New Long Island restaurants to try

L'Uccello pizzeria, Greenlawn

James Tchinnis is doubling down on his hometown of Greenlawn. A year ago, he opened the contemporary small-plates specialist Swallow Kitchen & Cocktails — which had previously landed in Huntington and Montauk. Now, he has entered the pizza fray with L’Uccello ("bird” in Italian) right across the street. The menu is straight-ahead neighborhood pizzeria. It starts with garlic knots and fried calamari; continues through Neapolitan, Sicilian and Grandma pies (all available gluten free); pastas including spaghetti and meatballs, penne alla vodka and linguine with clams; mains such as chicken Parm, Francese and Milanese, shrimp scampi and sausage and peppers; Italian heroes and a handful of salads.

Tap & Tapas, Northport

Most of the places serving tapas on Long Island have no particular affiliation with Spain, the country that came up with them, using “tapas” interchangeably with “small plates.” But Tap & Tapas in Northport is Spanish through and through, from the lineup of wine-friendly bar snacks to the whole leg of Iberico ham that stands proudly on the bar to the deep wine list that ranges far beyond Rioja and Albarino into the precincts of Listan Negra and Treixadura.

Casa de Catrina, Carle Place

This lively new Mexican restaurant, themed around Day of the Dead, is tucked into a shopping center near Roosevelt Field mall. The menu features heavy hitters of regional Mexican food, including piggy-shaped molcajete stone bowls stacked with meat and seafood.

Pappa Gallo, Rockville Centre

With its dramatic nightclub vibe — dim lighting, vibrant Latin American murals, lush velvet furnishings, a stage for music and a massive backlit bar — Rockville Centre's new Peruvian restaurant is a stunner. Featuring an upscale take on a cuisine full of bold flavors and authentic recipes, it’s not only about the food; there will be nightly entertainment.

The Union, East Meadow

This new restaurant replaces The Carltun in Eisenhower Park. Chef Tom Gloster brings a menu that is seasonal, modern and eclectic. It will change four times a year, but for now features a classic French onion soup; Brussels sprouts with yogurt, mint and almonds; Little Gem lettuce salad with roasted butternut squash, burnt honey and goat cheese; double-cut pork chop with roasted grape, wilted spinach and whole-grain mustard; grilled branzino with tomato-caper stew and smoked olive oil and a 10-ounce burger with Cheddar, onion jam and homemade pickles and fries.

Smok-Haus, Hicksville

You’ll need to squint to see the Smok-Haus logo at the barbecue spot’s new location, sandwiched between a hair salon and a billiards-supply house in a strip mall on South Broadway in Hicksville. Open the door to the narrow shop and all you’ll see are three ordering kiosks and a cashier. This location is takeout only, but you'll still be able to enjoy everything from classic ribs and pulled pork to smoked pastrami and dark-chocolate chili.

Coo Coo Kitchen, Glen Cove

This fast-casual Queens outfit with locations in Long Island City and downtown Flushing is now in Glen Cove, in a district surrounded by Central American delis and an old-school luncheonette. The spot is making one of the area's best Asian chicken sandwiches, and serving a whole range of fruit teas and yogurt drinks.

Jiang Nan, Syosset

From the outside, the new Jiang Nan looks like an unassuming Chinese restaurant tucked into a Syosset strip mall. So it's astonishing to step through the doors and be greeted by a life-size peacock figurine, its white feathers cascading down an indoor tree, perched at the entrance of a stylish dining hall. Duck is the showpiece in the spot's staggering menu of regional Chinese specialties.

Tocolo Cantina, Glen Cove

It’s been eight years since Lloyd Rosenman and his partners opened the modern Mexican restaurant Tocolo Cantina in a shopping center on a busy stretch of Old Country Road in Garden City. For his second act, Rosenman went in an entirely different direction: Downtown Glen Cove. Tocolo 2.0 takes up residence in Village Square, the new luxury apartment building that is a cornerstone of the city’s hoped-for renaissance, and it is a big, beautiful affair with multiple stylish dining rooms, a lively bar and outdoor seating.

Krave It Pizza & Sandwich Joint, Huntington

The menu at the newest location of this Queens-based eatery boasts 41 different pizzas, 34 sandwiches and nine kinds of fries. Indecisive pizza lovers or those overwhelmed by the options might consider Krave It’s Care Package, a sort of grab-bag pie comprising eight of the shop’s most popular slices. One 18-inch pizza might have a chicken and waffles slice, a General Tso-esque one, a mac ’n cheese number with honey sriracha, etc.

