Best Jarred Pasta Sauce Vincent’s Clam Bar 179 Old Country Rd., Carle Place. 516-742-4577. vincentsclambar.com Vodka, fra diavolo, marinara, mild, medium or hot— Vincent’s original, nationally ranked homemade sauces have been bringing the family’s passion and dedication to Old World flavor and tradition to the dinner plates of Long Islanders for more than a century, and continues to dominate this prestigious category year after year! So once again, be sure and grab some jars from your local supermarket, or better yet, stop by the restaurant and pick up a few—and tell ’em Bobby sent ya! Best Lobster Roll Jordan’s Lobster Farm 1 Pettit Pl., Island Park. 516-889-3314. jordanlobsterfarms.com Family owned and operated for more than half a century, Jordan Lobster Farm carries on a tradition began so long ago by Bill Jordan and continued to this day by his sons. Jordan’s Maine Lobster Roll is a work of sheer beauty— thick, succulent crustacean with all the fixings snuggled comfortably between the halves of a soft, warm roll, accompanied by French fries and a pickle. Wow. Best Lunch Deal CJ’s Cofee Shop 225 N. Long Beach Rd. Rockville Centre. 516-766-9107. cjscoffeeshop.com CJ’s offers daily homemade lunch specials that will please the wallet as much as the belly. A recent sampling included a “Blue Plate Special” quiche with a salad along with a beverage and cup of soup for $8.50 and a grilled chickenavocado melted mozzarella “Panini of the Day” spritzed with balsamic dressing and served with mac salad for $8.25. Those are in addition to several platters and desserts! Wow. National Panera Bread Multiple Locations. panerabread.com Whether it’s a loaded boxed lunch replete with half-sandwiches, salads, potato chips, pickle spears, bread and fresh baked cookies or their popular Classic Pairs “You Pick Two” combos, Panera has some incredible lunch deals that will soothe your belly and your wallet! Best Luncheonette CJ’s Cofee Shop 225 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre. 516-766-9107. cjscoffeeshop.com It’s tough to put a price tag on truly spectacular home-cooked meals prepared fresh, daily, by a friendly staff who truly cares about their customers. Some might say it’s priceless. That’s how Long Islanders feel about CJ’s, where lunch specials, smiling faces and high-quality dishes are the norm. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, CJ’s is that special place where customers don’t just come to chow down, they come to say hello, catch up, and appreciate the finer nuances of The Best luncheonette on Long Island, together. Best Macaroni and Cheese Delicious Moments Caterers 792 Merrick Rd., Baldwin. 516-594-1349. icater4u.com Creamy, smooth and always loaded with enough macaroni that the velvety sea of liquid cheese is able to be devoured with a fork instead of a spoon, Delicious Moments Caterers’ man and chee has been wowing families and businesses across Long Island ever since their first vat of the good stuff made its way to a special gathering in 1995. Long Islanders can’t seem to get enough, requesting it again and again at birthday parties, corporate events and celebrations throughout both Nassau and Suffolk! Yum yum yum! Best Meatball That Meetball Place 54 W. Main St., Patchogue. 631-569-5888. thatmeetballplaceli.com The complete list of mouth-watering meatballs created in this popular go-to eats-and-gathering spot is far too lengthy to recite here. From spinach and feta cheese-infused Chicken Balls to saffron rice, lobster and red pepper-packed Lobster Risotto Balls, to everything meatballrelated in between (including Veggie Balls), That Meetball Place is guaranteed to leave you full, smiling, and looking forward to your next meatball adventure! Best Mussels Waterzooi Belgian Bistro 850 Franklin Ave., Garden City. 516-877-2177. waterzooi.com Having served more than 2.5 million pounds of mussels to date and still counting, Waterzooi Belgian Bistro knows a thing or two about how to prepare and serve these marine bivalve mollusks. Presented in a large, steaming cauldron, accompanied by frites and patrons’ choice of specialty mayonnaise (there are a ton to choose from), Waterzooi sets the bar for quality mussels and then surpasses that standard—transforming every meal into a celebration! Don’t forget to pair those tasty critters with some premium Belgian brew for a truly amazing dining experience! Best Nachos Del Fuego - North 429 North Country Rd., Saint James. 631-963-6900. delfuegorestaurant.com Their name says it all: “Nachos Del Fuego,” literally translating into “Nachos Of Fire.” The outer sheath of fresh jalapenos likely has a lot to do with this branding, though the extraordinary combo of tri-colored tortilla smothered in melted cheese beneath a gorgeous heap of house-made chili, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, lettuce and fresh crema also play no small part. Appetizer or main dish--this gorgeous beauty works both ways, and will leave you speechless, every time! Best Off Premise Caterer Delicious Moments Caterers 792 Merrick Rd., Baldwin. 