Bahia Restaurant & Bar Latin Food, Brightwaters

Colombian and Ecuadorian fare come together at Brightwaters newest restaurant, Bahia Restaurant & Bar Latin Food. The new eatery opened last month in the space that was previously home to Lulu’s and then JTI’s American Kitchen and Bar. Although owner Hernan Hernandez is Colombian, he has 11 years of experience with Ecuadorian food through his deli, Ecua Deli on Brook Avenue in Bay Shore. To ensure authenticity of the dishes, Hernandez hired two chefs: Edgar Hernandez, who has worked in Colombian restaurants for more than 15 years, and Emma Criollo, who specializes in Ecuadorian fare. The menu boasts Colombian classics such as the picada bahia, which includes beef, chicken, pork, sausage french fries and twice-fried green plantain slices. Ecuadorian dishes include the chaulafan, also known as the Ecuadorian chicken fried rice, made with a combination of meats, sauces and seasonings. Treats include pastries like pan de bono and Colombian cheese bread. Singers Daniel Orozco and Janann Velasco are among Latin American artists who play live music, and there are karaoke nights.

The Old Mill Inn, Mattituck

Fish & chips at The Old Mill Inn in Mattituck.

It’s been out of commission for eight years, but The Old Mill Inn in Mattituck is back. Lovingly restored and packing crack front- and back-of-house teams, it may well be this year’s "it" North Fork restaurant. The Old Mill Inn, a 200-year-old structure on Mattituck Creek that, after many owners and iterations, had given up the ghost in 2017. Owner Anthony Martignetti started restoring the property in 2018, moving the building off its foundation for a year, sinking 67 new pilings into the creek and raising the foundation 5 feet before putting the building back. He kept as much of the old structure as possible, including the original beams, the gear cog (that turned the millstone) and, from its earliest days as a tavern, the zinc bar. The decor of the 50-seat dining room is classic, vaguely nautical, but never tilts into nostalgic kitsch. The newly built deck, with a more modern feel, seats another 20 people. A lower deck, with another 50 seats, is used only for drinks. There are local treasures such as Peeko and Little Ram oysters, greens from KK’s The Farm in Southold, asparagus from Cooper’s Farm in Mattituck. Starters include smoked beet dip with labne and grilled pita, black-garlic chicken wings and fluke ceviche. Mains include Baja-style fish tacos ($24) and a fine lobster roll ($44) at lunch, roast chicken with maitake mushrooms and salsa verde and swordfish with red-pepper chimichurri at dinner, and fish and chips and double burger with Gruyère and garlic aioli all day.

Culpers 1778, East Setauket

When new owners took over Mario’s, the half-century-old Italian that closed in 2023 and just reopened as Culpers 1778, they totally changed the menu and the decor but they were adamant that it remain a place for locals. The new restaurant’s name digs deep into the community’s past, referring to the Setauket-based Culper Ring which, according to the Three Village Historical Society, was "the nation’s first spy ring ... providing General George Washington with critical information that helped turn the tide of the American Revolution." All three partners grew up in the Three Village area (Stony Brook and the Setaukets), live and do business nearby. Fabian is a partner in Billie’s 1890 Saloon in Port Jefferson as well as Artemis, the Prohibition-themed cocktail bar that just opened at Station Yards in Ronkonkoma. Scott Brittman and Chris Otero also own Port Jefferson’s Whiskey Barrel. Chef Ron Chodkowski's menu features a tight roster of prime steaks — filet mignon, strip, rib-eye, tomahawk for two and porterhouse for two. Beyond the beef is a modern American menu with starters including crab cakes with herb aioli and shaved asparagus salad, duck arancini with truffle aioli, beef tartare, burrata with peperonata and toasted pine nuts, Caesar salad and charred Brussels sprouts. Mains include roast chicken with broccolini and cauliflower puree, steak frites au poivre with hand-cut fries, short-rib pappardelle, grilled beef Wellington with roasted heirloom carrots, seared scallops with fregola and lobster sauce, butterflied branzino with salsa verde and a half-pound dry-aged burger with pickles, onions, Cheddar and 1778 sauce.

The Barn, Huntington

Refurbishing the old Dairy Barn drive-throughs on Long Island is bordering on trend: The Barn, which launched in Merrick, has expanded to a second location in Huntington. Joining forces with For Five Coffee for the caffeine, The Barn is a latte lovers’ drive-thru dream. The hot and iced specialty drinks are colorful, playful and peppy in flavors like Summer 'Smores (latte topped with toasted marshmallows and graham crackers), Powdered Donut (a sprinkle of cinnamon and an actual powdered doughnut crowning the cup). There's a rainbow cookie latte with requisite rainbow cookies on top, even a Dubai chocolate matcha latte. More basic coffee beverages, such as chai lattes, vanilla lattes and plain old iced coffees, can be had as well as a variety of iced teas, lemonades — the green matcha lemonade is a standout — and soft serve ice cream. Besides all the sugar and TikTok madness, the original purpose of the Dairy Barns of yesteryear was convenience. So, fret not when you run out of orange juice and eggs for breakfast, Doritos for soccer snacks, peanut butter for school lunches, and coffee beans for clarity, The Barn has you covered on that front too.

Roast Sandwich House, Babylon

The crispy chicken alla vodka sandwich at Roast Sandwich House in Babylon.

