Playa Bowls

Playa bowls is one of the newest additions to Main Street in Tarrytown, adding onto the endless amount of restaurants and food places. Playa bowls were immediately packed with a bunch of people from the first day it opened. It has multiple locations across the US and is well-known because of their famous acai bowls and smoothies. It a favorite on the Hilltop, and we often see upper school students uber eating playa bowls
Immediately when you walk in, you see the aesthetic decorations and beachy colors all over the room. The workers are polite, and the vibes are great, however on most days when it’s busy, it gets a little chaotic and the workers performance level goes down. Multiple people, including 9th grader Giulia Sorvillo had a particularly bad experience. “My order arrived to my house with only two of the three bowls and my bowl randomly had 2 leaves of basil on it. It was also missing the almond butter and it tasted weird.” Although these flaws stood out to Giulia, several other customers love going to Playa Bowls after school or during the weekend. The performance is inconsistent which is something the workers have to work on.
The infamous bowls are to die for during their busiest season, summer. During these 3 chaotic months, hundreds of bowls are made and eaten because of how delicious they are. My personal favorite, the nutella bowl, is favorites to many others because of how refreshing and sweet it is. It’s perfect for the summer to eat anywhere, and the beachy decorations and fun atmosphere act as the perfect hangout spot. However, the presentation and serving size was lacking, which made the bowls less enjoyable. Room for improvement is needed because occasionally the bowls are messy and missing ingredients.
Overall, playa bowls has and will continue to be a hilltop favorite on Main Street due to their tasty options and welcoming faces.

Coffee Labs 

Coffee Labs Roasters Inc., located at 7 Main Street in Tarrytown, New York is a simple, delicious, independent coffee shop that is ideal for grabbing some caffeine, socializing, getting work done, and more. The Coffee Labs staff members roast coffee 7 days a week to ensure freshness and prioritize sustainability by distributing compostable and green certified materials. After a long but worthwhile renovation, the new coffee labs interior is more comfortable for seating, with new designs and pictures on the walls and floors. The menu at Coffee Labs is open to all types of customers; coffee choices include cold brew, lattes, cappuccinos, cortados, americanos, mochas, chai, and more.

Non-caffeinated options include hot chocolate, sipping chocolate, decaf coffee, tea, and smoothies. In addition, they offer their own bagged beans for home use, roasted fresh from all around the world for distribution. Coffee Labs gets an overall 4.6/5 star rating on Google and is a great place to stop by when on Main Street considering their fresh, quality products and new, comfortable interior space and seating. 

Taco Project

With its many locations across Westchester, The Taco Project has certainly made a name for itself here among the Hackley community. Whether it be after school or meeting there on the weekends, many students make sure to stop by often to eat their favorite tacos, burritos, or quesadillas since it’s a five minute drive from campus. Even with its limited seating, customers are able to make do and enjoy a tasty meal there. Its colorful decorations and light that fills the restaurant makes the experience even better by enhancing the beautiful flowers on the tables. At its busiest hours, such as Friday during lunchtime and Saturday at nighttime, the wait is not bad. However, finding seating can be difficult. With its approximate 30 seats in total, large parties are usually not the right fit for The Taco Project. Most tables sit two people, four at most if you move chairs around. In the winter time, the restaurant becomes even smaller since it’s too cold to sit outside. However, it’s always a good time eating a good taco in 80 degree weather overlooking the people of Main Street.

Some of  the best items on the menu would definitely be the guac and chips which is freshly made in house, and is refreshing on any occasion. Also, the sidewinder fries that are unique in shape, that are both crisp and full of flavor that come with various sauces that enhance the taste. For main courses, the shrimp tacos, the steak tacos, and any kind of quesadilla or burrito are always a good idea to order. All made with fresh corn tortillas that make the food even more divine. Depending on the kind of meat taco you order, the toppings vary. They all come with produce that is fresh and full of flavor that is perfectly paired with the meat. The burritos and quesadillas are all the same except for the kind of meat you choose, and whether or not you add or substitute toppings. Overall, every item on the menu is to die for, and there is no item to steer away from. 

Another plus to the restaurant is the service. When you walk in, you can go straight to the checkout where you can order and pay right away. If you are planning on eating in, after you pay you can sit down right away and the food gets sent right to your table. The food almost always takes less than 20 minutes to be made and sent right your way. So, not only is the food amazing, but you can also eat and go all in less than one hour.