Greater Port Jeff coverage is funded in part by McIntyre, Donohue, Accardi, Salmonson & Riordan, LLP, representing NY’s injured workers for 80+ years. Click here to read more.
Dark Horse Coffee, the Sayville café that became an instant hit in a Sunrise Highway strip mall, is heading to Port Jefferson — and this time, it’s going big.
Owner Andre du Chaussee said the move wasn’t even part of the plan, but fate stepped in.
“We weren’t looking for a space at all,” du Chaussee said. “Dark Horse in Sayville had only been open a year-and-a-half.”
But a chance run-in with an old friend while out to dinner in Port Jeff changed everything.
That friend had just renovated a long-vacant deli at 156 W. Broadway and was looking for the perfect tenant. After thinking it over, du Chaussee and his team signed the lease eight months ago and began transforming the space into the next evolution of Dark Horse.
How it all started
Before there was cold brew and avocado toast, there was pizza.
Du Chaussee and his partner, Tim O’Leary, first crossed paths working at Royal Pizza in Patchogue back in the 2000s. They reunited years later at Caffe Amici in Selden, and eventually du Chaussee went on to work together elsewhere as well.
But they always wanted something of their own.
“We always thought it would be pizza,” O’Leary said.
Instead, they pivoted to coffee and a made-from-scratch brunch-and-lunch concept with a huge focus on hospitality.
In May 2023, they opened Dark Horse in Sayville at 4836 Sunrise Highway, where it quickly became a go-to for locals looking to sip, snack and work remotely.
The only drawback? Not enough seats. The Port Jeff location fixes that.
What to expect in Port Jeff
The new café is much larger than the Sayville original, with a dining room that’s nearly double the size.
“In Sayville, we wanted to do a lounge area, but we decided against it,” O’Leary said.
Now they’re going all in — with plenty of room for lounging, coworking, and catching up with friends.
The setup will have two distinct vibes: One side will feel like the Sayville spot with a full café and food counter. The other will be cozier, featuring love seats, coffee tables, and armchairs, with a semi-private nook tucked away for more laid-back hangs.
“That’s where the whole engine of the place is going to happen,” O’Leary said of the central open kitchen.
Outside, there will be a small patio facing Broadway with greenery and tables to enjoy your espresso al fresco.
“There’s a lot of room to grow,” he said.
Enter Terri
Helping guide that growth is veteran chef and culinary director Terri Novak of Middle Island, who recently joined the team as their new hospitality lead in Port Jeff.
Novak, who’s helped run several standout Long Island spots, met du Chaussee over a decade ago. Their paths crossed again when she visited Dark Horse in Sayville — and the conversation just clicked.
“I just so happened to visit the Sayville location, and we got to talking,” she said. “They said they were looking for someone to build a hospitality team in Port Jeff.”
They quickly realized their goals aligned.
“We’re staying true to our menu, but we obviously have room to grow and add things as we progress,” Novak said.
“It’s going to be similar to Sayville with a little Port Jeff cherry on top,” du Chaussee added with a laugh.
Renovations are about 70 percent complete, and the team is eyeing an end-of-summer or early fall opening. The trio said they can’t wait to finish creating a space that puts the emphasis on food, people and hospitality.
If you go
Expect everything you love from the Sayville café — like scratch-made brunch favorites, coffee drinks, wraps, salads, and avocado toasts — but with way more room to spread out. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available, and there’s indoor and outdoor seating to match whatever mood you’re in.
The kitchen will be open-style, the seating will be comfy, and yes — laptops are totally welcome.
Keep following Greater Long Island for when that opening date is announced.
Follow their journey
Top: Tim O’Leary, Terri Novak and Andre du Chaussee at the soon-to-be Dark Horse Coffee location in Port Jeff. (Credit: Julianne Mosher)
