New Long Island restaurants to try in 2026

South & North Indian Cuisine Inc., Hicksville

With a name like South & North Indian Cuisine Inc., you know exactly what you're getting when you walk into the humble room. But that's not the whole story. The new restaurant by the Hicksville train station also dives deep into Kerala, a tropical Indian state with a fascinating history and a love of coconut, which makes the food beguilingly creamy and fruity. The menu is full of interesting categories like cutlets, Kerala snacks, Kerala breakfast items and non-veg roast. Nothing has a description, but luckily owner Roshan Thomas is an excellent guide. His mother, Princy Kuruvilla, is doing the cooking. Try the  pure white curry called paalkappa. The thick gravy is made from coconut milk simmered with fragrant mustard seeds and fresh curry leaves. 

Ilios Froyo, Roslyn

Can frozen yogurt be chic? Roslyn’s new Greek yogurt-based Froyo spot, Ilios Froyo, is trying to make it so. Husband-and-wife owners Sophia and Andrew Quintero opened the space on Old Northern Boulevard last month. The family-run spot feels polished and modern, with warm ivory and beige tones, wood accents and light stones on the flooring and counters. Ilios serves strictly Greek yogurt-based Froyo. They mix kefir in the yogurt and sweeten their recipes with organic cane sugar to give it a tang and just the right amount of sweetness. There are six flavors on the menu, three of which rotate monthly. Flavors include the organic original tart, raspberry and organic vanilla bean. Toppings include fresh fruits like honeydew, golden mango and fig. Dry toppings include sprinkles, granola, chocolate chips and cookie dough. Ilios also offers toppings served warm, like the pistachio kanafe, Nutella and Biscoff cookie butter.

Secret Vegan Kitchen, Oceanside

New York deli, but make it vegan. That's the premise behind a new store next to the Oceanside train station. Customers line up beside a deli case filled with artisanal vegan cheeses and faux meats made in-house by Secret Vegan Kitchen owner Tiffany Gordon. Gordon and her team spend all day Tuesdays and Wednesdays, plus several hours on Fridays or Saturdays preparing the faux meats. The menu reads much like that of a typical New York sandwich shop: everything from tofu bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches to Italian combo sandwiches and chicken cutlet heroes. The pastrami sandwich is a standout.

Tête-à-Tête Cafeteria, Rockville Centre

Tête-à-Tête Cafeteria, a chic little spot with four tables and counter seating, opened in August. The decor, midnight blue with gold and wood accents, manages to be professional and whimsical, and the menu has something for everyone. All the coffee drinks here are made with beans from East Coast Roast in Island Park. Beyond the basics (drip, espresso, cappuccino, latte, cortado, flat white, Americano), Rahmani has created six specialty drinks that stop short of overkill — such as espresso with pistachio cream, iced latte with lavender. Pastries — from croissants and kouign-amanns to cupcakes and cheesecake — are from Le Petit Paris in Queens. The tight savory menu includes avocado toast; filled croissants; mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto on rosemary focaccia and a dainty sandwich of roast beef, Gruyère and whole-grain mustard.

Yalos Greek Taverna, Island Park

Panagiotis Kambitsis thinks he has the secret sauce to running a successful restaurant in Island Park, and that sauce is tzatziki. The owner of Pappa Gallo in Rockville Centre has taken over the large space that held Aura Modern Mediterranean, and changed the name to Yalos Greek Taverna. Yalos keeps the upscale club vibe while going full-on Greek, in the vein of North Shore spots Kyma and Limani. There's an impressive raw bar of imported Greek fish like the fabulous lavraki and tsipoura, which Kambitsis says come in daily. And the unapologetically Greek menu sports names like horiatiki, taramosalata, skordalia and melitzanosalata eggplant spread. The restaurant also has an impressive wine list, with nearly 40 bottles from Greece alone.

Salep Ice Cream Cafe, Ronkonkoma

Turkey has a long tradition of blending salep, a finely ground powder made from orchid roots, into the milk, cream and sugar to produce an ice cream, "dondurma," with a distinctive texture that is a bit stretchy, a bit chewy, but entirely delicious. And Salep is the name of a new ice cream shop where Gulden Durdu is bringing a little bit of her ancestral home, Turkey, to Ronkonkoma. Only a few of the flavors are made with salep — and they tend to sell out quickly — but many more of them highlight eastern Mediterranean flavors such as baklava, Dubai chocolate and a suave, seductive tahini. Other flavors include banana-Oreo-peanut butter, maple walnut, black cherry and chocolate brownie.

