94 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2018
SPOTLIGHT ON 2018 WINNERS
YOU VOTED, THEY WON:
LI’S BEST EATERIES
BEST GREEK
RESTAURANT
When the mood for Mediterranean
cuisine strikes, there is no better
place to satisfy that urge than Neraki
Greek Mediterranean Grill in downtown
Huntington. They take special
care to present the delicacies that
call your name, like feta-filled Greek
salad with chicken, homemade pastichio
and moussaka. And don’t you
dare leave without sampling some
grilled octopus. Neraki Greek Mediterranean,
273 Main St., Huntington,
631-385-3474, Neraki.com
BEST CHEF
Long Island’s favorite chef is Maliblue
Oyster Bar’s Chris Seidl, the
mastermind of Maliblue’s delicious
lobster mac and cheese and grilled
shrimp tacos. Chef Seidl’s creations
feed the lively crowd at this popular
Lido Beach hangout just steps from
the sand. You’ll thank him when
you try the crab cakes and applaud
his selection of shellfish from Maliblue’s
excellent raw bar. Chef Chris
Seidl, Maliblue Oyster Bar, 1500
Lido Blvd., Lido Beach, 516-442-2799,
maliblueoysterbar.com
BEST SEAFOOD
RESTAURANT
If you want to dine at the Best
Seafood Restaurant on Long Island,
set sail for Anchor Down Seafood
Bar and Grill in Merrick. Getting
this distinction is a great catch for
owner and Executive Chef Stephen
Rosenbluth. Customers are hooked
on the oyster selection, the mussels
in Thai coconut curry, and the fried
calamari and shrimp sautéed in hot
peppers, basil and marinara sauce.
Anchor Down Bar and Grill, 1960 Bayberry
Ave., Merrick, 516-544-4334,
anchordownny.com
BEST FRENCH
RESTAURANT
Savor this place, mes amis!
With ties to its sister Sage Bistro
in Bellmore, this Oceanside venue
has won acclaim for serving the
finest and freshest French cuisine
imaginable in a comfortably cozy,
upscale environment replete with
lots of dark wood, striped brocade
banquettes and an inviting ambiance.
The octopus salad is a special treat,
the steak frites never disappoint,
and the dark chocolate mousse is
divine. Brasserie Persil, 2825 Long
Beach Rd., Oceanside, 516-992-1742,
persilrestaurant.com
BEST FISH MARKET
Having opened in 1978, The Fish
Store, a family-owned business,
goes above and beyond to ensure
that its customers get the freshest
fish. This includes shrimp, wild
salmon, cod, mussels, squid, oysters,
lobster tails and more. Stay a while,
as The Fish Store has also opened a
restaurant, allowing customers to
enjoy both great seafood and great
company! The Fish Store, 836 Montauk
Hwy., Bayport, 631-472-3018,
thefishstoreonline.com
BEST MEXICAN AND
LATIN CUISINE
Maria’s Mexican and Latin Cuisine
is the place to go for a divinely
delicious dining experience that has
consistently helped it secure the top
spot in this coveted category. Yes,
Maria’s has been recognized as the
Best Latin American Restaurant on
Long Island yet again! From terrific
tapas to great guacamole, Maria’s
makes meals magical as it goes beyond
normal expectations to treat
customers to something truly special.
Maria’s Mexican and Latin Cuisine,
211 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset, 631-
979-7724, marias211.com
BEST ROMANTIC
DINNER,
MEDITERRANEAN
RESTAURANT
As that discriminating taste-setter
Virginia Woolf once put it: “One cannot
think well, love well, sleep well, if
one has not dined well.” A romantic
evening fills the senses when you
celebrate it with someone special
as you savor a lovely meal together.
And where else should a couple contemplate
their precious moments
as a twosome than at Sufiya’s Grill
in East Meadow. Sufiya’s Grill, 2320
Hempstead Tpke., East Meadow, 516-
644-2200, sufiyasgrill.com
BEST CAJUN, SOUL/
SOUTHERN FOOD, TEXMEX,
MEXICAN, BEST
RESTAURANT AND BEST
WAIT SERVICE
The competition could not be hotter,
but R.S. Jones has come out on
top as the Best Restaurant on Long
Island. Perhaps it’s the exceptional
cuisine. Among other absolutely delicious
specialties, R.S. Jones serves
up electrifying dishes that include
gumbo, chili, fried pickles, alligator
wontons, nachos, shrimp and grits,
and biscuits and gravy! Then there’s
the absolutely amazing vibe: Food
aficionados and music lovers alike
frequently call R.S. Jones home. The
staff is friendly and knowledgeable
and always willing to please, too! R.S.
Jones, 153 Merrick Ave., Merrick, 516-
378-7177, rsjones.com
GET READY TO VOTE
Vote for your favorite businesses and people in the 2019
Bethpage Best of Long Island program, beginning Oct. 1
through Dec. 15. Nominations are now closed.
Step 1: Visit bestoflongisland.com
Step 2: Click “Vote Now”
Step 3: Fill out form
Step 4: Select a category and click ”Vote”
Step 5: Repeat for all your favorite people and businesses
To find all the other 2018 Bethpage Best of Long Island
contest winners, visit bestoflongisland.com