Gourmet Burger Bistro says goodbye after 18 years in Port Jefferson

After nearly two decades in Port Jefferson, Gourmet Burger Bistro has closed its doors for good.

Owner Mike Napoli announced the closure in an emotional social media post, saying it marked the first day since the restaurant opened in 2008 that Gourmet Burger Bistro was not open.

“I am truly sorry and apologize that I didn’t announce this sooner, but I didn’t realize how emotionally difficult this was going to be to write,” Napoli wrote.

For Napoli, the past 18 years were about far more than burgers. He recalled a restaurant filled with first dates, birthdays, family dinners, late nights and celebrations, along with employees who became family and customers who became friends.

“When I look back over the past 18 years, I don’t just see a restaurant. I see the people,” he wrote. “I see the friendships, the relationships, the employees who became family, and the customers who became friends.”

Napoli said one of the greatest privileges was watching generations of customers grow up along with the restaurant.

“I’ve watched kids come into GBB with their parents, year after year, and then eventually walk through those doors as adults on their own,” he wrote. “Being a small part of those lives is something I will always cherish.”

What’s next

While Gourmet Burger Bistro has closed, its longtime space won’t stay vacant for long.

Napoli said a new owner is already in place and plans to bring a different concept to Port Jefferson Village.

“I am excited for what is next,” Napoli wrote. “I think his concept is something that Port Jefferson Village has been missing.”

Napoli did not identify the new owner or reveal what is planned for the space, saying the owner will share those details when he is ready.

He also thanked Port Jefferson Village and the residents who supported Gourmet Burger Bistro through the good, difficult and, as he put it, “crazy” days of the past 18 years.

“Gourmet Burger Bistro may be closing its doors, but the memories will stay with me forever.”

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Top: The ‘Drink’ bulb light sign as it appeared at Gourmet Burger Bistro in Port Jefferson in September 2017. (Credit: GLI/Mike White)