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Panda Express is bringing its Original Orange Chicken back to Long Island.
Sure, New Yorkers pride themselves on their Chinese food. (A fact made famous from the movie My Cousin Vinny.)
But that shouldn’t negate the local popularity of the country’s largest American-Chinese fast-casual chain, which exploded in growth since its 1983 founding in Glendale, Calif.
There are now over 2,300 locations across the United States and internationally, including Canada and Mexico, Guatemala, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
If everyone else likes it, why shouldn’t we?
Panda Express is slated to open next year at the newly imagined Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.
Those from Suffolk will remember there was a location in Central Islip, near the courts, that closed about a decade ago. Other than that, the company has never reached much of a foothold here.
The Valley Stream spot will be a corporate location, noted Rich Madramuthu, vice president of leasing at Macerich, a real estate investment trust that owns Green Acres.
The restaurant is set to debut as part of a newly expanded dining district at the Green Acres “retail campus.”
“Our first set of quick-service run openings — Shake Shake, Panda Express and Dave’s Hot Chicken — will open fall of 2026,” Madramuthu said. “And we will be adding more to that list in the next couple of months.”
A ‘new’ mall
Demolition has already begun at Green Acres, marking the first big step in a major redevelopment plan that aims to reimagine the Long Island shopping center that was built in 1956.
Crews began tearing down the former Sears, Sears Auto Center and adjacent parking garage on May 19. The work sets the stage for a 400,000-square-foot transformation that mall officials say will unfold through 2026 and wrap by 2027.
The latest estimates put the redevelopment costs at between $130 million and $150 million, according to a mall spokesman.
The broader plan includes reworking the former Kohl’s building, adding outward-facing storefronts, landscaped green spaces, open-air dining and a grand new entrance in the northeast wing of the mall.
The upgrades will open sight lines that help make way for more top foodie brands. The new eateries will open side by side, along the expanded dining corridor at the front of the mall, creating an accessible and dynamic food hub.
“This latest step is a natural progression of our long-term vision to transform Green Acres into a dynamic destination that honors its legacy while embracing the future,” said Joe Floccari, Green Acres’ general manager, last week. “We remain committed to reimagining the property through thoughtful design and a diverse mix of uses — enhancing the shopping experience, strengthening community connections, and delivering lasting value for years to come.”
Madramuthu said the response to announcing the development of these brands has been great. Green Acres already has a mix of national and local brands, but renovations will focus on boosting well-known names based on strong tenant performance of recognizable brands, he said, while maintaining support for small- and medium-sized businesses that stand to benefit.
Macerich also operates Kings Plaza, Queens Center and The Shops at Atlas Park.
Green Acres will remain fully open to shoppers during construction.
Top: Chef Isa Fabro prepares Panda Express’ General Tso’s Chicken at Chinatown Summer Nights on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Casey Rodgers/Invision for Panda Restaurant Group/AP Images)
