Brew Cheese, Stony Brook and Northport

After nine years in business, Dave Striffler is pulling the plug on Brew Cheese. Both the original Stony Brook shop (2015) and its Northport sibling (2017) were devoted to Striffler’s twin fermented passions: craft beer and artisanal cheese. "Business started to slow down in 2023," he said. "This year was worse." The Stony Brook location has already closed, while Northport's last day will be Sept. 22.

Buona Sera, Smithtown

A grandma slice at The Pizzeria in Bay Shore.

After 16 years in downtown Smithtown, Buona Sera is passing the baton. The popular pizzeria-trattoria closed in July; the space has been taken over by The Pizzeria, a growing Suffolk chain. The owners of Buona Sera declined to comment on the sale.

Sundae Donuts, Huntington

When Sundae Donuts debuted as a walk-up window in Montauk in 2019, it quickly grew to a project that kept owner Michelle Tadross busy during the pandemic. After a burst of openings around the Island — once in Massapequa, Syosset, Hamptons Bays — the Huntington location has closed its doors. Only two locations remain -- in Montauk and in Pier Village, New Jersey.

Lindencrest Diner, Lindenhurst

Another Long Island diner has fallen by the wayside. The Lindencrest Diner, which has been a fixture of the South Shore community of Lindenhurst since 1985, has closed. A sign posted on the front door cites "economic hardships" in the decision to pack up shop after 39 years.

Iberico Tapas y Vino, St. James

Tapas at Iberico Tapas y Vino in St. James.

Iberico, a Newsday Top 100 restaurant, has closed after 2½ years in business. The owner said, "real Spanish food is a tough sell here. To a lot of people, the word ‘Spanish’ refers to Central and Latin America — they would come in here and expect to find tacos or quesadillas on the menu. Selling our menu required a lot of convincing..." Then too, Iberico faced the same challenges that have made local restaurant closures all too common.

Leilu, Huntington

More than 20 years in the making, Leilu sprouted as an idea when Huntington natives James and Meghan LaCourte both worked at neighboring spot Joanina. Serving modern comfort food in a low-key spot that never felt too fussy, Leilu emphasized seasonality and showcased Long Island ingredients. Aug. 7 marked its last night of service. It opened in 2019, six months before the pandemic began. "That was really rough for us, it started there," LaCourte said of the unexpected hardships of opening in tough times. Inflation and other rising expenses have become too much.

Rock City Dogs, Bay Shore

It’s lights out for Rock City Dogs in Bay Shore. On Aug. 2, the hot-dog-themed eatery served its last fancy frank. Its owner cited the usual culprits — the increasing price of ingredients, the difficulty of finding staff — along with an acknowledgment that it might have been "a great concept in the wrong location." While the kitchen traded in hot dogs, burgers and fries, prices were markedly higher than at fast food spots because the ingredients, presentation and surroundings were more high-end.

Bijou Modern American Asian, Melville

The Boujee Brunch at Bijou in Melville, April 16, 2023. The Wagu Sliders ( right)

Bijou Modern American Asian restaurant, which was cited by authorities for violations in April, has closed, but plans to reopen later this month – under a different name. The pan-Asian Bijou opened in 2021 in Melville, taking over most of the first floor of the Rubie Corporate Plaza office building on Route 110 and serving an Asian fusion menu that included sushi and French-inspired fare. It closed after brunch on Aug. 4. Owner Anthony Scotto said the restaurant will reopen as Halston American Kitchen & Bar.

Peppercorns, Hicksville

The East Marie Street eating, catering and meeting establishment, which first opened its doors under previous owners in 1983, closed them for the final time on Aug. 1, said James Madden, who co-owns the restaurant with Massapequa resident Sean Costello. “Since COVID, we’ve lost a lot of customers,” said Madden. The owner of the building, which he said is more than 130 years old, made the business partners an offer they “couldn’t pass up.”

I Am Nacho Mama, Port Washington

It's the end of the (Long Island) road for I Am Nacho Mama — the lively family-run Mexican fusion restaurant closed its Port Washington location July 31, chef-owner Carlos Juarez said, following the Hicksville location's closure in January. Juarez said his family is moving south to Brunswick, Georgia, where they're opening the next iteration of I Am Nacho Mama next month. The move came after a stress-related health condition prompted Juarez to pull the plug on the Hicksville restaurant. Then, he said, the Port Washington landlords offered "an out" on the remaining four years of the lease there as the opportunity came up in Georgia. Tacos, bowls, burritos, quesadillas and empanadas were on the menu, and everything from the chunky guacamole to their many salsas were made in-house daily. But it was the restaurant’s customizable nachos that drew rabid fans.

Pietro's, Roslyn

Chicken Parm at Pietro's in Roslyn.

