Side Door Social opens in former Middle Island Friendly's

Longwood native Kevin Muller went from scooping ice cream as a teenager at this former Friendly’s in Middle Island to opening Side Door Social, the area’s newest gastropub-style restaurant, in the same space.

The Middle Country Road location later became Meltology, also operated by Muller. After the pandemic, the eatery transitioned to more of a takeout and delivery-forward business, which inspired Muller to do something different with the space. Side Door Social opened in mid-August — guests enter through the side door of the adjoining Meltology.

"We did tremendously well at Friendly’s in the early days," he said. "I wanted to take over the space and do my own concept."

Muller and executive chef Jose Nunez, worked on developing the menu, which is inspired by the  Peruvian native’s "journey through kitchens around the world," Nunez said.

"I’ve worked in kitchens in Europe, like in Poland, I’ve worked on cruise ships," Nunez said. "I’ve also worked in some hotels here, like the Hyatt and some spots in the city, before coming here to Long Island when I was managing kitchens of some restaurants."

He most recently managed the kitchen at  the Post Office Café in Babylon, he added.

The globally inspired menu includes the slow-braised pork osso buco ($30) served over roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed broccolini finished with a rich sherry wine demi-glace. While this dish could feel very salty for some, it's delicious. The meat is tender and the demi-glace gives it the right amount of sweetness. Side Door Social also serves Mongolian glazed pork belly buns ($19), made with red cabbage slaw, pickles and garlic-ginger aioli served on bao buns. The menu features spicy penne a la vodka ($24) with crumbled prosciutto and burrata.

"We didn't want to go crazy on a huge variety of stuff because we knew we'd be constantly rotating dishes on a specials menu," Muller said.

Side Door Social's cocktails include the Pineapple Social Club, made with Captain Morgan spiced rum, pineapple, lime and aromatic bitters. The Blackberry Bourbon Smash, made with Maker's Mark bourbon, blackberry and club soda, and the Side Door Sunset, made with Tito's vodka, blood orange, passionfruit, lemon, Champagne and orange.

The interior of the eatery offers a warm, bright, yet elevated, modern tavern feel, featuring dramatic black ceiling tiles, a comfortable, booth-heavy layout and a muted, earthy palette.

Aside from rotating specials, Side Door Social offers a brunch menu on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and happy hours on weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m.

Side Door Social, 848 Middle Country Rd., Middle Island, sidedoor.social, 631-775-6201. Open Thursdays to Mondays, noon to 11 p.m.

By Melissa Azofeifa

melissa.azofeifa@newsday.com

Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.