The Best restaurants on Long Island 2017

2016 was a year when iconic older restaurantscane back into prominence, and exciting d ethnically diverse restaurants were opened almost weekly on long island. It was a year when fine dining seemed to become a lost art.  Today, people are under constant unending time pressure from work and home. The Ipod and the internet are their avatars of change and have affected how we think, eat, vote, and spend our leisure time.
There are so many fine restaurants on Long Island to choose from and review. I have selected a small exceptional group of iconic older restaurants, and exciting new venues to commend.

Iconic  local favorites

Pearl East-Manhasset-This Pan Asian restaurant is blessed with Cathy, a fabulous host/owner and a fantastic array of authentic pan asian chefs.  The restaurant is bright, bold, and fabulous like its owner. Fabulous floral arrangements, a case with an ancient golden ceremonial robe is on display, along with other fabulous artwork. From the paint, flooring, artwork and menu, Cathy has been totally involved. The end result is simply fabulous and entrancing.  The menu is large and filled with a La carte items, prix fixe dinners, sushi dinners, and feasts.
I have had the pleasure of dining at Pearl east for lunch and for their fantastic Chinese New Year, 3-1/2 hour spectacular feast.  Pearl East's sushi, Egg rolls, sashimi, lobster dishes, fruits and entrees intricately molded and carved into exotic trees, fruits, and animals are worth the price of admission. Pearl East and the elegant, lovely owner/host Cathy offer hospitality on a grand scale and are bigger, better and more fabulous than anyone could expect.  This restaurant could certainly be one of NYC's favorite Pan Asian restaurants if they were located in the city. Cathy and Pearl East have brought a new flare and elegance to Pan Asian Dining, and in the process converted me into a big fan of this type of cuisine. Pearl's is also noted for their fabulous catering, parties, and charitable donations of their food and time.
A must see for pan asian food fans! Valet parking available....


Il Bacco- One of the finest italian restaurants in the tri-state area, offering tuscan fare, as well as traditional american dishes.  . The old world inspired menu offers  fabulous salads,pasta,, and superb pasta, poultry, meat and fish dishes.  Il Bacco is housed in a spectacular 3 story italian villa with a main dining room, party rooms, and a fabulous all weather outdoor deck on the roof. The deck offers a fun and fabulous mini menu and bar. Al Fresco dining at its best!.
Il Bacco is hosted by Managing partner/owner Joe O. Handsome, dapper and totally charming. He is assisted by his manager the youthful and dapper Mauritzio. Il Bacco is the perfect place for casual dining, family dinners and special occasions. Il Bacco makes everyone feel that they are part of the "family" and the upbeat loud and fun atmosphere makes every meal an exciting adventure.
A superb venue for Xmas and holiday parties.

Crabtree's restaurant in Floral Park-
One of the best restaurants on Long Island and every day brings another new and exciting reason why this continues to be a favorite for over 50 years. Each and every time I visit this time tested, charming restaurant, I  come away smiling. The hosts of the restaurant are a father and son team Yanni and Demetrius. Recently, Yanni has proudly turned over the reins to Dimetrius to run this amazing little gem.
Dimetrius, like his father is handsome, elegant and throughly schooled in the fine art of hospitality. The restaurant offers gourmet american and continental food beautifully served and presented on fine china. The restaurant has an old world charm, a number of unique and comfortable dining areas including a small outdoor seating area.   Lunch, Dinner, and brunch are excellent and very reasonable priced. Valet parking is available. Try Crabtree's caesar salad, crab cakes, and long island duck and their Spectacular Paella night. The restaurant is booked virtually every night with office parties and celebrations.
Try it ....You too will love it!

Stresa-in Manhasset-One of the top restaurants on long island hosted by the charming, affable and consumate professional, Giorgio Meriggi. Beautifully decorated in a sophisticated manhattan style. Fabulous l floral bouquets, in a formal dining area with an active bar area adjacent to the main room.  The wait staff are well groomed and trained to make your dining experience perfect..Stresa is located on Northern Boulevard near the famed Americana at Manhasset shopping venue..  Specialties of the house include : fabulous salads, pasta, and probably the best caesa salad and risotto I have ever eaten. Stresa serves perfectly prepared fish dishes such as  tilapia, Bronzino, atlantic salmon, swordfish,  scallops and lobster. Other specialty dishes are  chicken, duck and osso bucco. For dessert there is  fresh fruit, cakes, and pies. Simply one of the best.Made even better by the charming, dapper, and delightful owner host Giorgio and his dapper partner Tony.  Convenient and accessible parking adjacent to the restaurant.

