Having top rated restaurants at our fingertips is a nice little bonus for those of us who live on Long Island. Not enough attention, though, is always given to the bar area, which should be a focal point in any establishment. We’re trying to change that one restaurant at a time and this most recent addition to our “Signature Drink” series comes from Mitch & Toni’s American Bistro in Albertson, on Nassau County’s north shore.
Five Pennies is our new favorite dessert spot on Long Island. It’s got everything that we want from an ice cream shop; fresh ice cream, frozen custard, incredible ices and an owner whose sole purpose is to keep making them better (and more delectable).
We know that summer is arriving and things are kicking into high gear because South Edison, located way out east in Montauk, just off Montauk Highway, is now officially open for the 2012 season.
We spent some time recently at Bistro 72, located within the Hotel Indigo out in Riverhead. We spent a full night taking in the sounds of the live music, the bartenders at the bar and the food coming out of the kitchen. This first video features their signature drink, The Long Island Lighthouse.
Throughout our recent travels in Medford, we were surprised to see that the very popular First National Franks, on 112, had changed to a new hot dog spot, Hot Diggity Dogs.
Where the pet store Safari Stan’s once sat on Old Country Road, a new hotspot is getting ready to open. Now under construction and hiring waitresses and bartenders, Bottomz Up will likely be aligning themselves with the other nearby restaurants and bars that rely heavily on scantily clad servers (CANZaciti Roadhosue and Hooters, namely). Where they hope to step in front of their competition is the quality of their cuisine.
If you love Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck, you’ll be glad to know that a few months ago, in 2011, the owners set up shop just next door with their organic and local-centric market, Love Lane Market. The market is a great spot to capture a lot of the overflow from the Kitchen, known for its exceptional food and its long waits (especially on weekends).
NY Cupcakery is a small cupcake shop located on Merrick Road in Bellmore. Since 2010 they’ve been baking wonderful cupcakes, cake pops and cakes not only for the general public, but also for private events and parties. The imagination of the bakers on site is endless and some of the crafted baked goodness coming out of this shop rivals any of the best across the country.
The Patio, which burst onto the scene last year and catered to those Long Islanders who love to eat and drink on the water, is reopening for the season this Thursday, April 12th. Located in the Freeport Inn and Marine, the restaurant and bar features an outdoor lounge area, a bar that opens its doors to the outside and a great food menu that will be sure to be even more popular this year as more people learn about it.
PASSIONE is new to the Carle Place dining scene. It sits in the same shopping center as the now defunct 6th Avenue Electronics store and is just a few doors down from one of the area’s favorite restaurants, LL Dent. During the construction period they had big signs up that they were coming soon, but we didn’t know what to expect at all. We ventured inside recently to scope out the space and we were genuinely surprised at what was lying inside.