Phõ Hanoi, New Hyde Park

Bánh mì sandwiches are back on Jericho Turnpike now that Phõ Hanoi has opened in a space that's held three different Vietnamese concepts over the past few years. New owner Duke Quan most recently had a pair of Vietnamese bar and restaurant spots called Bia (which means "beer" in Vietnamese) in Williamsburg and the Queens side of New Hyde Park. Alcohol is also a prominent feature at Phõ Hanoi, which has a wraparound bar that dominates the bohemian chic dining room. A server sets down a cocktail list that includes a spiked Vietnamese coffee and a drink called Saigon Sunrise with Malibu rum, citrus and strawberry syrup. The food menu is pretty streamlined, sticking to familiar Vietnamese fare like pho noodle soups, bun salads and a few varieties of bánh mì sandwiches. As the days cool, we'll be coming back for the oxtail stew, bò kho, which was one of two soup specials alongside a coconut curry soup with vermicelli noodles

Mudroom, Shoreham

In a rebuke to cookie-cutter coffee shops everywhere, Mudroom has neither avocado toast, nor overnight oats nor an Instagram wall. What this idiosyncratic spot does have is a rare commitment to quality and purity. "Coffee shop" isn’t even the most accurate description of an establishment that puts such an emphasis on food — the tight menu features three imaginative salads, chilled pastas enhanced with additional protein thanks to the addition of lupini beans and, most remarkably, sandwiches served on rolls that are not only baked in-house, they are made from flour that is milled in-house. The beverage half of the menu starts with coffee from Native Coffee Traders, roasted on the Poospatuck Indian Reservation in Mastic. From that base come lattes  such as Burnt Banana and Roasted Peanut. There are freshly pressed juices, tea-based drinks and pea-protein shakes such as Greenhouse (kale, spinach, banana, apple, pineapple, coconut), Soul-Ties (pineapple, honey, orange, turmeric, black pepper, coconut) and 3Loko (double espresso, brown sugar, banana, cocoa).

Luca Steak, Huntington

The owners of Luca Steak don’t like to refer to their new restaurant as a steakhouse, but rather a "steak restaurant." The pair, who also own Luca, the Newsday top Italian restaurant in Stony Brook, and Old Fields BBQ in Huntington, brought in their organization’s A team to run the place. Other than a prime, bone-in 38-ounce rib-eye, the other six steak selections are variations on Wagyu — A5 top sirloins from Japan; New York strips, filet mignons, Denver and hanger steaks from Australia’s Margaret River ranch; flat irons from HeartBrand Ranch in Texas.  Non-beef mains include bone-in ahi tuna steak with mango-papaya salad, Mangalitsa (a Hungarian heritage breed) pork flank with kumquat chimichurri; saffron-poached halibut, a whole roast Cornish hen on a bed of wild mushrooms and the vegan roast cauliflower with harissa and tahini. Vegans and vegetarians actually have a lot to choose from here, with side dishes such as creamed spinach in a spanakopita nest, roasted leeks with horseradish cream and carrot "tagliatelle" with kumquat.

Momo2Go, New Hyde Park

A Himalayan fast-food spot with a stunning variety of momos has touched down in New Hyde Park, and judging by the scene on two visits, it's been busy ever since. Momo2Go would be right at home in a place like Jackson Heights, but this Canadian chain skipped New York City altogether and is going straight for Long Island. Many of the momos — fried or steamed dumplings — that his team serves at Momo2Go aren't traditional flavors from Tibet or Nepal, but Indian fusion momos that appeal to the South Asian community. And the varieties are eye-popping. The menu lists about 20 preparations, some saucy, some fried and others crispy and coated in spices. There are Manchurian momos, creamy Szechwan, Afghani momos and momo 65, a dumpling take on the iconic Indian dish Chicken 65.

Pilar Coffee Bar, Roslyn

Long Island coffee shops have been opening with frequency over the past couple of years. The latest transplant originated in Deerfield Beach, Florida, in 2024, and has three stores opening across the Island in coming months. One will be in Huntington, the other in East Northport, while the first, in Roslyn, opened in July. Pilar uses Brazilian and Colombian beans in its coffee drinks, and the Roslyn site serves a vast menu of freshly made breakfast items, from BECs on croissants to avocado toast, omelets, waffles, overnight oats and bowls including acai and grain. For lunch there are salads, and sandwiches including turkey and bacon, muffuletta and hot honey chicken. There are also flatbreads for the savory food lovers and gelato, cookies, brownies and other treats for the sweet-toothed.

