Coming soon: Long Island restaurants opening
Grilled calamari at Meli Estiatorio in Forest Hills, Queens. The restaurant is opening a location in Garden City. Credit: Meli Estiatorio
The Pink Fin, Riverhead
The Hawaiian and Japanese fusion restaurant is projected to open its fourth outpost in Riverhead in September according to regional manager Robert Taiani and co-owner Andrew Kim. They just opened their third Long Island location at Ronkonkoma’s Station Yards. The eatery — which will open at 1528 Old Country Road in Riverhead between Home Depot and ShopRite — will have an extensive menu that includes poke bowls, hibachi and even mochi ice cream.
18 Bay, Jamesport
Adam Kopels and Elizabeth Ronzetti are reopening their farm-to-table restaurant, 18 Bay, at the former Dimon Estate. First in Bayville (2005-10) and then on Shelter Island (2011-22), 18 Bay racked up laurels including semifinalist for the James Beard Award. Their new spot will have 80 seats inside, a separate bar, a second floor, and the stately property sprawls over almost 4 acres, encompassing a patio, orchard, herb garden and vegetable garden that, at 6,000 square feet, is more of a small farm. They hope to open in October.
Long Island's first self-pour beer garden and eatery, The Pour Authority, is set to open on Main Street in Farmingdale next month. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
The Pour Authority, Farmingdale
Long Island’s first self-pour beer eatery is almost ready to open in Farmingdale. The eatery will be in a 3,600 square foot space at 303 Main St. It will have 40 beers on tap, most being from local breweries such as Great South Bay according to owner, Ritu Kumar. There will also be non-alcoholic beers and mocktails. The concept includes a menu of vegetarian and vegan food. Kumar is aiming to open by the beginning of October.
Meli Estiatorio, Garden City
When the ambitious Greek restaurant Noema abruptly shuttered earlier this year in Huntington, the owners also pulled the plug on a future Garden City location that was announced when the Huntington restaurant opened in 2023. Now that venue, the old Gross Jewelers building at the corner of Franklin and Stewart avenues, has been taken over by another Greek restaurant group, the owners of Meli Estiatorio in Forest Hills, Queens. The owner is hoping to open in October.
ACASA, Williston Park
When La Parma closed last month after 41 years, it left a family-sized Italian hole in Williston Park. Now a restaurant group from South Shore is moving in to fill the void. Maurizio Vendittelli and his team from Rockville Centre’s Mangia Bene and Churchill’s have purchased the Willis Avenue building and hope to open ACASA this fall.
Umberto's, Farmingdale
Breaking Suffolk County pizza news: Umberto's, the venerable Long Island pizza chain, is opening a Farmingdale location at 211 Airport Plaza this fall. The new location is the longtime former home of Bellagio Pizzeria, which moved to nearby Melville Road across from SUNY Farmingdale's campus. "We are excited to bring the famous Grandma pizza to this new and renovated pizzeria," Umberto Corteo, owner of the ubiquitous pizza dynasty, said. He is shooting for an October opening.
Bonchon, which specializes in Korean fried chicken, has a location in Centereach and another one on the way in Westbury. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
Bonchon, Westbury
Those who love Korean fare are in luck: Bonchon, which translates to "my hometown" in English, will be among the newest restaurants to join Samanea’s restaurant row. The Korean fried chicken franchise recently opened in Centereach and is planning its second Long Island location in a 2,350-square-foot space. On the menu, patrons will find appetizers such as pot sticker dumplings stuffed with pork and cabbage, fried octopus dumplings and more. Main dishes include glass noodles with bulgogi and chicken katsu.
The Farm Italy, Westbury
The Farm Italy was one of the biggest and most anticipated restaurant openings in 2023, serving Italian dishes in a Tuscan farmhouse-style eatery in the middle of Huntington village. Owner John Tunney said he plans to open a second location on Merrick Avenue in Westbury in the spring. While the menu will be the same — think antipasto platters, homemade pastas such as pappardelle Bolognese and entrées from branzino to steak — the Westbury location will be about twice as large and have easy, ample parking. Tunney's other Long Island restaurants include the all-day-brunch chainlet, The Shed, and Besito Mexican eateries.
Tony’s Tacos, Holbrook
Italian classics in the form of tacos at Tony's Tacos in Garden City. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
Owner Mike Scotto's brand of Italian Mexican fusion fare is expanding to Holbrook in 2025 with a new location at The Shops at Sun-Vet Mall. The new restaurant will encompass 4,000 square feet. Customers will find a familiar ambience and menu from the brand’s established locations in Floral Park, Huntington, Franklin Square and Garden City. Scott said he hopes to open between August and September.
The Study by Toast, East Setauket
The all-day breakfast and brunch chain Toast is spawning a new concept: The Study. Owner Terry Scarlatos said the East Setauket shop will serve as a hub of sorts for the chainlet, with staffers roasting coffee, baking pastries such as English muffins and mixing pancake batter for the brand's locations in Port Jefferson Station, Bay Shore, Long Beach and Patchogue. The space is the former Pita House at 100 S. Jersey Ave.
Rocco's Tacos, Huntington Station
Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, a casual Mexican restaurant chain that has nine Florida locations from Naples to West Palm Beach, will open its first Long Island restaurant at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station in early December. Founded by Long Island native Rocco Mangel, Rocco’s Tacos offers a buzzy setting in which it serves Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes including the requisite guacamole, tacos filled with ingredients from mushrooms to meats, and enchiladas, molcajetes (Rocco’s version of fajitas), burritos, bowls, salads and nachos, plus plenty of options for kids.
Angie's, Manhasset
The storied Publicans pub in Manhasset has closed to transition into a new family-friendly restaurant, Angie's, with an "American Coastal vibe." A gut renovation is underway and partner Joe Ragonese said they hope to open in December.
Sup Vietnamese, Farmingdale and Jericho
Sup Vietnamese, with restaurants in Stony Brook, Massapequa, and Rockville Centre will be expanding to two much larger, more visible spots, in Farmingdale and Jericho scheduled to open by the end of the year. Each of the new locations — 2120 Broadhollow Rd. in Farmingdale, and 399 Jericho Tpke., in Jericho — will seat about 120 guests.
Erica Marcus and Marie Elena Martinez contributed to this story.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
