Best new restaurants on Long Island in 2025

Laughter echoes through what was once a long-empty corner spot in downtown Farmingdale. The former Grecian Grill has found new life as The Barnyard, a Caribbean restaurant. Like its former inhabitant, The Barnyard is a family-run spot, this one belonging to Don and Xiomara Romain, a husband-and-wife team and Babylon residents. He’s Haitian Canadian and she’s Guyanese Panamanian; the pair met in Brooklyn and bonded over their heritage and background, dating at the borough’s many cafés and global bistros. It is these spaces that The Barnyard calls to mind. With only 10 tables, it’s clear a lot of love went into the restaurant’s face-lift, from the vibrant turquoise walls and colorful island prints to the live plants and reggae soundtrack.

“We wanted to start slowly, because the neighborhood is not accustomed to Caribbean food. What is legume, what is akra—you have to educate people about these dishes,” Xiomara said. She spices the chickens, Dom concocts addictive sauces like mango clove (which should be bottled) that accompany the light, airy akra, which are fritters made of malanga (a.k.a. yautia) and a Haitian delicacy with a habanero kick. The oxtail empanadas, accompanied by a killer jerk barbecue sauce, are another way to start strong. Wings come in four varieties: curry, jerk, island BBQ and hot honey.

Complimentary plantain chips pop up on every table at lunchtime, when you might order the jerk chicken cheesesteak; the spicy dish is also offered as a main at dinnertime. The Brooklyn Chop Cobb salad is a nod to the Romains’ beginnings, as are chicken and waffles, Bob Marley French toast, and shrimp and grits. At dinner, there are also a Caribbean whole fish and legume, a traditional Haitian dish made with chayote, eggplant and Creole spices. Drinks include a salmon-hued rum punch, made with all-fresh juices.

“We have so many takeout West Indian and Caribbean restaurants on Long Island,” Xiomara said. “But there are few spots to dine in, have a great experience and feel the Caribbean.”

Beach BBQ has been flying under the radar, maybe because of its tucked-away location near the Baldwin Long Island Rail Road station. But this is where a local couple has been cooking up a storm, producing smoked meats that rivals Long Island’s finest barbecue houses. The small storefront is owned by Kareem and Sharema Beach, who hail from Brownsville, Brooklyn, but got into barbecue after moving to Hempstead about 16 years ago. It morphed into a business a few years back, when Kareem acquired a barbecue trailer and started serving during events at Crossroads Farm in Malverne, where Sharema also sold natural beauty products through her company, Beach Naturals. “He always had a passion for cooking,” Sharema said about her husband. “The barbecuing started when we got the house. Then he got into smoking.”

The shop has limited hours Friday through Sunday, as Kareem works full time as an administrator with the New York City Housing Authority. He smokes all his meats over hickory and cherry woods, using a variety of smokers on- and off-premises that he’s obtained over the years. Sharema prepares the side dishes. On a recent Friday afternoon, brisket wasn’t available, but the pork ribs, topped with dark, crusty, deep-flavored “bark,” were the highlight of the meal. The pulled pork was on the leaner side but full of smoky flavor, also with plenty of bark. There were turkey wings and fried whiting sandwiches, as well as a hefty mac-and-cheese and succulent collard greens spruced up with bits of smoked turkey. Wingettes had a thick, crackly dry rub on them and arrived piping hot, straight out of the fryer. Sharema said customers often ask if they’re from the South. They’re not. Sharema’s grandmother may have lived in Harlem, but today most of their immediate family still resides in Brownsville. The two learned to cook by reading and watching food videos. “They’re just recipes that we developed ourselves, which I think is pretty cool for the generations to come,” she said. “I tweak it to how I like it. That’s how it is. I actually say it on our page. We’re creating new traditions, because that’s what we did.”  