Roast Sandwich House has opened in the heart of Babylon village, bringing the local chain's number of locations up to six. The artisanal sandwich shop offers house-roasted meats and made-from-scratch soups. Roast first opened in Melville in 2011. Syosset, Mineola, Bellmore and Hicksville locations followed. The menu here is largely the same as at the other locations, including fan favorites like tomato bisque soup, a tuna salad sandwich and crispy chicken alla vodka sandwich served on a garlic semolina hero. Babylon-specific additions include buffalo mac-and-cheese balls, a steak sandwich and Wagyu patty melt. Also new in Babylon: a range of canned beer, cocktails and hard seltzer, that will be available once the venue's liquor license is issued.

Babylon Social, Babylon

The new Babylon Social gastropub has opened in the heart of the South Shore village. Co-owners Chris Cappiello and James Economou revamped the former Horace & Sylvia’s Publick House, which operated for 20 years before it closed last year but continue to honor the building's history in their menu. (Cappiello said they kept the Horace & Sylvia's classic Kids Kap N’ Krunch chicken fingers.) The extensive pizza menu includes vodka, chicken Francese and Mexican street corn made with crema sauce, roasted sweet corn, cotija cheese, Tajin seasoning, lime and cilantro. The "girl dinner" salad is a Caesar salad served with truffle fries. Mega mozzarella sticks come with marinara and vodka dipping sauces.

Bar Lucy, Bay Shore

Bar Lucy is the third concept Drew Dvorkin has launched since he and his partners bought the building in 2015. A thorough redesign gave the room "boutiquey" feel that manages to be both old school (tin ceilings, red banquettes) and new-cool (sleek cafe tables, globe lights, brass fixtures). Chef-partner Henry Freidanks’ menu name-checks all the Italian basics, from the traditional — baked clams, fried calamari, meatballs, Caesar salad, linguine vongole, chicken scarpariello, Parms and Milaneses — to the new classics — grilled octopus, burrata Caprese, grilled heritage pork chop, grilled branzino, baked snapper "acqua pazza." The eight pastas break more molds with preparations such as lemon fettuccine with grape tomatoes and asparagus, fusilli Gregorio (sausage, peas, ricotta salata in a pink sauce), spinach rotolo (fresh pasta with stracchino, béchamel and chorizo) and S.G.’s penne pizzaiola (filet mignon tips, mushrooms and tomato sauce). There are also seven 12-inch pizzettes.

Matsuya, Roslyn

Specialty rolls at Matsuya, inside Delicacies Gourmet deli and market, in Roslyn.

Great Neck’s Matsuya has revived in an unlikely location: inside the bustling Delicacies Gourmet in Roslyn, bringing yet another sushi option to the waterfront village. A yellow curtain separates the deli from Matsuya's sit-down dining area, but the shared space is still decidedly more deli than restaurant. Televisions at full blast tussle with light dinner jazz music for acoustic supremacy. Locals dash in to order Boars Head heroes as lavish plates of sashimi land on the tables. But the sushi is as good as it was in Great Neck, where Matsuya opened in 1996. The short menu features starter plates like gyoza and vegetarian spring rolls, yellowtail jalapeño sashimi, spicy tuna crispy rice and Matsuya’s sashimi pizza — a crispy flatbread loaded with jalapeño and avocado (and tuna for an additional $6). There are miso and udon soups for slurpers, larger hot plates like a chicken katsu and curry sauce, plus a full branzino in yuzu sauce. But it’s the full sushi menu — with traditional rolls accessed via a table side QR code — that are the main draw. Try the Matsuya Dream featuring spicy tuna, avocado on the inside with spicy kani salad and crunch on the outside or the no rice Kobi-Shimi with spicy tuna and avocado inside, wrapped in salmon sashimi and tobiko. Round out your order with the Matsuya fried rice.

Rockstar Korean BBQ, Valley Stream

Sitting in the darkly lit, clubby room listening to K-pop music and drinking soju, you'd have no idea that the new Rockstar Korean BBQ used to be a diner. Unless you're from Valley Stream or have driven down Sunrise Highway in Nassau, where you might have seen the previous tenant along the Long Island Rail Road tracks. The main dining room was retrofitted with Korean barbecue grills on every table. The menu is several pages long, and in addition to the Korean barbecue meats, there's an array of noodles, silken tofu soups and bibimbap stone bowls, including one with beef tartare. Shortly after ordering, the table fills up with an array of interesting banchan side dishes as well as dipping sauces, lettuce wraps and a fresh carroty ginger salad. Once the meat is grilling, think boneless galbi beef, rolled brisket and fat cubes of pork belly, more side dishes appear, including a brothy soybean based soup with cubes of firm tofu, and an excellent steamed egg gyeranjjim, which has the fluffy consistency of custard when you spoon it out of the stone bowl. Rockstar Korean BBQ is pretty much the only place on Long Island where you can find corn cheese, a sizzling skillet of buttery hot corn that's loaded up with cheese blanket of melted mozzarella.

Lola's Southern Cuisine, Patchogue

When Tiffany and Darrell Darwood were searching for a location to start Lola’s Southern Cuisine, they looked in Patchogue before landing in Medford. They come full circle on Saturday, opening a second location in the Main Street space that used to be Rise & Grind. Lola’s first spot opened in 2022 at 2717a Rte. 112 in Medford with a menu inspired by Darwood’s grandmothers’ recipes, from fried chicken and smoky pulled pork to fried green tomato BLTs, catfish or shrimp po'boy sandwiches and peach cobbler. Darwood said the restaurant can't meet demand in Medford. The second location in Patchogue has seating for more than 100 and a patio. The expansion includes new additions to the menu with breakfast items such as shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, pancakes, French toast and breakfast skillets that drew diners to the location's previous incarnation.