Jack's Grill, Speonk

When Zach Terzis and Charlotte Olander decided to start a family and buy a house, they quickly learned that they would not be able to afford to stay in the heart of the Hamptons, where they had operated The Hideaway in Montauk from 2020 to 2024. Domestic roots now settled in Westhampton, they've opened neighborhood spot Jack's Grill in the former Brewology space in Speonk.  Mains include a classic cheeseburger (with white Cheddar, house-made pickle and excellent hand-cut fries); a porchetta sandwich (on Levain Bakery ciabatta); rigatoni alla Norma; chicken-under-a-brick with mushrooms, braised leeks and mashed potatoes; seared salmon with dill potatoes and horseradish vinaigrette; steak frites au poivre (with more fries). They also wanted to highlight a country whose cuisine doesn’t get a lot of attention on Long Island (outside of Ikea in Hicksville): Sweden, where Olander’s family is from. Jack’s "house meatloaf" is a criminally reductive way to describe what I learned was an authentic Swedish "wallenbergare," a mixture of ground veal and heavy cream that is whipped (yes, whipped) into a mixture that is first baked, the sliced, breaded and finished in butter. It is served with mashed potatoes, peas and, no surprise here for Ikea shoppers, lingonberry jelly. 

Tucker’s Taproom & Smokehouse, Mattituck

Add another stop to your Long Island barbecue itinerary: Tucker’s Taproom & Smokehouse is putting Mattituck on the map. Or, rather, back on the map. It’s got terrific smoked meats that are equaled in quality by the sides and the drinks (18 beers on tap, premium spirits, craft cocktails), all of which can be enjoyed at the bar, in the dining room or outside on the lawn or patio. The five-meat plate recently featured brisket (smoky and jiggly), pulled pork (not pulled into a cat food but in recognizable hunks), ribs (tender but requiring teeth), pastrami (juicy with some spice) and both Italian sausage and kielbasa (rendered nearly indistinguishable by the smoke). All of these, plus the pulled chicken, also wind up in sandwiches. There’s a steak special (smoked and seared large-format cuts) on Friday nights; 9-inch "dino" beef ribs are available on Saturdays and Sundays. Excellent fries and onions rings are fried in tallow.

Stay Green Brewing Company, Farmingdale

Farmingdale has one of Long Island's strongest bar scenes, but it lost a little something when the small but mighty Lithology Brewing Co. closed in February. Now the torch has been passed and Stay Green Brewing has taken up the space. Stay Green's owner, Jon Green, is a veteran of the industry who's spent the past several years brewing his Stay Green beers at other breweries, including the now-shuttered Long Beach Brewing Company in Oceanside as well as at Destination Unknown Beer Company in Bay Shore, which also closed. Stay Green's signature beer is the Mind Gold, a cream ale described as "crisp" on the menu.

Food Street, Hicksville

In just a few months' time, the new Soni Centre strip mall in Hicksville has become a suburban community hub. The parking lot was packed during a recent evening and much of the commotion was centered around the first Long Island location of a beloved Pakistani street food chain. Food Street originated in Secaucus, New Jersey, in 2024 and now has four locations and a rapid franchising expansion plan.  Nearly every table seemed to have a bulbous color explosion called the gappa chaat, a giant puffed wheat cracker as big as an orange, filled with all manner of spicy and yogurty sauces and starches. The idea is to crack open the delicate mound with your fork, and let the potatoes and chickpeas spill out. The halal menu is short and concise, with not many more than a dozen food items, most of them burgers, paratha rolls and snacky chaat street foods. Food Street also served what may be the best spicy chicken sandwich on Long Island.

The Bay Butcher, Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay residents may have noticed that the space next to L’Etoile, once used as its storage space, as well as a Max & Mina's pop-up last summer, has sprung back to life. The restaurant’s executive chef saw an opportunity for the space that the Milanas — the family behind L’Etoile and Stellina restaurants — couldn’t refuse: The Bay Butcher, a new meat shop, debuted in June. Behind the counter is executive chef Bryan Dedcovich, who has been cooking professionally for more than 20 years, alongside butcher Angelo Monticello, who spent the past seven years of his career cutting meat for Iavarone Bros. in Woodbury; Uncle Giuseppe’s before that. The beef is sourced from Omaha, via Allen Brothers, and ranges from 28 to 60-day, dry-aged prime to regular prime to black Angus. Monticello cites his biggest sellers as A-listers like rib eye, porterhouse, sirloins, and T-bones that they are dry-aging in house.

