Caminito, Port Washington

Long Island's Argentine food scene has lost a little something: Caminito has closed in Port Washington. When it opened in 2023, Caminito seemed to be the only spot on Long Island that specialized in Argentine sandwiches. The chic cafe, owned by Korean Argentinian chef Sara Damian, lasted for about two years before closing Nov. 20. A classically trained chef who grew up in Buenos Aires, Damian served food that reflected her Korean Argentinian background in sandwiches like choripán (grilled chorizo) as well as empanadas stuffed with bulgogi beef and paired with kimchi mayo. When she started the business, most of her customers were locals. But eventually word got out in the Argentine community, and people started showing up from all parts of Long Island, including Manhasset, Great Neck and more, she said. Many Argentine customers would purchase frozen empanadas and bake them at home, which inspired her to open a new business selling frozen empanadas. She said that once she gets back into food service, she'll post on Caminito's Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Jade King, Roslyn Heights

Jade King in Roslyn Heights in 2007.

Jade King of Roslyn Heights, one of Long Island’s oldest Chinese restaurants, has closed. The phone has been disconnected and multiple reports reference a note posted to the door: "Jade King is now closed. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our customers for your many years of support. Thank you, management." The restaurant, on Willis Avenue just south of the Northern State Parkway, opened in 1975. According to a 2007 Newsday story, then-owner Joe Kwok had operated Joy King in Brooklyn before taking over the corner spot. (It had previously been Slowboat to China.) The restaurant changed hands a few times since 2007; a current owner could not be reached. Jade King was a white-tableclothed, wonton-soup-egg-roll sort of place where you could still get egg foo young and chow mein, and wash them down with a mai tai.

Momo's Sports Bar, Holbrook

A Suffolk County staple known for its dry rub wings is closed in December after more than 16 years in Holbrook. Momo's Sports Bar and Grill, owned by husband-and-wife team Rich and Tracey Comunale, is changing hands next month as the Comunales transfer their lease to a new owner who plans to change the eatery's name and concept. The couple's other venue, Momo's Too in Bayport, will remain open. Rich said the couple decided to close the original location because the numbers just aren't what they should be and they thought it was time to move on to a new project.

The Cuban, Patchogue

The Cuban in Patchogue has closed after six years. The 154-seat restaurant on the ground floor of mixed-use complex New Village at Patchogue, 93 W. Main St., has been vacated. The Patchogue location, which served as a marquee of sorts welcoming guests into Patchogue Village, opened in 2019, Newsday previously reported. The sister restaurant of the same name in Garden City remains open. The eatery’s menu of Cuban and Latin-fusion fare included tableside guacamole, black bean and roasted corn salads, and ropa vieja, which is flank steak with tomatoes, peppers, onions and green olives with white rice and black beans. There also were costumed dancers and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Whales Tale, Northport

The tuna BLT with fries at The Whales Tale in Hampton Bays.

Northport’s popular waterside restaurant The Whales Tale closed after 16 years, months after opening a new outpost in the Hamptons. Owner Sosh Andriano said the Northport lease is up and he hasn't been able to reach a renewal agreement. The restaurant's new Hampton Bays outpost on Foster Avenue, which opened in June, will remain open. Andriano and Brian Autz opened the Northport restaurant at the Brittania Marina in 2009, where it became a local favorite for outdoor dining, offering seafood, burgers and salads overlooking the harbor.

Dang BBQ, Islip

Dang BBQ held onto its Islip location for as long as it could but, after eight years, owner Anthony Mastrantonio had to admit that it was time to consolidate the operation with its larger, newer sibling in Seaford. While restaurants of every stripe and price point are struggling, Mastrantonio believes that barbecue comes with its own set of challenges. "First," he explained, "it’s not a food that people on Long Island grew up eating — like pizza or bagels or even Chinese. Second, people associate barbecue with vacation travel." There’s no reason for anyone to think they have had their last Dang fix — or that this year’s smoked Thanksgiving turkey is in jeopardy. In 2020, Mastrantonio took over the old Seaford Diner and opened Dang Roadhouse, which supplements its barbecue offerings with Southern and Tex Mex specialties, plus breakfast and brunch dishes. Large-scale barbecue catering will continue using the kitchen at Islip’s Marconi Manor, owned by the Mastrantonio family. There’s also the Dang BBQ truck that’s a fixture at Long Island Ducks home games in Central Islip and makes regular appearances at street fairs and public events. (Follow @thatdangtruck on Instagram).

