New Long Island restaurants to try in 2026

Angie's, Manhasset

The storied Manhasset pub Publicans has transformed into Angie’s, a contemporary American bistro. Long Islanders may remember the long-running Publicans closed last year after being immortalized in J.R. Moehringer’s bestselling 2005 memoir, "The Tender Bar," and George Clooney's 2021 film adaptation. There’s something for everyone at Angie's, with starters ranging from spinach-artichoke dip and chicken tenders to swordfish kebabs and "escargot" lobster knuckles wrapped in puff pastry and treated like snails. There’s a Chinese chicken salad and a Beverly salad and sandwiches including a triple smashburger, a Wagyu French dip and the Rachel (Reuben, romaine, cabbage and aioli). Flatbreads, tacos and quesadillas come in many varieties. Larger mains include swordfish Milanese, chicken paillard, vegetarian chicken Parm, spicy rigatoni and, in a nod to the owners’ Greek heritage, seafood youvetsi (baked with orzo). Steaks and chops rise in the $40s as does another playful take on lobster, the "lobster frites", a 2-pound specimen that’s been taken out of the shell, grilled, put back in the shell and served with fries and clarified butter. At lunch there’s a two-course special and a weekend brunch features more breakfast-appropriate fare.

Dough & Co., Oyster Bay

One of Suffolk County’s best pizzerias has expanded to Nassau: Dough & Co., founded in Huntington in 2022, has taken over the former Umberto’s in the heart of Oyster Bay. At 750 square feet, the slice of a shop is about a third of the size of the one in Huntington, and the menu is similarly abbreviated: No pastas here, just pizza, rolls, calzones and salads. But pizza is the main event at Dough & Co., which has been on Newsday's top pizza list since it opened. Founder Danny Rocca (at only 27 years old) is one of the leaders of Long Island’s artisanal pizza movement. Purist pizza nerds (guilty!) can best appreciate the pies when they are topped simply — regular (with low-moisture mozzarella), Margherita (fresh mozzarella), etc. — but you’ll also find Buffalo chicken, barbecued chicken, braised mushrooms with sauteed onions, ricotta and truffle oil, and lots of pepperoni and sausage. There are 20 signature pies on the menu, and there is a rotating lineup of them available by the slice. 

Frontier Karahi House, Huntington Station

Karahi may be the unsung masterpiece of Long Island's food scene, and it's the focus of a sprawling new banquet hall in Huntington Station. If you're ordering off the regular menu, take a close look at the chef's specials section, which includes a number of Peshawari originals, including the famous chapli kebab, a sizable beef or chicken patty with herbs and spices. You'll also see the Afghan rice dish pulao as Peshawar is near the border with Afghanistan and has a strong shared heritage with the Pashtun people of both nations. (On another note, instead of a kids menu, Frontier has what they're calling a Gen Z menu, with dishes like rib-eye steak, chicken Parmesan and Alfredo.) The Shinwari karahi, named after a famous market in Peshawar, is the restaurant's signature dish. 

Greek Brothers, Manhasset

Stavros and Giannis Metekidis opened their first Greek Brothers with the goal of elevating the casual gyro joint menu with better ingredients and technique. The aptly named eatery opened in 2024 in Franklin Square. Now they have brought their concept to Manhasset. Stavros, the chef, cooked in a number of New York City kitchens — Marea, Estiatorio Milos and the Four Seasons among them — and you can see his training in the sparkling freshness of the maroulosalata (romaine-scallion-dill salad); the refinement of dips like tzatziki, spicy feta and a tahini-less hummus; the subtle notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the pastitsio (Greek lasagna). You’ll also find souvlaki, moussaka, keftedakia (meatballs), spanakopita, soups, burgers and more salads. Alongside the usual baklava, he also makes the great Greek orange cake, portokalopita (as well as a few fancy desserts like caramel and chocolate mousses, cherry cheesecake and chocolate cake). 

Side Street Dive, Patchogue

It may be off Main Street, but Patchogue’s new bar-restaurant, Side Street Dive, is hard to miss. The eatery takes over the former Burgerology, which closed in 2024. Owner Max Feinberg described Side Street's vibe as an "American sports bar-style, tavern-style menu," with an Italian flair. There's chicken parmigiana, shrimp oreganata and chicken capricciosa, a fried cutlet topped with tomatoes, onion and balsamic. Pastas include penne a la vodka, baked ravioli and penne with broccoli rabe. A dozen pizzas include a classic margherita with vodka sauce, eggplant ricotta, and pepperoni with hot honey.

