45°
Brothers John and Michael DiMiceli have been hosting a "soft opening" this month with a planned grand opening set for next week. The Prime American Grille features an all-American menu that has evolved from the former New York City "coffee shop" that lived and thrived on 51st Street and Fifth Avenue for 36 years until closing last year.
"The Primeburger was a very fast paced business with a limited menu, mostly burgers," Michael DiMiceli said. "Because we were on 51st and 5th Avenue we catered to a lot of business people, who wanted to get in, eat a quick burger, and get back to work. We would see hundreds of customers a day. On very busy days such as during the Christmas season, we would sell upwards of 600 hamburgers a day."
Lifelong residents of Westchester (Ardsley and Hartsdale), the DiMicelis bring their decades of food service to a familiar village.
John DiMiceli said the family took a deep breath after closing the New York restaurant and is rejuvenated for the new venture.
"After closing The Primeburger in May 2012, we took some time off to relax (after 36 years of nonstop working) and then slowly started looking for restaurants," he said. "The Prime is similar in that we serve good simple food at a very fair price. The difference is that The Prime is more of a night time business and has a bar. We did not serve alcohol in Manhattan."
The choice of nearby Hastings came after a search through Westchester.
"We both live in Westchester and after looking at maybe 50-60 locations we decided on 19 Main St, because we felt that the space was perfect for what we wanted to do," Mike DiMiceli said of the former Rainwater Grill space that is the centerpiece of the village.
"We loved the storefront, with all the French doors. and the size and layout of the space itself," Michael DiMiceli said. "We did a lot of work on the interior to make it inviting and comfortable for our customers. We are very family oriented and very kid friendly."
The Prime, which is currently opened from 5-10 p.m. each day until it begins its regular breakfast, lunch and dinner schedule in the coming weeks, features a full, comfortable dining room and bar with several big screen televisions.
The menu expands on the former Primeburger fare and includes grilled mahi mahi and salmon, crab cakes, roasted chicken, pastas, steaks and the Prime's own burgers, pulled pork, cheese steak and chicken sliders, a variety of appetizers and desserts.
"Here in Hastings, it is a more relaxed dining crowd where people are not in that much of a rush," DiMiceli said. "Therefore it gave us the chance to expand our menu to include a lot of entrees other than burgers. But we still serve the same quality burgers from the same meat company."
Th Prime will also feature live music with Mark Morganelli 's Jazz Trio appearing Wednesdays in the dining room.
"We also will be looking to have entertainment in the bar area," John DiMiceli said.
The DiMicelis plan to extend The Prime's full service schedule on a daily basis from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with breakfast Saturday mornings starting at 8 a.m., and brunch on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit The Prime's website.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Greenburgh and receive free news updates.
