Restaurants coming soon to Long Island
Brioche french toast with banana, brown sugar, and maple syrup served at The Shed Restaurant in West Sayville. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Here's a sneak peek at new restaurants that are slated to open soon around Long Island. Check back as Newsday's food critics update this list of new dining-out spots.
Jeanine's American Bistro & NewView Catering, Glen Cove
Jeanine DiMenna will be opening her new bistro-caterer at 242 Glen Cove Ave. She is thoroughly renovating the space that, over the years, has been Don Lorenzo's, Il Forno, La Terranova, Vivo Osteria and, most recently, Allison’s. DiMenna had been the owner of The View Grill at the Glen Cove Golf Course (her lease expired in February) and, before that, Page One. She is hoping for a May opening.
The Marker, Glen Cove
Veteran Gold Coast restaurateur Kent Monkan is taking over the restaurant at the Glen Cove Golf Course. Monkan operates The Brass Rail in Locust Valley, Heirloom Tavern and Choppers in Glen Head and The Wild Goose in Port Washington; The Marker, with 100 seats indoors and 150 outdoors, will be by far his largest venture. He and partner Eric Telese (currently manager at Brass Rail) are doing a major renovation and plan to open in July though they hope to open the snack bar by June.
Oak & Vine, Glen Cove
In the former home of The Salt Grill, this New American restaurant will be fronted by Chris Arturo, formerly of the Saddle River Inn in New Jersey, and pastry chef Shari Alam, who worked at Marcus Samuelsson's seafood house Hav & Mar in Chelsea. Expect fresh-made pastas and steaks served with chimichurri, au poivre or peri peri sauce. Expected opening is May 2, according to a news release.
Dough & Co, Northport
Dough & Co., the highly regarded pizzeria that Danny Rocca and Teddy Fortunato opened in Huntington in 2022, is expanding to Northport. The new location will take over the former La Casa Pizza at 1014 Fort Salonga Rd. and be similar in size and the same concept, Rocca said. He hopes for a June opening.
Popup Bagels, Roslyn
Although they hail from Connecticut, the viral bagel brand Popup Bagels, which had sellout stints around New York City and the Hamptons, will land in Roslyn early this summer. The small, airy bagels, which are sold with creatively flavored sides of dipping schmears — French onion cream cheese, creme brulee butter — will be located at 1388 Old Northern Blvd. in June.
Van Leeuwen, Garden City
Van Leeuwen, the Brooklyn ice cream brand that began as a yellow scoop truck in NYC in 2008, will land its first Long Island location within Roosevelt Field mall this summer. Known for its French-style ice cream made with extra egg yolks, the shop will be located on the second floor of the mall, away from the Dining District.
Lucharitos has multiple Long Island locations that serve Mexican specialties such as a coconut shrimp burrito bowl. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Sag Harbor Tavern, Sag Harbor
Last year's Sag Harbor Kitchen, fronted by chef Melissa O'Donnell, located in the former American Legion Hall on Sag Harbor's marina, will change hands for the upcoming season. The team behind Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn is slated to open its first sister restaurant space in the seaside hamlet in May.
The Ketch, Westhampton
Buoy One in Westhampton, which closed earlier this year, will be succeeded by The Ketch. Gina Stefanides, who owns the new restaurant with her husband, Chris, said that the new restaurant would continue to serve seafood but would be adding steaks, chops and pasta to the menu. Buoy One’s original location, in Riverhead, remains open. Stefanides hopes to open The Ketch by the end of May.
Nola, Seaford
After Puglia’s Italian Steakhouse in Seaford was destroyed by fire last year, owner Greg Garofalo decided to debut a new concept. Nola, named for a town near Naples, will serve Italian fare but also sushi. Garofalo's family also owns the Original Puglia (est. 1919) in Little Italy. In 2020 he launched Charred Brick Oven where his five-year-old Seaford Lobster Shack had been. Garofalo is hoping to open Nola by May.
Very Juice, Great Neck
With two locations in Brooklyn and one in the Five Towns, this kosher cafe is opening its fourth location in Great Neck. The chic cafe is expected to open in the former Bareburger at 32 Middle Neck Rd. this spring, the mini chain announced on Instagram. The spot has a large vegetarian menu of panini, salads and dishes like shakshuka.
Lucharitos, Mineola and Ronkonkoma
Marc LaMaina’s modern Mexican minichain (Greenport, Center Moriches, Mattituck, Melville) is on track to open at 199 Second St. in Mineola. This will be the largest location yet, and the first in Nassau County. By midsummer, LaMaina hopes to open at Station Yards, the new mixed-use development coming to Ronkonkoma.
LB Bistro, Long Beach
Matt Hisiger, whose eight-year-old LB Social has become a local favorite, is branching out — to two blocks east. He’s taken over Steven’s Pasta (which closed last year) and is turning the space into a LB Bistro, a chic French eatery serving classic bistro fare. He’s hoping to open by May.
Noema, Garden City
The second location of the upscale Greek restaurant in Huntington is a collaboration between restaurateur Lisa DiPinto and “Chopped” champion Nicholas Poulmentis. Noema's second location is going into the old Gross Jewelers building at 815 Franklin Ave. The team said it's currently getting permits and has a targeted opening in spring.
The Shed, Westbury
If you're a breakfast all-day kind of diner, and live in (or near) The Selby apartment building in Westbury, you're in luck: The Shed, which has restaurants in Plainview, Huntington and West Sayville, plans to open on the ground floor in the spring to serve oversize omelets, bowls, burgers and more.
Caracara Mexican Grill, East Northport
The 12-year-old Farmingdale Mexican restaurant signed a lease in 2018 but owner Tony Kathreptis said the pandemic was only one of several roadblocks that surfaced to delay the opening. The new restaurant, at 356 Larkfield Rd. next to Lidl, will combine two empty storefronts, a pizzeria and a card store. Kathreptis hopes to be open by summer.
Plado Tasting Bar, Glen Cove
Chef-owner German Rizzo, who opened his Mediterranean small-plates concept in Manhattan’s East Village in 2019, is expanding to Glen Cove. His Plado Tasting Bar will take over the free-standing building at 274 Glen St., formerly Riviera Grill. Rizzo hopes to open in May.
Morgan's BBQ, Huntington Station
Morgan's BBQ has teased its imminent arrival for months in the Walt Whitman Shops — will an opening finally be on the horizon? The owners are bringing Texas barbecue to the Island by way of Brooklyn and Pennsylvania, where Morgan's is already slinging ribs and slaw.
