ISO Hartsdale NY (Central Ave) Brunch Recommendations

[Ora]

For the next 3 Saturdays I will taking a class in Hartsdale on Central Ave (I drive in with friend from NYC). Last we week, we left class starving so we hit a chain restaurant in total desperation for food at around noon. I am willing to travel 15 minutes drive in any direction of Central Ave in Hartsdale for a nice brunch spot with a good selection of breakfast/lunch staples. Please rescue us for the chains that dot Central Ave. Any ideas? Thanks!

[foodiemom10583]

I realize this is a zombie thread (resurrected after being dead for a while), but I'm surprised that the Fountain Diner isn't mentioned. Their breakfast/brunch items are pretty decent and the atmosphere is unapologetically retro.

[squirrelsense]

Haha - "Zombie thread" - I like that. It's my fault - I commented before noticing how old the thread was. I'm going to look into Fountain Diner - I love retro!

[foodiemom10583]

No worries: I like to see these threads coming around again!

It's a real-life version of TV's "Alice" if you go for breakfast and sit at the counter. Please report back if you try it.

[squirrelsense]

Will do!

[rpk]

For non-chain brunch food in Hartsdale, there's Harry's (230 E Hartsdale Ave). In Scarsdale there's Chat (Christie Place). I've only eaten dinners at these places, so I'm hoping somebody out there can provide information on the quality of their brunch offerings. For a more diner-ish (rather than restauranty) setting, there's the (admittedly tiny) Parkway Cafe in Scarsdale.

[Ora]

We had breakfast at City Limits. While I wouldn't call it cheap per se, it was not much more costly (maybe a $1 or 2 here and there) than a standard diner for breakfast--and the quality was in fact higher than a standard diner for the items we ordered. So, we were satisfied. My only complaints don't relate to the food. The parking was hectic and the service was minimal. The downstairs bathrooms could use much better ventilation. But, the breakfast food served our purposes and we were happy with our challah raisin french toast, whole wheat pancakes, fresh OJ, and very tasty corned beef hash. I am not sure what people expect to pay for that much food with a decent quality in a decent environment (dont have brunch in NYC is my suggestion, we pay a lot more for less here on a regular basis LOL). Based on the mob trying to park and eat there, I get the sense there really isn't much else anyway...Thanks for the suggestions. Not sure where we are going to eat next week for breakfast, doesn't look like many choices in the 'burbs. Starting to recall why I moved back to the city :)
Thanks!

[squirrelsense]

Amen! You summed it up in a nutshell. I lived in NYC for 18 years and what I miss most since moving to Westchester are the RESTAURANTS!!! City Limits is one of the only affordable halfway decent options we have.

[Ora]

City Limits sounds like what we're looking for--thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll have to map it to see how far from 200-300s S Central Ave. I am getting the sense that brunch has slim pickings :)

[SeanPK]

Opposite the train station is Harry's, NYC-esque restaurant.

[surman]

NYC-esque prices, that is.

[anonymouse1935]

And prices are high at City Limits, far too high for the return on investment.

[debmom]

They are high if you are considering it a diner, but it is much more than that. IMO, the food is much better than diner food.

[anonymouse1935]

The Livanos themselves get people in by cloaking it as a diner.

If they were to call it a restaurant, there is lots better food out there at cheaper prices, and they know it.

[Shawn]

I agree. I have never understood the love here for City Limits. Priced much too high for mediocre food. But except for Fujinoya, I can't think of anyplace I really like on Central Avenue.

[debmom]

I certainly don't love City Limits, but for what the OP wanted I think it is a good fit.

[valerie]

I agree with you debmom. City Limits food will not change your life but it is a bit nicer than a standard diner.

I would also suggest Niko's for lunch food (Greek), rather than breakfast food. I recently had a very good gyro there and that with a salad or pita/dip is a good lunch to me, and not too expensive. I'm sure people will say negative things about Niko's, but it's not like there are many other fabulous suggestions in the area. Candlelight? I like it, but I wouldn't exactly call it "a nice brunch spot".

http://www.nikostaverna.com/index.html

[anonymouse1935]

Atmosphere isn't everything. The wings and burgers are very good, and the prices are reasonable.

[rpk]

I would love to go to those places you refer to, that have better food than City Limits at cheaper prices. What places are these?

[i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream]

I have to defend City Limits. It is definitely a cut above a regular diner. I have been going since it opened, less regularly in the past several years since I moved further north, but I estimate I've been there hundreds of times. Disappointments there? I can count them on less than one hand. Some "real" diners in Westchester are really freaking expensive-- been to the one in P'ville lately? HIGHLY inflated prices for ACTUAL diner food instead of food that I find to be higher quality at City Limits. I find the prices are reasonable, and it is what it is-- a noisy, casual family restaurant. City Limits gets such a bad rap here and on Yelp and I honestly can't understand why.

[anonymouse1935]

Just about any 'restaurant' in Westchester has better food. Given return for money, any place in Westchester is less in price.

"Based on the mob trying to park and eat there,"

I know, isn't it incredible Ora? It's so amusing to know that so many people eat there more than once.

[Marge]

Oh puhleez....Dolores??

[rpk]

Excellent. Then please, anonymouse1935, name 3 of those places that are near Hartsdale and that serve brunch.

[Marge]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/520433
deja vu

[i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream]

Marge-- I was thinking the EXACT same thing! We're revisiting an issue that has been brought up in the past by someone who obviously has PERSONAL beef with the Livanos family. Not relevant to this board, IMO.

I look forward to seeing the superior brunch options, too.

[Westjanie]

Not brunch per se but Fujinoya (just south of Four Corners) has excellent (cooked and raw) Japanese food. The diner across the road (Fountain Diner, I believe) isn't bad for that sort of thing. There have been mixed reviews of Jade Garden dim sum (also in that vicinity) -- you could take a chance on that, or travel a bit farther north (maybe a mile -- and maybe it's even closer to where you'll be) to Central Seafood (next to Best Buy.)

[anonymouse1935]

15 minutes. Hmmm, well, depending on how fast you drive:

Rustico has good food.

Stay away from Spiga.

Haven't tried them, but how about Patang and Casa Maya?

Pepe's? Candlelight, you can't go wrong there.

Fujinoya is excellent.

[mary30]

I have tried Casa Maya and it was terrible.

[surman]

Agreed. There are some terrific AUTHENTIC Mexican places in White Plains; search the archive board for info.

[surman]

Spiga ain't bad... but neither it not Candlelight are "Brunch-y": Casa Maya is non-Chowish -- very gringo and greasy. Pere's isn't a brunch place, either, but ohhhhh that white clam pie!

[anonymouse1935]

The OP also asked for lunch places.

Spiga's has bad service, bad atmosphere, and bad food.

[i_eat_a_lot_of_ice_cream]

Agreed, surman-- Casa Maya is a really pathetic excuse for Mexican in Westchester, and it pains me when people suggest it when there are so many better options.

[debmom]

City Limits has the best bacon-- they smoke it themselves!

[mary30]

I know Route 100 on Central Avenue is serving brunch now. I haven't had the brunch but I've had dinner there a few times and the food and the service have been consistantly good.