Danny's Chinese Kitchen, Roslyn

Good news for Long Island Chinese takeout fans: The fifth outpost of Danny’s Chinese Kitchen has opened, in Roslyn. The 1,200-square-foot space has seats for about a dozen people, with crisp yellow walls dotted with images of Chinatowns from around the world. The menu features the same Chinese fare as at other locations: Chow mein, egg foo young and moo shu pork, plus combination platters such as sesame chicken that come with fried rice and a pork egg roll. Danny's excels for those on specialized diets, offering gluten-free and vegan dishes as well as "zoodle," or zucchini noodle dishes.

Captain Ihab, Farmingdale

Captain Ihab is a tiny new restaurant with a big concept — and one that’s rare on Long Island: Affordable seafood in a mostly Mediterranean style. The dinner menu offers five nice-sized servings of fish accompanied by rice and vegetables for under $30: Fillets of red snapper, sesame tuna, salmon stuffed flounder and a whole branzino — plus seafood skewers, shrimp scampi, stuffed shrimp, cioppino and linguine with clams. For a bit more, you can enjoy Chilean sea bass, steamed lobster, stuffed lobster or surf and turf plus a few land-based dishes like filet mignon or chicken Parm. Starters include steamed mussels, fried or grilled calamari, crabcakes or grilled octopus. Prices are up to $10 less at lunch, where the menu also features fish and chips and lobster rolls.

Hercules Churrasqueria, Bay Shore

From the ashes of Bay Shore’s old Forum Diner have risen the flames of Hercules Churrasqueria, a Brazilian-style barbecue eatery whose first location opened in 2023 in Franklin Square. Hercules’ new spot opened last weekend, and it’s the second in a former diner. The menu in Bay Shore is bigger too, with pastas, Parms and Franceses filling out the mostly grilled meat lineup. All-you-can-eat steak is $60 a person, and you can also focus on individual non-AYCE cuts from skirt to tomahawk. At $21.25, the grilled whole chicken for two is a delicious steal. There are also various mixed grills, pork and lamb chops, fish and shrimp and even lobster for two. Portions are uniformly generous and almost everything comes with salad, fries, rice and mixed vegetables.

Ikedo Japanese Eatery, Mineola

Ikedo Ramen's owner, Mimi Chi, has debuted a new 50-seat slurp shop with a refreshed concept in Mineola. The Mineola Ikedo replaces the Carle Place location, which has closed. This is the third iteration of Ikedo, which began as Ichiddo Ramen, a chain from Minneapolis. The Mineola restaurant is rebranded as Ikedo Japanese Eatery with changes including a new chef, formal sushi bar and collection of coffees, dirty sodas and boba teas. One of Newsday’s best ramen shops, Ikedo offers a bowl of spicy tonkotsu that still wows with its rich broth, fatty, succulent chashu pork and al dente noodles. The approachable menu is carefully rendered, with a few ramen varieties alongside udon soups and rice bowls. Appetizers from gyoza to shumai to karaage kick things off. If you’re not into ramen, other non-sushi dishes include chicken, pork and tofu buns, donburi, or Japanese-style rice bowls, and stir-fried rice featuring various proteins for an additional charge.

Mad For Chicken, Carle Place and Selden

Korean fried chicken continues its Long Island takeover with a spiffy new spot across the street from Roosevelt Field mall. Flushing-based chain Mad For Chicken has opened its fourth Long Island outpost, in Carle Place. It joins eateries in Plainview, East Meadow and Rockville Centre. A fifth location has also opened in Selden. The Carle Place eatery is one of the few Mad For Chickens with a menu that's halal. (The restaurant on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow is another, although both offer beer and soju.) The menu at Carle Place has some fusion items, such as kimchi quesadillas, as well as fried chicken and bulgogi sandwiches. But the go-to order here is a plate of five wings with french fries. Spicy soy garlic is their signature flavor, but there are nearly a dozen to choose from.

Nothing Bundt Cakes, Levittown

Something sweet is in the oven in Levittown. Nothing Bundt Cakes opened in the Nassau Mall shopping plaza on Hempstead Turnpike. The menu will include four sizes of Bundt cakes: 8-inch and 10-inch, personal bundlets and bite-sized bundtinis. They also have a tiered cake option. Choose from flavors such as red velvet, chocolate chip and Dubai chocolate or banana pudding. The first Long Island site opened in 2023 in Carle Place. Others include Valley Stream, Commack, and one planned for Plainview.