The Sandbar, Patchogue

Shrimp cocktail at The Sandbar in Patchogue.

Patchogue’s newest waterfront restaurant, The Sandbar, is a beachy, laid-back tribute to summer with a seafood-heavy menu and alfresco dining. Serving lunch and dinner, the large menu's starters include lobster bisque, mussels and fried calamari. Raw bar items position tuna tartare alongside plantain chips and a ginger sesame sauce, plus clams, oysters and shrimp cocktail. Crabmeat sandwiches, octopus tacos, and lobster rolls join more formal entrées like roasted chicken, grilled branzino and swordfish steaks at dinnertime. If you’re not a fan of the sea, there are burgers, chicken sandwiches, a daily risotto, even a bone-in rib-eye. There are plenty of cocktails, including the spicy Sandbar margarita — a piquant blood orange and muddled jalapeño combo — or a Key Wester rum bucket full of rum and juices for on-site DIY craft cocktail making.

Gemelli's Gourmet, Lindenhurst

"Gemelli: The Next Generation" could be the name of the new gourmet deli that opened Wednesday in Lindenhurst, but Gemelli’s Gourmet is the name chosen by Adriana, Alessia and Marc Schutz. The siblings are the grandchildren of Gelsomina Cosentino, the matriarch behind Gemelli Fine Foodsand Gemelli Ristorante in Babylon; they are the children of Robert and Patrizia Schutz, who established Glen Head’s Gemelli Gourmet Market North in 2016. The three had been working for their parents in the Glen Head store, a sprawling emporium that encompasses prepared foods, grocery items, a butcher, baked goods, sushi, salads, sandwiches, catering and more, but Alessia said they wanted to get back to their roots with a one-stop shop for grab-and-go foods. While Alessia was looking for a Gemelli space, her husband, Michael Khoury, was casting about for a third location for Coyle’s, the homemade ice cream chain that he and partner Quadir Russell operate in Bay Shore and Islip. This long, narrow space on South Wellwood Avenue fit both of their bills. Gemelli Gourmet’s 30 specialty sandwiches range from traditional Italian flavors to a Vietnamese-inspired banh mi, a Mexican-inspired birria and an All-American Vermonter. A full range of prepared foods includes fried or grilled cutlets, meatballs (beef-pork, turkey or eggplant), Tuscan kale salad, potato salad, coleslaw and three different pasta salads — fusilli with cherry tomatoes, pesto and mozzarella; orzo with shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and almonds; classic macaroni salad made with twisted gemelli. There are also freshly prepared burgers, pastas, 15 signature salads and an extensive salad bar where you can have your romaine, mesclun, spinach or arugula chopped and tossed with your choice of dozens of ingredients.

Nirvana, Huntington

New Indian eatery Nirvana opened late April in the Main Street space that was House of India for more than 20 years before closing last summer. Like its predecessor, the restaurant serves traditional Indian fare. And you'll see some familiar faces, too: owner-manager Rohit "Roy" Tondon and chef Mukesh "Mike" Madhiyan have stayed on from their House of India days. The menu includes traditional Indian street food such as bhel puri made with puffed rice, gram flour noodles mixed in spicy green chutney, sweet and tangy tamarind chutney and ground spices. Papri chaat is fried wafers served with chickpeas, boiled potatoes, yogurt and tamarind chutney. Entrées — from a velvety mango chicken to versions of the flavorful tomato-based tikka masala including paneer, shrimp and lamb -- are served in gorgeous traditional Indian serving dishes. Nirvana’s saag paneer honors North Indian cuisine from the region of Punjab with cubes of cottage cheese cooked in spinach sauce. The biryani or basmati rice entrées include spiced chicken, lamb and vegetables with nuts. Meatless options also show up big with an extensive vegetable entrée section that includes mixed vegetable curry and dal tadka yellow lentils cooked with ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes and spices. Nirvana’s chickpea salad with boiled chickpeas, chopped onions and tomatoes is also a good meat free option.

Balkh Kabab House, Valley Stream

The kabli combo, left, and the Afghan shola are two traditional meals on the menu at Balkh Kabab House in Valley Stream

Afghan eatery Balkh Kabab House, which opened on Merrick Road in Valley Stream this January, is an offshoot of a longtime Astoria restaurant Balkh Shish Kabab House. The original restaurant was founded in 1997 by two business partners originally from the north of Afghanistan, Mohammad Nasim and Abdul Jabar. When you walk into the restaurant, an employee might point you to the glass case at the front next to the kitchen. Here you'll see various meat kababs on display. A lamb and onion stew called dopiaza was succulent. Little nibbles of fatty lamb meat on the bone become even richer when baked with soft fried onions. The dish is oily and savory, but thankfully there is a carrot raisin rice to soak it up. Another specialty, the shola, is a stickier rice dish made from short grain rice that's bulked up with lentils. Topped with stringy bulbs of curry chicken and splatters of yogurt, the hearty mix tastes like a comforting home-cooked meal. If you order any one thing, get the aushak and mantu combo. Both are dumplings, which were brought to Afghanistan from China via the Silk Road. Mantu, or manto, is the more well-known of the pair. The soft wrappers are filled with beef and steamed, before they're drizzled with tangy yogurt and tomato sauces. On the same plate and also covered with the sauces, flatter dumplings called aushak are stuffed with a spiced scallion mix before they're boiled to slippery tenderness.

