At Least We Can Still Eat Summery Foods

Yup. Memorial Day weekend 2020 seems to be mostly cancelled. No jetting off to crowded beaches. No outdoor concerts. No town pools and pool clubs. This Memorial Day weekend, it’s all about day drinking at home with your kids splashing nearby in an inflatable pool that you were overcharged for on Amazon.

But at least there’s one awesome warm weather activity that’s still mostly intact for this Memorial Day weekend: Eating Summery Foods.

Here are five places, all presently open for curbside pick up, that will at least make your mouth feel like it’s celebrating the start of summer.

The Whitlock, Katonah, NY

Typically more of a New American spot, The Whitlock is giving the people what they most want this Memorial Day weekend at home - a New England Lobster Bake. 

Available now in limited quantities for pick up on Saturday between 12-8pm or Sunday between 12-4pm, The Whitlock is offering a Lobster Bake package suitable for a family of four ($250) or a couple ($125). Both packages come with a 1.25 pound lobster for each person, plus littleneck clams, seasoned peel and eat shrimp, steamed mussels, potatoes, corn on the cob, drawn butter and dinner rolls. Add some cocktails or white wine to your order, grab a whole lot of napkins, and you’re all set for Memorial Day!

Photo Credit: THe Whitlock

Match Burger Lobster, Westport, CT

If you’re anything like me, then you know it can be hard to pick between a buttery lobster roll and an umami rich burger on a warm summer day. Luckily, Westport’s Match Burger Lobster makes the choice easy for you - in that you don’t need to make a choice at all. Here the CT style lobster roll and the Match Burger (bacon, cheddar dip, S&S onions), made famous at Chef Storch’s long standing Norwalk restaurant, Match, share the spotlight equally. It’s perfectly normal and quite frankly, recommended to opt for the Slider Combo, giving you a mini version of both the lobster roll and burger. Or order a few full size burgers and lobster rolls and make a pact to share with your spouse and kids.  You can’t go wrong no matter which item is between your buns at Match Burger Lobster.

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Southern Table, Pleasantville, NY

The menu at Pleasantville’s Southern Table screams summer even if you’re dining there in the dead of winter. Fried chicken, fried green tomatoes and a watermelon salad? Yes, please and I’ll go grab my sunscreen. 

So it’s no surprise that they have put together some southern inspired BBQ packages for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. There’s a Ready to Grill Skewer Package for $60 (including chicken, shrimp, teriyaki and vegetable skewers). A Pig Roast that serves up to 12 people for $145 (includes coleslaw and black eyed pea salad) and a BBQ package also for $145 that serves 4-6 people (includes a rack of ribs, corn, burgers, hot dogs, skirt steak, lamb chops, fixings, buns, coleslaw and pickles). Southern Table also JUST added some east and west coast oyster shucking kits (including their homemade cocktail sauce and other fixings) to their holiday weekend menu.

Southern Table is also offering a la carte items. Orders should be placed in advance by emailing jordan@southern-table.com or info@southerntable.com  for pick up either Sunday or Monday from 12pm to 6pm. 

Knot Norm's, East Norwalk, CT

Located on an adorable, beachy stretch of land in East Norwalk right on the Long Island Sound, Knot Norm’s was made for summer. Half the menu focuses on “Rolls” served on a toasted hot dog bun - delicious things like Norwalk's own Copps Island oyster rolls, lump crab rolls and fried chicken, brisket, pork belly, and steak and cheese rolls for land lovers. The other half of the menu is “Knot Rolls” - salads, steamers, fish tacos, soups, roasted oysters, chicken wings. There’s usually daily specials, too. No matter what you pick, it will be tasty and summery.

But for this coming weekend, nothing can beat the Norm’s Lobster Roll - chunks of lobster steamed and then poached in house made butter, topped with bits of celery and lemon juice. It’s summer on a plate and its a must do.  

Knot Norm’s is currently open for curbside pick up and local delivery ($100 minimum) on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4pm to 8pm and on Sundays from 12pm to 4pm. 

The Burger Loft, New City, NY

The Burger Loft is where I spent last New Years Eve and last July 4th. Why? Because the Burger Loft makes amazing burgers and fries (don’t skip their truffle dipping sauce), in a very casual, very kid friendly dining setting. It’s also attached to and run by the same folks as District 96, an equally amazing craft brewery. In normal times, for two beer loving parents, there are few better options than plopping down at a Burger Loft table out on the patio for a delicious kid friendly meal and some tasty beers. 

Alas, right now both the Burger Loft and D96 are only open for curbside pick ups. But you could still do a LOT worse this holiday weekend than getting your tush over to their shared parking lot for a killer beer and burger eaten in your car (or heck, in your trunk with the trunk door wide open so that it actually feels a bit like summer). 

Both locations are open 11am to 9pm right now for curbside pick up and local delivery.