The Briar’s, an Ossining restaurant that closed last summer after decades of serving local patrons, has new owners who plan a top-to-bottom reboot.
The cozy inn on North State Road just outside the Village of Briarcliff Manor was sold in November for $1.5 million, according to the listing with Douglas Elliman, whose broker, Gus Lafkas, represented the seller.
Sal Carrera, broker for the new owners, would not reveal their names but said in a text message they would be “redoing the site inside and out.”
Carrera, who lives close by, said they are “successful Westchester restaurateurs, and plan to work on the interior and exterior, roof to basement, and will probably change the name and start work immediately.”
The .68-acre parcel sits in a commercial zone along a busy stretch of North State Road.
Locals recall the pub as a popular venue for special occasions in the party room, and cozy suppers near the front room’s fireplace.
The first-floor dining area has two rooms and a bar. The building also houses two basement rooms, and five rooms on the second floor plus an attic, according to its real estate listing.
Over the years, the beige stucco pub on the corner of Blue Lantern Road was home to a handful of eateries. It was known as the Blue Lantern Inn as early as the 1930s.
A 1963 booklet commemorating the Village of Ossining’s 150th anniversary carried an advertisement for The Briars (no apostrophe) and listed the proprietors as Joseph and Paula Federer.
The Briars was owned for a time by the O’Hagens, whose coleslaw recipe, relish tray and hamburger platter stayed on the menu after the family sold it.
“Many residents including myself have fond memories of The Briars,” Patricia Sacchi of the Ossining Historical Society Museum, who worked at the restaurant in the early 1990s, wrote in an email. “Years ago as a young wife and mom I worked there as a hostess and waitress. … I hated that smoking was allowed in the dining room, only two tables but came home smelling none too fresh.” Her son’s wedding rehearsal dinner was held in the restaurant’s back room in 2019.
My go-to place for years. Good times there.
If The Briars historical pictures need a good home, the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society would be it! We’d be honored to add them to our very valuable archives. We’re located on the lower level of the library and we get our mail at PO Box 11. We’ve been around a long time too: check out our very low [old] PO Box Number.
Let’s talk or shoot us a note. K. K. Smith, Executive Director.
What is it gonna be? I want to know right now! (I won’t tell! Or I’ll try not to!) 😍
We have the original oak sign. It was left In our home. It had wear, tear and a broken off corner. Most likely fell off and replaced by the owners. How it made it into our home was a mystery. We bought the house and it was hanging on the dark basement wall. Made a table out of it. Left it in its original state . Just Gorgeous.
The previous owner shared beautiful old historical pictures of the Briars with me. He was set to do an interview with I believe the local news about the history of the place , but it never happened.
I am hoping one of the employees can share the wonderful recipes with us…especially the coleslaw and short ribs.
Good memories. RIP Briars : (
My college hangout with the O’Hagans owned it – so many fun nights!
Behind the bar was an autograph of Mickey Mantle when he and Whitey Ford visited Briars years ago after a golf outing at Briar Hall Country Club
Mine was there too!
My family celebrated my mom & dad’s 25th anniversary there In September 1959 & my cousin had a small wedding reception there in 1962 !
That coleslaw was excellent!
Attended and hosted many parties there, most recently my 60th birthday in 2018 in the back party room, the food and service were excellent and would have had my wife’s 60 birthday party there too, if they were still in business. We also had a few valentine day dinners there too. I loved the Cole slaw and bread sticks too. Hopefully the new owners will keep something intact from the old place.
Please leave the beautiful fireplace intact, sitting in the dining room enjoying the flames the crackling of the wood, and the smell of the wood burning as you approached the restaurant. Really wish they could carry on the coleslaw, I really do miss it
Could not agree more!
CAM
Danced in that dining room in the 70s – so agree with you!