The weather this Easter Sunday is forecasted to be delightful. So why not don your Easter bonnet and head out to one of the innumerable restaurants in our area that have been gearing up for this rite of spring. As we could not possibly list them all, this is just a tiny smattering of some of our favorite restaurants.
Grey Horse Tavern in Bayport is serving a delicious locally sourced brunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with specials that include local clams casino and North Fork farm stand salad followed by entrees such as crab Benedict (I love anything Benedict), croque madame, and lobster frittata. Yum.
Roots Bistro Gourmand in West Islip (our spring Back of the House story) is serving a divine Easter brunch and a 3-course Easter dinner. The menus are so tempting and inspired that it will be hard to decide between brunch and dinner. How about both?
Pentimento in Stony Brook Village is serving Easter Dinner from 2 to 8 p.m. Serving seasonally inspired Italian fare, this rustic and romantic eatery never disappoints.
Chef Guy Reuge of Restaurant Mirabelle in Stony Brook is preparing a French-inspired and locally sourced fixed price buffet ($48 per person; children 10 and under are $24) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The buffet includes kid’s eats and a visit from the Easter Bunny between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. From 1 to 7 p.m., Mirabelle will also be serving a 3-course fixed price dinner ($65 per person). Reservations are highly recommended.
The Polo Steakhouse at the Garden City Hotel is hosting an Easter Brunch Buffet, complete with the Easter Bunny, in its Grand Ballroom. At $75 per person (children are $37.50) the extensive buffet includes a carving station, risotto station, pasta station and an omelet station. While you are there, make sure you ask for the Belle Epoque cocktail, featured in our spring issue. Reservations are required.
Note: if you are in the vicinity of Garden City, their Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 59th Annual Vintage Car Parade, beginning at 1 p.m.
Rialto in Carle Place gave us a sneak peek at their Easter specials and my choices would be the broiled Blue Point oysters topped with Gorgonzola cheese for starters, followed by the pinot noir and tomato braised lamb shank served over garlic mashed potatoes. Save some room for dessert!
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, the Murphy Family’s Milleridge Inn in Jericho has been the holiday go-to destination for generations of Long Islanders. Serving an extensive Easter buffet brunch, buffet dinner and a sit-down dinner, reservations are required. Easter bonnets are optional.
For those of us eating at home, there is still plenty of time to shop at our local farmers markets (Riverhead, Farm to Fork in Northport), farm stands (Crossroads Farm at Grossman’s in Malvern opens up for the season on Saturday) and green grocers (North Shore Farms with locations in Commack, Glen Cove, Great Neck, Mineola and Port Washington , Grace’s Marketplace in Greenvale or Lombardi’s Market in Holbrook, to name a few). These vendors and markets are chock full of spring vegetables, cheeses, sausages, baked goods and artisanal provisions — everything you need to make your Easter dinner special.