“Farm-to-table” may be the most overused phrase in the hospitality lexicon—virtually all food starts out on a farm and winds up on a table. The images that it conjures—small farms, seasonal produce, passionate farmers, committed chefs—are hard to find in the real restaurant world, especially in the Northeastern United States, where few customers would patronize a restaurant that only had asparagus in the spring; tomatoes in the (late) summer; lemons never. So, you might be surprised to learn that a new Long Island restaurant is giving farm-to-table its best shot, and it’s not on the North Fork. Harvest House Tavern occupies a narrow storefront in Malverne, a town that has a secret culinary weapon that very few Nassau County towns can brandish: Crossroads Farm at Grossmann’s, a five-acre farm cultivated by the Grossmann family for more than a century before ownership was transferred to the Nassau County Land Trust in 2008. The farm’s back gate is about 100 yards from the restaurant’s back door, and deliveries are made by tractor.

Opening in December 2024, the kitchen gave its all to winter vegetables, making a mezze platter with broccolini and romesco cauliflower, dressing sheep ricotta–stuffed cappelletti with butternut squash and pumpkin seeds, serving roast chicken with carrot purée, fingerling potatoes and black radish. The cold-weather celeriac “cacio e pepe” may be the single best faux pasta dish I’ve ever had (and it’s back on the menu for fall). The ribbons of celery root have a close-grained chew that no zucchini could achieve. Summer brought a tomato peach salad with ricotta salata, zucchini blossoms stuffed with zucchini purée and fried tempura style, a duck-udon stir fry where even the noodles were local (thanks to the tiny Happy Noodle factory in Mount Sinai). Now the kitchen is poised to take on fall’s bounty with a grilled pork chop with pumpkin-spice purée, green apple and fennel, and beef tartare with beef-fat aioli, fermented carrots and pickled pearl onions. Most starters are $18 to $23; most mains $31 to $46. The restaurant’s managing partner, Ross Gollub, who spearheaded the bar program, conceded that “this would be easier to do out east,” but they’re dedicated “to whatever is available locally. That’s why we change the menu four times a year, that’s why we called it Harvest House Tavern.” 

James Chen and Chris Pak are betting the farm on Korean food. Their new Kuku Korean Cuisine in Huntington is big, bold, stylish and unabashedly Korean. With almost 150 seats, it’s the biggest Korean restaurant on Long Island, and bigger than the two locations Chen and Pak own in Queens. Chen acknowledged that the area had no large Korean customer base but that they were “very confident about our food, and we wanted to open in Huntington to introduce authentic food to the community.” Kuku’s menu is extensive yet not overwhelming. You might start your meal with seafood pajeon (a pancake studded with mussels, clams, squid and shrimp), japchae (stir-fried vermicelli), tteokbokki (rice cakes simmered in a spicy sauce) or chilled kudzu noodles. That’s right, the pesky, invasive vine has a root that can be made into elastic noodles that must be cut with scissors before you can eat them. At Kuku, they are served in a beef broth so cold it has slush in it, with boiled egg, pickled radish, cucumbers and shredded apple. There could not be a more refreshing dish. When the cold weather hits, you’re going to want to curl up with some soon dubu, a hearty stew centered around silken tofu that might also feature beef, crab, mixed seafood or mushrooms. Grilled dishes include beef short rib (galbi) and rib eye (bulgogi), pork, chicken and whole mackerel or croaker. There are nine variations on bibimbap, the famous rice bowl that comes topped with meat and fresh and pickled vegetables.

Kuku has also pioneered the chi-bap, delectable chunks of fried chicken over rice. The chi-bap is an outgrowth of the restaurant’s fried-chicken menu which includes wings, drums, tenders and tiny “poppers.” Chicken, in fact, inspired the restaurant. James Chen, a seasoned Chinese restaurateur, had always been a fan of Korean food. “I first had it when I was 10,” he recalled, “and it was a completely unique taste—the bibimbap, the kimchi [fermented vegetables], the soon dubu.” He eventually a regular customer of Chris Pak, who was leading the kitchen at Tang in Bayside, Queens. When the two decided to go into business together, their initial idea was to open a Korean chicken shop called Kuku, which is, according to Chen, the sound you make when you are trying to tempt a chicken to eat. The concept soon morphed into a full-scale restaurant: Their Long Island City spot opened in 2021; Forest Hills in 2023. Because the Huntington place is so much larger than the other Kukus, it has room for a full-scale sushi bar.

