Garden City's Tocolo Cantina closes
Chicken tinga enchilada at Tocolo Cantina in Glen Cove, which will remain open after Garden City closes. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
After more than a decade in business, one of Long Island's longest-running upscale Mexican party restaurants has closed. When it opened in Garden City in 2014, Tocolo Cantina was a pioneer in a new crop of stylish but approachable Mexican restaurants with cocktails and party vibes. But now that so many newcomers have popped up, owner Lloyd Rosenman says the economics just aren't working anymore.
He closed the original Tocolo's on Old Country Road on Sunday, but is keeping his second location in downtown Glen Cove open. He says he was able to relocate a number of his employees to Glen Cove, including a beloved longtime staff member, Phebe Lino. On Tocolo's closing Instagram post, multiple commenters expressed affection for Lino, who is returning as a bartender, server and assistant manager.
"The economics are better there," Rosenman says about Glen Cove. "There’s less competition on that area."
Rosenman, who worked on Wall Street before opening his first restaurant, says he and his partners had put a lot of time and money into the Garden City space, building it up from just "four white walls." He says he recently tried to negotiate with his landlord but was unsuccessful, so he plans to sell the equipment and let the space be rented out by another tenant. In the immediate vicinity, there are several other Mexican restaurants, including Casa de Catrina, Mesita, Tacombi and Bartaco.
"There’s so many restaurants in this area, it’s not just Mexican. This whole trade area is extremely congested with restaurants," he said.
Shortly after it opened, Tocolo Cantina received a positive review from former Newsday critic Peter M. Gianotti, who raved about the ambiance, ceviche and margaritas.
"Samayoa sends out glistening, superior ceviche, especially the hamachi, or yellowtail, finished with aguachile, cucumber and sliced gooseberries. Or, try snapper with salsa verde; and shrimp with passion fruit vinaigrette," he wrote in 2015.
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