Don Pollo, Mineola

Peruvian food domination of Long Island marches on, with another South American chicken spot with Queens roots — like Urubamba in Huntington, one of Newsday's best new restaurants — opening in Nassau. Mineola recently welcomed Don Pollo, an Ozone Park original, to its dining scene. This sliver of a spot, which has a robust takeout counter and six full-service tables, serves Peruvian classics to both transient visitors and dining room patrons. All the classics are represented here, from ceviche appetizers to caldo de gallina, Peru’s answer to chicken soup. Tallerin verde, or pesto-covered pasta, can be ordered with a side of simply grilled chicken or steak, while heartier dishes might include the lomo saltado, or beef sauteed with tomatoes and onions over rice and french fries, a traditional dish. Chaufa, or Peruvian fried rice, can be made with beef, chicken or shrimp, while the restaurant’s namesake, pollo, or chicken, is cooked low and slow, and winds up moist and juicy. Chicken combos are served with rice and beans or fries and a salad. 

Emack & Bolio's, Rockville Centre

Nestled in a Boston basement circa 1975, Emack & Bolio’s began as a late-night respite for local musicians and touring rock stars looking for after-gig munchies. It has since become a sensation all its own, with locations scattered around New York City and reaching as far as China. The first on Long Island debuted in Rockville Centre with the same city feel and rock theme. The brand has become synonymous with wacky flavor collaborations and cones trimmed in sugary treats, from Froot Loops to sprinkles to shaved coconut. Some of the resulting flavor profiles have included Bananas Foster, S’moreo and Stoney’s Dream, which has vanilla ice cream with brownies, chocolate chip cookies and fudge swirl. In addition to ice cream, the shop offers sugar-free, yogurt and small-batch vegan options — made from coconut cream — and sorbet.

Toastique, Woodbury

Toastique has opened its first Long Island location, in Woodbury, serving loaded toasts and bowls as well as juice and smoothies. The chain takes over Dugan's Sandwich Shop on Jericho Turnpike. There are more than 50 Toastiquues, from Arizona and California to Florida; its other New York sites include Manhattan (near Byrant Park) and New Rochelle. The menu includes both sweet and savory gourmet toasts loaded with, for example, smashed avocado or smoked salmon. The PB+B bowl is made with acai, banana, blueberry, peanut butter and almond milk topped with banana, blueberries, chopped dates, peanuts and granola and drizzled with peanut butter. Cold-pressed juices are served alongside coffee and smoothies.

The Chas. American Restaurant, Smithtown

With the opening of The Chas. American Restaurant on Tuesday evening, restaurateur Jerry Sbarro, of Louie’s Prime Steak & Seafood in Port Washington, Rothmann’s Steakhouse in East Norwich and Matteo’s Italian restaurants in Huntington and Roslyn Heights, is pushing his empire onward and eastward. Executive chef Mark Serrantino put together a menu that is approachable and luxurious. Starters include crispy rice with spicy tuna and sriracha mayo, artichoke-spinach dip, Wagyu pigs in blankets and a lobster-and-crab cake with chipotle aioli. The raw bar features clams and oysters on the half shell; shrimp, lobster and crab cocktails and Ossetra caviar with all the trimmings and there’s a small selection of sushi nigiri and rolls. Mains range from fried chicken, huge short rib ravioli and Duroc baby back ribs to Alaskan halibut with yuzu-pomegranate gastrique, beef Wellington and a prime, dry-aged 40-ounce porterhouse. Among handheld items are a prime cheeseburger with fries, a Wagyu smashburger with American cheese, Nueske’s bacon, a fried egg and truffle fries and a corned beef sandwich with melted Gruyère on marble rye.

Acasa, Williston Park

When La Parma closed last year after 41 years, it left a family-sized Italian hole in Williston Park. Acasa aims to fill that void. The venue's new owners are keeping the welcoming vibe and enormous portions while elevating the experience in a way that seems entirely new. Chef John Di Lemme resuscitates warhorses such as stuffed mushrooms, filling the caps with chestnuts and sausage and napping them with a Marsala sauce. He binds the rice for the arancini with a pungent Amatriciana sauce. All pasta (except gluten-free) is made in-house, and any shape (spaghetti, linguine, pappardelle, ziti, rigatoni) can be ordered with any sauce, among them, marinara, carbonara, clam (red or white), spicy vodka and Norma (eggplant and ricotta salata). The queen of the pastas is the pasta al forno, an earthenware casserole filled with mini ziti, sausage ragu, meatballs, mozzarella and hard-boiled eggs. Di Lemme is an accomplished pizzaiolo and the pies here include the PLT with prosciutto, arugula and cherry tomato.

