{By Contributing Writer Jeanne Muchnick}
Zeppoleme packs a lot of things into a small space. To begin with, there’s a gift corner – great for this time of year when there are just a few days left till Christmas and you still have NO idea what to get your cousin/friend/colleague/boss/etc. The answer could be here. I personally love the mason jars filled with candy canes and a $20 gift card ($25 value total) and the fun “Z” mugs.
What’s great about this upscale coffee shop, open since June, is that it fulfills a lot of needs, aside from that aforementioned shopping dilemma. There’s delicious (addictive!) Stumptown coffee, for one. Here’s my decaf latte:
There’s also some damn good wines on tap (they also have bottled beer). I had a red Zin to go with the Z on my wine glass and it was delish, the perfect robust accompaniment to a cold night and ideal with my lentil soup starter.
There’s also artfully thought out paninis in flavor combinations such as chunky chicken salad, roasted portobello with balsamic onions, herbed goat cheese and arugula and braised beef short rib, broccoli rabe and sharp provolone. I enjoyed the hearty braised beef though would have liked some chips or a small salad – even a pickle! — to accompany it.
So you can have lunch, dinner or…breakfast. Breakfast paninis include grilled cheese, bacon, egg and cheese and BLT bacon with house made aioli, lettuce and tomato. In short: this cozy sandwich shop is a coffee shop, modern luncheonette (with stools by counter), light-bite dinner spot and dessert bar all in one.
Salads and soup are also available along with a long list of coffee drinks including a winter punch, artisanal tea and handcrafted soda.
The namesake zeppolomes, for which the eatery gets its name, are divided into “classic” (more old school like the ones found at Italian feasts) and “modern,” an airier version where the dough is created by folding in ricotta. All come with dipping sauces such as vanilla cream, hazelnut nutella, lemon glaze and buttercream. You can also opt for a savory zeppole, filled with vegetables, herbs and meats and served with sauces that fall into the spicy, herb and marinara categories.
Like the people-pleaser it is, Zeppoleme is open seven days a week at all kinds of hours (think 8 am to 9, l0 or ll pm depending on the night) to accommodate all kinds of cravings – and all kinds of evenings (it’s the perfect pre or post concert or movie place). Delivery and catering are also available. Prices range from $5 to $9.50 for paninis, coffee from $1.95 to $4.95; Sweet zeppole, three for $2.95, one dozen for $10; wines on tap, $8 per glass; bottled beer, $6.
{IntoxiKate Tip}
Happy Hour is every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with half price wine starting at 4 pm.
{Zeppoleme: 321 N. Main Street, Port Chester, 914-481-5900, zeppoleme.com}
