Plenty of Authentic Irish Taverns to Celebrate a St. Patrick’s Day Meal

By Morris Gut

The leprechauns are coming!

St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday will be celebrated with all its local color. It’s been a stressful year since the lockdown, which took place just prior to last St. Paddy’s Day.

Throughout Westchester, towns and villages are hanging shamrocks on storefronts and homes giving the Hudson Valley its sparkling moment in the Emerald Isle. If you want to participate in the traditional foods, spirits and reveling sprinkled with a good dose of blarney, here are suggestions. Be sure to check ahead for special events, and larger groups are advised to make reservations. Takeout and delivery are also good options. Erin Go Bragh!

Gaelic Fare at Dunne’s

Dunne’s Pub in White Plains is a neighborhood treasure, an authentic Irish tavern with all the traditional Gaelic accoutrements intact. Over the years, former owner Sean Dunne and current owner Declan Farrell have avoided the modernist Irish mode and remain traditional. It is a friendly, home-style place with a good kitchen to boot, dishing out generous servings of traditional Irish-style fare at prices that will leave some money in your wallet.

Farrell and his staff know how to pour that pint of Guinness while keeping the crowd in spirited conversation. Try their fabulous kitchen favorites such as corned beef and cabbage, the corned beef Reuben sandwich, beer battered fish and chips or salmon crisp (grilled salmon on sautéed spinach topped with baked mashed potatoes).

Open seven days for lunch and dinner, plus Sunday brunch. Municipal parking available. Dunne’s Pub is located at 15 Shapham Place in White Plains. Info: 914-421-1451 or visit www.dunnespub.com.

Reveling at Jack’s

Among the new kids on the block, partners Shane Clifford and Steven Robinson have opened Jack’s Bar & Restaurant on Main Street in Eastchester at the sight that previously housed Edmondo’s. It has been completely remodeled, offering an enhanced Irish tavern menu on steroids.

Generous specialties coming out of Chef Brendan Donohoe’s kitchen include Scotch eggs; decadent short rib mac n’ cheese; smoked seafood chowder; a signature shepherd’s pie calzone; and smoked chicken and sausage pizza out of their wood-fired oven.

Carnivores must check out the surf and turf, porterhouse frites and the rump of lamb. Tennessee Thursdays includes such hearty fare as pulled pork and brisket.

There is seating indoors that follows COVID-19 protocols. The staff could not have been friendlier.

Jack’s Bar & Restaurant is located at 219 Main St. in Eastchester. Open daily until 11 p.m. seven days a week. Opens at noon Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. on Sunday and 3 p.m. on Monday. Municipal parking is free in the evening. Info: 914-652-7650 or visit www.jackseastchester.com.

Here are some other area hotspots to try for St. Patrick’s Day.

Tom and Jerry’s Irish House, Brewster. The house promises plenty of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and Irish soda bread for eat-in or takeout. Some good brews, too. 987 Rte. 22. Info: 845-278-8900.

O’Connor’s Public House, Mount Kisco. Irish classics include Galway Bay fish and chips, bangers and mash and hearty bowls of Irish beef stew. Craft brews. 222 E. Main St. Info: 914-241-0777 or visit www.oconnorsmountkisco.com.

Rory Dolan’s, Yonkers. To many in Westchester’s Irish community, this is the motherload. There will be feasting galore all day and evening. Try to get there off peak, if possible. On-site parking. 890 McLean Ave. Info: 914-776-2946 or visit www.rorydolans.com.

Hudson Grille, White Plains. There is a contemporary vibe in this eatery, which translates into good food and drink. Big networking crowd daily. Tented outdoor seating. 165 Mamaroneck Ave. Info: 914-997-2000 or visit www.hudsongrilleny.com.

Brazen Fox, White Plains. All decked out for the Irish Fest. Serving traditional specialties all month long. 175 Mamaroneck Ave. Info: 914-358-5911 or visit www.thebrazenfox.com.

Wolf & Warrior Brewing Co., White Plains. Brewmeister Michael Chiltern brings White Plains its first microbrewery and it’s a good one. The daily brews are listed on a big colorful blackboard. There’s a comforting kitchen menu, too. Chiltern promises an authentic Irish home brew to mark the occasion. 195A E. Post Road. Info: 914-368-8617 or visit www.wolfandwarrior.com.

Growlers Beer Bistro, Tuckahoe. You can feel the rattle of the Metro-North trains passing by. A great selection of craft brews available daily. Knowledgeable staff. Good kitchen, too. 25 Main St. Depot. Info: 914-793-0608 or visit www.growlersbeerbistro.com.

Diner Brew Co., New Rochelle. Chris Sheldon’s new tasting room is a charmer with its retro-diner feel. Distinctive house-made brews and ciders and free popcorn for the taking. Good conversation, too. 40 Division St. Info: 914-229-3472 or visit www.dinerbrewco.com.

Trattoria Vivolo, Harrison. A solid Italian restaurant housed in a vintage diner, but come St. Patrick’s Day chef and owner Dean Vivolo’s mom, who is Irish, adds her personal touch to the menu. 301 Halstead Ave. Info: 914-835-6199 or visit www.trattoriavivolo.com.

The Quarry, Tuckahoe. Good tavern fare and friendly networking make this a comforting spot to unwind. The Quarry will be decorated in green for the day with Irish specialties and spirits. 106 Main St. Info: 914-337-0311 or visit www.thequarryrestaurant.net.

McShane’s Public House, Port Chester. Two former Irish bartenders brought a taste of the Emerald Isle to Port Chester and the crowds have been following. Special mention: the corned beef Reuben and lamb sliders are popular. 123 N. Main St. Info: 914-937-7800 or visit www.mcshanesportchester.com.

Irish Cooking at Home

If you are planning to cook some Gaelic favorites at home, check out these specialty food markets for authentic Irish ingredients: Butcher’s Fancy, Yonkers, www.butchersfancy.com; Prime Cut Irish Butchers, Riverdale, www.butcherinyonkersny.com; or Food Ireland, Mount Vernon outlet, www.foodireland.com.

Larger Capacity

Restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley are gearing up to expand indoor dining room capacity to up to 75 percent starting this Friday, Mar. 19. Billions in targeted relief for the food service industry is part of President Biden’s massive American Rescue Plan.

And spring is just around the corner on Saturday. It feels like the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel is indeed getting brighter. We must still be careful, though. Please continue to follow COVID-19 protocols and safety measures.

Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in greater Westchester for 30 years. He may be reached at 914-235-6591 or gutreactions@optonline.net.