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After more than three decades in Port Jefferson Station, a beloved local diner is making a move up the road.
Station Coffee, a family-owned staple tucked inside Jefferson Plaza since 1992, is packing up and heading to Sound Beach this summer.
“I started working when I was a kid here and I grew up here,” said John Volikas, whose parents, Nick and Christine, opened the spot when he was just 8 years old.
Known for its no-frills charm and old-school counter service, Station Coffee has long been the go-to for hearty breakfasts, neighborhood chatter and a side of nostalgia. Locals swear by the chicken francese, but it’s the eggs, French toast and pancakes that keep morning regulars coming back.
How it happened
The move comes as Jefferson Plaza, once home to Station Coffee, Family Dollar and the Port Jefferson Station Post Office, is making way for a new apartment complex. Several businesses in the shopping center have already closed, and the Volikas family knew their time there was limited.
That’s when luck struck. A longtime customer who also happened to be the landlord of a former restaurant space in Sound Beach reached out.
“When it was open, I knew how well they did,” Volikas said of George’s Café, the former eatery at 175 Sound Beach Blvd.
With community buzz building, the Volikases began planning a fresh start, just five miles from their original location.
If you go
Station Coffee in Port Jefferson Station will close on June 15 and reopen in its new Sound Beach location on June 23, the restaurant just announced. The new spot features a similar layout to the original but offers a bit more space, giving counter diners a little more room away from the grill.
But one thing won’t change: the warm, familiar vibe.
“We’re not a chain or a big diner,” Volikas said. “We get to know our customers and when you’re here, you feel like home.”
Until the move is complete, Station Coffee remains open in Port Jefferson Station. The phone number, the recipes and the family-style service? All staying the same.
— photos by Julianne Mosher
