The opening of the new Rverhead Brew House is almost upon us.
“We put a lot of work in here,” said Wayne Meehan of Lily Flanagan’s Restaurant Group, which took over the old Peconic County Brewing space this winter. “It’s a massive renovation really.”
The goal is to open within the first two weeks of May.
Upgrades to the prominent space include new brick and finished carpentry throughout — as the Lily’s team looked to make the previously austere tasting room a bit cozier for all seasons.
But that’s not all.
The Lily’s team built a new bar and kitchen, resurfaced the patio, installed new tap systems and upgraded the brewery equipment. They also added glass between the bar and brewery.
And they brought in all new furniture, for inside and out.
(Story continues below photos by Nick Esposito taken April 19 at Riverhead Brew House.)
Riverhead Brew House will be the island’s only riverfront brewery.
But, as Meehan told Greater Long Island back in February, this won’t just be a brewery.
Yes, they’ll be brewing craft beer, but the Lily’s team has a full liquor license in place and will be utilizing the space’s new kitchen to churn out American cuisine to locals and East End visitors alike.
What’s more, they plan on being their own best beer customer, by shipping brews from Riverhead Brew House to the restaurant group’s other locations: Oakdale Brew House and The Wharf in Oakdale, The Villager in Farmingdale, and the other Villager, The Local and Lily Flanagan’s in Babylon Village.
Follow Riverhead Brew House on Instagram for updates. (Story continues below.)
The Lily’s team is especially excited about Riverhead.
“It’s coming up in the world” and Lily’s wanted to be a part of it, Meehan said.
He pointed to several new apartment complexes, the downtown hotel, aquarium, nearby farms and wineries, “and a great chamber of commerce.”
That all helped seal their decision to expand the company even further — and father east.
“The East End is busy all year-long now,” Meehan said. “We’re really hoping to cater to locals, families from the aquarium and people visiting the wineries. Just be that family friendly place for great food and drinks.”
The address for Riverhead Brew House is 221 E. Main St., which is located in the ground floor of a new apartment building, but the brewery and restaurant space actually faces the Peconic River.
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Top: Niall Crowe, the founder of Lily Flanagan’s Restaurant Group, at the new Riverhead Brew House. Click here to read his full immigrant success story. (Photo: Nick Esposito/GLI)
