Go Green: Celebrating St. Patty's Day in Bellmore

Breakout the shamrocks and face-paint, St. Patty's Day is nigh! And for many New Yorkers that means one thing: time to go green.

Certainly we're not talking about organic produce. Rather our Irish eyes are focused on the most intoxicating local options for the festively vert. So what's on draft? Whether you're craving a well-seasoned plate of corned beef and cabbage or something slightly stronger, the menu of merriment is a heady one. From where to eat, what to drink and how to do your Irish relatives proud, here's everything you'll need to have yourself a sham' rocking green day. 

Any Irish lad or las knows that a patron saint deserves at least four days worth of beef, beet and booze. Thankfully, Bellmore mainstay, Willie McBride's, couldn't agree more. A  a true Irish man's pub, the unpretentious watering hole has carved out four days worth of festivities packed with all the food, fun and folk you drink in. So you better believe come the 17th this place is ready to go green. As the first leg of your marathon of merriment, wake up and get there early for an hearty-stick-to your-ribs breakfast-because it's not a morning unless your plate is piled high with imported Irish sausage, bacon, black and white pudding, grilled tomatoes and eggs any style. Once you've got some grease and a few beers under your belt, combine culture with consumption. Gobble down green beer and Miller Lite while enjoying Irish dance, bagpipers and all the corn beef and cabbage you can eat. 

Looking for an authentic way to dive into the St. Patty's Day festivities? Lucky you Bellmore's ET Quiggs is a local institution. This friendly low-key hang is a wood-paneled tribute to everything a good neighborhood bar should be: cheap-o drafts, rock-bottom well drinks, a colorful crowd and even a juke box. Don't expect green beer and Irish Dancers at this spot come St. Patty's Day (it is a Wednesday after all), but if you're looking for a relaxed sport to hoist a pint, this tavern is as good as any. 

Care more about Longhorns, Blue Devils and Bulldogs than those little Leprechauns? Whether you're a March maniac or just in it for the office pool, come tournament time we know college basketball takes precedence over pretty much everything else...including Irish revelry. If you're looking for a little bit of both, hoof it to K.J. Farrell's, where you can celebrate the holiday without missing a moment of the game. With more televisions than Best Buy and plenty of brews on tap, this local draft pick is the perfect place to grab some grub and watch the game. If beer's not your thing, why not treat yourself to a festive Mint Chocolate Chip Martini. Made with Chocolate Vodka, Creme de Cocoa, Creme de Mint and Bailey's, this decadent drink will have your eyes (Irish or not) smiling. 

With a name like Effin Gruven, you better believe this local dive is about as easy unpretentious as it gets. The kind of joint where you can introduce yourself as Mad Dog Sharky and no one bats an eye, the crowd here likes beer (lots of it), it's jam bands and a fair amount of bathroom cruising. With 18 brews on tap, the suds here come fast and go down easy with options like Brooklyn Blueberry & Coffee stout, Blue Point Oatmeal Stout, Magic Hat #9, Wacko and Hoegaarden. Don't have plans this Wednesday? Beg off work and belly up to sample beers from around the world. We're sure you'll find yourself in good company.