Joining Jesse Schenker’s Provisions Market in Oyster Bay’s historic Snouder Building is L’Etoile (“the star”), a bright French spot from Stellina Hospitality. With seating for about 80, a hit list of classics and a vast, impressive all-French wine list, L’Etoile is a departure for the Oyster Bay–based Milana family, who own the Italian-themed Stellina Ristorante, Stellina Bakery and Casa Stellina (Farmingdale), as well as wine bar The Audrey. But when Tim Lee, who purchased the iconic location about five years ago, showed Sabrina Milana, Stellina’s director of operations the space, “He told us that he had always envisioned a French restaurant,” she explained. “And we took this as an opportunity to expand our horizons.” Fabrizio Facchini, Stellina’s chef, had a menu for them within 24 hours, she said.

Working with L’Etoile’s now-chef, Bryan Dedcovich, resulted in approachable, perfectly cooked bistro fare that includes starters such as an indulgent endive gratin, layered with béchamel and ham; garlicky escargot; colorful, lean tuna tartare served mille feuille–style and cold lobster salad, tail fanned over avocado and mango . Mussels are bathed in sauces ranging from white wine or leek and cream to curry or mustard and cream, and among “Les Viandes” is a succulent rib eye served with a choice of sauce or compound butter. There is La Belle Farms’ duck from upstate New York prepared with orange, honey, pink peppercorns and thyme , a signature burger and a daily fish special in addition to a traditional salmon en papillote with tarragon sauce.

There are cold seafood towers, too, and various French vegetable dishes such as ratatouille and potatoes four ways, from frites to purée (à la the late French chef Jöel Robuchon, loaded with housemade butter). If you’re one for theatrics, the Wagyu steak tartare starter and crêpe flambée are prepared tableside.

The extensive all-French wine list ranges from a Beaujolais for $65 to a 2018 Château Margaux for $1,980. “For us,” explained Milana, the wine “is just as important as the food. We spent weeks curating the perfect French wine list, and despite the tariffs, this is something we will not compromise on.”

When you’re talking soup dumplings in New York City, you’re talking about Nan Xiang, the critically acclaimed Chinese restaurant known for its supple dumplings filled with a generous amount of soup. The xiao long bao purveyor has been one of the most popular restaurants in downtown Flushing, Queens, since it opened in 2006. Michael Ma and a small group of partners took it over in 2019 and began to expand during the pandemic. One of the first deals the chain inked was for a restaurant at Samanea New York Mall, formerly The Source, in Westbury. And, after a delay of several years, the restaurant finally opened in April. Royal Dim Sum is just a few doors down, and the phenomenal Shanghai You Garden kiosk in 99 Ranch Market is around the corner.

Despite the competition, Nan Xiang (pronounced nan-she-ong) was buzzing during opening week. The high-ceilinged dining room has the sophisticated look of the original location, which also bears many similarities to the Taiwanese sensation Din Tai Fung. Like its predecessor, Nan Xiang features an open kitchen with a row of women in white aprons and hats crafting dumplings behind a window. Part of the joy of these restaurants is watching the skill it takes to craft xiao long bao, filling them with meat and crimping and twisting the fresh dough. “It’s a skill that takes years to get down and perfect,” Ma said. “One of the challenges of expanding is finding enough ladies and men also with the skill to wrap these dumplings in the fashion that’s acceptable to soup dumpling lovers.” There is also a picture menu of Shanghainese delights: multiple varieties of dumplings, Chinese breakfast items such as a salty sticky rice roll, lion’s head meatballs (made from pork) and housemade noodle soups.

It’s fair to say that Shanghai You Garden has superior sheng jian bao (fluffy pan-fried pork buns). But Nan Xiang’s xiao long bao are among the best soup dumplings on Long Island. There are 10 varieties, dyed different colors depending on what’s inside. In addition to the basic pork, you’ll also find fillings of crabmeat, the gourd known as luffa, sea cucumber and abalone. A few minutes after we ordered, a server brought over a wooden steamer basket filled with six pork xiao long bao. The dumplings lay a little flat compared to other, heartier versions, because there was quite a lot of soup in them. The dough was thick yet supple, with a pleasing, chewy quality to it. We pierced the dumplings with our chopsticks and tucked in a little black vinegar. The broth itself might have been the best part, as it was crystal-clear and warming.