When The Jolly Fisherman closed in May 2023 after 66 years, Roslyn was abuzz with the news that Pietro’s of Manhattan was coming to town. The new restaurant opened a quick six months later, in November — yet on July 20, Pietro’s in Roslyn quietly served its final meal. In an effort to appease locals who bemoaned The Jolly Fisherman's closure, the Bruckmans’ renovation left the wood-paneled bar virtually unchanged. The menu, which mimicked the Manhattan menu with Italian American classics, plus signature dishes, wasn’t met with the same reception.

House of India, Huntington

On July 7, House of India on Main Street, just east of New York Avenue, closed for good after serving up a menu of traditional Indian fare since 2001. For Supy Singh and his cousin Kam Singh, the second-generation owners of House of India, the time had come to transition out of the restaurant business their fathers and another uncle opened.

Osteria Da Nino, Huntington

The Italian eatery on Main Street known for serving up petit veal meatballs and eggplant parmigiana, closed in June. Sardinia-born Nino Antuzzi honed his culinary skills traveling to London and Paris before settling in America in 1988. After opening his New American-style flagship restaurant, Red, in downtown Huntington in 2000, he and his business partner and now wife, Kelley Antuzzi, opened Osteria Da Nino in 2003. In 2010, the couple opened Sapsuckers, a gastropub on Main Street.

CoreLife Eatery, Farmingdale and Garden City

A tuna poke bowl at CoreLife Eatery, which has opened in Farmingdale's Airport Plaza, Jan. 11, 2018.

CoreLife Eatery, based in Syracuse, opened two locations on Long Island in 2018, the first in Farmingdale's Airport Plaza and the second in the main dining district of Garden City. Both sold their last salad, broth and grain bowls in late March, said CoreLife's president. The stores were owned by the same group of local franchisees, which will “continue to look for other opportunities in the area,” he said.

Argyle Grill & Tavern, Babylon

The Argyle Grill & Tavern, a stalwart of Babylon Village since 2000, closed on June 30. Greg Bartolotta said he is retiring and that his partner, Bill Wolfe, will be full-time at the pair’s other Babylon restaurant, Barrique Kitchen & Wine Bar, across the street. The new tenant will be Dark Horse Tavern, the popular bar with locations in Rockville Centre, Farmingdale and Massapequa Park.

Biscuits & Barbeque, Mineola

The throwback railroad car-style diner was an out-of-the-way place to find soulful Louisiana-style cooking along with slow-smoked meats. Beloved dishes included the flaky hot biscuit with andouille sausage gravy, blackened fish, shrimp and grits, mac-and-cheese and homey desserts like peach cobbler, pecan and Key lime pies. Owner Joan Gallo, who rented the premises, said the building has been sold and the last day of business would be June 29.

Bakuto, Lindenhurst

Assorted robatayaki with grilled hangar steak swordfish and shishito peppers at Bakuto in Lindenhurst.

There was no place on Long Island remotely like Bakuto. It was probably the most authentic Japanese restaurant around even though it served no sushi. Its menu drew inspiration from the Japanese small-plates tradition of izakaya that centers on robata (skewered, grilled meats), noodles (ramen and udon) and steamed buns. In the manner of a true Japanese kitchen, it was also inspired by local produce. “Maybe the concept was too ‘niche,’ “ said chef-partner Zachary Rude, of the restaurant's closing.

Red Lobster, Stony Brook

Seafood giant Red Lobster, which has nearly 650 restaurants nationwide, closed at least 50 of them — including 14 in New York and New Jersey. The only Long Island store shuttered in the mass closure is in Stony Brook. Long Island Red Lobster fans can still get their fix at the six restaurants still open, in Hicksville, Ronkonkoma, Deer Park, Valley Stream, Carle Place and Copiague.

Burgerology, Patchogue

Burgerology, opened in 2020 with the goal of offering takeout and outdoor dining to pandemic-conscious customers, has closed. With the lease up for renewal, it was decided that a 200-seat venue deviated from Burgerology’s brand identity. The decision, said the company's president, is a prelude to expansion on and off Long Island.

The Rolling Spring Roll, Farmingdale

A grilled barbecue chicken banh mi at the Rolling Spring Roll in Commack.

The Rolling Spring Roll in Farmingdale has served its last Vietnamese spring roll. Owner Joe Bui, who operates sister locations in Syosset and Commack, said that running three restaurants was “just too much stress.”

Friendly's, Ronkonkoma

Friendly's restaurants, once a mainstay chain on Long Island, have slowly been marching toward extinction — the Friendly's in Miller Place closed last year joining a half-dozen other shuttered locations from Levittown to Middle Island. Its Ronkonkoma location served its last ice cream sundae in March.

Stone Street Grill, Garden City

After a year as an independently owned American grill, 30 Stewart Ave. in Garden City is reverting to its former identity as a national wing joint. The soaring space had been a Hurricane Grill & Wings from 2013 to 2021 before Art Gustafson opened his ambitious Stone Street Wood Fired Grill last March. Now, he says, the building has been leased by Buffalo Wild Wings. Gustafson’s “partner in crime” at Stone Street was executive chef John Brill, who died in January.

