Community Corner

10 Days Of Great Eats, Values At 2nd Annual Nyack Feasts!

There's enough going on to fill your calendars for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus second breakfast, high tea and midnight snacks.

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Simard & Co. is one of 30 eateries in the 10 day extravaganza that is Nyack Feasts! 2022.
Simard & Co. is one of 30 eateries in the 10 day extravaganza that is Nyack Feasts! 2022. (Kal Toth)

NYACK, NY — With the pandemic approaching the two-year mark, foodies, friends, and families hankering to get out for good food — from kitchens other than their own — will find great eats and great values in Nyack during the village's second annual Nyack Feasts! restaurant event.

Nyack Feasts 2022, which runs from Tuesday through March 10, offers a wide array of hosting establishments, cuisines and culinary styles.

"Our restaurants attract diners with all tastes and appetites from around the tri-state area and beyond," said Roger Cohen, president of the Nyack Chamber of Commerce.

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During this enticing 10-day culinary celebration, diners can choose formats and flavors from 30 participating restaurants offering a variety of options — special menus at special prices, discounts of up to 20 percent on indoor dining and pick-ups, plus free items to accompany orders.

Also noteworthy, many of Nyack's restaurants feature locally-sourced ingredients, and offer fun "accompaniments" to the dining experience.

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Cuisines include French, Italian, fresh-made pasta and provisions, Caribbean, Thai, Mexican, Latin Fusion, Filipino, Peruvian, Vietnamese, Indian, Greek/Mediterranean, Mexican, Southern, Continental, upscale American, charcuterie and imported cheeses, specialty coffees and baked goods, casual pub eats (including Irish favorites), diner-style breakfasts and burgers, and artisanal beers and brewery fare.

“We especially thank Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for generously supporting this event as sponsors,” said Mayor Don Hammond. “Feasts is a win-win for Nyack establishments and their patrons — a healthy, safe way to get through a really tough time, with a special flair unique to our village."

Nyack Feasts has grown nearly two-fold since the inaugural event in 2021, and demonstrates the power of this community effort in a challenging world. The results are impressive. Last year, participating restaurants reported a 20 percent year-over-year increase in business as measured by number of guests served. Similar results are expected this year.

"Nyack Ridge is honored to sponsor Nyack Feasts once again this year with the hope that all restaurants and small businesses in our community will get back on their feet," said Michael Braunstein, owner of Nyack Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

Grassroots support from the community is also integral to the vitality of local businesses. As a notable example, Nyack's restaurants have a dedicated social following through the highly subscribed local Facebook group Nyack Eats 2022. Now counting 3,200+ members, the group shares lively conversation about food experiences in Nyack. All are welcome to join at Nyack Eats 2022 Facebook Group.

Bottom line: 'It takes a village' may be a cliche, but couldn't be more apt than for Nyack and its special brand of community activism.

"When I think about community service, I go to a quote from Winston Churchill," added Braunstein. "Churchill said: ' We make a living by what we get. But we make a life by what we give.'"

What to look for

“Feasts offers diners Nyack's best food at great prices,” said Alain Eigenmann of Alain's Petit Bistro. “At Petit Bistro, we will be serving our full lunch and dinner menus with a 20% discount during the 10-day festival. Our cuisine is modern French made in the classic way -- fresh ingredients, impeccably cooked."

In addition to full lunches and dinners, a Feasts sampler might also include a stack of fluffy pancakes at the Breakfast & Burger Club, or a cheese/charcuterie tasting at Simard, or mezze and dinner at The Greekish, a special salad at Nyack's RCC student-run Hudson Market on Main, tacos at Casa del Sol, a distinctly Italian 'aperitivo hour' at Salonniere Coffee Bar, or specialty take-home sandwiches crafted by Farina Caffé (definitely not your ordinary sandwich) — just to name a few options for exploring the 10-day event.

"Variety is the spice of Nyack," said event organizer Mark Davidoff, director of Nyack's Hudson Market on Main and Rockland Community College Hospitality & Culinary Arts Center. "Feasts is about Nyack's rich variety of cuisines, but it's also about freedom -- a departure from the cookie-cutter 'restaurant week' approach where every business is required to deliver basically the same offer in a traditional full-service dining way."

Also notable: A number of Nyack's food establishments combine good eats with made-on-premises products and fun experiences.

Located on Main Street in Nyack, Two Villains Brewing makes its own specialty beers, offering hop-forward ales and saisons, alongside pub fare with a southern twist. Also on Main Street, Black Parakeetz offers food and drinks coupled with karaoke and a painting lounge. Dragon Den & Dungeon Hall combines tempting cuisine with tabletop gaming for enthusiasts young and old, in a warm, inviting environment — the "perfect haven for nerds of all ages," as described by owner Michael Carr.

"Nyack is not a one-size-fits-all community," said Davidoff. "Our restaurant community is all about creativity, variety and multi-cultural cuisines. In addition to avoiding the standard one-offer restaurant week approach, we're including any local purveyors of good food who want to participate. Each participating establishment crafts its own offer and special brand of culinary magic — also with interesting add-ons. That's what Nyack is all about."

Pair the fare

Diners are encouraged to 'pair your fare' with great shopping at Nyack's eclectic retail establishments and personal service establishments.

"Nyack is a treasure trove for curious, adventurous shoppers," said Maria Luisa Whittingham, owner, Maria Luisa boutique and co-founder of Nyack Merchants United. "Browsing our one-of-a-kind shops is a great way to combine lunch or dinner with a unique Nyack discovery experience."

Patrons should be on the lookout for the Nyack Fan Card, a $20 card that gives residents and visitors access to special shopping deals throughout Nyack. The card is available for purchase at over a dozen participating businesses. The Fan Card is also available on the Visit Nyack website.

A full listing of participating restaurants and their specific offerings is available on the Visit Nyack website.

"Nyack Feasts is truly a community event — for the businesses, and for residents and visitors who come into town to taste the many delights of our special village," Hammond said. "Great food, of course, but so much more with unique shops and recreational opportunities."

Feasters should also plan to visit the Nyack Farmers Market, outdoors every Thursday all winter from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Main Street parking lot. Visit the Nyack Chamber of Commerce website for Market details.

"Restaurants are core businesses in our community, and play a critical role in driving our local economy," Cohen said. "Like other communities across the nation, we've had to fight hard to keep our small businesses going. We're proud to be working our way into a post-pandemic world — keeping the ovens lit and employees on the payroll until times get better, as we know they will."

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