Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021

Enjoy seafood specialties and more at The Inn at Pound Ridge.

Celebrating Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at a fine restaurant is a longstanding tradition. However, a number of Westchester restaurants were either closed or offering only limited or take-out service last year due to the lingering effects of the pandemic.

Well, the good news is that more Westchester restaurants are open and ready to help you and your family celebrate the holidays this year. But a word of caution: If you’re planning to eat out this holiday season, book reservations as soon as possible. After the subdued holiday season a year ago, people are eager to go out and celebrate, and restaurants are booking up fast.

Here then are some of the best restaurants in Westchester that are ready to celebrate with you this Christmas season.

For more Christmas fun, see our guide to holiday activities in Westchester, where you will the latest on holiday light displays, and other seasonal experiences, including FREE things to do in the area in December.

1. BanZai — Hartsdale

If you’re looking for something different this holiday season, and you enjoy a little entertainment with your dinner, then check out BanZai Hibachi. The restaurant is open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Food is prepared fresh at your table by chefs, with more than a little showmanship. Expect the usual volcanic onions, flying broccoli, and streams of sake. As for the food, try the mouth-watering hibachi lobster (my family’s favorite).

Benjamin Steakhouse Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021
Benjamin Steakhouse delivers a wonderful holiday atmosphere.

2. Benjamin Steakhouse — White Plains

This venerable Westchester restaurant features a stunning outdoor patio, oversized fireplace in the center of the main dining room, perfect for holiday gatherings, and complimentary valet parking. Its prix fixe Christmas Day menu features delectable dishes such as lobster bisque, bone-in ribeye steak, grilled Norwegian salmon, creamless creamed spinach, and pecan pie. Its a la carte menu is also available that day, and Christmas Eve as well.

3. Encore Bistro Francais — Larchmont

Enjoy Christmas in a warm and cozy bistro offering a new take on some classic French favorites. Open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Encore Bistro Francais features such mouth-watering menu items as country style pâté, French onion soup, Kobe beef burger with brie, and Long Island duck à l’orange. For dessert, you must try the crème brulee. There is even a children’s menu, which is rare for a French bistro.

Goosefeather Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021
Enjoy a modern take on Chinese classics at Goosefeather.

4. Goosefeather — Tarrytown

If you’re looking for a spectacular setting for Christmas dinner and enjoy the tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas Day, head to Goosefeather. The restaurant is located in the King Mansion of the historic and elegant Tarrytown House Estate, which dates back to the early 1800s. Goosefeather, which features four separate dining rooms, offers a modern take on classic Chinese dishes. The menu includes dry-aged beef pot stickers, walnut scallops and shrimp, and half or whole Cantonese roast duck.

5. Mima Vinoteca — Irvington

This Italian restaurant and wine bar offers authentic cuisine with an extensive wine list served by a friendly staff. The attractive interior is decorated with old wine bottles, dark wood, and romantic lighting. Enjoy such delicious dishes as breaded risotto balls, butternut squash gnocchi, and eight-hour braised short ribs. Mima Vinotecca will be open for dining, pick-up and catered events on Christmas Eve.

6. Mulino’s — White Plains

Breathtaking Christmas décor, animated holiday figurines, life-sized toy soldiers, roasting chestnuts, and carolers in seasonal outfits are just the start of the delightful holiday experience at this beloved Westchester restaurant. And you can enjoy this unique experience throughout the holiday season, including on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The menu features Northern Italian cuisine, including such classic dishes as veal scaloppine, gnocchi, spaghetti carbonara, risotto with mushrooms, and clams oreganata.

Rory Dolan's Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021
Rory Dolan's offers classic Irish-American dishes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

7. Rory Dolan’s — Yonkers

Whether you are looking for a romantic Christmas dinner or a large family reunion (its catering facilities accommodate up to 500 guests), Rory’s will serve its classic Irish-American fare on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This time-honored steakhouse, located just north of the Bronx border on McLean Avenue, has been serving guests with old-fashioned hospitality and mouth-watering steaks since 1994. You can also feast on such traditional Irish dishes as shepherd's pie and Dublin-style fish and chips.

Sam’s Italian Restaurant Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021
Enjoy old-fashioned Italian classics at Sam’s Italian Restaurant.

8. Sam’s Italian Restaurant — Dobbs Ferry

A fixture in Westchester County since 1952, this beloved neighborhood restaurant is perfect for family dining. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed, and the menu features authentic, old-fashioned Italian dishes, including hot and cold antipasto, pizza, pasta, veal, seafood, steak, and more. Sam’s Italian Restaurant is open on Christmas Eve for dine-in, delivery, takeout and catered events, but not on Christmas Day.

9. Savannah & Company — Cortlandt Manor

This friendly neighborhood eatery is offering a prix fixe Christmas Eve dinner with servings every half-hour from 4 to 7pm. The menu includes choice of appetizer (burrata, bacon-wrapped scallops, and more), entrée (prime rib, maple bourbon salmon, and more) and dessert (apple crisp, pecan bread pudding, and more). Savannah & Company is also offering brunch with Santa on Sunday, December 12.

10. Tasty House — Yonkers

Another option for Chinese cuisine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is Tasty House. Located on Central Avenue in Yonkers, just north of Tuckahoe Road, this restaurant has all of the classic Chinese dishes (spare ribs, fried rice, dumplings), and a whole lot more. It offers a full sushi menu, Japanese tempura and teriyaki, and even several Southeast Asian entrees.

The Inn at Pound Ridge Restaurants Open on Christmas in Westchester in 2021
The Inn at Pound Ridge offers a dreamy winter atmosphere.

11. The Inn at Pound Ridge — Pound Ridge

This charming and elegant restaurant offers seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine with many ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley and New England. Constructed in 1833, the building has been renovated to preserve many of the original materials, including four working fireplaces, providing a lovely setting for the holidays. On Christmas Day, the restaurant features a three-course prix fixe menu from noon to 8pm, offering such delicious items as black truffle Caesar salad, seared scallops, wild black bass, and pepper-crusted beef tenderloin.

12. Zuppa — Yonkers

Zuppa is that rarest of commodities—a restaurant that offers sophisticated, exciting cuisine and first-class service in a casual, friendly atmosphere. Located on Main Street, Zuppa is just two blocks from the Yonkers Metro-North Station, and offers complimentary valet parking. Among the tasty offerings on its holiday menu are eggplant meatballs, grilled octopus, veal bolognese (a signature dish), lobster ravioli (one of my favorites) and black angus ribeye. A children’s menu is also available. Zuppa also offers take-out service and has ample facilities for private events. The restaurant is open on Christmas Eve but not Christmas Day.

Photos courtesy of the restaurants