Great South Bay Brewery in Lindenhurst pivoting to Breakers Burrito Bar
A beer flight at the Great South Bay Brewery in Lindenhurst, which is relaunching as a Mexican concept. Credit: Linda Rosier
The Great South Bay Brewery restaurant is making a hard pivot in Lindenhurst, from burgers and wings to tacos and margaritas. The gastropub is closed until April 1, when it will relaunch under the same ownership as the beach-themed Breakers Burrito Bar.
The Great South Bay Brewery in Lindenhurst opened in 2024 in a former bank. Credit: Linda Rosier
The restaurant opened in the heart of the village in 2024 following an extensive renovation of a former bank, which had been empty for years. Corporate chef Chris Palmer said talks to reinvent the restaurant started about four months ago when they got "tired of it not reaching its potential," compared to the group's other restaurants with the same concept in Bay Shore and at Station Yards in Ronkonkoma.
"We do the exact same thing at Ronkonkoma and it’s overwhelming. The place is busy every weekend, all during the week and we were just kind of confused," he said. "The best part about this business is that we can change the sign any day we want and do whatever we want with the space."
The shift to a beachy, Mexican vibe will bring "a mashup of all different things," Palmer said, including creative burritos, tacos and Southern California-style style street food mashups like a birria egg roll and a burrito with bulgogi and kimchi. "There’ll be a heavy emphasis on freshly made margaritas with fresh juices," he said, as well as Mexican beers. The eatery will continue to serve Great South Bay Brewery's own beers among a dozen taps.
Interior changes include a hacienda-like space at the front of the restaurant for ordering food to-go. The striking central bar will remain untouched as surfboards and skateboards are added "for people to even decorate on their own with stickers or graffiti," Palmer said.
Breakers Burrito Bar, 147 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, 631-392-8472, greatsouthbaybrewery.com. Opening April 1, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
