New farmhouse-focused restaurant to open in North White Plains with a brewery downstairs

Talk about upstairs downstairs!

Miles, The Prince, which opens Nov. 18 in North White Plains, offers two kinds of experiences: A 43-seat fine dining restaurant serving a seasonal, seven-course New American tasting menu on one level, and a brewery, opening early next year, focused on farmhouse styles downstairs.

Mamaroneck native Zach Goldstein, with years of experience at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's properties and Stone Brewing Company, is behind the operation, as is Dana Lawrie, another Jean-Georges alum who's director of hospitality, Chef Eric Brach (The Inn at Pound Ridge, ABC Cocina, Faviken) and Brewmaster Evan Koepnick, who most recently worked at Five Boroughs Brewing in Brooklyn.

A lot of work went into the space, which was two years in the making. What had been a dry cleaner's is now a modern dining room, complete with a light-filled open kitchen and a 10-seat Chef's Table in the back. There's a seven-seat bar, lots of warm blonde woods, various shades of greens, pinks and oranges and, throughout the space, herringbone and penny tiles.

The interior is a combination of mid-century modern and Art Deco motifs with high ceilings, slatted oak wood (that runs from the ceiling to the floor) and hanging pendant lamps that light the room with a warm, amber glow.

There's also lots of burgundy wallpaper with playful line drawings of multiple dogs, including a poodle, dachsund, beagle and French bulldog, some with a crown. The restaurant is named Miles, The Prince after Goldstein's childhood poodle whose personality, he said, was like that of a prince.

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Elevating beer

Dog moniker aside, the real mission of the restaurant is to change the perception of beer. "For a long time, it was considered a lesser beverage so though we're offering a full bar and we'll have something for everyone, we want to elevate beer to a point where people can start to say this belongs here," said Goldstein.

In other words, don't be surprised when your saison comes in a wine glass. Also don't be surprised when it pairs perfectly with your acorn tart or mushrooms with salt cured egg yolk and scallions as Brach and Koepnick will be working closely together, along with whatever's in season, to create items that complement each other's flavors and provide a cohesive experience.

Beer, after all, said Goldstein, is an agricultural beverage made of grain, hops and sometimes local well water that's long been part of the farm to table movement.

Along with saison, Koepnick, who will brew on-site, will be pouring bièr de garde and sahti, as well as, down the road, some largers and West Coast style IPAs. Eventually, there will be an 18-seat outdoor patio downstairs (there are only a few seats inside) along with a la carte items such as sandwiches and sharable dishes (the menu is still a work in progress).

For now, though the focus is on upstairs where, for $135 per person (the price may change), diners will be treated to a gourmet extravaganza that includes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as many vegetable-forward dishes.

Sample entree items include potato gnocchi with pumpkin seed pesto; venison with rosemary and caraflex cabbage; acorn squash with buckwheat, garlic and sprouts; and pork with persimmon and juniper along with a caramel ice cream sundae for dessert.

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Goldstein said they opted for the tasting menu route because they didn't want to be another gastropub with a la carte options. Also, he didn't see a lot of tasting menus in the area so he wanted to offer something different.

"We think this is a grown up place that deserves a mature dining experience," he said.

With North White Plains "right in the middle of the heart of the county," he hopes to be part of a lot of different neighborhoods and communities. "We’re really excited to bring this concept to Westchester."

If you go

Address: 873 N. Broadway, White Plains, 914-358-1015, milestheprince.com

Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday

Good to know: Reservations only. Parking is behind the restaurant via Washington Street (go down the street and turn left). Also good to know: all items on the seven-course menu can be made gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian. And brunch is a goal for early 2024.

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Miles, The Prince restaurant, brewery comes to North White Plains NY