Chick-fil-A, Levittown

The latest outpost of the Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A has opened in Levittown, joining nine other Chick-fil-A locations across the Island. Known for its chicken sandwiches, the new store features menu items which debuted recently: The honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich and a caramel crumble milkshake.

Kokyou Ramen, Farmingdale

Back in 2021 during the height of the pandemic, three friends decided to join the Island’s poke craze an opened Maui Poke in Commack, an elevated poke bar and bubble teashop. Those same friends have launched their second venture, a ramen shop in Farmingdale. The minimalist restaurant boasts high ceilings with Japanese lanterns, and is bathed in a palate of neutral tones and blond wood. The menu is straightforward with just 10 appetizers, five donburi rice bowls and seven types of ramen.

American Beauty in the Park, Massapequa Park

This bistro has opened its third Long Island location, having previously established itself in Massapequa proper (2016) and Bellmore (2019). All excel at housemade ricotta with grilled peaches on a crostini; as well as fried shrimp tossed in Thai chiles, ginger, soy and crushed peanuts. The house burger is an American Beauty signature.

Crumbl Cookies, Massapequa

Massapequa is the latest Long Island location of Crumbl Cookies, the jumbo cookie chain that started in Utah and now has over 800 stores nationwide including Levittown and Port Washington. The oversize cookies come in classic and unique flavors that are not too sweet, and feel indulgent. The Massapequa store looks identical to its sister locations — a spare pink and white space with an open kitchen and self-ordering kiosks — and offers a weekly rotation of six flavors. New cookie drops are announced on Sundays at 8 p.m. on the brand’s social media pages, including Instagram.

Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen, Farmingdale

This fast-casual Mediterranean mini-chain has opened its first Long Island location. Whether you’re craving the original falafel pita, a Mediterranean bowl or Impossible kebabs, you can customize your meal from a selection of bases (think cumin jasmine rice or turmeric pearled couscous) and toppings like olives, feta, hot peppers, pickled cabbage or onion. Get saucy with tzatziki, lemon mint vinaigrette, spicy green chile, harissa and tahini.

La Tapachulteca, Hempstead

This Salvadoran eatery opened five months ago in an area already flush with Latino dining options. The front of the store is a deli-style restaurant and bakery selling pupusas and an incredible version of the iconic Salvadoran pound cake, the quesadilla. The back area has a market with fresh produce.

Clay Oven, Coram

After a year in a shopping center on Middle Country Road in Selden, Lubna Habibi has packed up her tandoor ovens and moved this location of her Indian restaurant three miles east to Coram Plaza. The tandoor produces succulent chicken, lamb chops as well as seekh kebabs, made with ground chicken, onions, coriander and green chilies. Alongside familiar braised dishes such as chicken tikka masala and vindaloo, you’ll find less-familiar curries such as sultani gosht (lamb or goat on the bone in creamy saffron sauce), malrani chicken (marinated in yogurt and coconut milk and topped with cashews), karahi chicken (the ginger-cumin-chili preparation named for the pot it is cooked and served in) and tawa keema (ground chicken seared on a flat grill). Vegetarians also have their choice of almost 20 entrees.

Tiger Sugar, Carle Place

As if boba weren't already wild enough, now Long Islanders can get their milk tea swirled in the shape of tiger stripes. Tiger Sugar, a rapidly expanding Taiwanese brand, has opened its first Long Island location at the Parkway Plaza shopping Center in Carle Place.

Seven, Long Beach

Marco Almeida and his brother Hugo recently opened Seven in the cavernous space that used to hold 7Seventy7. The brothers brought on consultants to update the menu and interior decorating scheme, which now straddles the line between nightclub and your cultured aunt who's into thrift shopping. Although many of the Italian classics on the menu have been replaced with tuna poke tartare, lobster rolls and bourbon cream sauce mussels, the vodka diabla is one of the best items on the menu.

Just Salad, Huntington

NYC-based Just Salad has opened in Huntington, offering Long Islanders their latest fast-casual daily dose of green eating. Diners choose a lettuce, wrap or grain bowl base, then pile on veggies, proteins, crunchy toppings and housemade dressing. If you don't want to DIY, there are 15 combinations on the menu, from standards like Cobb and Caesar salads to modern creations like Crispy Chicken Poblano.