T.O.A. Asian Fusion, East Islip

With the opening of T.O.A. Asian Fusion in East Islip, the restaurant group has added its fifth location in 10 years. It was in 2015 that the first T.O.A. opened in Huntington; Farmingdale (2017), Sayville (2018) and Melville (2022) followed. T.O.A. stands for "taste of Asia," and the menu at all five locations blends Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese flavors. Try the pork buns, avocado and peanut rolls, pineapple fried rice, avocado salad and more.

What's the Scoop?, Shirley

This is a second time around for Shirley’s What’s the Scoop? ice cream shop owner Jena Termini, who owned Ben & Jen’s ice cream shop here from 1999 to 2003. She sold the business when it began to compete with her young children for attention; now that they are grown (and old enough to help), she has come back. In between her two tenures, the building served as a Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, and you can still get ices (both water and cream) that Termini makes herself. But the focus of the cheerful, freestanding store is ice cream, more than 40 flavors including almond joy, butter pecan, chocolate peanut butter fudge, cotton candy, cherry pistachio, jelly ring fudge, Nutella, piña colada, rum raisin, strawberry cheesecake and vanilla chocolate chip — plus shakes, sundaes, floats, "Arctic Blasts" (soft-serve swirled with toppings), cakes, ice-cream novelties (premade confections) that you pluck right from the freezer.

Americana Eatery & Bar, Great Neck

Seafood orzo at Americana Eatery & Bar in Great Neck.

First it was a diner, then it was an upscale Greek fish restaurant, now it’s all of that and more. Americana Eatery & Bar, which opened in Great Neck in the former Seven Seas Diner, is an all-day family eatery. Customers looking for breakfast will find all the traditional eggs, omelets, pancakes and French toast that a diner serves, plus a French "croque-madame" sandwich with Black Forest ham, Gruyère cheese and fried eggs, shakshuka (eggs poached in a spicy tomato-pepper sauce) and pancakes studded with Valrhona chocolate nuggets and grapes. Lunchers can still avail themselves of most of the breakfast menu, plus burgers and sandwiches, salads. There’s a small selection of pinsa, Roman-style flatbreads made with prebaked shells. Small plates include adobo-roasted chicken wings, spanakopita rollini, truffle mac-and-cheese and Wagyu meatballs. Diners will find plenty of seafood. There's seafood with orzo, broiled flounder, char-grilled tiger prawns and Icelandic salmon with saffron pilaf. From the land come Amish roast chicken, dry-aged New York strip and Berkshire pork chop with bourbon apples and garlic mashed potatoes.

Wonder, Melville

With a name like Wonder, it’s hard not to "wonder" what sets apart this (mostly) delivery service that recently opened a Melville location. Billing itself as a "new kind of food hall," it’s the ability to order popular menu items from well-known restaurants in one place — a celebrity chef ghost kitchen with no celebrities or chefs, if you will. That means you can order Marcus Samuelsson’s fried chicken (made famous at Streetbird in Harlem), brisket from the Texas barbecue spot Tejas, or Bobby Flay's steak. There's Hawaiian poke, DiFara pizza and dishes from Yasas, a Mediterranean bowl concept by Michael Symon. Wonder pays a licensing fee to officially serve dishes from 18 restaurants and chef concepts, with equity in the company as an added benefit. Order from any, all at once. Served from all, at once.

The Empanada Spot, Farmingdale

The Queens-based Empanada Spot has opened a Long Island outpost in Farmingdale. The takeout-only shop on Main Street opened March 16, next to Ralph's Famous Italian Ices. The business is run by Marlen Otalora and her family, Colombia natives who arrived in the United States in 2002. At one point the family had as many as five locations of The Empanada Spot: now only one other remains, in Bayside. The menu is extensive, with more than 40 flavors that can be made with either corn or wheat flour. Typical stuffings include sausage, chicken, beef and cheese. More creative twists include a lineup of pizza-style empanadas including the ever-controversial Hawaiian, made with ham, mozzarella cheese and pineapple. For those with a sweet tooth, a selection of dessert empanadas includes guava and cheese, sweet plantains and cheese, or apples and cinnamon. You'll also find tamales made with chicken and/or pork, and a classic Colombian bandeja paisa, which is grilled steak with white rice, fried sweet plantains with fried sunny side up eggs and pork rinds.

Mann's Homemade Ice Cream, Amityville

The Monkey Business sundae and Candy Land sundae at Mann's Homemade Ice Cream in Amityville.

It’s truly a family affair at Mann’s Homemade Ice Cream in Amityville. The shop, owned by Linda and Eric Mann, is a labor of love whose labor depends on the couple, their children and, occasionally, Eric’s retired parents, plus a crew of local kids who have become like family. Flavors are inspired by trends (the Dubai sundae is flying out of the store), by travels (a recent trip to Aruba resulted in butterscotch-rum-pineapple "Aruba wedding cake" ice cream), by staff contributions (s’mores in under development) and by recipes that the Mann family had in the vaults such as the rum raisin and salted caramel. In addition to cups, cones, sundaes and shakes, the ice cream finds itself into nachos made from waffle wafers and fat ice cream sandwiches bookended by homemade cookies. There are also chocolates and coffee drinks made with Hamptons Coffee.

Sunnyside Diner, Huntington

During a time when diners on Long Island seem to be endangered, Huntington’s got a reason to celebrate: Sunnyside Diner has opened on New York Avenue in the space that was Skorpios by Avli. Sunnyside Diner is owned by chef Kelvin Alfaro and managed by his nephew, Lucio Alfaro. Kelvin Alfaro owns two other Long Island eateries, Blue Angel Diner in Plainview and Station Coffee Shop in Huntington Station. The menu includes Greek favorites such as chicken souvlaki and chicken or lamb gyros. Breakfast shows up big with chicken and waffles as well as chocolate chip pancakes. Lighter dishes include wraps, paninis and salads.

