As warm summer nights give way to daytime leaf-peeping, plan a trip to one of these suburban culinary treasures. Each of our picks is easily accessible by car or train ride.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
630 Bedford Rd.
Pocantico Hills, N.Y.
914-366-9600
The food served at Blue Hill at Stone Barns is as beautiful as the pastoral setting in which the restaurant is set — fresh ingredients sourced from local Hudson Valley producers ensure that. The restaurant, located within the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, is all classy food-consciousness — jackets and ties are preferred for men, while plates are presented as an exuberant celebration of seasonal flavors. There’s no menu at this Westchester standout; patrons dine on a farmers feast created from a continuously updated list of more than 100 ingredients (some directly from Stone Barns farm), which is tailored to each diner’s food sensitivities and tastes. Sister restaurant Blue Hill New York, located in the Village, operates under a similar “local ingredients, artisanal techniques” ethos. —Amber Ray
Moderne Barn
430 Bedford Rd.
Armonk, N.Y.
914-730-0001
A favorite of the Clintons, Moderne Barn offers American cuisine that changes with the seasons — indeed, some of the produce you’ll encounter comes straight from the eatery’s rooftop garden. We stopped by earlier in the summer and were bowled over by its corn ricotta ravioli and peach cobbler, two dishes with summer produce in the starring role. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the rustic interior with modern touches (check out the horse portraits along the walls) for a dining experience that’s a little bit of country smack dab in the suburbs. —Meredith Engel
Hudson at Haymount House
25 Studio Hill Road
Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
914-502-0080
Sipping rosé while watching the sun set over the river from the back patio at Hudson at Haymount House, it’s easy to imagine that you’ve stumbled into “The Great Gatsby.” The 4-month-old New American restaurant is set in a estate built in 1910, but the menu is farm-to-table modern, focused on fresh, local produce. Try the herbal cucumber-honeydew gazpacho, the deconstructed sweet corn and snail chowder or the lobster with beurre de peche. At Hudson, the execution is inventive — but the ingredient is king. —Rebecca Finkel
MP Taverna
One Bridge Street
Irvington, N.Y.
914-231-7854
Just steps from the Metro North Irvington train station, MP Taverna is chef Michael Psilakis’ modern take on a traditional Greek tavern: a place to gather for an intimate meal of simple, rustic food. The blended dips with warm pita, the tender octopus and crispy cod meze and the whole grilled fish are perfect for passing around a table full of friends or family.
The casual setting is a departure from Chef Psilakis’ upscale Greek-modern ventures, Fishtag and Kefi, but that was the point: “If you create an environment that allows people to be comfortable and you create food that is enjoyable,” he tells Metro, “then you’ve given people this canvas that allows them to create their own memories.”
Taverna serves almost 50 wines by the glass, many of which are Greek. Ask the knowledgeable waitstaff for their recommended pairings — we love the bright Deusa Nai Albarino with the whole grilled branzino. —RF