Limani Taverna, Woodbury

Less than two weeks after the Limani group closed its Italian restaurant, Carpaccio, at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, it also shuttered the Woodbury venue, Limani Taverna. A sign posted to the front door said that the last dinner was on Sept. 28, thanked customers for "being part of our story" and directing them to "sister locations in Roslyn and Commack." Limani Taverna opened in 2018 as Oniro Taverna. It was a more casual, less expensive brand extension for the original Limani, the Roslyn restaurant that opened in Roslyn in 2008 and transformed Greek dining on Long Island.

Hana & Rosa, Huntington

The grilled shrimp quesadilla at Hana & Rosa in Huntington.

Huntington’s façade is changing yet again with the closing of Hana & Rosa less than a year after it opened. The Japanese-Mexican fusion restaurant on New York Avenue opened last November, taking over the space that used to be Mission Taco. Hana & Rosa’s menu fused the cuisines with items such as chicken tinga enchiladas and miso ramen. The menu also featured traditional Japanese bar snacks like chicken wings, shrimp shumai and Tako Yaki, fried dough balls stuffed with octopus, tempura, pickled ginger and green onion. It also had a variety of sakes and beers imported from Japan.

Jackson's, Commack

After 19 years on Jericho Turnpike in Commack, Jackson’s has closed. The friendly, easygoing restaurant called itself a gastropub and defined that term, on its website, as a spot serving "unpretentious American food that pairs well with craft beer and small batch spirits." Shelby Poole, the daughter of founders Art and Lori Bloom (as well as their marketing maven), said the family had sold its lease. "The cost of everything has gone up so much, there really is no operating margin," she said. Jackson’s was as agile as it was welcoming. When sliders started their ascent in 2007, Jackson’s served them. Trending lettuce wraps, veggie burgers and burnt Brussels sprouts followed them onto the menu.

Carpaccio, Huntington Station

Carpaccio, the massive Italian restaurant named after the Italian crudo and owned by the Limani Hospitality Group, has closed in Huntington Station’s Walt Whitman Shops. This was the Limani Group’s first Italian concept — they also own Greek powerhouse Limani in Roslyn, Limani Taverna in Woodbury and Limani Grille in Commack. Serving its namesake carpaccio in a variety of iterations, including beef, tuna and even octopus, it was a central spot for a pre- or post-shop bite, going well past raw fish and covering everything from Italian American classics (chicken Parm) to Mediterranean delicacies (grilled octopus) to regional Italian choices (risotto with mushrooms). Salads, meatballs, pizza and pastas rounded out the offerings. Equally notable was the drinks menu, anchored by a rotation of spritzes that brought in an evening crowd.

Angelo's Little Italy, Amityville

Angelo's Little Italy in Amityville has closed after just two years.

In 2023, Angelo’s Little Italy — a sibling of the Mulberry Street original — opened its Amityville location to much fanfare. After all, Angelo’s of Mulberry Street had been one of Manhattan’s Italian mainstays for over 100 years. Now, after just two years, the Suffolk restaurant has shuttered. Tina Aprea, who ran the Mulberry Street spot with her family for over five decades, was following in the footsteps of her late father, Giovanni, in Amityville. The location, however, will get another chance at greatness. Park Avenue Grill, an Amityville staple for breakfast and lunch, located across the street from Angelo’s, has taken over the space.

Coche Comedor, Amagansett

Coche Comedor, one of the first Long Island restaurants to serve authentic, regional Mexican food in a swank, upscale setting, closed its doors after dinner on Sept. 27. The Amagansett eatery was opened in 2019 by Honest Man Hospitality, the East End restaurant group that also owns Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton, Townline BBQ in Sagaponack and Rowdy Hall and La Fondita in Amagansett. (The latter, a casual taqueria that shares a parking lot with Coche Comedor, will remain open.)

