30 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.

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.

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.

Enjoy creative, contemporary cuisine and sample local wines in a waterside setting at this restaurant owned by acclaimed chef Tom Schaudel and restaurateur Adam Lovett, with chef-partner Jeff Yguil at the helm in the kitchen. Deep-toned wood and a stone fireplace create a warm indoor environment, and there's seating out on the deck too. Fresh seafood is the draw here, including macadamia-crusted flounder with lime beurre blanc, four sizes of lobster, grilled calamari, Thai curry mussels, and fish tacos, but they also do a mean flatiron steak. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, and there is live music three days a week in season.

Tables at this northern Indian restaurant are set with candles and draped with tablecloths. The buffet (lunch and dinner) is one draw; popular dishes include tandoori chicken and charcoal-grilled prawns.

This place is always packed, and for good reason. It is simple food done right, the kind of comfort food you can make at home—burgers, fresh seafood, pasta, steak—but better. The bar scores high marks with local beer on tap and freshly made cocktails. Stay on for late-night fun like live music and D.J.s, darts, and special party events, but, whatever you do, don't swing the lights.

Its facade is unassuming and interior unpretentious, but you can't go wrong with any of the pizzas or house specialties at this family-owned pizzeria-ristorante that has been around since 1971. The restaurant serves classic pasta dishes, including a variety of ravioli and gnocchi in addition to chicken, veal, steak, Italian specialties like picatta and francese, and local, fresh seafood. It is open year-round, and you can eat here until 3 am or later on summer Friday and Saturday nights. Try the grandma pie, and allow extra time—it's made with love. Reservations can be made on the website.

Warmth exudes from both the interior design and the staff at this branch of a small local chain known for homestyle Italian food in big portions (half portions are available as well) and copious bread baskets. Everything is served family-style, making it an ideal meeting spot for large groups of friends and families. Expect entrees like spaghetti with chicken meatballs and warm grilled scallop salad or grilled rustica pizza.

At this intimate storefront bistro, a favorite among locals, the ceiling fans, wood floors, and a series of small, pendant lights add homey touches. Chef-owner Steve Sands, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, oversees the kitchen, while co-owner Jules Buitron ensures that every guest gets the V.I.P. treatment. The ecelctic European menu lists dinner salads and burgers as well as more substantial dishes such as maple-dijon encrusted rack of lamb and a variety of pasta dishes. Schnitzels and brats round out a selection of German dishes. Weekend brunches are also a hit.

This bistro-grill serves everything from horseradish–honey mustard salmon and Japanese ahi tuna to Parmesan-and-herb-crusted chicken and wild game. To wash down your meal you have a choice of 99 beers from around the world. A children's menu is available.

In a region popular for seafood, this place is all about the meat. The most popular dish here is a 24-oz bone-in ribeye, and you can also get handcrafted pub standards such as shepherd's pie and fish-and-chips. A cool local hangout spot, the pub hosts live music on Friday and Saturday and has a selection of more than 100 beers. A children's menu is available and brunch is served every Sunday.

Locals treasure this as their secret spot—a simple roadside restaurant housed in a little red house that serves good breakfasts and lunch, as well as fresh, creative American dinner fare. People rave about the blueberry pancakes and chorizo hash. Crab cakes and chicken quesadillas are popular with the lunch crowd, and vegetables and salads couldn't get any fresher—they come from their own garden out back. A three-course prix-fixe dinner is offered for $29. If you want to make a reservation, call between 2 and 3:30.

Part restaurant, part postwork social pub, Finn's has the feel of an Irish tavern, with lots of wood and a noise level that rises as the evening wears on. In addition to a large selection of domestic and imported beers, the pub serves hearty homemade stews and sandwiches.

Chianti bottles hang from the ceiling over tables draped in red-and-white-check cloths in the three rooms of this cozy and slightly kitschy family-friendly restaurant. Consistently good cooking and service make it a year-round favorite. Don't miss the garlic knots and the ravioli, made in-house.

The scenery surrounding the waterside tables at the Inlet Café and sushi bar is so mesmerizing that you may forget to bite into the sushi or succulent local lobster on your plate. There are four Gosman's eating establishments on the dock; this one serves fresh seafood right off the boat.

For four decades this has been the place to go for its classic Italian "red-sauce" and pizza Italian menu, huge, family-style portions, and reasonable prices. Spaghetti celestino (with tomato-cream sauce) and prosciutto with tomato and basil are favorites. Be prepared for a wait on summer weekends. Take-out and deliveries are available.

Set along the no-man's-land between Amagansett and Montauk, this local institution (affectionately known as "Lunch") is the proverbial shanty by the sea, with recognizable red, white, and blue awning. Attracting customers from far and wide, its booths and outdoor picnic tables are filled with people coming and going from the beach. Kids are often seen running around its grounds while carefree vacationers take in a quintessential summertime experience. They come for the fresh lobster rolls, both the classic and now also a hot variety; fish-and-chips; puffers (blowfish); and mouth-watering grilled tuna and swordfish.

Anyone who has driven Main Road in Aqueboque at night, driving back from the wineries or heading home from Greenport, has most definitely noticed the Las Vegas–like sign illuminating this otherwise sleepy strip. At this unpretentious family-owned café, beloved by locals and out-of-towners alike, you'll find comfort food at its best, including Long Island duck, roast loin of pork with sauerkraut, softshell crabs, and home-baked strawberry-rhubarb and lemon-meringue pies. They do take-out too.

One of the few places in the Hamptons where you can get a glass of wine or cocktail for $10 or less, dine in a Japanese-style booth with your shoes off, or keep them on while you sit at the restful central sushi bar. The typical Japanese fare served here includes sukiyaki and tempura dishes as well as such classic sushi and sashimi as sweet-water shrimp, fluke, and sea urchin. The food is consistently good and the service is very attentive.

Standing the test of time, this rustic, homey family-run restaurant has been serving local folks and visitors for almost four decades. Bright colors, rustic wood, and lots of windows create a down-home Southwestern atmosphere. Try the mesquite-smoked barbecued brisket, served with Texas pinto beans and corn on the cob, or the juicy and tasty jerk chicken. A children's menu and coloring page and crayons are offered for the little ones. Homemade desserts like the banana cream pie are best sellers. Daily specials include $25 prix-fixe, $5 margaritas, and Sunday brunch. There's a cute outdoor seating area, but the locals seem to prefer to gather inside and enjoy the warm and relaxed vibe, even on a beautiful evening.

Behind the plainly marked door, you will find a restaurant dressed in red and gold. You have more than 26 house specialties to choose from, including such favorites as the spicy and sweet orange beef and the Grand Marnier shrimp. Paintings of birds and a dramatic mirrored ceiling adorn the space.

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.

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.

Ceiling fans whir above white linen–cloaked tables and terra-cotta floors at this Italian restaurant, which specializes in brick-oven pizza and homemade pastas, like shrimp-and-porcini tortellini and farfalle with salmon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.