Plattduetsche Park, Long Island's oldest German restaurant, gets a revamp

Plattduetsche Park feels like city within a city, with more than 8 acres of ballrooms, beer halls and even a nursing home on the property. The German compound in Franklin Square has been in flux since the early 1900s, when it was purchased from a German farmer by an immigrant club called the Plattduetsche Vereen of Brooklyn. The group moved out to Long Island and used the property as a meeting space for more than a century, constantly adding and renovating it, opening a breathtaking beer hall in 2013. 

With the main dining room up front sorely in need of a refresh, renovation beganin December. By July, a significant overhaul of the space made it one of the most handsome German restaurants on Long Island, and it feels like it's stepped into its own as a true destination spot. 

"We've been here since the early 1900s; it's for us to show off some of that culture, our unique history," said general manager Matthew Buck, who grew up running around the property as his grandpa was a president of the club. "People are really enjoying the space, enjoying the vibe that we created, and obviously the food as well." 

The new space, called The Hive, combines the old dining room with the bar, giving both a dark-lit pub atmosphere lined with private booths called stammtisches made from German white oak. Stained glass panels line the walls, symbolizing moments in the club's history, as well as the 25 German cultural clubs that use the restaurant as a gathering place. (The restaurant is also open to the public.) 

"We've got schuhplattler clubs, German dancing, a brass band, choirs that sing in German, different regional clubs like Berliner and Cologne," Buck said. "The club members can look up and see their coat of arms or logo and feel some pride and sense of belonging here." 

The Plattduetsche Park menu continues to have a solid mix of German staples and food from the northern Plattduetsche region of Germany, which is more seafood focused, Buck said. Dishes like smoked trout ($15) are typical in this area, and here served simply with two small filets and a side of horseradish cream sauce. But if you want to go all out, get the Jäger schnitzel ($29), a slab of veal doused in thick gravy and paired with red cabbage and spaetzle.

Plattduetsche Park, 1132 Hempstead Tpke., Franklin Square, 516-354-3131, parkrestaurant.com. Open 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday.