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BESTOFLI2016

BEST RICE PUDDING ATHENIAN GREEK TAVERNA 2187 Jericho Turnpike, Commack. 631-499-7660. atheniangreektaverna.com This creamy, fulfi lling blend of rice, cinnamon, sugar, eggs and cream is exactly what the doctor ordered! Thick, sweet and gorgeous, it’s obvious Athenian Greek Taverna puts a lil something else in this traditional Rizogalo: love! And it’s contagious. You are guaranteed to fall in love with this amazing dessert upon the fi rst mouthful, as so many Long Islanders have! BEST SALAD DELICIOUS MOMENTS CATERERS 792 Merrick Rd., Baldwin. 516-594-1349. icater4u.com Fresh, healthy and fi lling, Delicious Moments Caterers make each and every salad with one intention in mind: to elevate whatever event or gathering it will be served at to a whole new level. Whether it’s their Greek pasta salad or a bowl of their popular three-bean composition, Long Islanders consistently vote Delicious Moments The Best salad purveyors on Long Island! BEST SANDWICH DEAL BEN’S KOSHER DELICATESSEN Multiple Locations. bensdeli.net Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen routinely offers some pretty amazing sandwich deals to go along with their pretty amazing menu. From specialty platters and weekday specials to homemade Chef’s Choice Specials, you’ll always fi nd the sandwich you’re looking for, piled high, and at the price you’re looking for, at Ben’s. BEST SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS SANDWICH FATTUSCO’S GOURMET 1019 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport. 631-651-9777. fattuscos.com Think plump, meaty sausages screaming with juicy fl avor intertwined with fresh, sweet peppers and onion tightly pressed between a soft, heavenly roll that literally makes you appreciate life a wee bit more with every warm bite and you’ll get just a tiny sliver of a glimpse as to just how irresistibly wonderful this sandwich is. Mouth is literally watering just writing this blurb, as we’re sure yours is. BEST SLIDERS SLIDER JOE’S 189 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre. 516-766-2000. sliderjoes.com Cheese sliders, chicken sliders, 100-percent certifi ed Angus beef sliders, overstuffed pulled pork sliders—Slider Joe’s specializes in all shapes and sizes of these smooth, tasty morsels of joy! Applewood smoked bacon, shaved onions, melted cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce, lettuce and tomato—load up any toppings you wish, Slider Joe’s embodies sheer slider perfection, pressed between soft, steamed buns! NATIONAL WHITE CASTLE Multiple Locations. whitecastle.com White Castle’s been perfecting their slider since 1921. Since then, their iconic, 2x2-inch beef bombers pressed between a soft, steamed bun and topped with pickle and onions have become synonymous with satisfaction. These lil puppies come in equally iconic sleeves, sacks and cases, because as Long Islanders know all too well: They are addictive! BEST SMOOTHIE TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ Multiple Locations. tropicalsmoothie.com Sometimes nothing else will do without a quality smoothie. Sometimes salads, wraps, sandwiches, fl atbreads, fruit medleys and kale slaw just need that extra oomph, that perfect partner. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, which offers all of the aforementioned foodstuffs, specializes in providing that additional power-charge, via more than two dozen cool, creamy smoothies, made with fresh fruit and vegetables and any number of supplements and add-ins to jazz those puppies up even more! Sooo good! BEST SOFT PRETZEL RUFFINO’S KNOT OF THIS WORLD 3041 Hempstead Tpke., Tri-county/ Unique Bazaar Levittown. This soft pretzel master has been bending, twisting and molding the softest and most malleable dough around into traditional and extraordinary shapes that Tri-County Flea Market shoppers have been enjoying for years. Since attaining this contest’s top spot in previous years, however, the secret’s now out, attracting pretzel fans from all over to pay Ruffi no’s a visit and experience his doughy creations. Lightly salted, dipped in mustard, or dripping in melted cheese, these are The Best soft pretzels on Long Island! NATIONAL AUNTIE ANNE’S Multiple Locations. auntieannes.com Auntie Anne’s offers a soft, doughy reprieve from the chaos of a crowded shopping mall that fi lls the belly and warms the heart. Yes, a fresh, warm pretzel with just the right amount of salt and just the right amount of mustard (perhaps some cheese, too) has the extraordinary ability to calm even the tensest nerves and most hectic situations. With a wide selection of freshly baked soft pretzels that run the gamut from Cinnamon Sugar and Sweet Almond to Roasted Garlic & Parmesan to Pepperoni (!!), Auntie Anne’s has just the right creation for just the right moment, whatever that moment may be! BEST SOUP CJ’S COFFEE SHOP 225 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre. 516-766-9107. cjscoffeeshop.com A fur hat, cashmere scarf, vintage overcoat, mittens and ear