Milano Bean Cafe in East Islip to head west and open new coffee shop next month in Bay Shore

Milano Bean Cafe in East Islip plans to open a second location next month in Bay Shore.

After a public hearing on Tuesday, the Islip Planning Board approved as many as 32 seats for the new coffee shop, double the applicant’s original request, pending approval from the county health department.

Several residents supported the application at the public hearing and the planning board’s decision was met with applause. Supporters noted the role Milano Bean Cafe had played as a community space in East Islip, with one man comparing the cafe’s atmosphere to the sitcom “Cheers.”

“This is amazing. We are going to use every single spot in the store,” said Tiger Ad, 39, owner of the Milano Bean Cafe. 

The new Bay Shore location will offer drink and pastry options with “cheap prices,” said Ad. The cafe will be a gathering space for students and families, a place where people will be able to work, he said. And the coffee shop will host weekend events such as open mic nights, Ad said.

The new cafe will be located on the southeast corner of Maple Avenue and East Main Street in downtown Bay Shore, according to the planning board, in a space formerly used as a hair salon.

The Bay Shore cafe may not serve alcoholic beverages, a condition set by the planning board.

“Thanks to my community and the people, because of them, I became very famous in the area and the neighborhood, in the community,” said Ad, who plans to eventually open more locations on Long Island. “We care about the customer before we care about ourselves.”

Selina Ayoub, 18, is a manager at the East Islip Milano Bean Cafe who will work at the Bay Shore location. Her parents, Tiger and Jozet Ad, own the shop. She also noted the business’ community values and said the Bay Shore cafe will be three times the size.

Georgios Marneris, a customer in the East Islip location on Saturday, said Long Island needed more places like the Milano Bean Cafe. The coffee shop “reminds me of places in New York City or Williamsburg,” said Marneris, 57, of Holtsville. “I love the atmosphere.”

Dan Janosick, 59, of Patchogue said he visited the Milano Bean Cafe four or five times a week. The owners are “fantastic,” and he enjoys the atmosphere, the coffee and the desserts. 

Starbucks has multiple locations, he said, so why shouldn't the Milano Bean Cafe?

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.