Joanne's Gourmet Pizza, Roslyn

The “Hungry Man” meat and potato pizza with BBQ sauce at Joanne’s Gourmet Pizza in Roslyn, Oct. 7, 2021.

This iconic Long Island slice shop, which claims to have invented the Buffalo chicken pizza, has closed in Roslyn after 32 years. The restaurant was a pioneer in the creative slice movement, and was reportedly visited by celebrities such as Bella Hadid, LL Cool J and Jennifer Lopez.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Smithtown and Central Islip

Carrabba’s Italian Grill, a nationwide chain that bears a passing resemblance to the Olive Garden, shuttered its last two Long Island locations — in Smithtown and Central Islip — as of Feb. 23. “Deciding to close a restaurant is never easy,” Elizabeth Daly, the spokeswoman for Bloomin' Brands, which owns Carrabba’s, Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill, said in an emailed statement. “This was a business decision and is not a reflection of the management or staff.”

Boston Market, Selden

This once-dominant chicken chain, founded in 1985 as Boston Chicken, has slowly been closing one location after another, not only across the Island, but also the nation. Selden’s outpost, at 966 Middle Country Rd., was Suffolk County’s last. It was replaced by Tex’s Chicken and Burgers.

Osteria Morini, Garden City

Spaghetti Pomodoro topped with basil at Osteria Morini at Roosevelt Field in Garden City.

Osteria Morini, the ambitious regional Italian trattoria opened in 2019 by Michelin-starred chef Michael White, has closed its location in Roosevelt Field in Garden City. White left the restaurant's parent company, Altamarea Group, in 2021. His former partner, current CEO Ahmass Fakahany, said that Altamarea “enjoyed being part of this community, even through the difficult period of the pandemic.” But, “in the end, in discussion with our landlord, we agreed a different concept for the location would be best served for all.”

Blondie's Bake Shop, Centerport

Things in Centerport are a little less sweet: Blondie’s Bake Shop, the sunny, independently owned bakery that opened in 2011, has closed. “I'm crushed,” said owner and baker Jess Riordan. “Unfortunately, the increasing costs of running a small, scratch bakery have made it impossible to continue operating while maintaining the level of quality our guests are accustomed to seeing from us.”

DJ's Clam Shack, East Northport

DJ’s Clam Shack, a pioneering lobster roll specialist, has closed in East Northport. That leaves the original location, which opened in Wantagh in 2017, as well as Huntington (operated by a franchisee) and Stony Brook, both of which opened in 2021. Owner Paul Riggio attributed the closure to a constellation of factors. “It was the lowest-performing store,” he said. “But I also lost my manager and couldn’t replace him, and I’m getting older — I decided I need to take it down a notch.” A new restaurant, Twisted Greek, has since opened in that space.

Frank's Steaks, Jericho

At Frank's Steaks in Rockville Centre, Romanian skirt steak is marinated first in Frank's secret sauce of Worcestershire, garlic, duck sauce, cooked and served accompanied with carmelized onions. (May 3, 2013) Photo by Daniel Brennan

Shortly after Frank’s Steaks in Jericho opened in 1988, a review by Newsday food critic Peter M. Gianotti noted that “for all in need of iron, plus zinc, protein and a dose of cholesterol, Frank's could become a hangout.” It indeed became a hangout that endured until January 2024, when the kitchen grilled its last steak. “We did everything possible to stay open,” owner Richard Gerzof said. “We just couldn’t find a way.” Gerzof, who joined the business in 1992, said COVID “struck a terrible blow that we never recovered from.” Like so many other longtime restaurateurs who have closed their establishments recently, Gerzof found that “the rising costs of ingredients, labor and rent” made recovery that much more difficult.”

Chuan Tian Xia, Westbury

This ambitious second location of a Brooklyn Chinese restaurant was in business just short of a year before it closed up shop. With its large, fanciful space and enormous photographic menu, Chuan Tian Xia was a main player in the new Asian “Restaurant Row” at the Samanea New York Mall in Westbury. The unapologetically Sichuan menu catered to Chinese nationals, with fiery dishes like Wanzhou style fish hot pot, Chengdu cold noodles and green pepper fish with white bass swimming in a pickled broth of spunky green peppercorns. The original Chuan Tian Xia location in Sunset Park, Brooklyn is still open.

Ruby's Coop, Deer Park

Ruby’s Coop got a lot of attention when it opened in Deer Park, but that didn’t translate into enough sales — the eatery closed after seven months in business. “Unfortunately we weren’t hitting the numbers that we anticipated even though we were receiving great feedback,” said managing partner Justin Aronoff. Aronoff, better known as the butcher behind Center Cuts (in Roslyn Heights and Mattituck) and the seasonal Curated Fine Meats in East Hampton.

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