10 Best Restaurants in Long Island, New York

In a market crowded with sushi joints, this one is an original, and remains a standout with its unique selection of specialty rolls and unpretentious service. The ambience is loungy, trendy, and very grown-up, but if you happen to arrive with a little one in tow, he or she will be treated like a celebrity. Every Japanese restaurant offers salad with ginger dressing, and Aji's is exceptional. If you like sweet and savory together, try the Paradise Roll with spicy lobster and fried banana. The surf and turf includes a 4oz filet mignon and lobster tail in truffle mushroom sauce, and the price is quite reasonable. Save room for fried ice cream.

This is really the place to be in WHB. Sit and sip an iced coffee and watch the world go by from the porch or sidewalk tables or grab a gelato and join the others on the stoop. With cases filled with fresh-baked goods, the worst thing about this place is that it's just so hard to decide. Try the devilishly delicious deep-fried jelly- or cream-filled "cronuts"—all the rage these days, but this bakery has been doing it for years. A full menu of bagels, pancakes, omelets, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and entree dishes will keep you coming back for more. Don't let the long lines and chaotic scene inside scare you away—there are many friendly young people behind the counter who keep things moving and do it with a smile.

Not only are the wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta dishes here delicious, they are also made with organic stone-ground flour using local, seasonal produce, handmade mozzarella, and artisanal meats. Try the fig, caramelized onion, and Gorgonzola pizza or the mushroom pasta with locally sourced porcinis. For a splurge, go for the $65 2-lb wood-fired T-bone, medium rare.

One of Paul McCartney's favorites, this place is not much bigger than a shack, and is tucked away in the back of Amagansett Square off Main Street. It has just a few picnic tables on the lawn and a couple of hightop tables inside, but the flavors put out here are huge. Dosas range from the traditional masala potato variety to one with grilled chicken with goat cheese and spinach. A selection of homemade chutneys are available: cilantro, mango, tomato, curry, pumpkin, and peanut. Salads, sandwiches, and Indian specialties are offered. Try a cardomom coffee, soy chai latte, or orange-ginger iced tea.

Often the best dining experience can be had when you let the chef chose your dishes, and Izumi's chef-owner, Evan, is passionate about his culinary art and sharing it with customers. Each morning he goes to the fish market and hand-selects the best cuts for his sushi creations, including the sweet and savory Salmon-Tuna Salsa and the fresh, bright Tuna Guacamole. The torched Panda Roll—a crunchy roll with a delicious smoky flavor, as if it had been roasted over a campfire—displays a real touch of genius.

All these "off-menu" selections are offered periodically on the specials board, but just ask and Evan will be happy to make them for you.

Although predominently Japanese, the menu also offers modern takes on Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, and Singaporian classics. Try the pad thai.

On the morning of Bastille Day (July 14), 2012, a fire gutted the charming Tudor-style building housing this French restaurant 1¾ miles east of Sayville. To the delight of its loyal fans, Le Soir has made a triumphant return. The fare is still French and oh so rich, including escargots bourguignon (snails in red-wine sauce), sauteed lobster in citrus butter sauce, and farm-raised roasted duck a l'orange. A romantic feel envelops the place, so it's favorite for special occasions like Valentine's Day and anniversaries.

This place has been selling tacos on Long Island for more than two decades, so when Hurricane Sandy destroyed the restaurant in October 2012 a hole was left in the Long Beach/Island Park community. Now this family-friendly restaurant, known for consistently outgoing service, good Tex-Mex food, margaritas, and pitchers of delicious sangria, is back and as good as ever. Brown paper covers the tables, and if your artwork is good enough, it may end up on the wall. Garlic lovers should try the shrimp maragrita entree or the cattleman's steak drenched in homemade garlic BBQ sauce. Fajitas and fish tacos are perennial favorites.

Fish doesn't come any fresher than at this waterfront resturant, where it was most likely caught that very morning off the Pridwin's boat by owner Richard Petry and his son Gregg. In 2014 Peruvian-born chef de cuisine Varon Barrio joined chef Marcel Iatoni to create a fresh new menu, adding specialties such as casusa, a layered potato, avocado, and shrimp dish, and the citrusy ceviche. It's not often that you see octopus as a main course—here it's served over mushroom-Manchego quinoa. "Kids Movies," most nights from 7–9, allow parents to enjoy a romantic dinner while their children enjoy supervised fun. Wednesday's cookout night, a family party and Shelter Island institution, includes live music, and Sunday brunch is served with a samba and soul soundtrack. Reservations are suggested for both.

At this bright and airy restaurant the talented chef-owner utilizes the freshest local produce and seafood—and his considerable talent—to provide a memorable dining experience. Oven-roasted halibut, rack of lamb with Mediterranean spice, and braised Montauk lobster with baby vegetables are among the dishes on the French-leaning menu. Homemade desserts such as ricotta mousse and lemon tart may quite possibly induce a swoon. The dining spaces are elegantly spare, with polished hardwood floors, lots of windows, and white-clothed tables. A $30 prix-fixe is available Monday–Thursday.

Housed in the old John J. Sullivan hotel on Main Street, this homey restaurant harks back to the Victorian era and exudes masses of charm—stained glass, chandeliers in old oil-burning style, an 1893 mahogany and marble bar made for the Chicago Exposition, a rich mantled fireplace, and the head of the last buffalo shot by Teddy Roosevelt. Buffalo (bison) meat is on the menu, lower in fat and higher in protein than beef and it tastes pretty much the same, only "beefier." If you don't want to splurge on the $44 cowboy steak, go for the $20 buffalo burger. An organic beef burger is also available. You may have guessed that meat is king here, but vegetarians are not entirely forgotten—try the roast portobello mushroom with homemade ricotta. Tweeds also boasts the biggest selection of bourbons.