Town House Restaurant Celebrates New Rochelle Grand Opening

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A restaurant and an event space with a decidedly New Rochelle flair celebrated its grand opening with a few regular faces and some new friends.

Town House keeps up the hometown feel with its Executive Chef - New Rochelle native Chris dos Reis. Chef dos Reis’s storied culinary background includes stints at Momofuku Ko in Manhattan as well as nearby Blue Hill at Stone Barns among others. His cuisine incorporates ingredients from local farmers’ markets and Hudson Valley farms.

"I was born and raised in New Rochelle and grew up eating at the restaurants up and down Main Street. For me, it’s thrilling to contribute to downtown’s revitalization," said dos Reis. "Fortunately, Town House is near to so many incredible farms which means the bulk of the food and drink menu features local ingredients. The menu is my version of American food but because of my Portuguese heritage and style of cooking, I am bringing new interpretations to familiar dishes."

The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting for Town House, a restaurant and gathering space that is already earning a reputation among foodies. New Rochelle Downtown BID and New Rochelle leaders joined the celebration.

"Town House exemplifies the spirit of our fast-growing downtown and will quickly take its place as one of New Rochelle's signature destinations," Mayor Noam Bramson said. "I am grateful for the strong public-private partnership that has helped foster such an exciting new business, and applaud Tom Middleton for his creative, entrepreneurial vision."

For his part, owner Middleton said the remarkable new business might not have been possible if not for the vision of civic leaders, city planners and elected officials.

"We are thrilled to be a part of the redevelopment of downtown New Rochelle and greatly appreciate the support we have received from New York State and the City of New Rochelle as a recipient of a generous grant from the New York State Main Street Program," said owner Tom Middleton. "We also feel so welcomed and encouraged by residents and neighboring shop owners. We want Town House to be a place where everyone in town can find a reason to come and share our house."

Located at 559 Main Street, Town House offers "elevated food and drinks in a newly renovated space that celebrates conversation and festive gatherings." Town House is set in a three-story restored historic building in the center of New Rochelle’s Arts & Culture district. The name is intended to reflect each floor’s possibilities for dining, private parties, art exhibits, performances and other community events. Most recently, Town House partnered with the New Rochelle Council on the Arts to serve as both an art gallery and a music performance space during New Rochelle’s wildly popular ArtsFest.

SEE ALSO: At The Town House, There Is A Time For Every Hudson Valley Season

Town House aims to embody this spirit of the downtown Main Street in New Rochelle that is a "blend of the old and the new, the past and the future." The owners said a grant from the New York State Main Street program through New York State Homes and Community Renewal allowed Town House to preserve the building’s original historic façade while modernizing its interior, complete with an elevator to access the various floors. New York Main Street provides financial resources and technical assistance to communities to strengthen the economic vitality of the state's traditional Main Streets and neighborhoods through targeted commercial/residential redevelopment such as façade renovations, interior commercial and residential building improvements, and streetscape enhancements.