Urubamba, Huntington

A long-standing, family-owned Peruvian restaurant in Jackson Heights, Queens, has expanded to open a Huntington location. Urubamba is New York City's oldest Peruvian restaurant, opened in 1970 by Julian and Maria Ruiz. Their granddaughter, Silvana Rojas, brings a chic and modern version to Long Island. Start with a classic ceviche, which can be spiced to order. It has a nice kick at any level and the delicate pureed sweet potato florets are a great touch, offset by toothy maize, or choclo. If raw fish isn’t your thing, opt for the anitcuchos. These tender veal heart skewers are accompanied by fragrant rosemary potatoes. If you prefer your seafood cooked, the octopus is another solid selection. For entrees, arroz con mariscos is a Peruvian-style paella with shrimp, mussels, octopus and squid. Short rib chaufa, or stir-fry, made with quinoa — subbing mushrooms for vegan diners — is also a good choice — but it's the perfectly cooked lomo saltado, a sirloin, onion and tomato stir-fry accented with roasted potatoes, that wins.

Bartaco, Uniondale

Bartaco is a chain that started in Port Chester in 2010.

The sleek new Bartaco in the Roosevelt Field mall looks more like the Hamptons than a Mexican restaurant. But perhaps this is part of its charm? Formerly Osteria Morini, the 5,000-square-foot space is now a bright and buzzy taqueria. The chain started in 2010 in the Westchester County village of Port Chester. Bartaco's green margarita might just be the drink of the summer. The bright green concoction looks like something you'd get from a juice bar, but more fun. The backbone of the drink is a fresh juice blend of pineapple, mango and spinach. The drink is light on the tequila and not too heavy on the lime either. It basically tastes like you're sipping fresh juice. The food menu flirts with fusion, with a dozen tacos stuffed with everything from ahi tuna, roasted duck to "chicken verde" and a Baja fish taco. You'll probably want to double up on your order, because the tacos are on the petite side. The mushroom taco is a winner with sautéed wild mushrooms and a light roasted poblano salsa. Another hot tip: Get some black beans on the side.

Ficarra Ristorante, Hicksville

Regular customers were just learning that the sign at Hicksville’s singular Italian restaurant, Luigi Q, had come down when another sign went up in its place: Ficarra Ristorante. With no fanfare, owner Luigi Quarta has left the Long Island dining scene after 25 years, selling his business to Demetra and Carl Mattone. Carl Mattone, a developer, brings his Sicilian heritage to the table: His mother, Irene Ficarra Mattone, grew up in Ficarra, in northeastern Sicily and her recipes for dishes such as caponata, arancini, pasta alla Norma and swordfish involtini will be in regular rotation alongside a pan-Italian-Italian American-New American menu. The Mattones barely touched the interior as the dining room and lounge had been completely reconfigured in 2020, when Luigi Q reopened after a fire shuttered the restaurant for three years. They also brought back one of Quarta’s former chefs, Jorge Gonzalez, whose menu retains old favorites such as paccheri Luciana (with octopus and tomatoes), lobster ravioli and a 14-ounce pork chop with cherry peppers.

Vintage Mirchi, Hicksville

Vintage Mirchi is a new Indian restaurant at the Kundan Galleria in Hicksville, right around the corner from Apna Bazar supermarket and Mithaas, a Newsday Top 50 restaurant. While Mithaas specializes in Southern Indian vegetarian and requisite flatbreads, this new spot goes hard on the sizzling platters of Northern Indian meats. The saag paneer is worth the trip by itself, thick and chunky with the blended greens and a potent backbone of housemade masala spices. The kitchen makes its own paneer cheese, which results in softer more supple cubes than the usual industrial versions. A lentil curry, dal makhani is another banger, served in a tall steel bowl and topped with a cube of melty butter. Even the fish tikka masala is spicy enough to make you sweat. There are also Delhi-style appetizers, like fried samosas, pakoras and kathi rolls.

Mizu II, North Bellmore

A Dancing Eel roll and a spicy tuna roll at Mizu II in Bellmore.

A popular Asian fusion restaurant from Farmingdale has expanded, opening a new location in North Bellmore. And the sushi they're preparing is surprisingly good for the casual takeout setting. The menu in North Bellmore is pared down compared to the large pan-Asian selection of the original, but the place still offers everything from sushi to teriyaki bowls, poke bowls, hibachi, pad Thai and ramen. A small sushi counter at the front features fish imported from Tokyo's Toyosu market. Sushi rolls are also on the delicate side, with a fish-to-rice ratio that is higher on fish. The yellowtail scallion roll is a solid bet. It's on the smaller side, but the Dancing Eel roll is stuffed with hot and crispy shrimp tempura, and topped with flaky eel in its viscous sweet sauce.

Tommy Tacos, Syosset

The debut of Tommy Tacos, a rock-inspired taqueria that opened in Huntington in 2020, wasn’t an easy one. From the pandemic to Hurricane Isaias, there was one catastrophe after the next mucking things up. Luckily for Syosset, the brand persevered and has expanded to a second location, on Jackson Avenue, which opened last week. Blending traditional and modern elements of Mexican street food, the menu at the Syosset location mirrors Huntington's with a large selection of tacos from birria to steak to shrimp varieties, plus rice bowls, nachos, quesadillas, salads, and desserts including Churroreos — dough-fried Oreos — and a funnel cake made from a twisted churro. There’s even a vegan offering, plant-based steak tips, to satisfy the meatless.