Red, Huntington

Red, a Huntington mainstay for 25 years, closed on Sept. 21. Though the restaurant serving new American fare is ending its run after the retirement of chef and co-owner Nino Antuzzi, the space won’t be vacant for long. David Tunney, founding partner of upscale Mexican restaurant Besito in Huntington, Roslyn and West Islip, and owner of Old Fields Barbecue in Huntington and Luca in Stony Brook, and former owner of Ella’s in Huntington, will take over the location, leasing from Nino Antuzzi and his wife and co-owner, Kelley Antuzzi. Though Tunney declined to share details Monday about the concept coming to the New York Avenue site, he said he hopes to open the new eatery by spring.

Neraki, Huntington

Grilled whole flounder at Neraki in Huntington.

Neraki, one of Long Island’s most dependable seafood restaurants, is closing in Huntington. Owner Alex Moschos held the restaurant’s last dinner service on Sept. 14. Since it opened in 2011, Neraki has served the highest-quality Greek-style fish in a low-key setting and, most singularly, at an affordable price. Moschos, who described himself not just as an owner but as "an owner-operator," was a constant presence at the restaurant. Twice a week, in the wee hours after dinner service (or, depending on your sleep schedule, before lunch), he would go to the Hunts Point market in the Bronx to buy his own fish.

Morning Rose Cafe, Bellmore

After a 12-year run in Bellmore, Morning Rose Cafe has closed, according to an announcement posted on the restaurant's website signed by owner Rose Tzanetos. The restaurant was already scheduled to be temporarily closed through Sept. 11 for a break but, Tzanetos wrote, "I have had some time to reflect in the last few weeks and decided that we will not reopen following our vacation." Morning Rose Cafe opened on Bedford Avenue in 2013, serving all-day breakfast and brunch.

Finley's, Huntington

The iconic Huntington watering hole closed after more than 30 years. Owner Sandy Finley said a host of reasons fueled her decision to close the venue she established with her husband in 1992. The facility has two buildings, a storefront and a two-story house connected by a glass breezeway. Finley had teamed up with chef Lewis Vargas in 2024 to bring a new restaurant concept, 43 Green, to the dining room space attached to the casual pub. At the bar, guests could enjoy appetizers such as a pretzel served with Guinness cheese as well as pub staples such as shepherd’s pie. 43 Green closed, and Finley said the dining room will be sold with the property.

La Parma, Williston Park

La Parma restaurants are known for family-style Italian dishes, such as lobster ravioli with cognac shrimp sauce. The Williston Park location closed after 41 years.

After 41 years, La Parma is closing in Williston Park. Co-owner Anthony Gralto and business partner Dominic Gregorio have sold the building. The last night of service was July 27. La Parma opened in June 1984 and was "one of the first family style restaurants on Long Island," according to its website, serving oversized portions of pastas, Parms and chops. Gralto and Gregorio purchased the building at 707 Willis Ave. in 1995. Business expanded with other partners running La Parma II in Huntington and La Parma III in Oceanside, both of which will remain open.

Kai Burgers & Dumplings, Great Neck

One of Long Island's most creative concepts, Kai Burgers & Dumplings has closed after four years in Great Neck. The small, pub-like restaurant kept a low profile among all the Asian food options in the village, but the compelling food combo made it stand out. Kai has been featured on Newsday's list of best things we ate in 2023, as well as our current list of standout burgers. In addition to a full menu of smashburgers, Gao served some of the most delicate pot stickers around. The shrimp dumplings were supple and plump, and still connected by a thin, crispy shell on the bottom that you could snap with your fingers. But running a restaurant with such high standards was difficult, and Gao said he's 50 years old now and wants more freedom. He also mentioned high food costs, high taxes, and the difficulty of keeping his staff who were traveling from Flushing, Queens, to work.

