10 Westchester Restaurants That Are Michelin-Rated (and Well Worth the Trip from NYC)

New Rochelle

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Fuzi with Beef Tenderloin
• Reservations: Tock

Decorated like a seaside cottage, this Croatian eatery is as unassuming as it is impressive. First-timers to Croatian food should go for the čevapčići, an assortment of grilled minced meat, cucumber, red onion, fresh pita and ajvar, a roasted red pepper spread. The octopus salad—bright with capers, red wine vinegar and tender potatoes—is sure to impress any seafood stan with its buttery soft texture. But the handmade Croatian fuzi pasta with beef tenderloin shavings in creamy truffle-leek sauce is the dish you’ll be dreaming about for weeks after your visit.

Dobbs Ferry

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Stickabutta Pie
• Reservations: OpenTable

Don’t let the local bar-like atmosphere and chatty dining room fool you: This Italian spot’s fare is no joke. Start your meal with wood-baked bread and house-cultured porcini butter. If cheese is your thing, the house-made mozz and ricotta won’t disappoint. Also made in house are the pastas, of which we tried the delectably simplistic paccheri with ricotta cream, black pepper, thyme, toasted sesame, pecorino and lemon. The branzino, finished with broccoli rabe gremolata and smoked tomato oil, was undeniably elegant as well. As incredible as the food was, we were most blown away by the Stickabutta Pie, complete with house caramel and almond crust. Think of it as the ultimate sweet-and-salty cross between the fillings you’d find in chess pie and pecan pie. (Yes, we ordered two slices to go.)

Mount Kisco

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Imeruli
• Reservations: OpenTable

As in the country Georgia, not the U.S. state. Its cuisine is unique, though influenced by other nations of Eastern Europe. Consider the moody décor and expansive bar an amuse bouche for authentic dishes like kharcho (beef soup with tomato and rice), khinkali (house-made Georgian dumplings) and the ridiculously comforting imeruli cheese bread, which is soft enough to sleep on and cheesy enough to put pizza to shame. For a main, split the tabaka platter, starring crispy fried Cornish hen served with ajika dip, dilly fries and house pickles. Wash it all down with fresh fruit kompot, a sweet bev made from cooking seasonal fruit, sugar and water.

Hastings-on-Hudson

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Pasta alla Vongole
• Reservations: Resy

Elegant without being pretentious, this Italian-inspired wine bar is nestled in a picturesque downtown just steps from the Hudson River. If charcuterie is your bread and butter cheese, dive mouth-first into the spot’s extensive selection of local meats and fromage. For a light bite, go for one of the gourmet toasts, served on house bread with toppings that range from white anchovies to piri piri aioli. The pasta alla vongole, made with house spaghetti, was our favorite bite of the night, along with the drool-worthy affogato made with local gelato. (Oh, and they make the crispest French 75s in the county—thank us later.)

Pleasantville

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Fried Green Tomato
• Reservations: SevenRooms

It’s tough to find solid Southern grub in the Northeast, but this spot does the cuisine justice. Slushie cocktail machines, industrial décor and cheeky signs give the place a Tex-Mex vibe reminiscent of Dallas eateries. The place gets absolutely packed for brunch, and once sampling the menu, it’s no surprise why. We started with expertly breaded fried green tomato, served with buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping. We then followed up with The Biscuits, Brunch & Gravy (homemade biscuits doused in sausage gravy and topped with poached eggs) and the Chicken & Waffles, served with marinated watermelon, syrup and Nashville hot sauce if you fancy. Don’t miss out on the boozy libations, like the dangerously smooth Front Porch (bourbon peach tea with lemon).

Elmsford

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Awadhi Dum
• Reservations: RaaSa website

Modern and decorated with lavish hanging gold balls, RaaSa is beloved for its extensive menu (which has no shortage of options for vegetarians and vegans) and impeccable service. Multiple Yelpers (and Michelin) rave about the awadhi dum, lamb shank braised with whole spices, onions and tomatoes. But if you’re not eating meat, there are staples like channa masala, saag paneer and navaratan korma to lean on instead. Don’t skip the house roti, coconut rice, keema samosa or the mango lassi.

New Rochelle

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Mom’s Meatballs
• Reservations: (914) 636-0006

An industrial farmhouse equipped with chandeliers, blue banquettes and 100-year-old brick walls, Maria’s is home to some of the best Italian food in the county. Hit the quartz bar for snacks like Mediterranean olives, ever-trendy boquerones (marinated anchovies) and Calabrese chili chips, all of which pair seamlessly with wine. For a main, you can’t go wrong with any of the house pastas (hi, tortiglioni al forno, a wild mushroom ravioli and gnocchi in short rib ragu), and Yelpers rave about the charred octopus, plated atop braised butter beans. But perhaps the true testament to any Italian spot’s talent is its meatballs (theirs come rustic and juicy, served with whipped ricotta and pomodoro). End the evening with Pop’s famous dannolo, a cannoli cream-filled doughnut.

Bronxville

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Fat Bastard Burger
• Reservations: OpenTable

Known for its fresh seafood, next-level steaks and handmade pasta, Tredici SOCIAL is the fourth installment in the Tredici family. With an Italian-inspired menu and one-of-a-kind ambiance (we’re talking a zebra marble bar, a tin ceiling and red tile walls), this spot offers some of the most unique libations in the area. Kick the meal off with a Foxy Lady (gin, mint, lime-cucumber juice, aloe water and homemade ginger syrup) or pick a vino off the extensive wine list. If you’re feeling fancy, go for the grilled hanger steak with fresh chimichurri and Tuscan fries. If you’re craving elevated bar food, try the Fat Bastard Burger, made with Tredici’s prime blend of meat and topped with bacon, cheese, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and a beer-battered onion ring.

Locations in Armonk and Pelham

• Can’t-Miss Menu Item: Branzino Filet
• Reservations: OpenTable

This steakhouse with a penchant for Italian food is all about the classics, from veal scallopine piccata to pasta fagioli to chicken marsala. Known for its ribeye steaks and homemade pasta (hellooo, braised short rib pappardelle), Macelleria also boasts stellar seafood. (Michelin calls out its fork-tender scallops and sole in white wine sauce.) Yelpers gush about the resto’s famous branzino, which is oven roasted in olive oil and parsley and served with garlic spinach and roasted potatoes. Bonus? It’s deboned and filleted tableside. For dessert, savor old-school Italian-style ricotta cheesecake, traditional cannoli or tartufo, a layered gelato dome coated in chocolate.