Tulum Taco Stand, Long Beach

Tulum Taco Stand has opened on the Long Beach boardwalk, adding a bit of Mexican flair to this summer's beach days. The stand at 198 Boardwalk is the takeout component attached to owner Nicolas Geeraerts' soon-to-come high-end Mexican steakhouse, Hacienda Tulum. The stand is serving a small menu of six taco flavors, six playa bowls, churros and beverages, such as frozen margaritas, from a walk-up window on the boardwalk.

The Local Table, Syosset

One might think the team behind luxe omakase spots 236 in Syosset, House of Yoshin in Huntington, Sora in Stony Brook and the growing Kashi and SUP empires, Japanese and Vietnamese respectively, didn’t need another restaurant to manage. And yet, The Local Table opened in Syosset in June, the WH Group’s latest high-end spot, this time with a focus on local seasonality rather than Japanese whiskey and omakase. The summer menu, which will change often, according to Steven Tsang, one of the primaries of WH Group, is wrapped in a green ribbon that opens into a three-sided spread spanning snacks, starters, small plates, mains and vegetables — which include wild mushrooms, grilled cabbage and a farmers market selection. And while it’s not a study in rigid seasonality, chef Isaac Olivo, a Relais & Châteaux chef whose most recent tenure was at Cape Cod’s Chatham Inn, is creating some innovative, tasty plates.

Bread and Butter Market, Riverhead

Bread and Butter Market, a compact shop in Riverhead, is poised to meet any and every takeout, grocery and retail challenge. Need pancakes for breakfast, a pressed panino for lunch, a grab-and-go salad for dinner? Or are you looking for a loaf of sourdough, a gluten-free muffin, a well-pulled espresso or a scoop of homemade gelato? Perhaps you need a box of Saltines or Inés Rosales olive oil tortas or brownie mix or Special K, a can of beans, a frozen pizza, a truffled salami or a package of pasta. You ran out of laundry detergent or Benadryl. You are on your way to a birthday party and you need a gift (how about a candle?), a gift bag and a card. You forgot diapers, a toothbrush, a beach tote. Chef Marco Pasos runs the kitchen and presides over the deli counter, where sandwiches range from a simple BLT to the Iron Pier Hero (prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, roasted peppers, arugula and mozzarella on a semolina roll) and the Dune Panino (vegan meatballs, marinara, melted mozzarella and Parmesan on a panino roll). His chicken salad already has a following as do the "pop-top parfaits," deconstructed desserts — such as banana cream pie or strawberry shortcake — whose components are layered into a transparent pop-top "can."

Low Tide Bean, West Babylon

A new waterfront cafe, Low Tide Bean, opened in West Babylon just in time for the summer rush. The Bergen Avenue cafe connected to the Bergen Docks is a sister outpost to four Bean Coffee Shops, in Babylon, Bay Shore, Sayville and North Babylon. Co-owner Julia Lagerstedt worked at the Babylon spot for six years before opening Low Tide Bean in the former South Swell Taco location. The space is open for outdoor dining only, with tables lined along the water. The menu includes classic deli breakfast favorites, such as bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, acai bowls, overnight oats and bagels. There are also muffins and cookies for those who prefer a sweet treat. Lunch options include a double patty smashburger with fries, pickle brine wings and chicken tenders and fries.

Benvenuti Salumeria, Manhasset

Bevenuti opened for business in June after three years of planning. It’s a tiny shop packed to the rafters with provisions of the highest quality, from tuna fillets packed in oil and frozen pizzas direct from Naples to house-roasted long hots (peppers) and, of course, lots and lots of salumi (Italian cured meats). It’s a passion project for its two owners, Bruno Carusone and Luca DiCiero. They hooked up with manager Nino Gagliardi, chef-owner of the well-regarded Brooklyn trattoria Peperoncino (2004 to 2018) after which he managed locations for Felice and Il Mulino. Gagliardi and his team prepare eggplant Parmesan in the Southern Italian style (not individual cutlets of eggplant, but a layered casserole cut into portions for serving), lasagna, pollo con patate (roast chicken with potatoes), broccoli rabe with sausage, farro salad. He has also designed 18 sandwiches including the Rustichella (pancetta, smoked provola, pickled mushrooms and arugula on focaccia), the Campania (salami, provolone, and marinated eggplant on baguette) and the vegetarian Orticella (grilled zucchini and eggplant, sun-dried tomato, stracciatella on seven-grain bread). If those sound promising, consider that they all come on bread from Manhattan’s great Sullivan Street Bakery. That commitment to quality underlies every item in the store. Many are produced in Italy — pasta from Mancini, Garofalo, Dii Martino; tomatoes from Mutti, La Fede and Rega; olive oil from Diamante Verde and Lorenzo (Sicily), Guglielmi and Ogliarola (Puglia); prosciutto di Parma and a range of great cheeses such as pecorino and scamorza, Fontina and Gorgonzola.

