When I first walked in to Dig Inn’s new (and currently only Westchester) location in Rye Brook, I thought I was transported to Brooklyn. No, I’m not talking about the exposed brick walls and hanging Edison lightbulbs of yesteryear. It’s more what you’d expect from a farm to table restaurant—light, airy, utilitarian (but beautiful) design. You’re almost dining in an atrium, with the high ceiling in the back filled with skylights. Everything from the bowls to the lighting to the furniture looks like it was designed for them. And it turns out, most of it has been.
I wasn’t sure if I was cool enough to enter until I hung out a bit. They had me at vegetable charcuterie. Officially, I knew it was a firm commitment when I heard Biggie Smalls’ Hypnotize playing faintly in the background.
If you haven’t heard of the Dig Inn brand yet, expect the unexpected out of this restaurant chain. Dishes are not presented as cookie cutouts; instead they look created. While food arrives fast, it is on trend, and it’s here where the vegetable reclaims its spot on the thrown (okay, plate).
Dig Inn’s CEO and Founder Adam Eskin’s story starts like so many I’ve heard before—previously employed in the financial world, he took a long hard look at his life and decided to contribute to the farm-to-table movement, offering delicious, healthy options that fit his (and so many other’s) lifestyle. But Adam’s hit on something a bit different, managing to elevate breakfast, lunch, and dinner options while reminding us all of the power of produce.
Breakfast options include egg sandwiches ($6.05), gluten-free waffles ($6.52), and frittatas ($6.05), but let’s get real and dive into descriptions. The waffles, for example, include lemon zest ricotta and Square Deal Farm maple syrup. And don’t even get me started on the avocado toast.
For those with remote or co-working offices, this will be your new place to collaborate with clients over lunch (WiFi available, I checked!). Takeout is available for those traveling to their next meeting.
I have a super-serious relationship with salad, but let’s face it, sometimes we need to get creative to keep that spark alive. Adam’s solution is building your own marketbowl—you choose your base, market sides, and protein. Bases are where you find grains like brown rice and toasted farro, but can also “settle” on farm greens with chervil and mint. Next, there’s the market sides: kale, apple and blue cheese; roasted carrots with kale and pumpkin seed pesto {IntoxiKate Favorite!} and broccoli with Meyer lemon. Protein options include happy valley meatballs, grilled organic tofu, and herb roasted chicken breast. The bowls pictured above were Chef Matt Weingarten’s introductory combinations and damn, they are spot on.
On the “Little Digs” menu, you can find options for the kiddos in tow like gluten-free chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and organic hot chocolate.
And speaking of mac and cheese, let’s just take a second to recognized the glory of that side dish, with sweet potato baked in…
Let’s be transparent: If I could dive into that photo, I would.
Ingredients are sourced with collaboration in mind—Adam is dedicated to the relationships he’s built with local farms and purveyors, which showcases as an extension of his company and immediately translates to the plate.
Dig Inn hearts veggies so much, they even have their own “What’s your Spirit Vegetable?” quiz. It’s no surprise I’m the Purple Kohlrabi.
Last, but certainly not least, I’d love to acknowledge the nugget of goodness disguised as a cookie above. It contains everything but the kitchen sink and it’s so, so good.
The bonus of Dig Inn Rye Brook is the chef’s table, a feature that can’t be offered in every location due to space limitations, but happens to be one of the biggest draws. Here, you can sit by the kitchen and see the Dig Inn team in action while pairing a roasted pumpkin toast with pepitas and pickled chilis with a glass of wine. Or, maybe share some of the vegetable charcuterie options with a friend or two.
And when you stop in, look for me at the chef’s table. Most likely I’ll be there, sipping some iced matcha while indulging in some mushroom tartare or a little beet carpaccio.
{Dig Inn: 112 S. Ridge St., Rye Brook (Rye Ridge Plaza), 212-545-7867, www.diginn.com}
