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      NewsdayTV's Jasmine Anderson sat down with Newsday's FeedMe team to talk about the top 50 restaurants project. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp

      Wait, top 50 restaurants? That’s right — FeedMe’s annual list of Long Island’s best restaurants has gotten shorter. Yet, the dining scene is better than ever. Food critics Andi Berlin, Erica Marcus, Marie Elena Martinez and Scott Vogel have been so invigorated that they were inspired to winnow 100 great restaurants to 50 extraordinary ones.

      Choices reflect Long Island’s diversity of geography and cuisines, price points and formality. From the grandest steakhouse to the humblest noodle shop, the best restaurants not only serve great food but deliver personality, style and charm.

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      Bigelow's

      This South Shore institution known for its Ipswich clams from New England celebrates its 85th anniversary this year.
      Rockville Centre

      Bird & Bao

      The buns, paired with spices that make them sing, have only gotten more extraordinary over the years.
      Patchogue

      Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails

      This 8-year-old eatery has become a standard-bearer for modern dining on Long Island.
      Wantagh

      Bryant & Cooper

      Meat-lovers know a classic steak house when they see it — don't miss the creamed spinach.
      Roslyn

      Edoardo's Trattoria

      The cozy ambience of Italian destinations is evoked in in a prime corner of Huntington village.
      Huntington

      El Verano

      Though it means “summer” in Spanish, the Hamptons' El Verano is open year-round.
      Southampton

      Ephesus

      Find excellent Mediterranean food in a setting that feels like you are a guest in the chef-owner’s home.
      Massapequa Park

      Foster

      With minimal signage and a clubby atmosphere, this spot is almost too contemporary for the picturesque village of Sea Cliff.
      Sea Cliff

      Four

      Four is a splurge-worthy Friday and Saturday night only affair.
      Oyster Bay

      Ginza

      Sit at the sushi bar while the chef prepares, explains and serves the day’s most exciting offerings.
      Levittown

      Hermanas

      You won’t find authentic regional Mexican cuisine here, but dishes have an internal logic that renders them delicious.
      Lindenhurst

      Kababjees

      A carnivore’s paradise, this restaurant devotes about half the menu to Pakistani-style kebabs.
      Hicksville

      Korean Grill

      This eatery takes Korean barbecue up a notch, with live coals that give meat a crunchy char.
      East Northport

      Kyma

      This beach party of a Greek seafood restaurant is the closest you’ll get to Santorini on Long Island.  
      Roslyn

      La Mesa

      Who knew that Filipino and Salvadoran cuisine have so much in common?
      Massapequa

      Léon 1909

      There are more spectacular settings for dinner on Shelter Island, but once you’re here, you’ll forget you’re dining at a former bank.
      Shelter Island

      Lido Kosher Deli

      Meals at this family-owned gem have started with coleslaw and a pickle since 1986.
      Long Beach

      Little Gull Cafe

      The decor in this decommissioned train station mixes vintage furniture and railroad paraphernalia with a painting of Vegas-era Elvis Presley.
      Speonk

      Lola

      The hummus is a standout here, whether naked or topped with roasted mushrooms or chicken shawarma.
      Great Neck

      Lost & Found/Lost at Sea

      This pair of impossibly small bistros feels like a small-plate party at the chef’s house.
      Long Beach

      Luca

      It's a modern Italian American restaurant with bold flavors and high elegance. 
      Stony Brook

      Mala Madre Taqueria

      Focused on south-of-the-border specialities, this taqueria stands out for its cochinita pibil and chorizo tacos.
      Westbury

      Mithaas

      This Hicksville strip mall spot stands out for its savory street snacks and colorful Indian sweets.
      Hicksville

      New Fu Run

      This swanky establishment brings the cuisine of Dongbei, China to Long Island.
      Great Neck

      Nick & Toni's

      The dishes change seasonally at this East End eatery, which augments its menu with an on-site garden.
      East Hampton

      North Fork Table & Inn

      There’s no better exemplar of "rustic elegance" on Long Island.
      Southold

      O Mandarin

      The refined yet authentic dishes and fine-dining prices are worlds away from takeout.
      Hicksville