Novah, Great Neck

Here’s hoping the third time’s the charm. The Pashalis family, operators of about two dozen Mediterranean restaurants, have taken over the old Seven Seas Diner location in Great Neck. And, according to Dean Pashalis, they believe their plan will succeed where two others — Paros Grill and Americana Eatery & Bar — have failed. Among the family’s venues are the Greek Anassa Taverna (in midtown and downtown Manhattan, and Astoria, Queens) and Dear Margo, which opened in March on the Upper East Side. Pashalis said that the menu at Novah would be very similar to that of Dear Margo, focusing on the Levantine traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean. Chef Efraim Naon, who will oversee both restaurants, has an impressive resume that includes Taboon, a trailblazing Middle Eastern restaurant that opened in the Theater District in 2004, as well as Motek and Barbounia.

Elisha, Great Neck

There's grocery store hummus, and then there's this hummus. Silken and nutty from the tahini, the chickpea spread is spiked with a vibrant green zhoug sauce of peppers and herbs. The spicy spread slathers beautifully on the fluffy pita bread. The hummus is a mainstay at Paprika, the acclaimed Israeli party spot in Great Neck Village. But now you can get it in a slightly more casual setting at Elisha, couple Roni and David Zaken's new order-at-the-counter shawarma spot in Great Neck. The left side of the restaurant features two impressive shawarma spits behind a Chipotle-style counter of spreads and veggies. The chicken shawarma is made from legs and dark meat, while the beef spit is made from thinly-sliced Argentinian rib-eye steak with ground lamb fat to hold it together. Elisha's menu is small and concise, with build-your-own shawarma that you can get wrapped in laffa bread, tucked into pita pockets or as a plate. Each option comes with an array of flavorful salads and spicy condiments. But the more popular item during a recent visit was actually a chicken schnitzel sandwich in a mini loaf of challah bread.

Off The Wheel, Bellport

Jennifer and Collin Preziosi had both worked in hospitality since they were teenagers — she in the front of the house, he in the back — but after they got married last year, they set about putting into action their plan of working together in a family business. Everything came together when they opened Off the Wheel, specializing in fine cheese and charcuterie, things made with them and things that go with them. The main floor of Off the Wheel is devoted to dozens of international cheeses and cured meats. Highlights from the cheese collection include 12-month aged Manchego from Spain, 24-month-old Parmesan and Taleggio from Italy, Gruyère and Ossau-Iraty from France, Stilton from England, Humboldt Fog from Harvest Moon from New York’s Hudson Valley. On the charcuterie front are Spanish chorizo, Italian prosciutto (both di Parma and di San Daniele) and Italian-style bresaola, capicola and soppressata from Salumeria Biellese (the Manhattan deli whose production facility is in New Jersey). Upstairs is a small butcher counter where you’ll find a small selection of grill-ready items such as steaks, burgers and franks, and wild cards such as Moulard duck breasts. There’s also a selection of specialty grocery items such as cultured butter, crème fraîche, blini, imported tomatoes, pasta (Martelli), olive oil and more. 

