Inside Ardsley's "Double" Restaurant

Serving breakfast to busy commuters in the mornings and comfort fare to couples and families looking to unwind in the evenings, The Shop caters to different diners throughout the day.

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The Shop’s oh-so-golden mac & cheese doesn’t disappoint.

We have hybrid cars and hybrid animals, so why not a hybrid restaurant? That’s how Michael and Susy Glick describe their place, The Shop Ardsley. Purchasing the former Stars Bagel Store two months “before the world shut down,” as Michael Glick describes it, The Shop was born out of the couple’s desire to own a place in their hometown. “I felt like the [Stars] bagel store had a great following but when it came to evening dining there wasn’t the choice in town for the kind of food we served in our New York City restaurants.” (The Glicks owned two popular Upper East Side eateries.)

Glick recalls jokingly thinking about adding more to his plate when he was still operating in the city and looking at purchasing Stars. With the closing of his second restaurant during the pandemic, Glick made the decision to bring most of his staff, ambiance, and food to Ardsley. “I brought a varied dinner menu here, catering to both couples looking to go out and enjoy a great cocktail and a meal and families looking for a menu that has something for everyone.”

The Shop’s dining room

The space transforms in the evening — lights are dimmed, candles put on the tables, and the line rope controlling the daytime crowd gets put away. With red banquette and tufted leather chair seating and great photos on the walls, the nighttime vibe and the food have you forgetting that you’re dining in a place that’s churning out BECs during the morning.

And that dinner food doesn’t miss a beat. On a recent evening, we dined on some appetizers of delicious hummus with veggies and The Shop meatballs with a flavorful tomato sauce. The build your own burger concept is a great one — customers choose from a selection of protein, cheeses, and additions such as a fried egg or pickled onions. The Black Angus Beef burger we had was cooked to perfection. The fries have a nice touch of crispy onions sprinkled on top and the special sauce was the ideal topping.

The Black Angus Beef burger

We selected fried chicken as another course; there’s also rotisserie. The chicken was crispy and juicy and had us wanting to buy a whole bird to take home.

Rotisserie and fried chicken, with all the traditional sides

Fish and chips and chicken parmesan were expertly prepared, as well. Don’t miss the side dishes, including the creamiest creamed spinach, whipped potatoes, and crave-inducing mac & cheese. The menu is ideal for both dining in and takeout.

The Shop serves up reliable old-school chicken parmesan.

Glick admits that “it’s hard enough to succeed with one concept in a restaurant,” and there has been a learning curve as customers realize what they’ve thought of as a bagel shop for many years is now something much more. Noting that his dinner menu is “polished,” Glick believes word-of-mouth will continue to build, and once customers have eaten at The Shop Ardsley they’ll be back, betting that it’s a culinary case of “if you build it, they will come.”

The Shop
711 Saw Mill River Rd
Ardsley
www.theshopardsley.com

Abbe Wichman is a Westchester-based food and drink writer. Will walk miles for food, as long as it’s on city sidewalks and not a hiking trail. Bourbon drinker and Yankees fan. Find her on Instagram @abbewichman and on Twitter @abbe_wichman.

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