Antonette's of East Hills -    An  elegant, sophisticated and welcoming  restaurant with delicious continental and italian cuisine.  Beautifully situated in a "mini castle"like building with indoor and outdoor dining, fabulous catering facilties, and a management that will always go that extra mile to satisfy each and every client. The main dining room is spacious with room to talk and enjoy the ambiance.  The decor is subdued, elegant and and relaxing with beautiful cut crystal chandeliers over each table.
Antonette's is overseen by Jimmy A. a culinary pro, former boxer and all around gentleman. Jimmy is constantly in motion checking in at each table to make sure that everyone is happy and welcomed.
 Each dish is beautifully plated and served. Highly recommended are the fabulous Caesar salad made with : Stuffed artichokes and the salmon with pistachio crust- melts in your mouth!
We had a chance to go to the second floor where a 50th Birthday was in progress. Great top notch djay, and songstress Gloria Gaynor was there to entertain. It looked and sounded fabulous!
Catering and parties are a big part of Antonette's continuing success along with their willingness to customize virtually any dish for you.
Kudos to Jimmy for his warmth, generosity, and charm and to Alexa, our lovely server and Chris.
Valet parking on premises,  Call for reservations

Bryant and Cooper Steak House
Bryant and Cooper  has withstood the test of time and has emerged bigger and better over the years.  Located at Americana Manhasset . Bryant & Cooper  is overseen by the Poll "Brothers, Gillis and George The restaurant has the appearance of an upscale fine country club , and offers beautifully prepared steaks, chops, fish and amazing side dishes of creamed spinach, potatoes and vegetables.
In the center of the restaurant is a large oval fully stocked bar. Bryant and Cooper  is an ideal place to bring clients for lunch or dinner and perfect for celebrations and parties.
There is nothing like a great steak and Bryant and Cooper delivers.!..  Valet parking

Revel-Garden City-Take an experienced and successful hospitality entrepreneur-Jim Doukas, ,then add a new and exciting venue  in the heart of Garden City.  The end result is a sensational new entry on the fine dining scene in Long Island.Revel is blessed with great food, a young, energetic and good looking staff, and an urban chic ambiance.  The restaurant offers a terrific lounge and bar that attracts executives of all ages, as well as singles, families, and those seeking gourmet dining. Revel prides itself on only offering the very best "farm to table" beef, chicken, and veggies as well as delicious fresh fish.  The lounge area offers music, from a talented group of local entertainers and staff members.  We sampled a number of Revels specialties including a Kale Caesar salad; Pappardelle-slow roasted lamb ragu, cranberry beans mint and Cana da cabra goat cheese; grilled wild Alaska salmon, and veal and ricotta salata meatballs.  All dishes Are served on fine china by a terrific wait staff.  Revel has brought new life and excitement to Garden City.


New Faces on Long Island and Westchester

Gatsby's Landing..Roslyn's hottest new face place.... Since day one, this beautifully appointed new healthy american food venue, has been a major hit. Glen the managing partner/host, has the restaurant clicking on all cylinders. The food is excellent, the atmosphere delightful , the service attentive and polished. Gatsby's offers traditional american food specialties ie. Kale salad as well as, poultry and fish. The beautifully plated food on the menu is on display and cooked to perfection. Whitewashed walls, comfortable seating and an air of excitement fills the restaurant at lunch and dinner. Beautiful indoor bar, and outdoor dining during the warmer weather. Call for reservations as they are packed on the weekends.


Angelo's Italian family style restaurant The Poll brothers have added Angelo's to their suburban culinary empire. They have  transformed this beautiful restaurant into a slice of old world italy. Pictures of their family, and elegant wall decorations add to the charm.Angelo's is big, charming and each meal is more than enough for a redux the following day. .  The menu offers steaks, chops, super large lobsters, seafood, pasta, and delicious salads.  Angelo's has  the unbeatable combination of fine food, service and ambiance, in a beautiful shopping center in Yonkers.
 Another winner for Gillis and George Poll.

My journey will continue and hope you will join me on my mission of finding those venues that provide excellence in food, ambiance, and service..
For additional insights into fine dining on Long Island, NYC, and Bergen County, go to my facebook page Impactbk1@facebook.com, my writeups in Trip Advisor and Yelp
My restaurant and hotel reviews are also  available on  google, linkedin, scoopit, The Star Diamond Magazine and Zagat.

Dining Trends:  Upscale fast food chains expanding throughout the metro area. Food Trucks are now an important part of the dining scene and give all of us a chance to sample diverse ethnic cuisine at reasonable prices.  Brooklyn and Queens continue to draw exciting diverse 
small restaurants with fabulous foods, desserts and specialties. New York continues to be a Foodie Paradise.