Dolcino Caffé, Sea Cliff and Farmingdale

What was once a home decor store in Sea Cliff, Restoration Oak, was transformed into a dessert and coffee shop collaboration in 2023 — Dessertino and The Crafty Spoon. This week, the two brands have evolved into Dolcino Caffé, a similar idea with the addition of savory toasts and breakfast sandwiches. Plus, a second location opened in Farmingdale off Hempstead Turnpike. There are coffee drinks from simple cups — drips, dirty chais, lattes — to elaborate clouds (topped with foam), and signature lattes like Nutella, Biscoff, pistachio. For non-java drinkers, try the frubas, Taiwanese boba teas made with fruit, or refreshers like guava mango lemonades and Arnold Palmers. Additionally, there are juice-based smoothies and ice cream shakes. Peruse the plentiful, colorful sweets on display behind glass cases at both locations, with different cultural sweets sourced from Long Island bakers. In addition to the sweet treats, both Dolcinos carry a selection of savory and sweet toasts — the crunchy PB&J topped with banana, strawberries and pistachios was a peanut lover’s dream — as well as croissants, pastries, cookies, and breakfast sandwiches including bacon, egg and cheese options, plus Argentinian empanadas, egglet bites, quiche and chicken kebab rolls wrapped in naan.

Hampton Coffee Company, Quogue

The brew is piping hot for Hampton Coffee Company, which opened its eighth location, in Quogue, less than a year after its Hampton Bays debut. The historical building it took over on Quogue Street is almost 100 years old, according to co-owner Jason Belkin. Belkin owns the Southampton-based roaster with his wife, Theresa. The building was previously a pharmacy, an ice cream and soda shop, and later, a luncheonette. Now the coffee shop, it includes indoor and outdoor seating for 54 diners. The menu features classic breakfast and lunch favorites, such as the veggie burger, served on a toasted brioche roll with lettuce, tomato, pickle, fries or coleslaw. The menu also includes a Mexican grill section with a grilled chicken whole wheat quesadilla and carne asada platter, which is marinated skirt steak served with guacamole, pico de gallo, rice and beans. Local beer and wine offerings include Riverhead’s Twin Forks Beer and Co. Bridgehampton’s Channing Daughters Winery.

Smuggler's Cove, Greenport

One of Greenport’s loveliest berths has a new occupant: Smuggler’s Cove has replaced Porto Bello (est. 1992) at the Safe Harbor Stirling marina. In the kitchen is chef Vincent Pomara, who cooked most recently at Seven Beach Lane in Westhampton Beach. His menu is a pleasing, seafood-centric blend of Italian and New American. At dinner, starters include fried provolone with basil pesto and balsamic drizzle, New England clam chowder, confit Long Island duck wings and grilled octopus with fregola, tomatoes, olives and preserved lemons. Mains include grilled local striped bass with charred eggplant, a Wagyu burger with Guinness-caramelized onions and Gruyère (served with truffled Parmesan fries), Berkshire pork chop with parsnip puree and Swiss chard, linguine with clams and pinwheel lasagna Bolognese. The weekend brunch menu features  eggs Benedict (on sourdough toast instead of English muffin), sourdough French toast and an asparagus salad with hard-boiled eggs that can be boosted with shrimp, chicken, steak or anchovies. 

Lava Diner, New Hyde Park

The menu at the new Lava Diner looks pretty typical — until you get to Page 7, where you'll see dishes like lamb shawarma, chicken biryani and fattoush salad. The diner is located in New Hyde Park, just a block away from the Queens border to be exact, on a stretch of Indian restaurants, markets and sweets shops, and next door to the Hillside Islamic Center. What may be Long Island's first halal diner, the Lava Diner has just gone into a storied building that most recently held the New Hyde Park Diner. Before that, it was the Gateway Diner, and before that, the County Line Diner, which dates back to the 1950s. Most of the menu seems unchanged, until the end where you get several new pages of Arabian and South Asian specialties. In addition to the shawarma, there's also the iconic Egyptian macaroni and lentil plate koshari Jordanian mansaf lamb and rice, and Palestinian chicken maqluba. 

The Pizzeria, Yaphank

The Pizzeria can’t stop, won’t stop. The 6-year-old chain opened its eighth and easternmost outpost in Yaphank at The Boulevard, a 322-acre mixed-use development comprising retail, restaurants and about 700 residential units. The Yaphank menu has everything you’d expect to find at a pizzeria, from round and square pies to rice balls and wings, pasta and Parms, heros and wraps. There's also the chain's version of the MVP pizza, the Tri-Fecta, topped with marinara, vodka and pesto sauces. As at the chain’s larger locations, there’s a full bar with signature cocktails and well-chosen wines and beers.

