Long Island restaurant boom lets foodies stay closer to home

WESTBURY, N.Y. - Fewer Long Islanders these days are making the trek into New York City to enjoy a meal as more restaurants are setting up shop in the suburbs. 

Juniper at the Vanderbilt in Westbury has seen a 10% rise in a-la-carte dining over the past year, according to general manager John Nicoletti.

"People are staying close to home," he said. "When I started dating my wife, we used to go to the city and now we stay within a two-mile radius."

Staying closer to home is becoming more common, according to findings from Datassential, a research firm that provides data on the foodservice industry. Datassential's Mark Brandaux has noticed higher-end dining following people to the suburbs as they left Manhattan during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The rate of restaurants opening in suburban markets is a little higher than the rate of restaurants opening and staying open in urban markets," he said. "We had seen a trend of retirees, millennials starting families migrating to outer boroughs or parts of Long Island."

Years ago, check averages of many of these establishments used to be higher in the city but now more recently it's evening out, restaurant owners and managers said. That is another indication that Long Island is on par with the city when it comes to food and service.

"People like that they only have to drive 15 minutes instead of fighting city traffic," Nicoletti said. 

While some people do hope to change their ways, others say it's just convenient closer to home.