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Road Trip: Exit 4 Food Hall in Mount Kisco

Andrew Dominick June 14, 2016

Food halls are all the craze in NYC right now. But in lower Fairfield County, food halls are completely missing and the closest one (the first in Westchester) is in Mount Kisco’s bustling downtown area and is totally worth the 40-plus minute drive to fill your bellies and thus, nourish your soul.

Exit 4 Food Hall opened in February and it’s already a Main Street hot spot. In an area packed with good eateries and ultra-cool bars, Exit 4 is a destination. It’s casual, it’s great for just about any occasion, and with nine food/drink counters there are lots of options for those days when you’re feeling a bit picky. On weekend nights it can get loud, and busy, but that’s part of its charm. There’s a sense of community here and you might even make a few foodie friends while you’re chowing down on food and chugging a brew. I was recently invited to try some of the food and the brew.

Speaking of “brew,” I’d recommend starting at the bar. X4 On Tap features a local craft beer menu—with selections primarily from New York and Connecticut – and if you’re wondering, they do growler fills. At X4 you’ll also find plenty of wine, and it doubles as a coffee bar (yes, that includes cold brew) for all you java nerds. If you’d like a snack with your beer, X4 has a bunch of tapas style bar food to choose from.

The food options are plentiful. Besides having some set menu selections, Exit 4 stays on top of current food trends, like right now, you’ll find a handful of sushi burritos on the menu at Inno Sushi (one of those previously mentioned nine food vendors). If you’re doing an eat-around, start at Rawsome Seafood Bar that features locally sourced seafood by the nearby Mt. Kisco Seafood. They tend to have plenty of solid raw bar stuff like oysters and clams, but the lobster roll is worth it if you’re looking for tender lobster meat that shines on its own and is not hidden under too much mayo.

If you’re looking for a good sandwich Paninis, Sandwiches, and Wraps is a dead giveaway to find one. My personal favorite is the mortadella with arugula, Brie, and fig jam on brick oven baked focaccia. It’s both porky and sweet so I think it should be renamed the “Piggy Figgy.”

Also, ypu should try the crispy and juicy fried chicken cutlet sandwich with broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers, and fresh mozzarella. BBQ sammies can be had too, in addition to rotisserie chickens, racks of ribs, and other smoked meats—along with Tex-Mex style fare—at Rotiss-A-Q.

For pizza, Fuoco Wood-Fired Pizza has you covered with classic and a few creative pies. My pizza pick is the Brussels sprouts (pancetta, gruyere, honey. It’s an Earthy pizza that gets saltiness from the pork, nuttiness from the cheese, and much needed sweetness from the honey drizzle.

There’s even a dessert pizza (ricotta, white chocolate, berries, fresh mint) that’s not overly sweet, but if Frannie’s Cream Puffs from the nearby Frannie’s Goodie Shop are stocked when you go, don’t pass them up. At Piacci Pasta Bar, I kept it simple and went with baked ziti, a gooey-cheesy, baked crispy on top, nostalgic dish served in a cast iron skillet. It’s definitely better than what grandma makes.

So there’s a bunch of food at Exit 4, and if I keep bragging about this place, we’ll be here a while. You’re better off going, choosing whatever suits you at the moment, and experience a gut-busting, but totally worth it good time. Take your family, take your friends, but just get there already.