Restaurants

In less than a week, you’ll be able to get that long-overdue haircut, shop for new clothes, shoes and cars, go out to dinner at a local restaurant or sip a glass of local wine at one of the North Fork’s vineyards.

Outdoor dining at restaurants will be permitted in Phase Two of reopening, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today. Long Island is on track to enter Phase Two next Wednesday.

Suffolk County will grant automatic approval to restaurants seeking to expand their seating into outdoor areas, when they are approved at the local level, County Executive Steve Bellone announced today.

As Long Island begins to reopen its economy by entering Phase One of the NY Forward reopening plan, Riverhead officials are looking ahead to Phase Three, when restaurants are allowed to reopen. The town is working on plans to allow temporary outdoor dining, with table service, utilizing public spaces as needed to give restaurants the ability to expand beyond their dining rooms.

Chambers of Commerce across the East End are rallying their member businesses to press the county and state to allow them to reopen as Memorial Day weekend approaches.

Shah's Halal, a popular regional chain of halal restaurants plans an April 1 opening in the Dick's Sporting Goods shopping plaza on Route 58.

Popeyes will open its doors in Riverhead tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. The 2,265-square-foot, 30-seat restaurant is located at 212 Old Country Road (Route 58), just west of DMV Plaza.

The restaurant at Lighthouse Marina on Meetinghouse Creek is under new ownership this season. On the Docks opened its doors last month in the former Phil’s Waterfront Bar and Grill.

The new venture is Craft’d, a 49-seat restaurant featuring craft cocktails and craft beer, along with appetizers, small plates, sandwiches and salads to open in the former Vines and Hops location.

The iconic pancake house and family restaurant has filed a building permit application with the town and anticipates a mid-July opening.