Pizza Depot, Hicksville

OK, so you're a New Yorker and you hate pineapple pizza ... but what about chili mango? You'll find it at Pizza Depot, a new takeout spot in Hicksville's buzzy Soni Centre strip mall. Business partners Taran Paneja and Nidhi Tandon dish out creative international pizza mashups like butter chicken pizza, tandoori paneer pizza, haka Chinese chili pizza and a Jain version with peppers, olives and corn. Its signature is the chili mango, which has a swirl of sweet and spicy toppings including jalapeños and fresh chunks of Indian mango underneath a creamy chili mango sauce. Pizza Depot is the first New York location of a Canadian chain that was one of the earliest purveyors of Indian pizza there, according to its website, after launching in 2000 in the suburbs of Toronto.

Enso no Sato, Huntington

For many diners, Japanese cuisine is synonymous with sushi, but Enso no Sato, which opened on Feb. 9 in Huntington, has a dual focus: sushi and izakaya (savory small plates), both of them at an affordable price. Enso no Sato offers six sakes (designed to be enjoyed cold), as well as nine wines and four Japanese beers. The heart of the izakaya menu is yakitori, grilled skewers, among which are chicken tenders, thighs, meatballs and skin; vegetables including okra, shishito peppers and various mushrooms; seafood selections such as shrimp and scallops. You’ll also find more common savory small plates like gyoza and shumai, miso-glazed eggplant and agedashi tofu. On the sushi front, there are two omakase options, 12 courses for $85 and 18 courses for $135. Chef Alex Zheng (a 25-year veteran who most recently worked at Nobu) changes the menu weekly to take advantage of the best seasonal fish. If omakase feels like too big a commitment, there are 20 a la carte selections and five signature rolls. Don’t feel like sushi or izakaya fare? Enso no Sato has you covered with teriyaki, katsu (fried cutlets), ramen, udon or miso-glazed cod.

Zozo's on the Bay, Bayville

And the award for most out-of-the-way pizzeria goes to ... Zozo’s on the Bay in Bayville. Located on a narrow, L-shaped peninsula that extends east from Locust Valley, Bayville has a small business district. Zozo’s isn’t in it — you must drive to the end of Bayville Avenue. to reach the wind-swept building. Owner John Zozzaro makes 20 individual Neapolitan pies, from a classic Margherita, a cheeseless Naked Napolitano and a Bella Bianca with ricotta and mozzarella to the Uncle Tony’s Heart Attack (tomato, mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni and bacon), Toni’s Two-Times (hot sausage, Peppadew peppers, Calabrian chilies and Mike’s Hot Honey) and the relatively tame Green Vespa (mozzarella, ricotta, baby spinach, roasted garlic and freshly grated lemon zest). He makes his own fresh mozzarella, one of three cheeses you’ll find in his setup, along with low-moisture mozzarella (for his New York State of Mind and other American-inspired pies) and Cheddar which he deploys in conjunction with the low-moisture mozz in his six 8 x 10-inch Detroit-style pizzas.

Post 270, Westbury

The vibes are sultry at Post 270, a clubby new spot on Westbury's main drag of Post Avenue. Classic '90s R&B is on the speakers as bartenders set whiskey cocktails on fire, shrouding them with plumes of hickory smoke. The menu is full of Caribbean, soul food and other international twists. Delightfully crispy oxtail empanadas share space with eclectic appetizers like jerk lamb chops and charred octopus with a Korean gochujang pepper glaze. Main courses range from a Greek burger to a 14-day dry-aged rib-eye without sides. An intriguing concoction, the crispy Cornish hen, turns out to be an upscale take on fried chicken. The small bird is halved into two leggy pieces, which are thickly battered and fried to a peppery crisp. But the crock of truffled mac-and-cheese threatens to upstage it with pure decadent cheesy goodness. The top is crispy and browned, leading to an oozing volcano of smoked Gouda.