Looking forward to an awesome spring and summer on Long Island, New York, New Jersey

Table With A View

Table with a View- by Barry Kay, Contributing Writer, Trustee

Over the past 20 years, in pursuit of my entrepreneurial ventures, I have travelled around the world, stayed at many of the finest hotels and resorts, and dined at some of the most acclaimed dining venues.  I have had a lifelong love of fine food, and exciting new restaurants.  All this combined with my love of writing led me to become an internationally acknowledged  food editor/writer/reviewer for magazines, and the internet.

In 2011, I met with Joe Cinque, The CEO and founder of AAHS, and entered the amazing world of the Star Diamond Award. Joe is a bigger than life showman, entrepreneur, and world class travel and entertainment critic and friend. Joe’s iconic hospitality organization AAHS which he founded,  and the Star Diamond Award are recognized as the most prestigious designation the hospitality industry has to offer for  restaurants, hotels, spas, cruise lines, and luxury products. It seemed inevitable that Joe and I would combine our unique talents. This year  Joe invited me to join AAHS as a Trustee and contributing writer. I am honored to join Joe and his globally recognized organization in our mission to honor the most outstanding people, places and luxe items in the world.

Working with AAHS and Joe.has given me a  new perception of the hospitality field and what is required to qualify as the the finest. Having lived on the North Shore of Long Island for the past 35 years, I can honestly say that many of the most exciting restaurants are located outside the city limits. Today, Long Island, Brooklyn, & Bergen county in New Jersey  are destinations for the rich and famous because of their extraordinary restaurants and venues. My focus  will be to give you, our readers,insights into the very best dining on Long Island, the Boroughs, and Bergen County in New Jersey.

Roslyn, and Huntington on  Long Island have become meccas for upscale gourmet restaurants. Gillis and George Poll have proven to be brilliant, restauranteurs with 5 of the top dining venues on the North Shore. The Polls made sure  that each of their restaurants is meticulously designed,  and managed, with the very best  food, staff and ambiance.

The Polls own Bryant & Cooper in Roslyn, acknowledged as one of the best steak house’s in New York City, Cippolini- an exciting italian Tratorria on the Miracle Mile in Manhasset,  Toku, Long Island’s answer to Toku also on the Miracle Mile, Bar Frites, a french inspired Brasserie in Wheatley Plaza, and Hendrick’s in Roslyn, the ultimate in sophisticated Urban elegance. The ubiquitous Poll brothers,  took over a moribund and badly aging George Washington Manor and with a large infusion of creativity, cash, and good taste created Hendrick’s. Three of the Poll’s restaurants: Bryant and Cooper, Cippolini, and Toku are star Diamond recipients.

 One of Star Diamond’s most spectacular recipients is the amazing Oheka Castle in Woodbury Long Island, , one of America’s largest private residences. Oheka, was the original home of financier Otto Kahn, and his castle in many ways is reminiscent of the life style of the “Great Gatsby”. In the 20’s Oheka hosted famous kings, queens, political figures and hollywood stars for Kahn’s extravagant parties.  After Kahn passed away, the castle drifted in disrepair and ruin, as a series of owners could not properly maintain the home and grounds. Ultimately, Gary Melius, a visionary builder purchased Oheka and spent years and Millions of Dollars refurbishing the castle back to its original glorious past.  Today, the Melius family has turned Oheka Castle into a dominant force in the dining, event and catering business, with exquisite service & gourmet food. Oheka has become a place where brides dream of being married.  My younger son was married at Oheka, and the ceremony in the “Versaille” like  gardens was unforgettable.  The castle, gardens, cuisine, and service make Oheka, a prime venue of choice for major occasions.

Long Island offers exquisite venues with fabulous food and decoration,  along with highly diverse ethnic cuisines from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Central America. It is also the home of some of New York’s most adventurous and well known chefs  who have opened outposts on the Island.

In our ongoing search for the very best in hospitality we are proud to announce that Stresa restaurant Manhasset,Long Island, has been awarded the prestigious 5 Star Diamond Award for continued.excellence in cuisine, ambiance and service.

Over the past 20 years, Giorgio Meriggi, the owner of Stresa,  created an iconic presence on the north shore of long island. Stresa epitomizes the type of fine dining that was once prevalent in New York City in the 60s and 70s. Meriggi a veteran of Le Cirque, and Quo Vadis , had years of experience in the finest dining venues of Italy, France, Switzerland and Belgium. Today, Stresa continues to offer beautifully prepared classic italian food, a well trained staff , and a sublimely tranquil and sophisticated ambiance. Combining local ingredients in recipes from the north and south of italy along with unique flavor combinations, is all part of Giorgio's culinary genius.

Life is a journey not a destination...Let me take you on a fascinating ride..

Barry Kay

Publisher, Excellence Magazine

Trustee, Star Diamond Award

Examiner Dining and Travel- Examiner.com