PopUp Bagels, Westhampton

After several successful pop-ups in Amagansett, PopUp Bagels finally has a permanent home in the Hamptons, in Westhampton Beach at 130 Main Street. The Westhampton opening confirms PopUp's continued popularity on the Island and will serve the same hot bagels and rotating cream cheese and butter schmears. For those unfamiliar with PopUp Bagels, they offer a menu of smaller, more compact bagels than many Long Island bagel shops. More dense, with a chewy center and crispy exterior, PopUp Bagels are served warm alongside requisite cream cheese cups. Guests are encouraged to use their hands to "grip, rip and dip" the hot bagels into their chosen schmear.

Encanto Crepes & Cafe, Greenport

Colombian hot dogs, in Greenport? Foodies can now find it at Encanto Crepes & Cafe’s newest location on Main Street. Husband and wife duo, Gustavo Acero and Yuri Acero, opened Encanto’s first location on Valentine's Day in 2023. They opened a new, larger location on Greenport’s Main Street in the former Di Angela Goods & Accessories. The eatery — a full cafe with a variety of espresso and caffeinated drinks — has substantially expanded its menu to 12 crepe flavors, 45 varieties, all made in an open kitchen. For a crepe with Colombian flavor, there's the Colombian extraordinaire made with dulce de leche, guava paste and mozzarella cheese. More savory options include the pulled pork crepe or the chipotle chicken crepe and for seafood lovers, there’s the salmon crepe or the shrimp salad crepe. Authentic Colombian goodies such as arepas or corn griddle cakes, almojabanas or Colombian cheese bread have also been added to the menu. Loaded hot dogs are a standout; particularly the Colombian hot dog, made with onions, a pineapple topping, mozzarella cheese, potato chips and chipotle sauce.

Brody's Coffee, Westhampton Beach

Most pet owners show their furry best friends love with treats and playtime, but Vincent Greco went the extra mile — he named his new Westhampton Beach cafe after his beloved 8-year-old black Labrador mix, Brody. Brody’s has 10 syrups and four signature lattes: a banana bread latte with a banana cream cold foam, cookie butter latte, pistachio cream latte with pistachio cream cold foam. and a honey lavender matcha or espresso. He works with a couple of bakers to offer croissants, cookies and macarons. On the weekends, a baker makes rotating flavors of sourdough bread, offering plain loaves, Italian-herb or Cheddar and jalapeño.

Peri Peri Guys, Selden

If Zee Shan has anything to do with it, spicy-savory peri-peri chicken is going to be the next hot fast-casual trend on Long Island. Marinated overnight for flavor and tenderness, then baked and, finally, grilled to order, it's the signature item at Peri-Peri Guys, a 20-seat eatery that opened last week in Selden Plaza shopping center. The 2020 founding of Peri-Peri Guys in Hicksville added Nassau County to its passport, and partners Shan and Umar Farooq are the franchisees who have brought it to Suffolk. The long marination process of a Peri Peri chicken means that even the white meat is moist and flavorful. Bone-in folks have their choice of two pieces, four pieces or eight pieces. Wings range from five to 20 pieces. There are also large-format platters for feeding crowds. Not feeling the bones? Try skewered thighs, butterflied breast or six tenders. All chicken is halal. You can have your chicken in a wrap, sandwich or bowl or eschew chicken entirely with falafel or a vegan burger. Sides include fries, mac-and-cheese and rice.

Cement Coffee Company, Bayport

Cement Coffee is redefining the term "coffee bar" with a new outpost in Bayport’s People’s Pub. The coffee vendor opened at the historic Bayport Avenue building, serving signature lattes like the maple brown sugar cinnamon and the Earl Grey blueberry. The menu also includes coffee and tea, such as lavender mint tea or the cortado, and pastries from Long Island’s Pat’s Bakehouse, like the Earl Grey cookie or the blood orange and black sesame muffin. The goal of this partnership is to bring more life to the popular pub, which only functions Wednesday to Sunday evenings, during the day, Cement Coffee owner Jake Leone said.

Mugs at Schmidt's, Quogue

After a successful three-year run in Riverhead, popular cafe Mugs on Main is pouring into a second location, in Quogue. The cafe’s new outpost is inside Quogue at Schmidt's Country Market at 164 Jessup Ave. The cafe opened on Riverhead’s Main Street in 2023 and is known for its broken bacon, egg and cheese, a deconstructed version of the favorite breakfast sandwich served in a mug. Also on the menu: the churro latte, the la Azteca or the Over the Rainbow, which is the latte version of the popular rainbow cookie. Smoothies include pineapple, mango and banana, strawberry and raspberry, with add-ins from vegan or whey protein to spinach, chia, almond butter and peanut butter.