniel Damiano says they're serving up a special blackberry mojito and tons of Campari-based drinks in celebration of summer ($7 - $12). If you need an excuse to keep going back, there are between one and three appetizer and three to seven main course specials every night (they change daily). Our food critic gave a glowing review of her meal there. Though it's a wine bar, Damiano has built an impresive collection of b0ttled Italian craft beers, along with the usual (and not so usual) American and European beers ($6 - $25).
The Bridge View Tavern offers unbeatable river views right at the edge of Beekman Avenue. With new outdoor seating, patrons can enjoy any of the establishment's delightful signature cocktails, including a pineapple mojito, red and white sangria and even a sangria margarita, while enjoying the river's breeze. Don't forget about the Bridge View's new late night menu and ample draft beer selection. Owner Chris Maceyak keeps patrons up to date on new additions and upcoming events on the restaurant's Facebook page.
Tarrytown
The collaboration of the Washington Irving Boat Club and adjacent restaurant Sunset Cove give outdoor diners close-up scenic views of the Hudson River. Order the grilled octopus or crackling calamari appetizer (both $13) to start off, and chow down on the Mediterranean bouillabaisse ($24), filled with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and calamari for a seafood feast. And don't forget about Tropical Wednesdays, when a local steel drum band heats things up down by the river.
Nearby, the Striped Bass boasts similarly breathtaking views and great summer specials. With entertainment on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays, the Striped Bass is a great weekend hot spot. Wind down on Fridays with weekly DJs and dancing (Latin, salsa and top 40) or stop by the self-serve cabaña out back. Be sure to try one of the summer drinks like a detox martini ($11) or Ilona's pink passion lemonade ($10) to cool off. The restaurant also offers monthly drink and dinner specials. Order the Manhattan-style mixed seafood chowder ($7) or boardwalk calamari ($10) to share with family or friends outdoors.
Hugely popular Greek spot Lefteris Gyro has plenty of outdoor seating right at the center of town. The gyros ($7) come in chicken and regular varieties, and the oversized Greek salad ($7 small, $10 large) is filled with olives, feta and the restaurant's homemade Greek dressing. On the soup front, don't forget about the lobster bisque ($3.50 small), available Friday — Sunday.
The Doubletree Hotel Tarrytown's Bistro Z has its outdoor patio open for the season. Happy Hour is now extra happy and exra long on Fridays, when it runs from 5 — 9 p.m. Bargain drinks and complimentary hors d'oeuvres are a must to kick off the weekend. For dinner, try the Chilean sea bass ($26) or Osso Buco ravioli ($20), and end with a slice of decadent New York cheesecake or pear bread pudding (both $8). And don't forget about Thursdays' Family Night Dinner, where kids can assist the chefs prepare a family-style Italian meal for $20 a person and satisfy their sweet tooths at the "Build Your Own Cannoli" bar.
On Main Street, Sweet Grass Grill has a unique sweet pea mojito ($10) and spring blossom martini ($12) as two of its signature cocktails. For dinner, start with the Prince Edward Island mussels ($11) and try the fried organic baby chicken for the main course ($18). The many local ingredients used by the restaurant are a plus, including those straight from Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture.
Still hungry?
Other dinner venues with outdoor seating available include Caravela and the newly-opened Tarry Tavern.
Hollywood North Pizza & Pasta, Lubins-n-Links, Taste of China and Cassano's Pizza Trattoria offer a more casual dining experience, but also with the option to eat outside.
Looking for dessert? Grab a scoop (or two) at Baskin' Robbins or Main Street Sweets and head outside to enjoy the most season-appropriate treat while it lasts.