      Orient Garden

      Is there anything more Long Island than a banquet-style Cantonese restaurant operating in an old diner?
      New Hyde Park

      Osteria Umbra

      Italian restaurants namechecking Tuscany are a dime a dozen, but you don’t often encounter ones that declare their allegiance to Umbria.
      Smithtown

      Peter Luger

      Nothing has changed since this stalwart, throwback steakhouse opened in 1960.
      Great Neck

      Pio Pio

      The huge, high-ceilinged, light-filled space is divided into a chic bar and a bohemian dining room.
      Glen Cove

      Ravagh Persian Grill

      Kebabs rule at this proud exemplar of Persian cooking.
      Roslyn Heights, Huntington

      Salumi/Plancha

      The sister restaurants are relaxed spots serving exceptional cheeses and cured meats, plus Spanish-style tapas.
      Massapequa, Garden City

      Sichuan Garden

      Everyone may be hopping on the Sichuan bandwagon, but this spot is operating at a level above the pack.
      Setauket

      Small Batch

      The Roosevelt Field eatery is a standout bistro that focuses on local ingredients.
      Garden City

      Splendid Noodle

      This is the rare Long Island spot serving fresh hand-pulled noodles.
      Stony Brook

      Sripraphai

      One visit is not enough to tackle the encyclopedic menu.
      Williston Park

      Stellina Ristorante

      The menu is enormous and sprawls all over Italy and beyond.
      Oyster Bay

      Stone Creek Inn

      This is one of Long Island’s most dependable fine-dining restaurants.
      East Quogue

      Taka Sushi

      Settle in at the sushi counter and ask for the omakase, or chef’s choice.
      Westbury

      Tellers: An American Chophouse

      Celebratory meals loom large at this storied former bank, now a luxe steakhouse.
      Islip

      The Onion Tree

      Here, you'll find a fierce combination of Indian-inspired pizza toppings piled atop an assertively puffy crust.
      Sea Cliff

      The Plaza Cafe

      For more than 25 years, it's been swimming against the current in the Hamptons, where every season seems to bring a shuffle of new spots.
      Southampton

      The State Room

      The small-plates eatery is a standout for its creative takes on seasonal fare.
      Patchogue

      The Trattoria

      This go-to spot at the back end of a hidden strip mall packs a quiet, intimate meal.
      St. James

      Tiga

      Rolls are playful and creative at sushi spot with a rock-and-roll vibe.
      Port Washington

      Tonnam Thai

      This hidden gem serves flawlessly executed Bangkok street food.
      Bohemia

      TownLine BBQ

      This roadside barbecue spot overachieves in the art of smoked meat, and whiskey, too.
      Sagaponack

      Yamaguchi

      When it opened in 1988, Yamaguchi was one of very few sushi bars on Long Island; now it's one of several within a three-block radius.
      Port Washington

      Youta Ramen

      Two old friends have created a shrine to their shared love of the savory Japanese kitchen and tonkotsu ramen in particular.
      Mineola

      ABOUT THIS SERIES

      Newsday restaurant critics strive to dine anonymously while reviewing and pay their own way. Editorial decisions are made independent of any advertising and marketing relationships eateries may have with the company; the only thing restaurants could do to get on this list was to blow us away. In this year’s expanded write-ups, we’ve given a sense of every establishment’s history, vibe and ambitions. Menus and prices change frequently — if you are looking for a specific dish or have a firm price ceiling, call ahead.

      Credits

      Reported by: Andi Berlin, Erica Marcus, Marie Elena Martinez and Scott Vogel

      Editors: Shawna VanNess, Jane Lear

      Interactive Editor: Meghan Giannotta

      Design: Jen Brown and James Stewart

      Development: Seming Lin, Mark Levitas, Peter Sekesan, Christopher McLeod, and TC McCarthy

      QA: Daryl Becker and Sumeet Kaur

      Copy Editor: Estelle Lander

      Photo Editor: David Rosenberg

      Video Editor: Susan Yale

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