Chef-partner Marc Spitzer at Manhattan’s celebrated BondSt restaurant has opened his long-awaited Long Island venture, Okaru, in Roslyn with Roslyn-based real estate developer Noam Shemel. Okaru offers a vast menu of sushi and hot dishes rooted in Eastern culinary traditions, and attention to detail is everything: The hand-crafted cocktails are impeccable, the miso is made in-house. Nearly 90 percent of the menu is gluten-free, with most dressings made with tamari. Don’t miss the “original” tuna tarts—paper-thin sheets of raw big-eye draped over crisp gyoza wrappers, brushed with truffled ponzu and crowned with shiso microgreens—and the oysters dressed with ponzu, jalapeño and chili crisp.

“We’ve been doing these things for 24 years,” Spitzer said. But Okaru isn’t just a rehashing of BondSt’s playbook. “People always perceive us as a sushi spot, but probably 60 to 70 percent of what we do is hot food,” Spitzer added. Some favorites “will make appearances,” but this is a different restaurant. While most fish is flown in from Japan, Spitzer plans to seasonally highlight Montauk tuna and other local fish. (Those looking for the beloved sea bass skewers from BondSt Lounge will find a new favorite dish in the spicy crispy sea bass.)

As far as hot appetizers go, a sake-braised short rib is enhanced by a wasabi celery-root purée, while lobster gyoza—a pretty dish garnished with vibrant pink edible flowers—is lobster-forward, the broth fragrant yet light. Spicy crispy shrimp with chili aioli, a BondSt riff, dots most tables. Mains include miso Chilean sea bass served with rice cake and a grilled whole fish. (On a recent visit: branzino with charred Japanese eggplant, water spinach, pickled long pepper and a yuzu shiso gremolata.) The sushi menu brings hand rolls such as Hokkaido scallop and uni, while cut rolls include salmon kimchi, yellowtail with smashed avocado and gochujang miso, crunchy shrimp katsu with citrus-coconut-curry dipping sauce and lobster tempura with brown-butter ponzu. The O.G. spicy tuna roll, a pillowy flavor bomb crusted with black sesame seeds, is a standout. Sashimi and nigiri offerings are ample, and an eight-piece chef’s selection (omakase) is $75.

Okaru’s historic building, vacant for decades, was built in 1890, and the original bay windows remain. While the renovation was rife with challenges, it resulted in a two-story space with multiple dining areas (including a chef’s table and sushi bar) and is soothing, modern and visually stunning. 

Taco Fresco is on Railroad Avenue in the Babylon space that used to house Supreme Philly Cheesesteaks. The takeout-oriented spot with fresh tacos was inspired by a trip co-owner Mike Tochluk and his business partner Charles Kwon took to Las Vegas and Southern California. The pair had run franchises such as Wing Stop for a long time. “We don’t see anything like this on Long Island, so we decided hey, why not take a stab at it?” Tochluk said. “Trying some of these taco places that we were very impressed with on the West Coast, a lot of them were very simple menus, but just really focusing on the taco.”

Sonoran-style handmade flour tortillas were a source of inspiration when curating the menu, Tochluk said. He worked for months with Taco Fresco’s chef and business partner, Benito Vazquez, who came to the United States from Puebla, Mexico, about 22 years ago. He now lives in Elmont where he and his wife own Café de Hoya. He’s currently full time at Taco Fresco. “The concept is to make everything fresh; if you understand the concept that everything is fresh and this is not fast food, you’ll wait for the tortillas to be made,” Vazquez said in Spanish.

The street taco options include carne asada, or grilled steak, tacos topped with cilantro, onions, salsa and guacamole. There are also pollo asado (grilled chicken) tacos and camaron (seared shrimp) tacos served with cabbage, pico de gallo, chipotle crema and guacamole. The al pastor taco, also a highlight on the menu, features marinated pork, pineapple, cilantro, onions, salsa and crema verde. Meat-free options include the grilled cactus taco with cilantro, onions, salsa and guacamole.

