The biggest Long Island restaurant closures of 2023 so far
Hung Nguyn, of Shiro of Japan in Carle Place, cooks a hibachi meal for dinner patrons. Credit: Chris Ware
Village Heros, Syosset
Established in 1972, this shop had been a fixture of the Syosset community for 51 years. With its bright yellow sign and oversized meatball, chicken parm and Italian subs, it was a top pick for catered office lunches and Super Bowl parties in the area.
Shiro of Japan, Carle Place
Long Island’s oldest Japanese restaurant closed its doors in February after the owners of the building chose not to renew the eatery's lease. When Shiro opened in 1973, the term “hibachi” was not yet in common use: Newsday’s first mention of the restaurant described the scene: “the huge knife went clip-clop, the shrimp sizzled, the steak bits browned … and the chef flipped them onto dishes.” This was six years before Benihana of Tokyo opened in Manhasset. Over the years, Shiro expanded into catering and food service, supplying sushi to cafeterias all over the metropolitan area.
Hung Nguyn, of Shiro of Japan in Carle Place, cooks a hibachi meal for dinner patrons. Credit: Chris Ware
Craft 387 Bistro & Bar, Plainview
Craft 387 Bistro & Bar, part of the Long Island-based RestStar Hospitality Group, closed in April. Partner Eric Machado said that “holding the restaurant open during COVID depleted the funds available. With rising labor and food costs along with rents increasing we felt that we should focus on our other locations.” RestStar’s current focus, he said, is on its MB Ramen brand, which opened in Huntington in 2018 and expanded last year to Port Washington.
The Lantern Diner, West Hempstead
One of Long Island's few remaining 24-hour diners closed after nearly 60 years in business. Owners Lori Zimmerman and Socrates Fokas, who took over the restaurant in 2014, said that they are trying to sell the building to recoup some money. The diner was profitable up until COVID, Fokas said, but had fallen into financial hardship. After decades in the restaurant industry, he is planning to retire at age 67 and his children do not want to take over the business. "I’m done, I’m very relaxed and I don’t want my headaches anymore," Fokas said.
The Lantern Diner in West Hempstead. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
Monsoon Steak & Sushi, Babylon
Monsoon, the glitzy steak and sushi restaurant inside the stunning Bank of Babylon building, closed and will become a new location of the Queens-based chain Mito Asian Fusion. With restaurants in Forest Hills, Bayside and Yonkers, Mito Asian Fusion serves a variety of creative sushi rolls with interesting fusion dishes like a Buerre garlic pasta with a sweet miso cream, and crispy fried mashed potatoes with a yakiniku port wine reduction. The restaurant's website also advertises a $195 tasting menu built around Japanese wagyu beef cooked in the yakiniku style of Japanese barbecue.
18 Bay, Shelter Island
Since they opened their Shelter Island restaurant in 2011, Adam Kopels and Elizabeth Ronzetti have always closed for the winter. But this spring, 18 Bay did not reopen. “We thought about it long and hard,” Kopels said. “After the new year, we decided to take a sabbatical. We needed a break.” 18 Bay was a mainstay on Newsday’s annual Top 100 restaurants list and Kopels and Ronzetti are two of only four local chefs who have been named James Beard Award semifinalists.
Hand-cut tagliatelle with lobster and peas at 18 Bay on Shelter Island. Credit: Doug Young
H2O Seafood & Sushi, East Islip
The second location of this seafood spot closed and will be turned into a new concept by the owners of 360 Taiko Sushi & Lounge in Patchogue. The spot will feature feature traditional Japanese tatami rooms for private dining. The original H2O in Smithtown remains open.
Gentle Brew, Long Beach
Long Island is pretty well saturated with artisanal coffee shops, but one of its very first small-batch roasters, Gentle Brew in Long Beach, closed in May. “We made it through COVID with PPE and other loans,” said general manager Mel Chiusano, “but we still owed money and back rent and just couldn’t make it work." Chiusano and owner Bryan Baquet are in talks with a new partner and have their sights on a nearby Long Beach location.
Cream being poured into cold-brew coffee at Gentle Brew Coffee Roasters in Long Beach. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Seven Seas Diner, Great Neck
The Seven Seas Diner, one of Great Neck's oldest eateries, closed in February. "We had very good years, we worked very hard and people supported us," said owner Jimmy Tsolis, noting that it's just not profitable to operate a diner anymore. The spot is set for a complete remodel and Tsolis plans to reopen as a Greek restaurant in hopes of making it more attractive for a potential buyer.