Roast Sandwich House, Hauppauge

Roast Sandwich House is on a roll after opening its seventh, and easternmost location, in Hauppauge. The popular sandwich shop known for its house-roasted meats and made-from-scratch soups takes over the former Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop at 373 Smithtown Bypass. New on the menu is the Wagyu beef chopped cheese made with American cheese, lettuce tomato, onions, ketchup aioli and Doritos on a toasted hoagie. Other must-try items include the tuna salad sandwich on wheat focaccia bread and the crispy chicken alla vodka sandwich.

Meli Modern Greek, Garden City

After more than a decade of vacancy, the ground floor of the stately edifice at 815 Franklin Ave. in Garden City has a new tenant: Meli Modern Greek opened earlier this month serving, as owner Jimmy Tsoumas put it, "classic Greek with a twist."vThat means the pork kontosouvli skewers get a soy-sauce lacquer and red pepper-pearl onion garnish; braised lamb shoulder is stuffed into ravioli with barrel-aged feta; scallops are basted in truffle butter and accompanied by cauliflower puree; a dessert of galaktoboureko is deconstructed into an assemblage of semolina custard, phyllo crisps, praline-pecan crunch and spiced syrup. Non-twisted classics include grilled or fried calamari, avgolemono soup, fried zucchini and eggplant chips, your choice of four whole, grilled fishes (domestic black bass, imported fagri, lavraki, tsipoura), lamb and pork chops. There are also raw-bar appetizers, seafood plateaux, caviar and a few steaks. 

Tiny's Famous Eats, Riverhead

A name in lights: that dream brought about Riverhead’s new soul food spot, Tiny’s Famous Eats, named after owner Marcus Edwards' mother, Tania "Tiny" Edwards. The takeout-forward space opened last month on Riverleigh Avenue at the former Orale Grill. The menu, which uses his mother’s recipes, includes dishes such as the big soul plate with two meats, two sides and cornbread. The regular soul plate comes with one meat, two sides with cornbread. Guests can choose from fried chicken wings, fried barbecued chicken wings, chicken tenders, deep-fried fish bites or fried jumbo shrimp. Side options include mac-and-cheese, candied yams, green beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, sweet cabbage, mashed potatoes, french fries and collard greens. 

Americano Pizza Shop, Syosset

Since he started making pizza professionally three years ago, Vinny Corrao has operated an Americano Pizza Trailer, an Americano Pizza Truck and, since Feb. 9, the Americano Pizza Shop in Syosset, his first enterprise with a fixed location. As a mobile pizzaiolo, Corrao made tender, puffy-rimmed 12-inch Naples-style pies in a wood- burning oven. When he settled down in Syosset, he switched to a classic 18-inch, New York pie sold either whole or by the slice. For now, the menu is short and sweet. Available whole or by the slice are nine pies: regular, Margherita (with both fresh and low-moisture mozzarella), white, red and white (sauce and burrata), Bee Sting (sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, hot honey, ricotta), Big Vin (sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, crumbled sausage), Sweet Heat (sauce, mozzarella, sausage, hot cherry peppers, hot honey), Fig & Pig (mozzarella, prosciutto, fig jam) and Shroom (mozzarella, mushrooms, truffle oil).

Monarca Bar & Grill, Holbrook

Husband-and-wife owners Jorge and Martha Lopez opened Holbrook’s new Monarca Bar & Grill in January in the former Momo’s Sports Bar, which closed after 16 years. Jorge was the longtime chef at Garden Grill in Smithtown, trained under Jonathan Perkins, now chef-owner of Baiting Hollow’s Cooperage Inn. Comfort food favorites include wings, a Bavarian pretzel, and queso fundido, a mix of melted Oaxaca and mozzarella cheese with crumbled chorizo, jalapeño corn and chips. Mains include tacos, sandwiches, wraps and salads. The short rib flatbread with mozzarella cheese and creamy horseradish aioli is a must try. There is lobster mac and cheese, plus fish and chips. Cocktails include the Basil Smash, made with gin and lemon juice, and the vodka-triple sec Honey Drop.

