Nook Away Cafe opens in Oakdale

Some of life’s guilty pleasures come in the form of dairy, like milk, cheese and ice cream, or eggs, honey, and other animal products. For vegans, these ingredients are typically off limits. But thanks to Pietra Gambino, vegans can now have their cannoli and eat it, too.

Gambino, who shuttered her Little Nook Cafe in West Sayville in May, recently opened Nook Away Cafe in Oakdale, once again serving a plethora of mainly vegan grab-and-go fare.

For those with a sweet tooth, the cafe offers vegan options like cannoli, chocolate peanut butter cake by the slice, brownies (original, blondies and peanut butter), cookies (chocolate chip and black and white), and doughnuts in flavors such as pistachio, blueberry glaze, French toast and salted caramel pecan. Prices range from $4 to $9.

Customers can choose savory eats, too, like panini, $12, including the Soprano (Tofurky sausage, peppers, onions, cashew Cheddar and Daiya cheese) and the Outlaw (seitan vegan beef, jalapeños, onions, barbecue sauce and cashew Cheddar); vegan, gluten-free soups, like the cauliflower Cheddar broccoli, $6 for 16 ounces; and macaroni and cheese, $10, (made with cashew Cheddar and topped with Daiya cheese).

However, Gambino also caters to the non-vegan with such items as crumb cake, rainbow cake by the slice, tortellini soup, split pea soup … and whipped cream.

It also offers a well-rounded drinks list with beverages ranging from housemade black tea, which can be infused with CBD flavors like Key lime and elderberry, to macchiatos, hot chocolate, coffee, lattes and cappuccinos. More than 30 syrup flavors — toasted marshmallow, maple bourbon pecan, shortbread, cookie dough, white chocolate and blueberry lavender — can also be added to any drink.

The cafe sets a buzzing vibe for its customers — with a pool table, jukebox, piano, board games and more. Customers can hang out in the lounge area, which features antique-style furniture. “I want it to feel like your home away from home," Gambino said. Moreover, the late-night cafe hosts various themed nights, from open mic for karaoke and comedy, to book club meetings, LGBTQ nights, which feature games, trivia and drag shows, and paint nights.

Nook Away Cafe is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is closed Tuesdays.

Nook Away Cafe is at 919 Montauk Hwy. in Oakdale, in the Lighthouse Commons center, along with Oakdale Brew House, La Supreme Pizza, Wendy’s and Fresh Food supermarket. More info: 631-750-3150, facebook.com/Nookawaycafe