Mesita closes in Port Washington
Chicken enchiladas at Mesita in Port Washington, which has closed. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
After little more than a year in Port Washington, Mesita has closed. The Mexican restaurant's last day was Sunday, just three days after the group opened its biggest, grandest Mexican restaurant, in Amityville. Polo Pacheco, the general manager in Amityville, said, "We loved Port Washington, but the concept didn't work out. Amityville was a better fit since it is not as seasonal." Some of the Port Washington employees have transferred to Amityville, he said, others will be staying in Port Washington to work at the new restaurant taking over the space, Jade Eatery & Lounge, an Asian-fusion spot.
This will be the second Jade on Long Island. The first, in Hicksville, made a splash when it opened in April. Owner Arun Kumar, whose original Jade is in Forest Hills, Queens, said he hoped to be open by May.
When Mesita opened at the corner of Port Washington Boulevard and Main Street in December 2023, it replaced Waterzooi, a Belgian-style brasserie that lasted three years in what previously had been a Wells Fargo Bank. (The original Waterzooi, in Garden City, is still going strong after 27 years.)
In addition to the new one in Amityville, Mesita has restaurants in Rockville Centre and Garden City. The partners, who include John Cestare, Matt McBride and Steve Buccella, are also involved in Sparrow in Garden City, Salt on the Water in Merrick and I.T.A. Kitchen (Garden City, Patchogue, Bay Shore, East Moriches).
