SEPTEMBER 2017 • longislandpres .com 65 52 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 52 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 52 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 201TUTU111
By BRENDAN MANLEY
Patchogue has been a destination
of sorts since 1869, when the final
stretch of South Side Railroad
tracks were laid from Sayville and
hotels and boarding houses sprang
up to handle New York City residents
looking to beat the heat.
The tourist boom went bust with
Wall Street in 1929, however, and
Patchogue retooled itself as a
regional shopping destination, with
scores of busy shops and restaurants
complementing its traditional
textile, paper and lumber industries.
The malls killed that iteration
of Patchogue in the 1960s, and the
village went into decay for the next
30 years, cementing its reputation
as the spot along Montauk Highway
where travelers pressed a little
heavier on the gas pedal.
The villages current rebirth began
in the late 1990s, when government,
business and varied economic
development agencies committed
to a sustained program of renewal.
Since then, the village’s acclaimed
1920s theater has been reclaimed,
hundreds of new apartments have
been built and downtown business
has returned to levels of activity not
seen since the 1950s.
If you’re spending the day or just
passing through, you can’t go
wrong with the suggestions that
follow.
Ferry to paradise
It’s true, one of the village’s main
draws are its ferries to Fire Island,
with ships departing daily from its
Davis Park Ferry Terminal (Sandspit
Marina, 80 Brightwood Street,
631-475-1665, davisparkferry.com)
and, historically, its Watch Hill
Ferry Terminal (160 West Avenue,
631-475-1665, davisparkferry.com).
Fire Island’s Watch Hill Marina,
however, is currently closed for repairs
by the National Park Service,
and will reopen for the 2018 season,
along with corresponding ferry
service. The Davis Park ferry takes
beachgoers to its namesake on Fire
Island, as well as Leja Beach and
Ocean Ridge. Check the website for
the latest schedule.
Patchogue’s got talent
A focal point of Patchogue’s downtown
is the Patchogue Theatre for
the Performing Arts (71 E. Main
Street, 631-207-1300, patchoguetheatre.
org), a beautifully restored
1,104-seat, venue originally opened
in 1923 as Ward & Glynne’s Theatre.
As majestic today as ever, the
theater, now owned by the village,
is the largest of its kind in Suffolk
County, and offers a busy slate of
musicians, comedians, plays and
more. Spacious seating upgrades
installed in 2016 only further improved
an already fabulous facility.
If you prefer your entertainment a
bit louder and rowdier, Patchogue’s
89 North (89 N. Ocean Avenue,
631-730-8992, 89northmusic.com)
is the village’s current contribution
to LI’s proud rock club lineage, singularly
so since the sudden closing
of The Emporium in May. At 89
North, the venue pairs its worldclass
sound, lighting and staging
with a well-positioned bar and
an upper seating area with table
service. Whether you’re watching
a local band or a national touring
artist, every show here is an event.
A foodie’s fantasy
Patchogue has quietly become one
of Long Island’s top destinations
for dining, from posh, big-ticket
eateries to authentic, roll-up-yoursleeves
street food. There’s something
for everyone, whether you’re
craving the smoky goodness of
BBQ mecca Bobbique (70 W. Main
Street, 631-447-7744, bobbique.
com), the delicate, mouthwatering
sushi and Japanese fare at 360
Taiko Sushi & Lounge (47 S. Ocean
Avenue, 631-207-6888, 360taiko.
DESTINATIONS
On The Waterfront
After a decade of reinvention, Patchogue is once again a seaside gem
Patchogue’s Alive After 5 summer street festival, which runs Fridays in July and August, attracts thousands.
The menu is thick with tropical
inspired fare at Rhum.