Schnitzels Gastropub, Stony Brook

This German gastropub digs deep into the schnitzel repertoire. There are German wursts from Karl Ehmer in Patchogue that figure in sandwiches and charcuterie boards, and a ginormous pretzel, made in Canada according to Bavarian specifications.

Youta Ramen, Mineola

This new Mineola eatery is the brainchild of Thanontuch Tyler Laiamnuay, the chef, and Pat Boon, a seasoned restaurateur who worked at Sripraphai in Williston Park. Thai by birth and ramen by choice, the old friends have created a shrine to their shared love of the savory Japanese kitchen in general and tonkotsu ramen in particular.

Street Food on the Green, Montauk

Noted sushi chef Jun “Johnny” Lin has opened this new spot, featuring an Asian-inspired menu loaded with sushi rolls, poke bowls and hot menu items including pork and chive dumplings, veggie spring rolls, scallion pancakes filled with spicy lobster and a hoison-roasted duck wrap. Local catch, udon-stir fries and an assortment of hibachi plates round out the offerings. A raw bar and daily specials alternate depending on the day’s catch.

Arepalicious Express, Rockville Centre

On a Rockville Centre street lined with American flags and taco joints, this new Latino eatery is turning out some rockin' arepas. It's the second location for brand, which is based in Ozone Park, Queens and offers a different style of arepas than the common Venezuelan variety. They are softer and showcase the sweetness of the corn; thick pancakes with a gooey center of mozzarella cheese. Ingredients are piled on top in a flurry of meats and pink sauce.

Al Pastor Taqueria, Merrick

At this spruce little shop, almost everything is made from scratch. The “Merrick-style tacos” include birria (braised beef with cheese, served with consommé for dipping); shrimp with creamed avocado, lettuce and citrus slaw; Cajun chicken with “grandma’s sazon” and cotija cheese; and tempura-battered cod with shredded lettuce and molcajete salsa. Also on the menu: guacamole, nachos, beef chili, Veracruz vegetarian fried rice, burritos, quesadillas, “messy tostadas,” tortas (Mexican sandwiches), tres leches cake, churros sundaes and milkshakes from classic chocolate or strawberry to cookies ’n’ crème and horchata.

Hunter & Thief, Lindenhurst

After nearly four years of pandemic-related setbacks this long-awaited cocktail bar, which feels more like something you’d find in Brooklyn, is finally in operation. Trendy cocktails like espresso martinis and aperol spritzes are on draft. There are also funky orange wines, fancy Billecart-Salmon rosé bubbles, canned and bottled cocktails like Whitebox’s negroni; plus ales and lagers. Alongside the bar menu, snacks and comfort food include seasonal ricotta toast, fried chicken, fish and chips, and a burger.

Burgercade, Riverhead

This super-casual burger joint-video arcade opened in July, replacing the short-lived LuchaCubano. Burgercade’s starter burger, $5.15, is a quarter pounder made with ground brisket from Cow Palace in Rocky Point and served on a Martin’s potato roll. Add cheese, or another patty — you can’t spend more than $10. There’s also a black-bean burger and a fried fish sandwich, chicken tenders and wings, bubble waffles, milkshakes and a root-beer float.

Skorpios by Avli, Huntington

After sitting empty for months, one of Huntington Village's oldest restaurants has reopened under new ownership. But don't worry, Skorpios is still in the family, taken over by the prior owner's daughter and her husband. The new Skorpios stays true to its roots: a casual spot with a large grill counter up front and a homey Greek diner setting in the small dining room. The menu is a mix of burgers and Mediterranean staples like beef and lamb gyro, pork souvlaki and chicken doner, available in platters and sandwiches.

Shake Shack, Oceanside

This rapidly expanding burger chain has opened its fifth Long Island location in Oceanside. The menu is the same you'll find at other Shake Shacks in the state. In addition to the seven meat-based burgers, there are two chicken sandwiches, a grilled cheese, the iconic flat-top dog that hearkens back to the chain's origins as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park, and even dog biscuits: the Bag O' Bones and the Pooch-ini (with frozen custard).

Toast Coffee + Kitchen, Long Beach

This sprawling multilevel brunch cafe on the bottom floor of a historic Long Beach building is the newest addition to the popular Toast Coffee + Kitchen chain. Try Nonna's skillet, a cast iron pan of scrambled eggs ladled with fresh ricotta cheese and blistered grape tomatoes, or go for the cookie dough pancakes.