Crepetown, Hicksville

Late nights have gotten much sweeter in Hicksville, where a new Instagram-ready dessert shop has opened with multitiered chocolate fountains, crepes, loaded waffles and more. Crepetown is the latest trendy shop to open from siblings Aziz, Zafar and Zahor Ahmad. They also own the neighboring Nashville chicken spot, Slappin Chick and the nearby burger joint, Flippin Buns. The shop has flowing chocolate fountains, dedicated menus for cheesecakes and fried Oreos, plus "sushi crepes" stuffed with fillings like strawberry shortcake and Oreo brownie. Waffle sticks and mini pancakes can be elaborately flavored with Fruity Pebbles cereal and Dubai chocolate. Strawberry, pineapple and banana sticks can be freshly dunked in white or dark chocolate. Crepetown also has the viral Dubai chocolate bar.

Rio Authentic Vietnamese & Steak House, Mineola

Sometimes one dish can tell you whether a place is legit. For Vietnamese food, that dish is bánh xèo, the showstopping crispy yellow crepe that you tuck into fresh lettuce with a bundle of herbs. Often served as an appetizer, bánh xèo is popular in Vietnamese cuisine, yet somehow it gets left off most menus around here. Luckily, the new Rio Authentic Vietnamese & Steak House in Mineola has it (listed with a vague English descriptor, "Vietnamese crispy shrimp crepes"). The menu also has items named Vietnamese beef stew, crispy tilapia in black bean sauce, stir-fried quails and something called pork dumpling pho, which turned out to be bún riêu, a crab meatball soup.

Enology Wine Bar, St. James

By day, Jimmy Kilimitzoglou is a dentist, a job he's wanted since he was 6 years old. After hours, Kilimitzoglou has realized his other dream: Owning a wine bar. There is no semblance of the former Iberico tapas space at the new Enology Wine Bar; it’s been gut-renovated with highball tables, a square bar and a formal dining room. The soft-focused, twinkle light-lit space is perfect to leisurely sip on a new bottle, snack on a mushroom toast or short rib flatbread, or settle in for a steak. The bottles come from around the world — as far as Tasmania, as close as Cutchogue. Bottles are cataloged in categories like aromatic whites, light to medium reds, bold and big, and fortified. The cellar menu is filled with meticulous tasting notes so drinkers can get a sense of what they’re ordering. Order a half glass if you want to try more than one. The food changes with the seasons and runs from light snacks like stuffed olives and whipped ricotta to local oysters. Medium-sized plates include roasted cauliflower with dukkah and turmeric crème fraîche, Greek-inspired avgolemono wings with lemon and dill salt, and a perfectly cooked octopus. Large plates range from salmon to a New York strip.

Frankie's Table, Commack

More bar than a restaurant, the new Frankie‘s Table makes 90% of its pub-style comfort food in-house, from scratch.Start with the cheesy, piping hot French onion soup, smashburger sliders with bacon jam and pickles, a brisket-heavy poutine or requisite wings. Salads include burrata, or try the crispy chicken sandwich, 9-ounce burger or prime rib French dip. There’s a sliced-to-order prime rib for those who prefer their beef sans bun. Cocktails are similar to what you find at co-owner Rob DelGiorno's Whiskey Neat in Patchogue, with the menu organized by spirit and prices.

Moksha Cafe, Northport

Having gone through multiple owners in the post-pandemic years, the Northport space that housed Caffe Portofino may have found its forever owner. Moksha Cafe, which nods to the Sanskrit word for liberation, is a lovingly refurbished coffee shop by day that transitions to a wine bar at night. Coffee, which is from Farmingdale-based Flux Coffee, comes in all the usual formats: Cappuccino, espresso, latte and mocha. Tea is from SerendipiTea. The menu, which runs all day (save for a last call on eggs at 3 p.m.) is full of obvious cafe goodies like avocado toast and fresh pastries. There are simple sandwiches — turkey, pesto, arugula, tomato, mozzarella, balsamic, for example — charcuterie boards, and flatbreads. For dessert, there are ice cream-topped sticky buns. After hours, the space is a wine bar, with a twist. They serve no- and low-alcohol drinks. Cocktails use kava, vermouth, sherries and sake. There are craft beers and funkier products like hard kombucha. Wines by the glass (or bottle) include a Sonoma chardonnay, an Italian Verdicchio, Australian cabernet sauvignon, and a French red blend.

Tommy Tacos, Sayville

Talk about a quick pivot: A mere month after Tommy Tacos shuttered its Syosset location, chef-owner Tom Stein opens his takeout-only spot in Sayville today at 371 Lakeland Ave. With no indoor seating, the new location is entirely focused on takeout that blends traditional and modern elements of Mexican street food. Tacos range from Stein’s killer birria to long-simmered steak and grilled shrimp varieties, plus rice bowls, nachos, quesadillas, salads and desserts, including Churroreos, dough-fried Oreos. Stein also offers monthly specials, a seasonal veggie taco and a vegan offering to satisfy the meatless.

