Newsday's food critics share the best things they ate on Long Island in May
A special appetizer of fried anchovies at Lale Turkish Restaurant in Lindenhurst, May 8, 2026. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
Newsday's food team eats out every day of the week on Long Island in search of standout meals at a good value. Here are their favorite dishes from the past few weeks:
Sausage smart’wich at Smart’Wich
98 Jackson Ave., Syosset
The idea for Smart’Wich, the new Syosset sandwich shop that began as a counter in Francesco’s Bakery in Hicksville, came while chef Michael Guerrieri was still living in Lisbon; so his "smart'wiches" are made on pao saloio, a Portuguese cousin to the baguette. The shop has a 12-sandwich spread, but so far, my favorite is the crumbled sausage, chopped kale, cooked tomato, mozzarella drizzled with homemade Portuguese piri piri oil, giving it a subtle kick ($13.99). Pair it with Guerrieri's house-brewed bay leaf tea, a natural anti-inflammatory and immunity booster. Smart, indeed. More info: 516-450-9150, smartwich.com
The sausage smart'wich at Smart'Wich. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
Lavraki at Symi
843 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport
There are few meals more satisfying than a simply grilled piece of fish, sprinkled with lemon and fresh herbs, seasoned with salt and pepper. I was recently reminded that Symi in Northport is one of the best places on the Island to satisfy that itch. Taking a page from sister spot Kyma, the OG of perfectly cooked fish, Symi's lavraki ($37) — a mildly sweet white fish also known as European sea bass, the Italian branzino and the French loup de mer — is an elegant meal lacking the pretense and fluff that so many lesser restaurants have embraced. Topped with briny capers, served with a lemon wedge alongside lemon potatoes, leek rice or vegetables, this is the Mediterranean diet we want on repeat in our lives. Pro tip: It's also served as part of a three-course lunch special for $28. More info: 631-380-3252, symirestaurant.com
— Marie Elena Martinez
The lavraki, a Greek fish more commonly known by its Italian name, branzino, at Symi. Credit: Symi Restaurant
The 'fiery karma' sandwich at Crispy Karma
271-11 Union Tpke., New Hyde Park
The team behind Sea Cliff’s The Onion Tree just opened a fast-casual shop in New Hyde Park that specializes in Indian fried chicken, and the signature item is this "fiery karma" sandwich ($14): a buttermilk-marinated thigh dredged in a spicy tamarind-ginger-Thai-chili coating and then fried till crisp and golden. The chicken is topped with papaya-cabbage slaw, two chutneys and served on a potato bun. The chutneys — green cilantro and red tamarind-date — make great dipping sauces for the hand-cut french fries. More info: 347-343-2411, crispykarma.com
Fried anchovies at Lale Turkish Restaurant
60 W. Montauk Hwy., Lindenhurst
Long Island’s Turkish restaurants are generally of a very high caliber, but Lale stands out both for its renderings of menu standards (eggplant salad, doner kebab, etc.) and its commitment to daily specials drawn from the repertoire of home cooks. You might happen upon braised flat beans with bits of lamb, or delicate fingers of stuffed cabbage or this crackling sunburst of fried anchovies ($26) garnished lovingly with wedges of fennel and lemon. This dish went way beyond homestyle to the heights of seafood cookery. More info: 631-592-4550, Instagram: @lalerestaurantny
— Erica Marcus
Colombian hot dog at Encanto Crepes & Cafe
140C Main St., Greenport
While this Colombian crepe spot has some delicious crepes, their Colombian hot dog ($10) really impressed me. They added this treat along with some other Colombian goodies to their menu when they moved to Greenport’s Main Street earlier this month. The hot dog is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It’s made with onions, a pineapple topping, mozzarella cheese, potato chips and chipotle sauce. More info: 631-477-6533, encantocrepescafe.com
The lobster flights at 317 Main
317 Main St., Farmingdale
Lobster is one of those foods that just transports you to summer. 317 Main’s lobster flights ($48) are a must try. You get five mini lobster rolls: traditional, BBQ, Tajin, truffled and avocado. They’re served with pickles, corn salad, watermelon or coleslaw. They are so satisfying. More info: 516-512-5317, 317mainstreet.com
— Melissa Azofeifa
Zhajiang noodles at Lucky Dumplings
19 Northern Blvd., Great Neck
There aren’t too many options for freshly pulled Chinese noodles in town. That’s why I’m really hyped about a new restaurant on the border of Great Neck and Queens that makes its own dumplings and noodles from scratch. The Northeastern style zhajiang noodle ($12.98) wowed on a recent lunch, with its dark brown, porky sauce made from fermented soybean paste. The thick, curly wheat noodles have a chewiness you just don't get from the dried variety. They really cling to the savory, sweet brew of the sauce, which is surprisingly delicate, topped with a garden of fresh cucumber sticks. More info: 516-321-9048
Fish taco at Zeebo's
Inside Bright Eye Beer Co., 50 W. Park Ave., Long Beach
The FeedMe food team has been on a hunt for house-made nixtamalized corn tortillas. And this is the closest we’ve come so far. Chef-brothers Sam and Zach Rabiner work out of the second floor of Bright Eye Beer Co. in Long Beach, and put out a menu of tacos, burgers and fries Tuesday through Saturday evenings from 5 to 10 p.m. The menu usually includes a rib-eye taco and a halibut fish taco ($9), which both have the most delicious corn tortillas made from nixtamalized corn that the brothers get from an unnamed source. The halibut itself was beautifully crispy and bulbous, and the fiery salsas were on point too. More info: 516-543-5736, Instagram: @zeebos
— Andi Berlin
