84 Best Restaurants in Long Island, New York

Locals love chef Noah Schwartz's restaurant. A Long Island native who began his career in California's wine country, Schwartz has created a menu based on farm-to-table produce, fresh and locally-sourced seafood, and artfully presented small-plate dishes. A carefully selected wine list provides for perfect pairings. The most popular dishes here are seared tuna tartare with avocado, jalapeño, and cucumber, with seaweed salad and soy vinaigrette; local seafood bouillabaisse in saffron fennel broth; and filet mignon sliders on toasted brioche with creamed spinach and truffle hollandaise. Oysters are a specialty, too. Brunch is served on weekends.

It's the unmatched marina views and an open-air bar that attract crowds in summer. Although the menu varies, the emphasis is on shrimp, lobster, and local fish. The crabcake with sweet-and-sour corn-mango chutney is a favorite. This is also a popular spot to have a cocktail while watching the sunset. There is a full schedule of live music Friday to Sunday.

This cool, casual, yet simply elegant spot on Main Street is made even cooler by having its own aquaponic garden. Hamptons veteran executive chef James Carpenter highlights fresh ingredients in his signature dishes like the sheep's ricotta gnudi with lamb meatballs and elevates a simple burger with a brioche bun and hand-cut fries; seafood proliferates on the creative, seasonal menu. The Back Page Patio Café offers casual dining and late-night bites.

Operating here since 1980, The Palm is classic Manhattan meets East Hampton. Its old-fashioned style fits perfectly with the building, parts of which were constructed in 1699. Usually crowded, the restaurant is well known for its aged prime beef, veal, fish, lobster, and high prices. Side dishes are served family style. Service is generally attentive and professional, however it can get quite busy in the summer, so for the best experience, try going in the off-season. For the Palm experience without the Palm prices, look for promotions and deals like half-price Prime Bites at primetime (5–7 pm Sunday–Friday). Desserts include a bag of warm doughnuts.

With its vaulted ceiling, exposed-wood beams, stained-glass window, and oak floors, this spacious restaurant, a branch of the famous Brooklyn steak house, resembles an English Tudor beer hall. In addition to first-rate steaks, you can order a grilled lobster with drawn butter.

This sweet little main street storefront with sidewalk tables under the awning always seems to be bustling. Take your appetite on a mini-vacation to Paris, where diners eat close to one another in true Parisian style. Try the roasted free-range chicken or a scrumptious plat du jour, which might include Sardines grillées Eschbèche or BouillabaisseMarseillaise. Desserts such as crepe au chocolat chaudare are too good to share, so be sure to get your own. For those who really want to splurge, play chef for a day and help prepare your favorite meal for a group of your friends. An adjacent gourmet market tantalilizes with prepared foods, hot and cold beverages, gelato, and baked goods, including the popular mini flourless chocolate cake.

This cozy German restaurant at the edge of Northport village is known for its sauerbraten and seafood. Candles and fresh flowers adorn the dining room, and there's often live music on the weekends.

Candle sconces flank the wonderful wraparound windows at this popular American restaurant. Fried calamari, grilled salmon with local corn, filet mignon, and Long Island duck are all good choices. Part of the space, which has bentwood chairs and white-clothed tables, is devoted to the bar. The social scene is lively here on summer nights.

In a market where restaurants come and go, this quirky spot has been around since before Prohibition. Outside, two 12-foot-tall fencing musketeers stand guard over the driveway. Inside, staff and longtime patrons are happy to show you "Nixon's booth," and share stories of former regulars Ringo Starr, Burt Lancaster, and Joe DiMaggio—in it's heyday, this was a real hotspot; check out the old newspaper clippings in a small vestibule. Today the interior is dated but cozy, the carpet is old and worn, but the food—a mix of northern and southern Italian pasta, seafood, veal, and steak—is prepared with care, and you get the kind of warm and attentive service that's all but lost in the modern world. The $25 prix-fixe menu is a great deal. Enjoy swinging lounge music on weekends.

Half a dozen kinds of fresh fish are served daily at this elegant restaurant with white tablecloths. The veal chops à la Bevanda, stuffed with cheese and prosciutto and sautéed in shallots and white wine, are a good choice for landlubbers. Reservations are essential on Friday and Saturday.

Converted out of a vacant boatyard, this fun and vibrant spot on picturesque Chase Creek was the brainchild of two Shelter Island "summer kids," Keith Bavaro and Alison Bevilacqua. The nautical-themed restaurant utilizes the most local, freshest seafood available for its raw bar, delicious fish tacos, and some Hawaiian-influenced dishes. Out back, locals and tourists mix it up at the Shipwreck Bar (Thursday–Monday), a converted 1928 scalloping ship on land. In summer it's an outdoor party with fresh cocktails—try the Whale Killer, made with local Sag Harbor Rum—lawn games, and live music. Boaters can dock at the Island Boatyard and walk up to the restaurant and bar; day passes are also available for non-boaters for use of the pool, lounge area, and shower facilities.

An attractive, black-clad staff serves sushi and other Japanese dishes to the hip crowd that frequents this place. Sashimi and rolls of all varieties are available; teriyaki dishes, vegetable, noodle, and fresh-fish dishes round out the menu, which includes an extensive sake list. Try the steamed pork buns.

