The French Workshop to open at Ronkonkoma's Station Yards
A croissant with coffee at The French Workshop in Wantagh. The bakery-cafe is opening a Ronkonkoma location by the beginning of 2026. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
Craving a cafe au lait before catching the train from Ronkonkoma?
The French Workshop will soon have you covered, as the artisan bakery and cafe's first Suffolk County location will open by early 2026 at Ronkonkoma’s Station Yards, according to franchisee James Bonanno, of the Upstream Hospitality Group.
The French Workshop was founded in Bayside, Queens, in 2015 is known for its elaborate pastries, cakes and pies served in elegant Parisian-inspired cafes. Its Long Island locations include Wantagh, Plainview and Garden City.
Upstream Hospitality operates nine Tap Room locations across Long Island as well Bango, the fast-casual chain of make-your-own bowls and salads.
"The French Workshop is a brand that has been around a long time," Bonanno said. "I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel."
The new Station Yards facility will be a stand-alone 3,700-square-foot space on Hawkins Avenue adjacent to the village green. "It’s just a beautiful building we have ample outdoor space, so we’ll really be able to create that French cafe feel with outdoor seating," Bonanno said.
Christopher Kelly, senior vice president at Tritec, the developer of Station Yards, said the company is excited to add more "destination-based places" to the mixed-use site in Ronkonkoma.
After years of discussion, The French Workshop launched its franchising initiative in September, according to Graham Buckley, the company's vice president of franchising. "When we went into this, we said we only want to work with people who have restaurant experience," Buckley said. Deals for expansion in Westchester and New Jersey are already underway, he said, and the company hopes to continue expanding into other parts of the country.
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.
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