Domenico's Restaurant, Levittown

Levittown’s Domenico’s Restaurant closed after 58 years. Owner of the restaurant, Domenico Belcastro, opened the eatery at 3270-A Hempstead Tpke. in 1967. His menu was inspired by his grandmother's recipes from Calabria, Italy, according to the restaurant's website. Menu offerings included gnocchi Bolognese, linguini and homemade pesto and chicken scaloppine francaise. Throughout the years, even recovering from a fire in 2023, the restaurant expanded from a pizzeria with a small dining area to a catering area with four rooms, which held functions large and small hosting up to 150 people. Jim Dalto, managing member of Westbury Properties, owner of the facility in which the restaurant is housed, said the future of the space is undetermined.

Wild Ginger, Great Neck

The dining room of Wild Ginger in Great Neck.

Wild Ginger, one of Long Island’s pioneering Asian fusion restaurants, has closed after 23 years in Great Neck.In a 2002 review, Newsday’s Joan Reminick described the restaurant’s then-novel concept as "Asian-ish — Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese — a fusion rather than an authentic representation of any one country's cuisine." Its debut ushered in the original wave of Asian fusion eateries on Long Island, of which Matsulin in Hampton Bays (2004) and Toku in Manhasset (2007) are the most prominent survivors. A man who identified himself as a partner, but who asked that his name not be used, said that while the cost of everything — ingredients, supplies, labor — keeps increasing, he couldn't raise his pieces any higher and still retain his customers.

ITA Kitchen, Bay Shore

"More is more" is the general philosophy at ITA Kitchen, but there’s now one less location of the Italian mini-chain. Bay Shore, the restaurant that started it all in 2019, has closed, while Garden City South (2022) and East Moriches and Patchogue (2023) are still operating. When chef Salvatore Sorrentino and his wife, Christina, launched ITA Kitchen, they chose a name that signaled their lack of fealty to strict Italian tradition: ITA = Italian American. As they expanded, so did their exuberant approach, with chicken Francese topped with mozzarella and a cherry-pepper sauce and served on spinach, and a veal chop smothered with prosciutto, mozzarella and truffle-mushroom Marsala sauce. Mozzarella is made tableside and any of the imaginative pasta dishes can be served in a bowl made of a chicken cutlet or crowned with a ball of fried mozzarella — or both. While the Bay Shore location initially had a tame, neutral decor, the restaurants are now notable for their extravagant, Instagrammable (artificial) floral garlands.

King's Chophouse, Bay Shore

King’s Chophouse in Bay Shore was a rarity on Long Island, a premium steakhouse with the size and ambience of a cocktail bar. The chefs prepared their own compound butters and also oversaw the aging of steaks, working together with Babylon Village Meat Market. But the intimate restaurant currently on Newsday’s list of best Long Island steakhouses closed its doors May 20. Owner Sean Nolan confirmed the closure but was unable to give further details due to a pending sale with an unnamed local business. The restaurant had a short, but sweet, menu with bistro classics like a wedge salad with housemade pork belly, steak tartare, duckfat hash browns and 75-day-aged cuts of beef. There was a respectable cocktail program that stuck to classic cocktails like Manhattans, old fashioned's and other whiskey delights.

Luigi Q, Hicksville

Owner Luigi Quarta gives his restaurant, Luigi Q in Hicksville, its distinctive personality.

With no fanfare, owner Luigi Quarta has left the Long Island dining scene after 25 years, selling his business to Demetra and Carl Mattone, who opened Ficarra Ristorante in its place. Luigi Q was one of the Island's most divisive restaurants, where regulars enjoyed personalized service and off-the-menu delicacies, while newcomers were often surprised by the no-kids, no-shorts policies. Since it opened in 2000, Luigi Q was a perennial presence on Newsday's list of top Italian restaurants. Quarta employed a number of talented chefs including Pastor Alfaro, who left to open Bivio in Huntington, and Rico Bermeo, who owns Sophia in Amityville. But the food never perceptibly changed because Quarta exercised ultimate control of the kitchen. Having grown up on the Adriatic coast near Bari, he was mad for seafood, bringing in fresh swordfish, sea urchin, bianchetti (whitebait), scungilli (conch) and more whenever he could.

