Table Hopping with Morris Gut

The leprechauns are coming! St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, March 17th, will be celebrated with all its local color. Throughout Westchester, towns and villages are hanging shamrocks on storefronts and homes giving the Hudson Valley its sparkling moment in the Emerald Isle. If you want to partake in the traditional foods, spirits and reveling sprinkled with a good dose of blarney, here are suggestions. Be sure to check ahead for special events, and larger groups are advised to make advanced reservations.  Erin Go Bragh!

Trattoria Vivolo, 301 Halstead Ave., Harrison. It is a solid Italian restaurant housed in a vintage diner but come St. Patrick’s Day Chef/Owner Dean Vivolo’s Mom, who is Irish, adds her personal touch to the menu. 914-835-6199 www.trattoriavivolo.com

Hudson Grille, 165 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. There is a contemporary vibe in this eatery which translates into good food and drink. Big networking crowd daily. Tented outdoor seating. Lilly’s next door. 914-997-2000 www.hudsongrilleny.com

The Barley Beach House, 95 Dearborn Ave., Rye. Proprietor Bobby Harris will offer generous platters of traditional Irish specialties albeit with a modern twist. The views at Rye Beach can’t be beat. Harris also operates Barley House in Thornwood and the seasonal Barley on the Hudson in Tarrytown. 914-481-5505 www.thebarleybeachhouse.com 

Duck Inn, 128 W. Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck. Proprietor Paul Collins has been at the helm here for 20 years, but the place has been operating in one form or another for 100. You must have noticed it across from Harbor Island Park. The place is strewn with ducks. Friendly barkeeps make sharing a brew  most congenial. This is a true pub where spirited conversation takes center stage. It is just around the corner from the Emelin Theater and the Mamaroneck library. 914-835-8791 Currently on Facebook.

(Morris Gut is a restaurant marketing consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in greater Westchester for 30 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. Email: gutreactions@optonline.net)