Roberto Chang opens in Bellmore

East meets West at Roberto Chang, a street food and take-out forward restaurant that opened this month in Bellmore.

The all-day menu is heavy on food straight out of the air fryer, namely 10 empanadas ($4.99) in varieties such as spinach and cheese, and pizza-flavored. Egg rolls ($11.90) include Philly cheesesteak, shrimp, buffalo chicken and pork with vegetables. Sides include crunchy and fluffy yucca fries ($4.80). Then comes dessert: Fried Oreos ($13 for six) and wontons ($4.80) in flavors such as apple crumb, brownie, pineapple coconut cheesecake and cookies and cream. Beverages range from basic coffee and tea ($2.75) to espresso, cappuccino, lattes and hot chocolate ($4.55).

The interior design is eclectic and bold, with colorful graffiti painted across the wall of the 1,200-square-foot space that seats around 12 customers. A large screen projects images of beaches and other landscapes; a life-size doll sits behind a DJ turntable surrounded by vinyl records. It's all a wink to the fictional Roberto Chang character, whom owner Paul Cicchetti created after being inspired while eating empanadas at his Long Beach condo.

"They were just so good and I’m eating these things and I’m like, ‘why hasn’t anyone nationalized it, how is it different than a hamburger or a pizza?" he asked. "I figured, let me take the most popular stuff in the Latin world, which would be empanadas, and then let me blend it with some really popular foods in the Asian world, which are egg rolls."

The eatery is Cicchetti’s first venture into the dining industry and he's being intentional with his choices. Cutting out the need for a large kitchen and space keeps some expenses of opening an eatery in check. A student influencer program, outlined on Roberto Chang's website, compensates those who refer other patrons with discounts and points toward free food.

Roberto Chang, 2793 Merrick Rd., Bellmore; 516-213-0099; robertochang.com; Open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

By Melissa Azofeifa

melissa.azofeifa@newsday.com

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.