Where to Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos With Delicious Mexican Food

By Morris Gut

Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos, is a public holiday widely celebrated in Mexico around Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 each year, when deceased family members are remembered.

Rather than being a solemn occasion, it is a celebration. So if you love Mexican food, take the opportunity this week to enjoy some culinary delights from south of the border.

Rio Bravo Tacos & Tequila

Rio Bravo in Larchmont is a sprawling 200-seat establishment decked out with colorful Mexican art and artifacts, and multiple seating areas with a big galloping bar and lounge for socializing. Brothers Edgar and Hector Brambila operate another Rio Bravo in the Crestwood-Tuckahoe area.

The menu is loaded with flavorful surprises: tacos; a fajitas Texana combo with steak, chicken and shrimp; Southwestern chicken Caesar salad, a twist to the traditional kind; and square knot salmon (achiote and lemon-seared salmon with roasted pineapple).

The staff will take good care of you. There’s a large selection of tequilas at the bar and you can also build your own margarita.

Rio Bravo Tacos & Tequila is located at 1879 Palmer Ave. in Larchmont. Info: 914-341-1546 or visit www.riobravotacosandtequila.com.

Casa Tequila Cocina & Bar

This three-year-old Mexican eatery in Armonk will have traditional specialties and entertainment on Dia de Los Muertos. The handsome dining room is separated from a long bar highlighted with south-of-the-border art and artifacts.

Look for traditional dishes such as the chipotle Caesar salad; meltingly delicious queso fundido; the pork al pastor rice bowl; salmon Veracruz and the tender lomo saltado.

Casa Tequila Cocina & Bar is located at 465 Main St. in Armonk. Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Private party facilities. Ample free parking. Info: 914-219-5777 or visit www.casatequilany.com.

Rancho Grande

Rancho Grande Mexican Restaurant offers an exciting environment. Owner Mary Maloney and general manager and host Jose Perez cook up some tasty fare. It is a multi-faceted 320-seat dining room with a bar and lounge.

There are plenty of flavors in the Botanita Grande, a combination platter; guacamole prepared tableside; sizzling fajitas with your choice of fillings; alambre mar y tierra (steak, chicken, shrimp, with mixed vegetables, white rice and chili poblano sauce); and the paella Luisita.

Daily happy hours are from 4 to 7 p.m. There’s a weekend entertainment schedule and private party facilities. Free parking.

Rancho Grande is located at 1789 Central Park Ave. in Yonkers. Info: 914-337-3056 or visit www.ranchograndemex.com.

Guapo Cocina Mexicana

This is a unique Mexican-Cuban fusion eatery in downtown Yonkers with a colorful dining room and bar. The Mexican specialties coming out of this kitchen are top-notch and loaded with flavor.

Enjoy their fresh enchilada and taco combinations; camarones a la diabla (jumbo shrimp seared in a spicy sauce served with tortilla); and the delicious chiles rellenos (queso blanco cheese filled with poblano peppers in a tomato broth).

There is a bar with cocktails. Municipal parking nearby.

Guapo Cucina Mexicano is located at 10 Warburton Ave. in Yonkers. Info: 914-920-5900 or visit www.guaporestaurant.com.

Cantina Taco & Tequila Bar

Owner, host and actor John Solo is offering a three-taco lunch for $9.95, or you can choose one of their tasty quesadillas with steak, chicken or shrimp or a big burrito. A new street bowl is available with choice of protein for $8.95. Might be a good time for one of their frozen drinks, too.

Cantina is a playful, colorful restaurant with a bright aqua pastel façade along Mamaroneck Avenue. They serve reasonably priced south-of-the-border specialties. Try the new birria tacos, cheeseburger tacos and ongoing house specialties like the carnitas, chicken mole, garlic shrimp and steak fajita.

Open seven days. There are bustling happy hours.

Cantina Taco & Tequila Bar is located at 166 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. Info: 914-461-3959 or visit www.cantinawhiteplains.com.

Catrina Taqueria

Brothers David and Richard Zavala operate Catrina Taqueria at the corner of Mamaroneck Avenue and Quarropas Street, site of the former Splendid Coffee Shop. Extensive renovations have given the space a delightful atmosphere with counter and dining room seating. There is a bustling open kitchen. The brothers also operate Excelencia Mexicana in Mahopac.

Catrina Taqueria is located at 106 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. Info: 914-368-8470 or visit www.catrinataqueria.com.

Excelencia Mexicana is located at 551 Route 6 in Mahopac. Info: 845-628-3767 or visit www.excelenciamexicana.com.

Los Mananitas

This Mexican restaurant in Brewster offers dramatic views of the East Branch Reservoir and an outdoor patio for relaxing and picture-taking. There are plenty of window seats and a fireplace for comfort.

They often host mariachis, a DJ and dancing and drink specials at their bar. Look for kitchen specialties such as el aguacate (avocado stuffed with crabmeat and shrimp); carnitas (three soft pork tacos); sizzling fajitas; and the Sinaloa (jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon stuffed with Manchego cheese). There’s ample free parking.

Los Mananitas is located at 1250 Route 22 in Brewster. Info: 845-279-4646 or visit www.lasmananitasrestaurant.com.

Salsa Picante

David Dolores and partners have taken this three-story building along Mamaroneck Avenue and given it a colorful burst of south-of-the-border pizzazz. The street level offers a blackboard menu of popular specialties, mid-level a more formal dining experience and the dramatic rooftop for signature cocktails and events.

Check out the tacos de trompo, cooked on the vertical rotisserie. There are special events like taco days and fajita nights. The original Salsa Picante is in Port Chester.

Salsa Picante is located at 359 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. Info: 914-358-1880 or visit https://wp.salsapicantemex.com.

Fall Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

This popular dining promotion originally created and sponsored by The Valley Table Magazine includes about 150 restaurants, including past participants and some new ones from throughout the Hudson Valley. Patrons are always anxious to cash in on the seasonal bounty at reasonable prices.

Restaurants are expected to offer three-course lunches and dinners for $24.95, $29.95, $39.95 or $44.95. Beverage, tax and tip are not included. Sometimes there are caveats, so be sure to verify the hours and the menus. Reservations are advised.

For more information and an up-to-date list of participating restaurants, visit https://valleytable.com/restaurant-week.

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 at gutreactions@optonline.net.