Big news is a brew on the South Shore:
The Barn on Merrick Road in Merrick has a new name — and a new vibe.
It’s now Coffee Barn, where over-the-top hot and cold drinks aren’t just part of the menu — they’re the main attraction.
“It’s so fun to come up with all these crazy concoctions,” Anthony Abatemarco told Greater Long Island.
Anthony is the son of Robert and Christine Abatemarco, who purchased the vacant Dairy Barn location in 2022. But their vision went beyond simply reopening the space. They wanted to inject new life into it — and make it a destination.
Mission accomplished.
Coffee, lattes, milkshakes and more are all available without ever leaving your car. And while staples like milk, eggs and bread remain for nostalgia’s sake, it’s the drinks that keep customers coming back for more.
Two years ago, the shop’s s’mores latte (pictured, inset) went viral — and that’s when the family says they knew they had something special.
“Our goal is to wow people with something that not only looks good, but tastes good too,” Anthony said. “The looks on people’s faces is rewarding. We want them to smile when they come here.”
New drinks are constantly rolling out — weekly, monthly and seasonally.
There’s a Cinnamon Toast Crunch iced coffee and a Dubai Chocolate matcha. Winter favorites include the Santa’s Helper Oreo milkshake and a Snowman Cake Pop latte. Some drinks come topped with full donuts, cinnamon buns or cookies. In the fall, coffee was even served inside a pumpkin. And more recently, “dirty sodas” have been growing in popularity.
With more than 40 drinks on the menu at any given time, Anthony said there’s always something new to try.
“We are the best at being creative,” he added with a smile.
And the buzz continues to spread. Anthony says visitors have traveled from New Jersey and Connecticut for a taste, and one customer even told them he came from Texas after putting Coffee Barn on his New York bucket list following its rise on social media.
“The morning commute has never been this fun,” Anthony said.
Top: Coffee Barn is located at 2081 Merrick Road in Merrick. (Credit: Andrew Rappaport)
