Hartsdale Celebrates Opening Of 'The Rex,' A New Pizza & Lobster Restaurant

Roll out the lobster and serve up the pizza. If you are a seafood and Italian food aficionado, The Rex, a newly-opened eatery along Route 100 (247 North Central Ave.) in Hartsdale is worth a night out.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday evening at The Rex, a new lobster and pizza restaurant at 247 North Central Ave. (Route 100) in Hartsdale. Front row, from left, are Bridget Gibbons, Rex owner Jonathan Otto and Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner, left, talks with Maria Gomez at the grand opening of The Rex on Thursday evening. Gomez' daughter, Michelle, is a manager at the new lobster and pizza restaurant at 247 North Central Ave. (Route 100) in Hartsdale.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

A margarita pizza slice being served, and a lobster roll in the foreground.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner, right, mingling with guests at the grand opening of The Rex, a new lobster and pizza restaurant at 247 North Central Ave. (Route 100) in Hartsdale.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Christina Rae, president of Buzz Creators Inc., with Jonathan Otto, owner of The Rex pizza & lobster restaurant which recently opened along Route 100 (247 N. Central Ave.) in Hartsdale.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Exterior of The Rex Pizza & Lobster restaurant as it looked for its grand opening on Thursday night along Route 100 (247 N. Central Ave.) in Hartsdale.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

A sampling of one of the pizza slices with meatballs at The Rex.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Another example of The Rex pizza with lobster.
Photo Credit: *Jon Craig*

Jon Craig

05/22/2018 12:00 p.m.

More than 100 guests attended The Rex's grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday evening, May 17.

Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner said residents already are raving about the tasty food and fine service and told owner Jonathan Otto that "we're a big town, so you can have franchises. We're really thrilled you chose the Town of Greenburgh. I think you'll be the envy of all the other restaurants in Greenburgh."

"I think this is going to be a great success,'' Feiner added. "People think the food is really fabulous."

Lobster on pizza? Delicious. Ricotta, arugula, meatballs and other combinations on pizzas? Yum.

Otto said trucks cart fresh lobster down from Maine every 24 hours for his first restaurant on Long Island and now his second in Westchester County. The live lobsters are stored in huge tanks of sea water at Long Island City, Queens.

""All business is local,'' Otto said before toasting guests. "You have to be committed to the community... . We're serving the quintessential foods that Americans love."

The food was incredibly fresh, but not necessarily cheap. Lobster rolls that might sell for $12 to $15 on Cape Cod sell for $25 at The Rex. But again, they are delicious and addictive. (And this is Westchester.)

Indeed, Otto said he counts on customers "craving" his food, and that spelled success at his first restaurants. Otto is no stranger to successful business ventures having served as president of Rock Bottoms stores for 17 years with many stores in Westchester. These Rock Bottom ads are a blast from the past.

Otto, his wife, and Executive Chef Charlie Keller spent two years traveling the United States to identify the foods Americans crave most. They also investigated New York City's best pizzerias as well as some in Naples and Venice, Italy.

Bridget Gibbons, deputy director of economic development for Westchester County, pointed out that 97 percent of the county's businesses employ fewer than 100 workers -- "so small businesses are the economic engine" of Westchester.

For more details click on www.therexpizzaandlobster.com

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