Whether you’re into sweet or savory, the best part about brunch is you can have your pan “cake” and eat eggs, too. And there’s nothing like a little Mimosa or Bloody Mary to go along for the ride, too.
As the leaves turn, it’s time to pair them with the colorful flavors on your plate. We talked to some standout, highly-recommended brunch restaurants in Westchester and asked them what they love most on their menus.
From Mexican-inspired to Italian to New Orleans cooking, there are a range of options for a satisfying brunch, up and down county in Westchester. Let’s talk brunch entrees (brunchrees?). Bon Appetit.
Crawdaddy’s Kitchen
68 Wheeler Avenue, Pleasantville
Saturday & Sunday, 12 – 4 pm
Anthony Amato, the owner of Crawdaddy’s Kitchen in Pleasantville had an ex-girlfriend from New Orleans. While no longer together, Amato did keep one relationship—that with New Orleans cuisine.
Now about a year old, Crawdaddy’s Kitchen brings “a different kind of cuisine that no one has here,” Amato said.
To share, Amato recommends the fried grits or the ancho-chile candied bacon with pickled watermelon, which you can enjoy to a small band that will often play in the background during brunch.
For your entree, try the breakfast yaya, which is rice, bacon, chicken, shrimp, fried egg and scallion. Or opt for the crawfish frittata, the chicken and waffles topped with blueberry butter, or what Amato called a “zhuzhed up” French toast with cinnamon-sugar and praline syrup.
For a real reminder of New Orleans, you can try fresh beignets and Cafe du Monde coffee.
On to the bar, where you can drink an Irish Coffee of Teeling whiskey, chicory coffee, demerara, whipped cream and nutmeg. Unlimited Mimosas and Bellinis are also available for $25 extra when you order an entree.
All in all, when you land in Pleasantville, Amato hopes you’ll feel like you’re not too far from the French Quarter.
La Casa Bronxville
7 Pondfield Road, Bronxville
Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 am – 4 pm
Outdoors under the “cabanas” or indoors, La Casa Bronxville has become a destination for Mexican cuisine, winning two Best of Westchester awards this year in the categories of Mexican Restaurant and Margarita.
Run by Spencer Pingel, an American who spent a lot of time in Mexico and fell in love with the cuisine, and was also inspired by the Michelin-starred Casa Enrique in New York City to bring a similar level of elevated Mexican cuisine to Westchester.
The brunch menu is long, anchored by chilaquiles, homemade fried tortillas bathed in salsa and topped with eggs, chicken, chorizo, steak or a combination thereof. You could go with torrejas, a Mexican take on French toast, topped with agave syrup and pumpkin seeds.
There is lots going on. You could start with brunch appetizers like guacamole or ceviche, and you could also share from a variety of tacos – carnitas, pastor, fish, mushroom, cauliflower and more, or quesadillas. Homemade desserts from churros to ice cream to tres leches cake top it off.
When you order a brunch entree, for $30 extra you can get unlimited drinks for two hours, choosing from mimosas, margaritas, Bloody Marias and Marys.
179 Bar and Grill
179 E Main St, New Rochelle
Saturday & Sunday, 12 – 3 pm
Tres Leches French toast is one of the stars at this Italian American and Mexican-inspired restaurant with a large outdoor section, where thick-cut, cinnamon French toast gets a tres leches sauce beside applewood bacon and fruit.
The owner, Dario Cardona, 32, started in the restaurant business at 16 as a busboy and worked up through the ranks of various restaurants to pursue his dream of opening his own spot in 2019.
While the chef is Mexican, the cuisine is Italian-American-inspired with a “touch” of Mexican influence.
For brunch, Cardona recommends the brisket omelet – the plate starts with hash browns topped by an omelet of jalapenos, sweet peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese, all topped with brisket and sliced avocado. The eggs benedict, tiramisu French toast, tres leches pancakes and avocado toast are also popular. Order up a Mimosa and Bloody Mary because Cardona says “you always got to have a drink” with brunch.