Charlie's Bakery, Northport

Charlie’s Bakery in Northport seems to have sprung, fully grown, from the head of Casey Sandler. Opened in February, it instantly vaults into the top tier of Long Island bakeries. The star attractions here are the pastries: plump cinnamon buns with brown-butter-cream-cheese glaze that skew crispy rather than gooey; Danish stuffed with mixed berries ... or bacon, egg and cheese; Linzer cookies whose wafers are made with Sandler’s own hand-ground hazelnuts and whose jam he makes with four fruits. The carrot cake has both pecan meal and toasted chopped pecans in the batter and the cream cheese frosting gets a toasty assist from browned butter. He and bakers Jill Sog and Erica Varley have a thing for opera cake, an Old World confection whose layers consist of coffee-soaked almond sponge, coffee buttercream, chocolate ganache and chocolate glaze. Their classic version also inspired one with matcha cake and strawberry mousse, another with Earl Gray-scented cake sandwiching tiers of blueberry and lemon mousse.

Franklin & Phoebe Brunchery, Franklin Square

Baklava butter crumble pancakes at Franklin & Phoebe Brunchery in Franklin Square.

The Greek restaurant Alpine has undergone a concept change after nearly 40 years. The restaurant is now a brunch diner with a much more literal name, Franklin & Phoebe Brunchery, which refers to the cross streets of the building. Greek immigrant Theodore Delis purchased the restaurant Alpine Garden, which was down the street from Plattduetsche Park, in 1986. Theodore felt it was time for a change. He was getting older and he didn't want to work evenings, so he came up with the idea of a brunch spot. He hired a consulting chef from Florida to work with his son, chef Dimitrios "Jimmy" Delis, to develop a new menu. A double-sided page, the succinct selection includes omelets, funky pancake flavors like cannoli and baklava, as well as sandwiches and salads.

Le Botaniste, Belmont Park Village

This Manhattan-based chain opened its first Long Island outpost in March at the new Belmont Park Village outdoor mall adjacent to UBS Arena in Elmont. The concept is a partnership between Belgian restaurateurs Laurent Francois and Alain Coumont of the popular bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien. The two opened the first Le Botaniste in Belgium in 2015, and later branched out to Manhattan with six stores. It sells natural wine, and all the food is organic, plant-based and also gluten-free, according to the company's website. The Tibetan mama, features a lush coconut peanut butter curry that's pooled onto nutty brown rice. It's topped with crisp broccoli and greens, along with strips of sour kimchi that punch through the richness. But the dish to order here is the spicy chili sin carne, which was named one of the best vegan chilis in the United States, by VegOut Magazine. The bowl is loaded up with that tomato-y bean chili, its flavor is so punchy that you don't miss the meat. But those neon yellow turmeric onions really push it to a new level.

Art of Spices, Patchogue

When Art of Spices opened in March, it filled a distinct need as this corner of Long Island is sorely lacking in Indian cuisine. A year ago, owner Kundan Chauhan happened to be "wandering around Patchogue." Chauhan promptly called the number on the "for lease" sign on an empty storefront, the owner of the property came down and "that day, within an hour, we signed the agreement." The kitchen puts out a range of dishes, from crowd pleasers like chicken tikka masala and aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato curry) to the Indo-Chinese specialties Manchurian cauliflower and hakka noodles to hara bhara goat, a lush curry whose sauce gets its verdant hue from cilantro. You’ll also find grilled lamb chops, biryanis (chicken, goat, shrimp) and plenty of vegetarian dishes such as the legume-based tadka dal and dal makhani to baingan ka bharta (eggplant).

Street to Table, Huntington Station

Dorito-fried mozzarella sticks at the new Street to Table location in Huntington Station.

Street to Table’s mac and cheese is an Island classic. Lucky for Huntington-area locals, the Merrick bar and restaurant, which pays tribute to globally inspired snacks and street foods, has expanded to Huntington Station. Both Street to Table locations offer a playful slate of sandwiches, burgers, tacos and salads, and cocktails served in juice pouches against the backdrop of a graffiti-themed vibe. Start with Dorito or Flamin’ Cheetos fried mozzarella triangles, crispy chicken fingers (made from thigh meat), loaded nachos, tandoori wings and elote, or cheesy Mexican street corn. Move on to quesadillas, ramen stir fry, tostada bowls or a Texas toast grilled cheese with tomato and bacon that can be transformed into a patty melt with the addition of a 6-ounce burger. There’s a spicy Nashville hot chicken and a chicken and waffle sandwich, burgers like "the surf and turf” feature creamy lobster atop a beef patty, plus a Philly cheesesteak and a BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($19.99). Tacos are three to an order and range from Thai chili shrimp to birria, salads from street taco to arugula and apple. The award-winning pulled pork mac and cheese won top billing at New York’s first Mac & Cheese Festival in 2022, with a base blend of Monterey Jack, yellow Cheddar, Swiss and Parm.