Brooklyn Dip & Burger, Mineola

Brooklyn Dip & Burger has served its last Brooklyn dip — and burger. After six years, owner Matt O’Hara has closed the eatery, which specialized in roast beef sandwiches and elaborate burgers. O’Hara, a former finance guy with a longtime interest in food, opened the Mineola location opened in 2023 with a sports-bar-meets-gastropub vibe. "Brooklyn Dip" referred to the roast-beef sandwich drenched in jus that was first popularized by Brennan & Carr, which opened in 1938 in Sheepshead Bay. There were also pork and turkey "dips," smashburgers, fat burgers, wings, tacos, mac-and-cheese and milkshakes.

Beach Burger, Long Beach

Another staple of the Long Beach boardwalk will not be returning when the summer heats up: Beach Burger, which had been serving grass-fed burgers and hand-cut fries since 2019, has closed, according to an announcement on its Facebook page. The poetic Facebook post said the owners have other dreams to pursue and want to spend more time with family and friends. "Yummy burgers, hand-cut fries, mermaid cones and fresh coffee we did brew. Don't be Beach Burger blue. Yes it's true, we had an amazing six years serving you," the post reads, before concluding, "We are going to miss you too." Beach Burger was known for its beefy burgers and glittering mermaid cones, which featured soft serve ice cream covered in sparkly sprinkles.

Golden Coach Diner, Huntington

The Golden Coach Diner in Huntington opened in 1980.

The Golden Coach Diner, a landmark on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington since 1980, closed April 14. Co-owner Maria Korines said she is retiring. Since her husband, founder Harry Korines, died two years ago, she said, "it has been very difficult to carry on." The Korines family posted a notice in the diner window and on social media expressing their “most sincere thanks to the generations of loyal patrons who have supported us throughout the years.”

Paper Plate, Deer Park

Paper Plate, a smashburger and chicken concept that debuted at Williamsburg’s Smorgasburg food hall in 2022, has closed after a year in Deer Park. It was the shop's first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Similar to the West Coast’s In-and-Out, Paper Plate was an everyman joint that served burgers with all the fixings: lettuce, tomato, pickles, American cheese, grilled onions and, of course, special sauce on a potato bun. There were also moist chicken breast tenders that tasted just like Chick fil-A, grilled or fried chicken sandwiches, and a simple grilled cheese for the pickiest of kids. Fries, the frozen crinkled variety, came be in plain or dressed cheesy versions. Paper Plate was the brainchild of Aaron Ratner, a Great Neck native who studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California, before launching a fried chicken and waffle pop-up in 2019 that eventually morphed into Paper Plate.

Five High Market, Huntington

Since late 2023, aficionados of the iconic deli meat have been making pilgrimages to Five High Market in Huntington to sample the smoky, succulent thick-cut pastrami. But the modest Huntington shop is closed, a victim of its own success. Soon after owner Ben Zelouf took over the lease, a family friend offered to supply him with pastrami. The friend, whose name Zelouf never revealed, used a century-old recipe, brining and smoking the beef navels at an undisclosed Long Island location. Smokier than your average deli pastrami, this one was also so tender that it had to be hand sliced. Piled between two slices of insufficiently sturdy rye bread, it was a sandwich that was, at once, impossible to eat and impossible to stop eating. Zelouf said he needs a larger space to prepare and store the pastrami, as well as a gas stove and a fryer. New tenants will be taking over the Huntington spot and Zelouf says he is searching for a new location to open a "proper, kosher-style deli."

Baldwin Coach Diner, Baldwin

Baldwin Coach Diner in Baldwin closed in April after 61 years.

