Long Island does not always get the credit it deserves as a food destination, especially from people who only associate it with the Hamptons or a suburb of New York City. But after spending a year living in Northport in 2023 and 2024, I came away with a genuine appreciation for what the island has to offer, particularly on the North Shore.
The villages along the North Shore alone, places like Huntington, Northport, and Oyster Bay, have a concentration of destination restaurants that rivals much more well-known food cities. The North Fork has become a serious wine region with over 50 wineries. And even the towns that do not make the typical tourist lists have their own gems worth knowing about.
This guide covers the towns, villages, and food destinations I know best, all based on personal visits and honest takes. Whether you are planning a day trip from the city, a weekend on the North Fork, or just looking for a great dinner on the North Shore, here is everything you need to know about eating and drinking well on Long Island.
My Long Island Restaurant Guides
Long Island has a surprisingly strong restaurant scene, and it goes well beyond the Hamptons. From destination dining in Huntington Village to the waterfront charm of Greenport and the chef-driven spots of Oyster Bay, these guides cover the best restaurants across the towns I know best. Each one is based on personal visits and honest takes rather than recycled lists.
Northport
Northport Village sits on Long Island’s North Shore within the town of Huntington, and it is one of the most picturesque villages on the island. The Victorian-era downtown, the harbor views, and the boutique shops and galleries along Main Street give it a distinct character that sets it apart from most Long Island towns. The restaurant scene is genuinely impressive, with several upscale destination spots that draw diners from across Long Island for a night out.
From a celebrity-magnet Italian institution to a century-old meatball recipe, a cliffside vineyard, and one of the most unique tasting menus on Long Island, Northport has a restaurant scene that consistently surprises first-time visitors.
Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson is a charming waterfront village on Long Island’s North Shore, best known as the departure point for the ferry to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Most of the restaurants and shops are clustered along Main Street just steps from the water, with a casual, maritime feel that gets very busy in the summer. The dining scene leans toward seafood and casual waterfront dining rather than destination restaurants, but there are several solid spots worth knowing about, and Danfords Hotel makes it a comfortable overnight stop.
A busy North Shore waterfront village with a ferry to Connecticut, Port Jefferson has a solid lineup of seafood-focused restaurants clustered near the harbor along Main Street.
Huntington
Huntington Village is one of the best dining destinations on Long Island, with a concentration of restaurants that rivals anywhere on the island outside of the Hamptons. The walkable village is packed with upscale restaurants, craft cocktail bars, a local brewery, and some of the most in-demand reservations on Long Island. Beyond food, the Paramount Theatre brings a steady stream of concertgoers into the village, and the harbor at nearby Halesite adds a waterfront dimension to an already strong night out.
Huntington Village has one of the most diverse and serious dining scenes on Long Island, from a Michelin-trained Japanese kaiseki counter and a French bistro to Persian, Peruvian, and some of the best Italian restaurants on the North Shore.
From an all-day brunch menu and a jazz brunch overlooking Huntington Harbor to a luncheonette open since 1923, Huntington has more breakfast and brunch options than most Long Island towns its size.
Greenport
Greenport is one of the most enjoyable places to spend a weekend on Long Island, and it has become one of my favorite spots to stay on the island. The village sits at the tip of the North Fork, with a working harbor, waterfront bars with live music, a local brewery, and a restaurant scene that has quietly become one of the stronger ones on Long Island. Its location on the North Fork also puts it within easy reach of some of the best wineries in New York State, making it a natural base for a full day of eating, drinking, and exploring. There are several hotels which make this a true weekend destination.
Greenport has a well-rounded dining scene for a village its size, with a mix of seafood-focused spots, upscale dining, and casual waterfront options all within easy walking distance of the harbor.
From a speakeasy-style cocktail bar and a brewery in a converted firehouse to a cliffside winery overlooking the Long Island Sound, Greenport and the surrounding North Fork offer more variety for drinks than most people expect.
Oyster Bay
Oyster Bay is a small but impressive dining destination on Long Island’s North Shore, with a concentration of chef-driven and upscale restaurants that rivals towns twice its size. The busy part of the village is set a few blocks from the water, with restaurants and shops clustered along Audrey Avenue and South Street. It is more of a destination for a day trip or dinner out than an overnight stay, but for a focused evening of good food on the North Shore, it is one of the better options on Long Island.
Oyster Bay may be small but it has one of the more impressive collections of chef-driven restaurants on the North Shore, with several upscale spots that draw diners from across Long Island for a special night out.