Little Cheese, Stony Brook

Little Cheese took over the Stony Brook Village Center space that had been Brew Cheese. Husband-and-wife owners Christopher and Krystal Abate jettisoned the beer, lightened the decor and focused their energy on finding not only great cheeses, but cheeses produced by dairies that practice what Christopher referred to as "regenerative agriculture," an approach that prioritizes soil health and biodiversity over yields. There are crowd-pleasers such as Drunken Goat from Spain plus cured meats domestic and imported; spreads, dips and preserves; olives, crackers and everything you might need to make your own cheese or charcuterie board. Or perhaps you’d like Krystal to handle that for you? (She had been selling custom charcuterie boards through her @spreading_hospitality Instagram.) Her offerings range from "Little nibble boards" (assorted cheeses and cured meat, grapes, nuts, olives, accoutrements) that are packed and priced to go to the "small graze" (serves 6 to 9) to the "grand graze (serves 20 to 30). There are freshly pressed grilled cheese sandwiches like "Alpine bliss" (Gruyère with blueberry preserves), "Goodfella" (Fontina and pistachio pesto) and "Nordic heat" (jalapeño havarti with pineapple-mango chutney). Cold sandwiches include Caprese, a New Orleans-style muffuletta and Parma (Parmigiano-Reggiano with prosciutto, truffle cream and honey).

Nan Xiang, Westbury

When you're talking soup dumplings in New York, you're talking about Nan Xiang, the critically acclaimed Chinese restaurant known for its supple dumplings with a generous amount of soup. After a several year delay, the restaurant finally opened this month in what was previously a part of the Fortunoff department store in Samanea Mall in Westbury. The highlight of the meal at Nan Xiang was definitely the xiao long bao, which are some of the best soup dumplings on Long Island. The eatery offers 10 varieties of soup dumplings, dyed different colors depending on their fillings. In addition to the basic pork, you'll also find fillings of crabmeat, gourd luffa, sea cucumber and abalone. There's also a picture menu of Shanghainese delights, like multiple varieties of dumplings, Chinese breakfast items like a salty sticky rice roll, lion's head meatballs (made from pork), and plenty of housemade noodle soups.

World Taco Factory, Garden City Park

The cauliflower, chicken al pastor and butter poached lobster tacos at World Taco Factory.

Co-owner Jay Thawani Ahmed’s newest restaurant, World Taco Factory, was inspired by his travels to places such as Thailand, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Spain. Think the cauliflower taco inspired by Turkish cuisine, made with chickpea hummus, toasted pistachio, chimichurri and pomegranate seed, or the butter-poached lobster taco inspired by U.S. cuisine, or the chicken al pastor taco inspired by Mexican cuisine. The chicken al pastor is a must try, made on a rotating trompo, which gives it an authentic and juicy flavor along with the pineapple salsa and lime crema. The restaurant's signature cocktails include the WTF Sangarita, which is a classic margarita with a red sangria float. The eatery also has red wines and chilled wines, as well as bottled beers and hard seltzers. The non-alcoholic drink list includes Jarritos and canned sodas.

L'Etoile, Oyster Bay

A bright French spot serving a hit list of classics and a vast, impressive all-French wine list, L’Etoile means "the star" in French. Stellina Hospitality’s latest restaurant concept is right next door to the new Provisions Market in the historic Snouder Building in Oyster Bay. The menu clearly highlights various bistro categories, with bold French headers like “Chaud” and "Froid" — hot and cold starters including an indulgent endive gratin, layered with béchamel and ham, garlicky escargot, colorful, lean tuna tartare served mille-feuille-style and cold lobster salad, tail fanned beautifully over perfectly ripe avocado and slightly less ripe mango. There are “Les Moules Frites,” mussels and fries that range in simmering sauce (from white wine, leek and cream to tomato pepper and red wine) to “Les Viandes,” well-executed meat and steaks like a succulent rib eye, served with choice of accompaniment (ours, the peppery au poivre). There is La Belle Farms’ duck from upstate New York, a leg and a breast, prepared with orange, honey, pink peppercorn and thyme, a signature burger, and a daily fish special — branzino, on our visit —in addition to a traditional salmon en papillote with tarragon sauce.

House of Yoshin, Huntington

At House of Yoshin in Huntington, the ambitious Japanese kaiseki tasting menu spot includes 10 courses introduced with quiet reflection. The refined two-hour meal feels at times like a group meditation. Soft piano music plays from the speakers. Ingredients are an ode to nature. There are no windows into the chef's counter room, which has the feel of a spa with light earth tones and a long bar made from unfinished hinoki wood. There are two seatings per night in the 10-seat dining room, and a dark and cozy lounge up front serves a small menu of Japanese-inspired cocktails and bites. A Zen Buddhist tradition, kaiseki differs from omakase in that it's less reliant on raw fish. But if you're not a fan of seafood, you should probably sit this out. Many of the courses feature intensely flavored homemade dashi fish broth, inspired by chef Tadaaki "Zack" Ishizaki's grandmother's cooking. Some of the wild-caught Japanese fish preparations — like the otoro tuna on rice — are revelatory. Others, like a hairy crab dumpling and glutinous strings of whitebait, are more challenging. Uni isobeage, a style of fried tempura featuring seaweed in the batter for an ocean flavor, was a crowd favorite. Wagyu kombu jime with white asparagus tofu paste and bottarga was a standout.

Macchiato Espresso Bar, Mattituck

The caprese sandwich on ciabatta with an Earl Grey tea at Macchiato Espresso Bar in Mattituck.

Espresso, macchiato, cappuccino and lattes kick-start your morning at the new Macchiato Espresso Bar in Mattituck. Owners Tal and Sue Inbar started roasting coffee in New York City in 2006. When COVID forced the couple to close two of their four locations in 2020, they moved out to the North Fork full time with their family. It took time to find the right spot for an East End outpost. The menu also includes breakfast dishes such as avocado toast and bagels. For lunch, try sandwiches like the caprese made with mozzarella, balsamic dipped tomato, basil and olive tapenade.