Frida's Mexican Cuisine, Plainview

The new Frida’s Mexican Cuisine, an offshoot of Frida’s Mexican Grill in Seaford, takes over the Craft 387 Bistro spot in the Plainview Shopping Centre. The eatery delivers Mexican and other Latin flavors in a bright, beautifully styled room accented with velvet furnishings.

South Swell, West Babylon

A pared-down offshoot of the popular Swell Taco restaurant has launched at West Babylon’s Bergen Bay Docks. Open for breakfast, lunch and happy hour, South Swell is a seasonal location catering to boaters fueling up at the on-site gas station and walk-in patrons who can dine on the docks at picnic tables shaded by oversized umbrellas.

eL Tacobar, Sag Harbor

Last year, French restaurateur Laurent Tourondel closed his LT Burger on Main Street in Sag Harbor and did a full concept change, reopening in June as a boho chic taqueria. In true Mexico City style, you'll find an open kitchen with a spinning trompo of al pastor pork and workers rolling balls of corn masa into tortillas. Taco varieties include a lobster taco with local corn and a Montauk cod taco, battered and deep-fried Baja style.

Dozo Dozo, Woodbury

This swank newcomer in the Woodbury Commons’ shopping center is meticulously designed and feels more upscale than your typical neighborhood sushi bar. The chef hails from Manhattan’s Hatsuhana, which honors the traditional Japanese service focused on preparing fish without gimmicks. What's different here: The Dozo Dozo hand rolls. There are 12 (starting at $9) utilizing different fish and sauces, all served over a sprinkling of sushi rice. Try the spicy tuna with mayo and sweet potato chips or spicy yellowtail with shishito peppers. There's also eel with avocado, and miso blackened cod with a Kobucha puree. Choose five for a $40 tasting plate.

I am Nacho Mama, Port Washington

Run by chef-owner Carlos Juarez and his family, I Am Nacho Mama originally began as a food truck in East Meadow before expanding to a Hicksville storefront in 2019. In July, the restaurant’s second location opened on Port Washington's Main Street, serving a menu full of Latin fare inspired by countries such as Mexico, Guatemala (where Juarez is originally from), Puerto Rico (where his wife, Yvette, is from) and Spain (where both of their grandparents are from).

Right Coast Taqueria, Mineola

Five years after the first Right Coast Taqueria opened in Deer Park, partners Dave Preisler and Richard Zoob have opened a new location in Mineola. Try everything from Mongolian beef tacos to fish tacos made with tortilla-crusted Alaskan pollock or fried shrimp with sriracha aioli and avocado ranch slaw.

Pupusas City, Middle Island

In 2021 the big, red food truck of Iris Viera's future was born: Pupusas City. Now, her first brick and mortar has opened in Middle Island. Viera’s Salvadorean-style pupusas are the real deal, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. She prefers rice flour, which delivers a softer pupusa than their cornmeal (masa) counterparts. The recipe comes from her maternal grandmother and is “made with passion and love,” she said.

Over Easy, Huntington

Luigi Aloe is back to breakfast. The hospitality veteran’s first restaurant was Munday’s, Huntington’s century-old luncheonette. Now, after decades of work that kept him out well past dark, his new venture, Over Easy in Huntington, closes every day at 4 p.m. The weekday-only specials are Over Easy’s most value-priced items. At breakfast, blue plates are $4.99 (Monday is eggs; Tuesday, pancakes; Wednesday, waffles, Thursday; quesadilla, Friday, French toast). The lunch lineup, $9.99, is a smash burger, tuna or chicken salad or melt, grilled cheese with bacon and tomato, fried chicken, shrimp salad sandwich — all with fries and coleslaw. The rest of the menu strays far from luncheonette standards, though almost everything is under $15.

Pizzeria Undici, Massapequa

This savvy new slice joint is making waves on the South Shore with its midcentury modern aesthetic and an irresistible crackly crust. Pizzeria Undici opened in late May on the same retro block of Merrick Road that hosts All American Hamburger and Marshall's Ice Cream Bar. The menu here is basic, with a small selection of cheese, pepperoni and Italian-style offerings including an upside-down Sicilian with thick, doughy crust and a layer of sweet tomatoes on top of the cheese.