Don't expect high-end dining; the place is pretty much your local neighborhood dive, but the food is well liked and well prepared. The specials change daily, but are good, straightforward dishes such as cedar-planked salmon, beer-battered fish-and-chips, and chicken saltimbocca. There are always cool people here, so the bar scene makes the wait for a table on weekends bearable.

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this retro luncheonette serves the usual casual fare: burgers, sandwiches, omelets, salads, and homemade ice cream.

This good ole' family BBQ offers an alternative to the East Hampton scene. Barbecued ribs and chicken are the big draw, but the quesedillas, wraps, and salads are also quite popular. Enjoy a beer or scoop of Hershey's ice cream at the outdoor picnic table seating or dine indoors year-round at this family-friendly spot. It's outside the village with its own lot, so parking is easy here. Catering is available for events and house parties, and you can call ahead for take-out.

The food here is OK, but the beer is great, and it's a fun place to come with family and friends. Acclaimed microbrews and flavored ales go well with its burgers, wings, clam fritters, beer-battered shrimp, crab cakes, steak sandwiches, and pastas. Enjoy a Double White, Montauk Light, or seasonal beer like the Summer Blonde, and take in a televised sporting event on a Sunday afternoon. Brunch happens here on weekends as well. Grab a beer and expect a wait, even if you have reservations.

The dining room of this sophisticated see-and-be-seen restaurant has artwork, white linens, large windows, and simple wooden chairs. The New American fare featuring prime steaks and local seafood is just as attractive. The menu changes daily, and each dish, though it's on the expensive side, is unforgettable. Start with lobster bisque, followed, perhaps, by laquered Half Crescent Farm duckling or pan-seared dolphin. Diners with heartier appetites can opt for the grilled Kobe flatiron steak. There's open-air dining on the patio, which has a waterfall. A $35 prix-fixe menu is available, as well as specials like Monday night's all-you-can-eat lobster bake.

Bringing a fun, Key West vibe to Fire Island, this restaurant and bar hosts live music and weekly events like tacos and trivia, Italian night, lobster bash, and an occasional clam shucking contest, wine festival, or drag show. The menu consists of some simple favorites like burgers, lobster rolls and wings, pasta, and fresh salads, and there's also a sushi menu and raw bar for more adventurous eaters.

True, the tuna sashimi appetizer is $23, but what else could you expect for romantic high-end dining in paradise—and with live music and a drag-queen bartender, this swanky place is anything but boring. It's one of the more upscale places on Fire Island, with a history dating back to its inception in the 1970s as the Island Queen. Dishes might include seared scallops with raisin gartique, Lobster pot pie, or the bistro burger. You can dine inside or out at this harborside eatery.

Fans of this restaurant say that it really is a little piece of Italy, from its casual rustic-style interior to its Venetian-inspired dishes and specials like the pasta with octopus ink sauce, tagliatelle with seafood and preserved lemons, and Tuscan-style New York Strip with olive oil, lemon, oregano, and broccoli rabe. If you're inspired by the local wine culture, you'll be pleased with the extensive wine selection, stored in its temperature-controlled, glass enclosed wine room.

With an array of meat-free dishes like seared organic seitan with vegetables and Thai peanut sauce and sesame-crusted tofu with coconut basmati rice, this place is loved by vegetarians and vegans. Tula also offers healthy and delicious organic chicken, turkey burgers, and seafood dishes. The interior is funky—a little bit Moroccan and a little bit gothic—with bright red walls, pillowed banquettes, and wrought-iron candelabras. Try one of their artifully prepared cocktails, and save room for the "rockin'" vegan cupcake. The entertainment roster ranges from solo singer-guitarists to jazz bands.

A wall of windows provides stunning views of the Great South Bay at this restaurant known for its seasonal, seafood-focused menu and raw bar. Modern small-plate dishes such as Peking duck tacos join traditional favorites like filet mignon and Mantattan clam chowder, and the menus are designed to appeal to a variety of personal tastes and budgets. Sushi (available weekends) has made a splash, and The View has become a favorite Sunday brunch spot. In warm weather patio dining is available, and the happy hour and party crowds swell on weekends, with live bands to entertain them on Saturday. The restaurant is 3½ miles west of Sayville. To be sure of eating here on a weekend, reservations are advisable.

Husband-and-wife team Terry and Lisa Harwood create casual but sophisticated dishes, and their staff provides exceptional service. Diners can savor daily specials and staples such as steak frites, miso-glazed salmon, and Montauk black bass. Simple yet elegant, the interior features pale walls, exposed beams, white tablecloths, and light streaming in through the large windows. In warm weather you can dine alfresco under tiki lights.

Reasonably-priced mouthwatering Italian food make this down-to-earth eatery a popular choice. Sure, you can get a pepperoni pie here, but you can also try the Magnum with roast pork, bacon, and pineapple or the Mr. Tang with Asian-style duck, cilantro, mozzarella, and goat cheese. Forget ordinary salads; here they have fire-roasted portobello mushroom salad and crispy artichokes with green goddess dressing. In addition to Italian favorites, entrees include tandoori grilled chicken with curried couscous. Sunday brunch is popular here, and they host lots of fun, special events all year long. Enjoy your pie at outdoor tables in summer. The service here is friendly and especially welcoming, but is not consistently attentive when it get busy.