New restaurants in Farmingdale

Farmingdale is one of those towns where Main Street has never lacked interesting food and drink options — from speakeasies to breweries, sports bars to wine bars, encompassing Italian, Mexican, Greek, Thai and Japanese cuisines. It caters to two distinct communities: SUNY Farmingdale’s transient college students, who have changing tastes, and the Dalers who anchor the village, valuing tradition and longevity.

The downtown continues to evolve with a fresh slate of options for meals, music, tea and cocktails for tweens, theology majors and everyone in between. From two Taiwanese-inspired bubble tea shops to a new pizza parlor  and the rebirth of a hot chicken restaurant, here are the latest additions to Farmingdale’s ever-growing culinary scene:

Dalers Pizza Parlor

331 Main St., Farmingdale

It took more than two years, but Ben LoManto of Vespa finally opened Dalers Pizza Parlor on Main Street. Photos of Old Farmingdale line the walls of the long, lean space with high ceilings, black-and-white checkerboard tile floors and white leather booths. It’s a swank yet traditional, industrial yet homey pizzeria that gives Farmingdale a new red sauce spot for both eat-in or take out.

More casual than its sibling restaurant Vespa down the block, Dalers has massive glass cases filled with pizzas from grandma to spicy honey pepperoni, chicken Marsala to Sicilian ala vodka. Don’t miss the Oreganata ($26, available only by the pie), which is, essentially, the topping of a baked clam crossed with the topping of chicken parm.

There are heroes and calzones, rolls and pinwheels, but if you have the time, sit down and indulge in one of the cheesy, oversized pastas like the Rigatoni Fiorentina ($25), loaded with grilled chicken, spinach, and stringy, melty mozzarella in pink sauce. Another winner: The (also very cheesy) lasagna ($23). All the usual suspects live in the entrees from Marsala to Francese and there’s Caesar salad, pasta e fagioli and calamari in the apps. Slices start at $3.25. More info: 516-550-7502, dalerspizza.com

Kung-Fu Tea

56 Willow Park Center, Unit 50A, Farmingdale

Husband-and-wife team Arslan Naqvi and Aisha Athar considered a side business when Naqvi’s day job (visual effects in film and television) changed because of the writers' strike. As they looked at franchise opportunities, they quickly settled on Kung Fu Tea because “the shop didn’t require a kitchen” and the recipes provided by the brand were “easy to replicate.”

Building out the former Sally’s Beauty space took almost two years, but last month, the Farmingdale outpost of Kung Fu Tea — the 10th on Long Island — opened. The shop is large and full of seating at traditional tables and perimeter couches. There are mini video games like Ms. Pac-Man, as well as a collection of board games.

“We want to provide a space for the local student population,” Naqvi said. “There’s free Wi-Fi, plenty of room to linger and work; that’s the type of environment that we are going for here.” There are more than 60 drinks available, plus endless customizations. Teas are brewed daily and bubbles are made every few hours.

Classic teas include black, green and oolong; or you can choose milk teas (including lactose-free versions), punches (ice tea-lemonade combinations), yogurt drinks, fruit slushies and espresso drinks. Toppings for customization include tapioca, pudding, jelly, red bean, plus coffee, grape, lychee crystal and mango popping bubbles.

Drinks hover between $5 and $7 before customization, and you can pair your beverage with a selection of French macarons ($3 each). More info: 518-282-2538, kungfutea.com

Grexicana

48 Motor Ave., Farmingdale

“I’m Greek and my partner is Mexican,” explained Kellie Pappas, at her Greek-Mexican fusion concept, Grexicana, which recently opened in a stand-alone building on Motor Avenue. Inside, a kaleidoscope of color comes from the murals of Mexican Catrinas and Greek goddesses facing off over the dining room, in the neon lighting of the restaurant’s name, and in the glow of the fireplace at the end of a bustling bar.

With interchanging Greek and Mexican music playing, the scene at Grexicana, which draws a crowd that includes singles, couples and families, is warm and eclectic. That could be because Pappas was raised in a restaurant family. Her father owned a diner for over 20 years.

Whether you’re in the mood for tortilla chips and guacamole ($12) or pita chips alongside eggplant and tirokafteri (spicy feta) dips ($14), phyllo-wrapped feta or a birria quesadilla ($17) to start, Grexicana has it. Entrees are more fusion-focused than the appetizers, with offerings like moussaka enchiladas ($20) rolled with eggplant; chorizo patsitsio ($19) and lamb gyro tacos ($18). Desserts are simpler fare like baklava and churros. Requisite margaritas and agave-based spirits, as well as ouzo-infused cocktails like “The Medusa” enhanced with raspberry, honey, rosemary, and lemon ($15) are worth checking out.

If all that fusion has left you dizzy and craving neutrality, there are burgers and chicken sandwiches that embrace neither ethnicity. Greek fries optional. More info: 516-249-0492.

The Coop

346 Main St., Farmingdale

Billing itself as a bar, lounge and Nashville kitchen, The Coop is a rebranded concept that expands the former Kick’n Chicken space into two new Nashville-themed spots under one roof — a casual, all-day restaurant with an expanded menu, and a nightly live music venue and lounge that opens daily at 4 p.m.

Kick’n Chicken on Main Street closed in July to undergo renovation into The Coop. Now operated by Paul Hansen, you'll still find Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, but the menu has expanded to include smashburgers ($14), po-boys, brisket ($17) and pulled pork ($15), plus soups, salads, wings ($15) and ribs ($26).

While the menu will still draw fans of Southern food, the bar’s lively themed nights — including trivia and karaoke on Tuesdays, dueling pianos on Thursdays, and a slate of local bands and DJs — will likely make new fans of those who veer toward intimate, live music venues with a small but strong list of tap and bottled beer, as well as cocktails like The Midnight Cowboy made from Tito’s vodka, muddled blueberries, fresh lime and club soda ($12). More info: 516, 730-8906, thecoopli.com

Möge Tee

279 Main St., Farmingdale

Bubble tea is clearly having a Farmingdale moment, with another shop — this one a Chinese-imported franchise — recently opening on Main Street. The immaculate storefront is full of greenery, subway tile and blond wood accents, but feels more like a calming spa cafe.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of menu choices. Owner Zach Zhang recommends “starting with a traditional option like the Earl Grey bubble milk tea or a strawberry tea slushie.” Experimentation can come by adding toppings, such as the popular cheese foam. Akin to foam on a latte, but more dense, it tastes oddly similar to cream cheese, although tapioca and bubbles remain the most popular add-on choices.

Yogurt and slushie teas are popular (and colorful) here, as well as the matcha tea section, which is dedicated to ground green tea leaves. There are milk teas made with Yakult — or Japanese probiotic milk — in flavors such as grapefruit and orange. There are even coconut tea slushies. Less-adventurous bean lovers can find plain old coffee.

Loose leaf Earl Grey, oolong and green tea is brewed daily here, and the fruit is fresh. The sugar level of all drinks can be adjusted and a variety of milk options — organic, oat, and almond — are available. Most drinks range between $6 and $8 before customization. More info: 516-270-3294, mogeteeusa.com

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.