Rustic Bread, Port Jefferson

Rustic Bread isn’t the most apt name for Greg Wilson’s Port Jefferson bakery. It certainly does sell rustic sourdough loaves, focaccia and baguettes of the highest quality, but its calling card is a selection of laminated pastries — croissants, pains au chocolat, Danishes, mille-feuilles — unsurpassed on Long Island. Wilson leased a spot in the village along the stepped sidewalk that leads from the municipal parking lot east of East Broadway to East Main Street. That passageway is officially known as "Baker’s Alley" and the spot Wilson took over was, in fact, the old bakery built in 1897. At Rustic Bread, Wilson makes traditional croissants but also croissants whose exteriors are magically (and brightly) two-toned — or croissants that also share some salty-hearty DNA with pretzels; Danishes filled with cheese or apple, but also with cherry tomatoes, Calabrian peppers and Parmesan cheese. He also makes a mean kouign-amann (QUEEN-ah-MAHN), a Breton specialty that is, essentially, a superrich caramelized croissant baked in a muffin tin. 

Bhaijaan, Hicksville

Swanky Indian restaurants are ascendant on Long Island, and raising the bar even higher is Bhaijaan, which just opened in Hicksville. Dinesh Sabharawal, who owns the spot with his son and daughter-in-law, Sahil and Neha Sabharawal, said that most of the decorative elements were imported from India, from the custom-made ceiling tiles to the lush, patterned carpets. The Sabharawal family operated Pippali, a regional Indian spot in Manhattan, until 2024. His menu ranges all over the subcontinent, with stops in Delhi (butter chicken), Kerala (lobster in a coconut-based moilee curry) and Lucknow (whence hail the impossibly soft "galouti" kebab patties, served on flaky "warqi" bread. There are a handful of snack "chaats," including an extraordinary vegetarian dish of smoked sweet potato, fried lotus root and green-tomato chutney. You’ll also find biryanis with chicken, goat and jackfruit (vegan) and, from the tandoor oven, lamb chops, goat ribs, Cornish hens, branzino and even vegan soy protein. Any meal is better when accompanied by one of the tandoor breads and a warming pot of stewed yellow lentils (dal) sparked with garlic. 

Jinya Ramen Bar, Lake Grove

"Irasshaimase" — that's the Japanese greeting extended to guests as they enter the new Jinya Ramen Bar in Lake Grove. The Middle Country Road sit-down eatery is steps away from Long Island’s largest grocery store, Wegmans. This is the first New York location for the chain, known for its signature simmered broths. Founded in 2010 by Tomo Takahashi, Jinya Ramen Bar has more than 75 outposts across the country. The menu includes tonkotsu ramen made with pork broth, pork chashu, green onion, spinach, seasoned egg and nori dried seaweed served with extra-thick noodles (order the red and black versions, which offer more spice). The must-try birria ramen is made with spiced beef and chicken broth, birria, red and green onion, cilantro and lime. The broth is so voluminous, and the soup tastes just like the taco in the best way. Beyond ramen, there's a short menu of Japanese small plates (think edamame and steamed buns stuffed with pork chashu). Drinks range from mocktails like the J. Girl with blood orange, strawberry, grapefruit, mint and sparkling water, to lemonade and Ramune Japanese soda. Signature cocktails include the smoky Wokashi old-fashioned, and there's a range of Japanese whiskeys on the bar menu.

Avianna's Carriage House, Melville

At long last, the former Frederick’s in Melville, which closed in 2015, has been reborn as Avianna's Carriage House. Its name is a wink to the location's history as a trolley stop on the route that ran along Walt Whitman Road from Huntington to Amityville. The once-formal Frederick's is now a cozy comfort food spot with ski chalet vibes (think warm, woody accents with Prohibition details). Avianna's menu is filled with new spins on comfort classics. The hybrid charcuterie board is served in a giant soft pretzel, melding two popular starters into one dish. Ribeye and pepperoni flatbreads, and lobster deviled eggs with bacon jam are among the other starters. Oversize salads are topped with large portions of chosen proteins (the chopped lettuce underneath — a nice surprise — is grown hydroponically on Long Island). A caviar menu includes bumps through grand service, should the mood to be fancy strike.