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The food and drinks will be flowing once again in the old Honu spot in Huntington, which had closed in August after a 20-year run at 363 New York Avenue.
Craft Kitchen & Taphouse will fill the vacancy next month, said co-owner Anthony Geraci, who believes the concept will fit perfectly in the downtown, the North Shore’s bar and restaurant mecca.
“We always liked Huntington, it’s a great hub for restaurants, bars and brew houses,” Geraci said. “We like feeding off each other. I think people will definitely stop by here for a beer or martini and then head somewhere else for dinner or visa versa, maybe have dinner by me after a show.
“I think people will bounce from place to place and I love it.”
Long Islanders may recognize the name, as well as signature offerings such as the short rib grilled cheese and the Roof Top 32 berry-blasted cocktail.
The forthcoming eatery will mark Geraci and his longtime friend and business partner Thomas McNicholas’s fourth restaurant that thrives on a bustling main street.
Their first establishment, Kasey’s Kitchen & Cocktails, opened in Rockville Centre more than two decades ago. They debuted their new Craft Kitchen concept in Lynbrook in 2016 and opened a second location in Wantagh in 2019. This will be the third Craft Kitchen & Taphouse on the island.
What’s good?
Like any quality, elevated comfort food spot, Craft Kitchen cranks out plenty of handhelds.
It’s burger menu lists the bourbon bacon with cheddar, fried pickles and jalapeño barbecue sauce, a mac and cheese burger and even a French onion burger topped with beer cheese, gruyere and sautéed onions.
While short rib may be the joint’s most popular grilled cheese, it also offers a Cuban sandwich grilled cheese on Texas toast and a five-cheese, open-faced, stone-grilled cheese topped with grilled tomato, avocado, truffled arugula and shaved pecorino Romano.
Craft Kitchen & Taphouse also serves an array of apps, from three varieties of egg rolls — Philly cheesesteak, buffalo chicken and Southwestern, which is stuffed with chicken, andouille sausage, roasted corn, black beans, peppers, onions and jack cheese — to a beer battered onion blossom, plus seafood options like popcorn shrimp, baked clams and sweet chili calamari.
For diners not looking for “comfort food with a twist” as Geraci describes it, there’s the “Crafty Corner” entrees.
“That’s more of your fork and knife items, like filet minion, a Berkshire double-cut pork chop, a poke bowl, some fish dishes, stuff like that,” he said. “There’s something for everyone. We have a lot of regulars that dine with us two, three times a week. There’s variety, people will not get tired of the same old stuff.”
As for drinks, Geraci promises vast bourbon and wine lists as well as classic cocktails such as a spicy margarita, coconut martini, and various mules and old fashions.
As the name implies, there will be plenty of beers rotating through the taps as well.
Like its sister restaurants, the newest Craft Kitchen will be lined with reclaimed wood for a comfortable, rustic atmosphere. While Lynbrook boasts an outside bar and Wantagh houses a catering room, Huntington will distinguish itself from its predecessors with a lively bar.
“This one is by far the biggest space,” Geraci said, promising plenty of acoustic acts for patrons. “It’s got two party rooms and a huge bar.” Check back with greaterlongisland.com for updates.
Don’t miss a thing by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. Below is a photo from Craft Wantagh.
Top: Craft Kitchen’s signature short rib grilled cheese. (Facebook)
