Two Westchester restaurants close; one in biz 28 years, another for four

Despite all the restaurant openings in Westchester — more than a dozen with a dozen more opening soon — there are still closings. Two of them, one that had been serving heaping portions of Italian food for more than two decades and one that served Latin food for almost four years, are among them. Details below.

Piero's Restaurant, Harrison

This Italian restaurant, in Port Chester for 21 years and most recently in Harrison for eight and a half, has permanently closed according to Owner Andre Rosaspina. The eatery was known for its chicken scarp on the bone, chicken parm, pasta with Bolognese and zuppa di pesce and was a longtime fixture on Halstead Ave.

More: Spring 2024 Westchester restaurant openings: Here's 8 that have opened, 11 more coming

Salsa Bembe, Yonkers

April 28 was the last day for this Latin American space which operated on the mantra "A tropical state of mind." Owner Luca Lucido-Balestrieri, who owns Buleria Tapas & Wine Bar in Tuckahoe, said the bi-level space was just too large to fill every weekend. "Unfortunately, the numbers didn't make sense," he said. "A lot of money was needed to keep the place running and it got to a point where it no longer made sense."

The skyrocketing costs of food didn't help either. Nor did the basement level which made it difficult for Salsa Bembe's older clientele to get downstairs. "It was a very tough decision," he said of the lively restaurant which had been open since July 2020. "We built a lot of great memories there but like anything else, it had a beginning and an end."On the plus side, Lucido-Balestrieri is opening Taco Bahama on Main Street in Tuckahoe where Nutmeg Cafe had been. The restaurant, which should open sometime this summer, will feature Asian fusion street tacos amidst a coastal, colorful environment.

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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. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Closed in Westchester: Piero's in Harrison, Salsa Bembe in Yonkers