2016 Westchester Restaurants to Watch

It’s a new year and chefs are already shaking things up! Check out some of the new items, menus, and events popping up with these Westchester restaurants.

• Chef Navjot Arora is moving his award-winning Indian restaurant, Chutney Masala, to 76 Main Street in Irvington in mid-January. Diners can expect the same quality and pricing, but with a larger kitchen, Arora can expand his menu and host monthly cooking classes. The eatery will also include the addition of more adventurous dishes and a lunch buffet, offering an approachable way to experience authentic Indian cuisine. Shortly after the move, Arora will open a Southeast Asian restaurant in Chutney Masala’s current location (4 W. Main St., Irvington), exposing suburban diners to even more ethnic cuisines.
• The chefs at Half Moon (Dobbs Ferry) and Harvest on Hudson (Hastings) recently collaborated on a five-course pairing dinner with Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. The restaurants will continue the dinner and spirit tasting series in 2016.

• And speaking of pairings, make sure to sign up for newsletters from Yonkers Brewing Co., so you can stay the know on their upcoming events. They’re teaming up with local cheese mongers, chocolate experts, and more to offer edible tips on what pairs best with their brews.

• And speaking of Yonkers… This rivertown is certainly becoming a dining destination. Construction on “Chicken Island Brewery” (name is not confirmed) is under way, and the boys from Fortina are also breaking ground on a new restaurant. While we may not be able to sit down and have a meal at these locations next year, I don’t doubt we’ll see more restaurant news popping up in the area.

• L’inizio broke down more than a few walls to expand the space next door, offering a bigger bar to whet your whistle from theirs Barrels and Bites menu.
• Artistic Pastry Chef “The Dessertist” Samantha Eichenberg opened The Dessertist Studio and Store in Croton on Hudson featuring monthly classes, private parties, and a design bar in addition to her sweets.
• Recipe and food blogger Tina DiLeo is hosting a new local television show. “Cheftini’s Kitchen”​ started in December on LMC-TV and will continue in the new year. Tune in for recipes, kitchen tips, and more.

• Ladle of Love can be delivered straight to your front door! Fresh Direct, the grocery delivery service, now carries several varieties of Leslie Lampert’s signature seasonal soups.