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Butera’s has finally opened its doors in downtown Bay Shore.
As GreaterBayshore wrote back in January, the family-owned restaurant group chose Bay Shore as its newest location.
Doors offcally opened to the public on Sept. 1 after a long wait.
Martin Butera, one of the co-owners, originally said that planning for the Bay Shore location initially started in 2016, but was put on hold to focus on the company’s sales of frozen chicken meatballs and jarred sauces.
And after those took off, and after the closing of their Smithtown location, they began construction on the corner of Third Avenue, just north of East Main Street.
The space was formerly occupied by several different businesses, namely Special Sauce, and its immediate neighbors include Tula’s Kitchen and Southside Bar & Restaurant.
Although they were initially scheduled to open in early spring, Butera said that the pandemic put things on hold.
“We still have to go forward,” he said. “It’s not our first choice to open a restaurant during a pandemic, but we’re hopeful and excited.”
Butera and his team completely gutted the space and renovated it to an open and inviting eatery. He said that the floor plan is ideal for social distancing, and they have a large outdoor dining space on the patio.
“I love the space,” he said. “It came out nice… it’s a current design and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback.”
He added that the Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce has been a huge support and help with the opening.
“I’m relieved,” Butera said. “I’m happy we got the project done.”
To see a menu for the new spot, you can check out their website here
Photo of the new Butera’s in Bay Shore courtesy of Martin Butera