You’ll also see mulitas (tortilla sandwiches) filled with cheese, for instance, or mar y tierra (“land and sea”, which consists of grilled steak, seared shrimp, pico de gallo and chipotle crema. In keeping with the Sonoran-style concept, they also have a salsa bar offering radishes, limes, salsa verde, pico de gallo and salsa roja.

When Kayvan Nikoufekr opened his new Persian restaurant in Roslyn Heights late last year, he wanted to showcase the authentic flavors of his native Iran, “with recipes as close to original as could be.” To that end, he hired a consulting chef from Tehran who had never cooked in the United States before and gave him free rein. It didn’t escape Nikoufekr and his partner, Ali Molavi, that there could hardly be a better time to open a Persian restaurant in Roslyn Heights: Ravagh Persian Grill, the perennial Newsday top restaurant about a mile away, had been undergoing a massive renovation since last year. (It has now reopened, with an updated interior and valet parking.)

Certainly the menus at both places have a lot in common, with starters such as Shirazi salad and kashke badmejan (eggplant with dried whey); stewed dishes like gormeh sabzi (braised beef with kidney beans) and fesenjoon (chicken with walnuts and pomegranates); a panoply of kebabs, from joojeh (bone-in Cornish hen) and koobideh (minced lamb and veal) to shishleek (chunks of lamb) and barg (beef tenderloin).

Turquoise serves one kebab I’ve never seen on Long Island: Negini starts out with a traditional koobideh mixture, but the minced meat is interspersed with cabochons of chicken breast. Another new one for me was tachin, a baked rice dish, the tender, saffron-hued grains bound together by egg and yogurt and garnished with nuts and barberries. Virtually every dish here comes with a big pile of perfectly cooked basmati rice polo (pilaf). But you can also order sabzi polo, tinted green with cilantro and dill; zereshk polo, sweet and sour with barberries; sour-cherry albaloo polo or shirin polo, studded with candied carrots, nuts and orange zest. And don’t miss the tahdig. Most rice-centric cultures have a special reverence for the crisp, scorched rice that adheres to the bottom of the rice-cooking pot, from socarrat in Spain to nurunji in Korea to guoba in China. The Persian contribution to this repertoire is tahdig, served here either plain or with your choice of stew. The dessert menu includes homemade bastani, saffron-tinted, rosewater-scented ice cream, and an excellent all-pistachio baklava that is not drowned in syrup. There’s also a full bar with craft cocktails. Starters range from $10 to $17; mains from $27 to $40.

Urubamba in Jackson Heights, Queens, is New York City’s oldest Peruvian restaurant, opened in 1970 by Julian and Maria Ruiz, and their granddaughter, Silvana Rojas, has brought a chic, modern version to Huntington. Seafood lovers may want to start with a classic ceviche, which can be spiced to order, or grilled octopus. If seafood isn’t your thing, opt for the anticuchos, tender veal heart skewers accompanied by fragrant rosemary potatoes. Upon seating, a server offers cancha (corn nuts)—typical in Lima’s casual cevicherias—alongside chicha morada, the deep-purple juice made from Peruvian purple corn. Main courses include arroz con mariscos , a Peruvian-style paella with shrimp, mussels, octopus and squid. Short rib chaufa, a stir-fry made with quinoa (vegan diners can opt for mushrooms instead of beef) is also a good choice, but it’s the perfectly cooked lomo saltado, a sirloin, onion and tomato stir-fry accented with roasted potatoes, for the win. For dessert, don’t skip the panna cotta, made with lucuma, a tropical fruit from Peru. Just so you know, 90 percent of the menu is gluten-free.

The original Queens location is still run by Rojas’ parents, Carlos and Estela Estorga. Rojas and her brother Alex—who owns the offshoot Jora in Long Island City—spent their youth working alongside their parents and are now growing and modernizing the family business. Yes, you’re in Huntington, but you could also be in Barranco, a bohemian neighborhood in Lima, or at the very least, in Brooklyn. No matter: You’re in the perfect spot to sip a hand-shaken pisco sour.