Club Car Grille opening in Irvington NY
Matt Kay is opening the Club Car Grille in Irvington May 9, 2024.
Two Westchester restaurants are closing, though both have alternative plans in the works. Sound cryptic? Details follow.
Club Car Grille, a New American eatery which opened last May in the space long occupied by River City Grille in Irvington is transitioning — and transforming — into Cifone’s, an Italian restaurant led by chef and managing partner Michael Cifone. Matt Kay, who owns Hudson Social in Dobbs Ferry, remains a partner (the two grew up in Dobbs Ferry together and have a long history of collaboration in and out of the kitchen).
The 95-seat Club Car, with a subtle train theme and subdued blue and gray colors, will remain open until July 31, with the plan to open Cifone’s sometime after Labor Day.
Along with new paint, awnings, chairs and color scheme (look for brass and forest green accents), there will be a completely new menu made up of traditional dishes with a focus on seasonality. Cifone said the main dining room will be “light and airy” and the bar will feature high-top tables.
Cifone, who’s been in the hospitality business for more than 30 years, said his goal is to serve up a classic Italian-American restaurant that’s 70% of what you’d expect and 30% a little bit more modern, meaning “his take” on tried-and-true dishes.
“My entire life, the thing that makes me happy, is to cook for people,” said the longtime Rivertowns resident. “I want this to be the Italian ‘Cheers.'”
Customers can expect dinner service to start with lunch down the road. Cifone, a trained chef who studied at Johnson & Wales, also plans to emphasize takeout options with a focus on family meals. In keeping with the “everyone is family” theme, all Club Car Grille purchased gift cards will be honored at Cifone’s. 6 S Broadway, 914- 591-2033, cifones.com.
Due to a Westchester County code that requires a very specific (and costly) filtration system that would be too difficult to take on, Michelle and Erich Smith, owners of The Farmer’s Grind, are closing as of Aug. 17.
The five-year-old coffee shop, which was known for its commitment to local purveyors and seasonally prepared foods (as well as its coffee), will be pivoting to a new mobile trailer called The Caffeine Cowboy, which should premiere sometime in September. The couple also plan to expand the hours at their New Canaan library location, which opened in 2023.
They advise staying tuned to their social media for updates. As Michelle said in their “breaking news” video on Instagram announcing the change: “We believe the best is yet to come.” 475 Smith Ridge Road, 914-533-7139, farmersgrind.com.
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And if you have news on openings or closings — or just want to say hi — email JRMuchnick@gannett.com.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.