The Bread Shed, West Sayville

Massapequa school teacher Meggin Hall set up a cart that her father-in-law had made at the end of her driveway in Oakdale to sell her homemade sourdough loaves. Four months later, she outgrew her home ovens, which could bake three loaves at a time, and bought a programmable, steam-injected Simply Bread oven, which can handle a dozen. She was able to make more bread, but soon outgrew the driveway. Now Hall has opened The Bread Shed in West Sayville, a neat storefront that formerly was Infuse Tea Bar. Since she still teaches full time, Hall only operates the bakery on weekends, selling about 120 loaves (plus cookies and muffins) each Saturday and Sunday. The Bread Shed’s classic sourdough has the shape and upraised flap of a traditional loaf, but most are baked to a pale blond, not the deep, crackly-crusted russet of some other sourdough breads. Cinnamon-raisin is also available every weekend. (Both breads are available either round or as oblong "sandwich" loaves.) Weekly specials might include rosemary, garlic or everything-seed breads and there are always cookies and muffins.

Provisions Market, Oyster Bay

A portion of Oyster Bay's historic Snouder building reopened as Provisions Market, an upscale shop with a vast selection of prepared food and imported products. Shoppers can expect prepared salads like tuna and egg, steaks, chops, daily fish selections and prepped chicken cutlets with sourdough bread crumbs. There are shelves of imported boxed and bottled products. Like something out of a French indie movie, local seasonal produce is displayed in baskets, from green and white asparagus and artichokes to organic potatoes. As for that rotisserie chicken — it's FreeBird (antibiotic-free, free-range, vegetarian-fed), cooked to order. The shop also has curated gift-worthy housewares from blankets to kitchen utensils, copper pots, plates, pajamas, linens and candles — even a very cool mahjong set — mostly sourced from French trade shows.

The Foundry, Hicksville

If you’re looking for a casual pub with elevated food and a New York City manhole-cover theme, your ship has come in. The Foundry is a partnership between Steve Meskisky, a North Shore hospitality veteran, and Sam Potente, whose family business, John E. Potente & Sons, deals in concrete products and cast-iron manhole frames and covers. The low-slung building on Woodbury Road had been Charles Avenue Cafe, a long-standing local watering hole that closed a few years ago. Starters include Foundry ribs (St. Louis style, braised with cherry peppers and garlic), clams oreganata, mussels with vermouth, fried calamari with lemon-caper sauce and wedge, Caesar, kale and beet salads. Between the bread are a Foundry burger, a proud construction with sautéed onions and Dijonnaise, and a Korean chicken sandwich with kimchi and sesame aioli. Both come with excellent house-cut fries. Entrees include chicken Francese on the bone, pastrami-rubbed tuna, fried pork chop with baked apple, 16-ounce rib-eye (grilled or Cajun-rubbed) and two pastas, penne alla vodka and short-rib rigatoni.

The Pizzeria, Smithtown

LI chainlet The Pizzeria opened its seventh location in Smithtown. The Pizzeria takes over the Branch Plaza spot that was, until July 2024, Buona Sera. The Pizzeria got its start in 2020 as a 500-square-foot operation at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. The new 3,000-square-foot location is divided into three distinct areas: pizza takeout (with self-serve tables), a contemporary dining room and a bar. The white pie gooses its cheese blend with truffle oil; chicken shows up with bacon and ranch dressing, with Buffalo sauce or glazed with Thai chili marinade. The bestselling specialty pie is the Uncle Benny — fresh mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni and hot honey.

Pino's Italian Food Market, Dix Hills

Inside Pino's Italian Food Market in Dix Hills.

Salpino’s Italian Food Markets of Wantagh and Babylon has expanded north to Dix Hills. The new Pino’s Italian Food Market, which clocks in at just under 15,000 square feet, is the company's largest store of the trifecta. The Salpinos markets, South Shore Italian food staples, began in Wantagh in 1985 under Pino Barbieri and his brother — who now owns the North Bellmore store, and is no longer affiliated with Wantagh, Babylon or Dix Hills. The newest market is being run by Pino and his son Paul along with Paul's brother-in-law, Larry Avvenire. The Dix Hills location brings a more interactive experience to shoppers, with all the inner workings of the kitchen exposed. The bakery ovens, which sit right behind the bakery counter, offer front-row seats to the bread-making process. The store's many glass cases are full of prepared food options for priced-by-weight carryout, from chicken cutlets to cavatelli Bolognese, eggplant Parm, Caprese salad, fried cauliflower and sautéed broccoli rabe. Prime cuts of meat, round discs of pork and chicken sausages, marinated kebabs, prepped meatballs, and a bevy of steaks and chops glitter in anticipation of barbecue season. Scores of imported pastas — both fresh and dried — tomato sauces, olive oils, and vinegars line shelves, plus almond, sesame and pistachio cookies of every stripe. A full bakery makes not only semolina loaves, but Italian cookies of all shapes, pastries, cakes, and desserts. An espresso and coffee bar sits beside the bakery.

Long Islanders gather for famous Big Duck lighting in Flanders

TOP STORIES

HOW TRUMP BILL AFFECTS LI

LONG ISLAND LIFE

EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATIONS

TRUMP'S IMPACT ON LI

NEWSDAY TV SPECIALS

EXCLUSIVE SERIES & MORE

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE

FEED ME

GILGO BEACH KILLINGS

YOUR SCHOOLS

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

ROADS & RAILS

YOUR HEALTH

LONG ISLAND TIKTAWK

OUR REPORTERS

THINGS TO DO

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

NEWSDAY LIVE

MUST-WATCH DOCUMENTARIES