Southeast Yonkers Yonkers, NY

Yonkers’ history extends as far back as the 17th century, when the Wickquasgeck people of the Lenni Lenape clan called the area home. Yonkers became an official village in 1855 and a city in 1872, its population expanding hugely during that time, from around 7,500 to 20,000. Today, Yonkers makes up Westchester County’s most populous city, and the state’s fourth largest.

In Southeast Yonkers, many Irish and Italian-American resident reside, respectively, in McLean Avenue and Midland Avenue. Brush up on the area’s art, history and culture by visiting various locations in the area, such as Philipse Manor Hall and the Hudson River Museum, where you’ll find history and science exhibits, art galleries and a planetarium. Once a year, celebrate with Southeast Yonkers and the Irish community during the St Patrick’s Day Parade, which takes place along McLean Avenue.

Diners enjoy a wide range of eating options in the neighborhood. Yonkers and McLean Avenues, especially, provide the hungry and thirsty with a great number of choices, and sit-in and take-out restaurants, along with bars, diners, delis and coffee shops, crop up one after the other. Home to a high number of Italian and Irish Americans, Southeast Yonkers also presents many opportunities to enjoy authentic cultural dining experiences.

Louie & Johnnie's on Yonkers Avenue greets both regulars and newcomers with a friendly welcome from the moment they step inside the restaurant. Serving big, tasty portions, the restaurant provides customers with a true Italian experience complete with warm hospitality. Couples have the option of choosing one of the restaurant's house specials for two, such as the recommended Land and Sea and Zuppa Di Pesce.

Indian food fanatics rave about Neha Palace on Meyer Avenue, and regulars vote it not only as the best Indian in Yonkers, but in the entire Tri-State area. A spacious restaurant with an extra area for events, Neha Palace provides patrons with the ultimate Indian experience. Here, you can count on a relaxing environment, friendly service and a great range of food and drink. Depending on your favored protein and level of spiciness, choose from options such as the chicken biryani, chicken makhani and lamb vindaloo, and ask one of the helpful staff members to recommend the best wine for your meal.

Tombolino Ristorante on Kimball Avenue, a Southeast Yonkers mainstay, has been satisfying residents for decades. Be prepared for a little trip to Italy in this cozy, family-operated restaurant, serving the best of gourmet Italian cuisine. Choose from over 500 wines to complement the various dishes, and ask about a private table in the wine cellar. Food-wise, find an excellent choice in the popular Caesar salad, as either an appetizer or main dish. Assembled table-side, this normally ordinary salad evolves into a beautifully creative dish under the staff's expert hands.

It's common knowledge that the Irish know how to throw a good party. So when it comes time for evening entertainment, whether casual drinks with friends or dancing the night away, head towards McLean Avenue, where the neighborhood's largest concentration of Irish-Americans reside. Rory Dolan's Restaurant, Bar & Caterers, open until the early hours of the morning, entertains with DJs, live music, large TV screens and pool. A wide range of beers and warm decor adds to the enjoyable experience. Take advantage of the late-night menu when the hunger bug strikes, as the food comes recommended. More fun can be found at sports bar Heritage Bar & Restaurant. Here, interesting Irish-themed decor, excellent service and live music together help to create an infectiously fun environment.

Southeast Yonkers’ access to major routes and public transport links takes you just about anywhere. Interstate 97 and Bronx River Parkway flank the neighborhood on either side, leading to White Plains, other Westchester County neighborhoods, and Connecticut in one direction, and the Bronx in the other, with Manhattan less than 30 minutes away. Plenty of parking exists in the area, since the City of Yonkers provides drivers with 40 parking facilities and over 3,000 on-street, single-space parking meters, the first 10 minutes being free. Those seeking the benefits of a private car without the responsibility of driving have a choice of taxis, many of which can be found waiting at train stations.

Three train stations line one of the neighborhood’s borders, Bronx River Parkway. Hop on the Harlem Line at one of these stations and reach Grand Central Station, Manhattan, in around 30 minutes. You even have access to the subway system by going the short distance over the Bronx River and into neighboring Wakefield, where the Seventh Avenue Express transports users through the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Use the Bronx Bus Service as another form of public transport, with a number of different routes serving the area, taking passengers to Manhattan and surrounding neighborhoods.

Walkers take advantage of Yonkers’ sidewalks, public transport and close proximity of public amenities, including shopping and eating options, with nearby downtown Yonkers as the most walkable neighborhood in the county. Bikers, too, enjoy these conditions, also benefiting from bike-friendly paths and bike trails in places, such as along the Bronx River Parkway. Southeast Yonkers’ closeness to the city makes commuting by bike possible, however strenuous hills, rush-hour traffic and a lack of safety in some areas means that most bikers prefer sticking to the neighborhood and close surrounding areas, or biking for recreational purposes.

The neighborhood’s public, green spaces includes Bregano Park and Coyne Park. Located on Rigby Street and Brandon Road, the 4-acre Bregano Park includes baseball, basketball, tennis, football and Little League. A playground, swings, benches, open grass area and spectator seating make the park suitable for the whole family.

Coyne Park and Playground on McLean Avenue and Old Jerome Avenue provides visitors with nearly 6 acres of open grass and facilities for basketball and football. The park and playground also features a sitting area, swings, spectator seating and a rifle range.

Another green option consists of the hugely popular Van Cortlandt Park neighboring Southeast Yonkers. Sitting on over 1,000 acres of New York City native woodland, the green wonderland ensures nature lovers have plenty to do and see, including golf and other sports, walking and running trails, birding, horseback riding, skating and visiting the museum and monuments. The park’s off-leash areas and large, fenced-in dog runs means four-legged friends get to play freely.

Yonkers residents pay around 30 percent more to live, compared to the average New York resident, while the price of gas in the area is about 11 percent more than the national average. The average monthly rental rate for a one-bedroom residence in Yonkers sits at around $1,300. A one-way, off-peak train ticket from Yonkers to Manhattan costs $7.50, while a beer at the local pub comes to about $4 or $5.

The location of the first mall in Westchester County, Southeast Yonkers serves shoppers well, providing them with both large department stores and independently owned shops full of character and local charm.

Label lovers head to Cross County Shopping Center, where a vast range of options include Charlotte Russe, Aldo, Guess, H&M, Zara, Macy’s, Sears, New York & Company, Steve Madden, Things Remembered, Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret and Gap, as well as a number of jewelers, eating options and a cinema. Park at the free, covered parking deck to the south of Macy’s and let the retail therapy begin.

To soak up the neighborhood atmosphere, take a walk along Yonkers and McLean Avenues, where you can find further shopping options dotted between restaurants, coffee shops and other much-needed amenities. Step inside a local house turned second-hand clothing store, St Stephen's Thrift Shop, on East 238th Street, and feel at home as you browse the shop’s range of clothes, jewelry, shoes and other items. It may be that a Southeast Yonkers’ trash is your treasure, after all. Just around the corner, the family-owned and operated florist, Blossom Flower Shops, graces Westchester County land in two places, Southeast Yonkers being one of the lucky locations. Residents love the shop for its prompt delivery, friendly service, and, most importantly, gorgeous flower arrangements, suitable for all and any occasion.

Grocery stores also abound in Southeast Yonkers, with bigger supermarkets, such as Super Stop & Shop, as well as smaller butchers, delis and markets, suiting the varying tastes of the neighborhood, from Yonkers Farmers Market on Yonkers Avenue to Market Irish Food on McLean Avenue.