The Baldwin Coach Diner, which has fed multiple generations of Long Islanders, closed on April 10 after 61 years. The shuttering of the family-run business comes after the death of co-owner John Kanaris earlier this month, said Trissy Kanaris-Navas, his sister and business partner. The eatery was opened in 1964 by Kanaris-Navas’ father, Peter Kanaris, and his business partners, George Tsotsos and Tommy Matthews. The trio worked hard learning to grow the business as well as bake and cook, Kanaris-Navas said. By 2000, the diner was fully run by the Kanaris family, with Kanaris-Navas and John Kanaris managing the restaurant with their father. After his cancer diagnosis in 2016, Peter Kanaris stepped down and Kanaris-Navas and John Kanaris managed the eatery together. Baldwin Coach Diner had 150 seats for patrons in the homey space with three dining rooms, offering both cozy booths and tables for diners to order dishes like steak quesadillas with french fries and the popular chicken cutlet parmigiana.

Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro, Farmingdale

After 10 years of serving a wide variety of wines and tapas on Farmingdale’s Main Street, Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro has poured its last glass. When Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro opened in 2015 at 185 Main St., it offered more than 40 wines sold for less than $10 a glass and less than $35 a bottle, Newsday previously reported. The menu also featured more than 30 tapas, soups, salads, bruschetta and pizzas, among other items. Owner Jeff Rumman said the business first felt a financial pinch almost exactly five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. But rising prices due to inflation over the past five years is the true culprit for its financial issues, he said.

Five Ocean, Long Beach

As the Long Beach summer season begins to heat up, one familiar business will be missing from the boardwalk: Five Ocean, a top restaurant for seafood that was also featured on Newsday's 2023 Top 100 Restaurants list, has closed. The restaurant normally shutters for the winter season, but owner Craig Attwood said he sold the space to veteran bar owner John Lugano, who runs a string of bars and restaurants including John Scott’s Surf Shack in Westhampton Beach. Attwood, a Manhattan and East End fine dining chef, said he had tired of the seasonal nature of Long Beach, and needed the money to put into a yet unannounced concept he's working on in Lindenhurst. One of the top restaurants in Long Beach, Five Ocean served gorgeous plates of halibut and ahi tuna layered with fresh vegetables.

The Linwood, Bay Shore

A melange of crab and shrimp with celery hearts, red onion and lemon at The Linwood in Bay Shore.

The Linwood, a trendy restaurant and cocktail lounge in Bay Shore that opened in 2019, has closed. Co-owner Drew Dvorkin said the restaurant shut down after service on Saturday, Mar. 29, for renovations and rebranding through the month of April. With "fingers crossed," Dvorkin hopes to reopen "the second week in May," with the same ownership and management team in place, including chef Henry Freidank in the kitchen. The new concept is a "neighborhood Italian" spot called Bar Lucy and will serve a mix of red sauce classics, modern Italian dishes, artisanal pizzas and cocktails. Named for the nearby South Shore hotel that stood until 1925, the robust and eclectic menu at The Linwood featured everything from mac and cheese to grilled naan accompanied by spreads, filet mignon sliders to hot chicken sandos, and large plates like fried chicken over grits, meat loaf, a short rib and vegetable bibimbap, and rigatoni in spicy vodka sauce.

Revival by Toast, Port Jefferson

Terence Scarlatos, owner of Toast Coffeehouse, closed the popular all-day breakfast chain's nighttime concept, Revival by Toast, as he prepares to launch two new eateries: The Study by Toast in East Setauket and Toast Coffeehouse at Station Yards in Ronkonkoma. The decision to close Revival by Toast in the heart of Port Jefferson village was difficult. Revival is housed in the original home of Toast Coffeehouse on East Main Street in Port Jefferson. It opened in late 2022 and offered two tasting menus, "Short Story" and "Long Story," as well as cheese and chocolate fondue.

Mesita, Port Washington

After little more than a year in Port Washington, Mesita has closed. The Mexican restaurant's last day was Sunday, just three days after the group opened its biggest, grandest Mexican restaurant, in Amityville. Polo Pacheco, the general manager in Amityville, said, "We loved Port Washington, but the concept didn't work out. Amityville was a better fit since it is not as seasonal." Some of the Port Washington employees have transferred to Amityville, he said, others will be staying in Port Washington to work at the new restaurant taking over the space, Jade Eatery & Lounge, an Asian-fusion spot.