Bay Shore
Bay Shore is a South Shore village that serves as the main departure point for the Fire Island ferries, which makes it a natural stop before or after a beach day in the summer. The downtown area along Main Street has a solid mix of casual restaurants and bars, a growing craft brewery scene, and a handful of waterfront spots including Lakehouse and Whalers right on the water. It is more of a locals’ dining destination than a tourist town, but the restaurant scene has been quietly improving and is worth knowing about if you are spending time on the South Shore.
Bay Shore has a casual, unpretentious dining scene anchored by a handful of waterfront spots and a growing brewery presence, with enough variety along Main Street to make it a solid stop on the South Shore.
Geography of Long Island
Long Island stretches roughly 118 miles east from New York City into the Atlantic Ocean, divided into two counties: Nassau to the west and Suffolk to the east. Nassau is the more densely populated of the two, sitting closer to the city with a more suburban character. Suffolk is larger, more spread out, and is where you find most of the destinations covered on this blog.
One thing that confuses a lot of visitors is the difference between towns and villages on Long Island. There are only around 13 towns in total, but each town contains multiple incorporated villages and hamlets within its borders. For example, the Town of Huntington contains Northport Village and Cold Spring Harbor. The Town of Oyster Bay contains the village of Oyster Bay as well as Syosset and Massapequa. And the Town of Brookhaven, one of the largest towns by area in New York State, contains Port Jefferson, Patchogue, and dozens of other communities. For most visitors, the distinction matters less than knowing which village or area you are heading to.
North Shore
The North Shore runs along Long Island Sound and tends to be hillier, more wooded, and more upscale than the South Shore. It is home to some of the most charming villages on the island, including Huntington, Northport, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, and Cold Spring Harbor. The dining scene on the North Shore is generally stronger, with a higher concentration of destination restaurants and chef-driven spots.
South Shore
The South Shore faces the Atlantic Ocean and has a flatter, more open landscape. It is more beach-oriented than the North Shore, with barrier islands like Fire Island just offshore and a string of towns along the water including Bay Shore, which serves as the main ferry departure point for Fire Island. The vibe is generally more casual and less expensive than the North Shore.
North Fork
The North Fork is the quieter of Long Island’s two eastern forks, and it is best known as wine country. With over 50 wineries spread across a relatively compact stretch of land, it is one of the most important wine regions on the East Coast. The village of Greenport sits at the tip of the North Fork and serves as the social hub of the area, with a solid restaurant scene and waterfront bars that draw visitors throughout the warmer months.
South Fork
The South Fork is where the Hamptons are, and it is one of the most expensive and well-known resort areas on the East Coast. The string of villages from Southampton to East Hampton and out to Montauk draws a wealthy summer crowd and carries prices to match. Montauk at the far eastern tip has a more laid-back, surf town feel compared to the manicured Hamptons villages further west.
All Long Island Travel Guides
Browse all of my Long Island guides below, including restaurants, bars, neighborhoods, hotels, and things to do.
Long Island Travel Guide: Best Towns, Restaurants & Things to Do
Long Island does not always get the credit it deserves as a food destination, especially from people who only associate it with the Hamptons or
The Best Bars, Breweries & Wineries in Greenport, NY
Greenport is just as strong for drinks as it is for food, especially once you factor in the broader North Fork. Between wineries, a local
The Best Restaurants in Huntington, NY
Huntington Village is one of the best dining destinations on Long Island. With over 70 restaurants and bars packed into a walkable village on the
The Best Breakfast and Brunch in Huntington, NY
Huntington is one of the largest villages on Long Island. And thus, it has plenty of restaurant choices for every meal. While smaller spots like
The Best Restaurants in Northport, NY
Northport Village sits on Long Island’s North Shore, within the town of Huntington, and it’s one of those places that somehow still feels like a
The Best Restaurants in Oyster Bay, NY
Oyster Bay is one of the more interesting dining towns on Long Island’s North Shore. It is small, but the concentration of chef-driven and upscale
The Best Restaurants in Port Jefferson, NY
If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Port Jefferson, NY, you’ll find one of the most well-rounded dining scenes on Long Island. Often referred
The Best Restaurants in Greenport, NY
Greenport feels more like a destination than a typical Long Island town, especially when it comes to food. Set on the North Fork, the village
The Best Restaurants in Bay Shore, NY
Bay Shore does not always get mentioned alongside the bigger food destinations on Long Island. But Bay Shore restaurants have been quietly building a dining
The Best Pizza on Long Island: My Top 5 Slices
People outside of New York don’t give Long Island the same attention as New York City when it comes to pizza. But I assure you