muffs can only go so far in the vicious, frigid wrath of the polar vortex. You’re going to need some hearty, steaming soup to warm your bones and heal your soul. Scratch that. You’re going to need a massive, steaming bowl of soup to do all that. At CJ’s fresh, homemade soup is always on the menu, and it always does the trick! NATIONAL PANERA BREAD Multiple Locations. panerabread.com Nothing beats a hot, steaming bread bowl of fresh soup to warm your bones and chase those winter chills away! Panera has a wide selection of these soul-soothing broths to keep you warm and recharged as the mercury drops. Thankfully, they also create an incredible lineup of sandwiches and dessert goodies to dunk! Try dipping a Bear Claw into a delectable bowl of Broccoli Cheddar and melt those snowfl akes away! BEST SPECIALTY PIZZA FATTUSCO’S GOURMET 1019 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport. 631-651-9777. fattusco.com With nearly two dozen insanely magnifi cent specialty pizza pies to choose from--including the savory, self-explanatory General Tso Chicken Pizza and uber-dreamy Nutella Dessert Pizza (yes, slathered in nutella and cannoli cream)— Fattusco’s prides itself on using “only the fi nest and freshest ingredients” and a healthy dose of imagination. These hybrid beauties redefi ne everything a solid pizza is or could ever hope to aspire to be. BEST SPINACH PIE THE GREEK PLACE 2144 Jericho Tpke., Garden City. 516-673-4545. thegreekplacegcp.com We said it last year and we’ll repeat it again: Spanakopita, prepared the right way, possesses transcendental powers. From its crispy-yettender outer layer to its moist, fi lling interior, The Greek Place’s spinach pie can remedy your appetite and soothe your very soul. This special treat is the culmination of more than two decades of culinary fortitude, and is the perfect accompaniment to any number of Chef Pete’s legendary Greek creations! BEST SUSHI KOTOBUKI RESTAURANT Multiple Locations. kotobukinewyork.com If you’ve never been to Kotobuki—whether its Hauppauge, Roslyn or Babylon location—you are truly missing out. The fi sh is fresh, the service is impeccable, and the presentation is outstanding. Expert sushi chefs craft perfection from the colorful pieces of seafood, each one truly a work of edible, exquisite art. Full of fl avor, with a large selection of imaginative appetizers, entrees and rolls, Kotobuki has a devout following that only grows year after year. BEST TACO CARACARA 354 Main St., Farmingdale. 516-777-2272 caracaramex.com There’s a moment when contemplating whether or not to order tacos for lunch or dinner when your mind considers all the possibilities: Will it be steak today? Chicken? No. perhaps it is a fi sh day today, or maybe even some crustacean. After settling on the main component, you are once again confronted with the joyous potential offered by the accompaniments: salsa, guac, cheese, onions—pineapples? At Caracara, no creation is too adventurous and no quantity is too many. Long Islanders have weighed all the options, and once again they have voted “More! More! More!” BEST VEGGIE BURGER BAREBURGER 32 Middle Neck Rd., Great Neck. 516-441-5711. 32-middle-neck-road. bareburger.com Specializing in organic and all-natural salads, sandwiches, sides, and of course, burgers, Bareburger leaves out all the bad stuff and focuses on the freshest, purest ingredients to ensure a happy, healthy eating experience good for your mind, body and spirit. Their veggie burger, nicknamed the “Barest Burger,” includes Farmers Quinoa, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato & Wild Rice patties, with plenty of fi xin’s to load on top! At Bareburger, eating healthy never tasted so good! BEST WINGS SPIRO’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 4 Patchogue Dr., Rocky Point. 631-744-4100. spiroslounge.com There are several key elements to a truly fantastic wing. First, the meat: It must be fresh, plump, and juicy. Second, the texture: Those lil babes must be fried to crispy perfection. Third, and arguably, most signifi cant, the sauce: It must be lights-out magnifi cent, no matter what your tongue’s temperature tolerance. Spiro’s, known throughout Long Island for absolutely exceptional Greek cuisine, also knows a thing or two about how to make mean (and uber-tasty) wings. It is impossible to have just one! Some Malamatina to wash her down, waiter? Surely! NATIONAL BUFFALO WILD WINGS Multiple Locations. buffalowildwings.com It’s tough to beat the exuberant glory of biting into a quality hot wing. First, there’s the texture: tender and moist, completely coated in hot sauce. Then, there’s the sauce itself--mild, hot or inferno! Buffalo Wild Wings serves traditional or boneless wings drenched in a choice of nearly two dozen signature sauces and dry seasonings! From Salt & Vinegar to Reformulated Blazin, they’ve got the fl avors and spices you need, whatever you can handle! BESTOF.LONGISLANDPRESS.COM /// WINNERS GUIDE BETHPAGE BEST OF L.I. 2016 35


BESTOFLI2016
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