Modern General Dreamy Coffee Co., Sag Harbor

After 35 years in Sag Harbor, Modern General Dreamy Coffee Co. has closed its brick-and-mortar shop along the village's bustling Main Street. Owner Lynda Sylvester said the company will continue selling its beans through its website as well as wholesale distribution and partnerships with local markets. Coffee beans are sold in 12-ounce bags (house blend, hazelnut, coconut, Colombian and French Roast). Also popular: 32-ounce cold brew concentrate. Dreamy also partnered with Greenport’s Matchbook Distilling Company to create a ready-to-drink espresso martini made from its cold brew and vodka with hints of nutmeg and orange peel. Sylvester will continue selling the coffee through wholesale distribution and partnering with businesses such as Sag Harbor’s Schiavoni's market and Provisions cafe and Barryville General in Southampton.

Sushi by Kuryu, Roslyn Heights

Sushi Monaka for Omakase, Sushi by Kuryu, Roslyn, Feb. 23, 2024.

When a new Roslyn Heights spot from former Nobu sushi chef Teruo Yoshioka opened in late 2022, it was quickly embraced by the community for its fresh, luxe Japanese food. But its run was short; Kuryu closed on Dec. 21. Choco Yoshioka, manager of Sushi by Kuryu, as well as the chef's spouse, explained that the "sudden closure" after two years was a "gut-wrenching decision" prompted by the dueling needs of the Roslyn Heights storefront and the catering side of Kuryu, which offered a private chef service that has been growing steadily. Nestled within Roslyn Seafood Gourmet, Kuryu's served a selection of standard rolls from California to specials loaded with tuna, crab, salmon, avocado, cucumber and tobiko. The sashimi, sushi boxes, as well as omakase specials, were crafted thoughtfully and meticulously by Yoshioka himself.

George Martin's Grillfire, Merrick

It was hard to miss George Martin’s Grillfire in Merrick. The illuminated cornice and boldly colored graphic awning managed to magnify and dramatize what was, in truth, an unremarkable one-story building across from the Long Island Rail Road tracks. Now, 31 years after he started leasing the space, George Korten is closing the restaurant; it served its last dinner on Jan. 15. Korten cited rising costs and said he was unable to reach a deal with the landlord. Korten’s first concept in the location was Route 66 Roadhouse, which opened in 1994 serving a Southwestern menu inspired by Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. But within two years, Korten switched to the Italian Nick Di Angelo, "because people will eat Italian food a few times a week." In 2009, Nick Di Angelo gave way to Grillfire. The menu featured crowd-pleasing comfort standards, from Wagyu pigs in a blanket and chicken pot pie to marinated skirt steak and burgers.

South Bay Diner, Lindenhurst

Chicken souvlaki served on pita bread with a cup of soup, french fries, cole slaw and a pickle at South Bay Diner in Lindenhurst.

Long Island is down another diner — Lindenhurst's South Bay Diner, on a busy stretch of Sunrise Highway, has closed after 24 years. Co-owner Steve Mourelatos cited financial hardships after the COVID pandemic as one of the reasons for the closing. The diner opened in 2000 after Mourelatos helped his father design its maroon-and-gold dining room. Its specialties included the Texas smokehouse burger ($19.99), avocado chicken salad wrap ($18.99) as well as chicken souvlaki lunch special ($16.99) served with a cup of soup, French fries, coleslaw and pickle. This is the second longtime diner closing in Lindenhurst within a year following the Lindencrest Diner's shuttering this past summer after nearly 40 years.

Trullo D'Oro, Hicksville

Ten years after they opened Trullo D’Oro, Gino and Maria Giannuzzi served their last meal on Christmas Eve. In a sea of samey-samey Italian American eateries, Trullo D’Oro stood out for its dedication to the foods and wines of the Giannuzzis' native Puglia. Gino’s kitchen specialized in two great Pugliese pastas, hybrid shapes that are made by hand like the fresh pastas of the north, but from hard semolina wheat and no eggs, like the macaroni of the south. Orecchiette were served here with meatballs. Larger, more elongated strascinate came with the very traditional Pugliese duo of broccoli rabe and sausage.

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