Tarry Lodge

Gastronomically speaking, four-year-old Tarry Lodge is the biggest thing to arrive in Port Chester since Interstate 95. The creation of star chef Mario Batali and his seemingly infallible team, this wildly popular spot, in a somewhat unpopular part of town, specializes in vibrant Tuscan cooking. The cheerful ground-level room with a wide, marble dining bar and a dozen tables is for antipasti (try the terrific cured meats) and inventive pizzas, with varieties including potatoes with Brussels sprouts and pancetta, and a clams-garlic-and-oregano pizza. Upstairs is neighborly and festive.

Cheerful servers keep the pace flowing despite a Pamplona-like environment. Among the ever-changing dishes there might be whole roasted branzino with olivada (black olive spread), osso buco, linguine with clams and pancetta, and gnocchi with wild boar and pecorino. The huge and mostly Italian wine list is fairly priced.  -Bryan Miller