The Best of Westchester- Gobs of NewRo Grub

The Best Of  Westchester brought out the epicurious crowd last night. Conceived in 2001, this years bash hosted at the Glen Island Harbor Club was the party of the summer. Dapper dudes and gorgeous gals, feasted, foxtrotted and fawned over displays that looked almost too good to eat.

New Rochelle has an abundance of  restaurants on the 2012 "Best Of" list  and some of them were  previously featured here on New Rochelle Now. I have long since said that New Rochelle has some of the best restaurants in the New York. I suggest that you make a reservation (if applicable) at one of the spectacular 7 below, because now that the BOW is ringing their praises, it may be a pain getting a table to quell your hunger pangs.


Best Cheese Plate The Gnarly Vine 501 Main St, New Rochelle (914) 355-2541; thegnarlyvine.com

Best Upside Down Pineapple Cake Alvin & Friends  49 Lawton St New Rochelle  (914) 654-6549

Best Vegan Restaurant-Jolo’s Kitchen 412 North Ave, New Rochelle (914) 355-2527 joloskitchen.com

Best Finger Food- Pionono's at Siete Ocho Siete 414 Pelham Rd (914) 636-1229 sieteochosiete.com

Best Bagels H & R Bialy Corp 41 Quaker Ridge Rd, New Rochelle (914) 576-1411 

Best Churros El Trigal Mexican Bakery 216 Union Ave New Rochelle (914) 633-9516

Best Chowder- Cienega Restaurant 179 Main St, New Rochelle (914) 632-4000 cienegarestaurant.com

Glen Island Park - Here on Gilligan's Isle

This 105 acre park connected to New Rochelle by a wondrous drawbridge; is a deserted island worth living on.  The Harbor Club, which was the Glen Island casino in the 1930's had many famous faces at the card tables on a given night. Ozzie Nelson was known to spend an afternoon at the casino. The casino closed in 1978 and reopened in 1983. Shortly after the Harbor Club was opened. The Harbor club is now a luxurious space that accommodates weddings and special events. 

The Glen Island Castle, was built in Germany and reassembled on Glen Island in the late 1800's. During WW2 bands would play and patrons would stroll the grounds of the castle. Cannons and mounted rocks are strategically situated on the grounds. The island offers picnic grounds, boat launchings and pathways. I suggest you stay for longer than a three hour tour.