516-594-1349. icater4u.com Since 1995 this full-service caterer and party planner has been transforming birthday parties, engagements, corporate events and any number of other family or professional gatherings into memorable affairs defined by outstanding service, high-quality meals and desserts, and magnificent presentation. Gourmet buffets, hors d’oeuvres, assorted food stations, lunches, brunches and sit-down dinners—Delicious Moments even has their very own party rooms to host the actual events! Best Organic Eatery West East Bistro 758 S. Broadway, Hicksville. 516-939-6618. westeastbistro.com All the vegetables, spices, rice, flour and sugar at West End Bistro are organic, from non-GMO sources. All their pork, beef and poultry is organic. West End Bistro’s menu is created by its resident health coach, Raquel, and includes a wide selection of gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options. West End Bistro prides itself on serving high-quality dishes that are made with the healthiest ingredients on Earth, and an ample amount of love, too! Best Pancakes Maureen’s Kitchen 108 Terry Rd., Smithtown. 631-360-9227. Maureen’s Kitchen’s pancake creations are as delicious as they are imaginative. Seriously. You really haven’t truly experienced all that a pancake can be until you visit this cow-themed flapjack spot! Pumpkin Walnut? Yes. Pistachio? Indeed. Blueberry!? Of course! Maureen’s will blow your mind, one pancake at a time! Pa .The pancakes at Maureen’s Kitchen in Smithtown is the stuff of (sub)urban legend. Specialty stacks such as Pumpkin Walnut Pancakes and Pistachio pancakes keep customers lining up. When the need for a sweet breakfast beckons, treat yourself to the creations you can only find at Maureen’s. And be sure to raise a forkful high to all those cutesy cows decorating this one-of-akind breakfast-pancake institution! National IHOP Multiple Locations. ihop.com A truly wonderful pancake can go a long way. IHOP makes pancakes the way they were meant to be made: soft, fluffy, and delicious! From Stuffed Crepes to German-Style to Smiley-Face and Silver Dollar, IHOP has dozens of choices to choose from and an accompanying breakfast menu that can easily make a solo flapjack into an eggs-and-sausage team player! The best part: They serve pancakes All Day Long, so you can feast on some pancakes for dinner, too! Best Pastrami Sandwich Ben’s Kosher Delicatessan Multiple Locations. bensdeli.net Never underestimate the unbridled glory of a quality pastrami sandwich. At Ben’s they cut that meat fresh and pile it high. This is a double-hander, for sure, because you’ll want to at least try and prevent some of that pastrami from slipping out the back of the rye bread and toppling across its accompanying pickles. Or maybe you prefer that, mixing the meat with any other sides or condiments as you go. Whichever way you choose to devour this thing, you’re lucky, because Long Islanders consistently vote it The Best! Best Pizza Mario’s Pizza & Restaurant 655 Broadway., Massapequa. 516-797-1122. mariosmassapequa.com There’s something magical that happens when just the right amount of melted cheese and homemade sauce bond atop a crispy-yet-not-too crispy slice of dough. Simply tossing these two prime ingredients together and hoping for the best won’t cut it. No, the perfect slice of pizza requires something more, something forged from years, perhaps decades of experience, knowing when that dough should be put in the oven, knowing the secrets of creating a fantastic sauce. Mario’s has earned this prestigious title due to all of the above, and so much more. Family owned and operated for more than three decades since their first location in Canarsie, Brooklyn, opening in Massapequa in 1998, Mario’s is crowned The Best on Long Island because voters recognize their dedication to the art that is pizza making. At Mario’s, everything on the menu is made from scratch, and at least one of their secret ingredients is glaringly evident: a whole lotta love goes into each and every slice. You can taste it! Best Ribs Smokin Al’s 4847 Merrick Rd., Massapequa Park. 516-799-4900. smokinals.com Smokin’ Al’s ribs are literally fall-off-the-bone phenomenal, glazed in their special, homemade sauce, and finger-lickin’ great! Meaty, oh-so tender, and slow-cooked till they’ll simply melt in your mouth, there’s absolutely no question why Long Islanders resoundingly declare Smokin’ Al’s The Best ribs year after year! Best Rice Ball Mario’s Pizza & Restaurant 655 Broadway., Massapequa. 516-797-1122. mariosmassapequa.com Perfect singularly as an appetizer or piled high together as a full meal, Mario’s rice balls are the epitome of all that is exceptional with this classic Italian creation. The tightly packed sphere is loaded with all the rice, cheese and flavor that has made this dish such a staple, and then some! Crispy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, Mario’s knows rice balls, and Long Islanders know Mario’s makes The Best! 34 BETHPAGE BEST OF L.I. 2016 WINNERS GUIDE /// BESTOF.LONGISLANDPRESS.com
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