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A new spin on the social club
There’s a new club opening in Port Jefferson — but this one has nothing to do with dancing or mixed drinks.
The Canopy Club is coming to 5 Mill Creek Road, the former home of Gourmet Burger Bistro, which closed its doors last week after 18 years, with a concept centered around good food in a relaxed, social setting.
“The idea is to give people a place where they can sit down, have a good meal and enjoy themselves without the typical bar atmosphere,” owner Mitch LaBianca told Greater Long Island. “The way we are going to do it is like nothing else I’ve ever seen on the Island.”
The Canopy Club will offer an optional membership for $30 a month with other, um, perks. Members will receive a free cup of coffee every day, along with discounts on merchandise and catering.
“For anyone who regularly buys coffee, that is much more [money] than what we are going to charge for our membership fee,” LaBianca said. “When I was explaining it to my friends, they all thought it was a great idea.”
But the coffee is just one of the perks.
The larger idea is to create a social club where people can come regularly, have a meal, relax and spend time with others.
And the food is the main selling point.
How it happened
For LaBianca, The Canopy Club is the latest chapter in a decade spent in the restaurant business.
His first project was Spycoast Kitchen in Patchogue, and he is also a partner in Brother Jimmy’s in Orlando. His aunt and uncle owned Neptune’s in the Hamptons.
But with The Canopy Club, LaBianca wanted to try something different.
“I just wanted anything but just another restaurant,” he said.
That starts with breakfast, where the menu will feature familiar favorites like pancakes and eggs alongside more inventive dishes, including tiramisu tempura French toast and a new spin on eggs Benedict called disco Benedict, made with fried chicken on a homemade biscuit with hollandaise sauce.
“My favorite might be the stuffed waffle,” LaBianca said. “It’s filled with mesquite chicken and pineapple chutney. It’s so good.”
Lunch will include salads, sandwiches, seasonal pasta and Marsala toast, featuring homemade sourdough bread with Marsala sauce for dipping.
And eventually, the club won’t stop at breakfast and lunch.
LaBianca is planning a dinner club for the winter that will give the space a different feel at night. He’s considering a “hidden door” concept similar in style to a speakeasy — without actually calling it a speakeasy.
“I just want to get the breakfast and lunch part going, then I’ll figure out the exact details of the dinner part,” he said with a laugh.
If you go
The Canopy Club is expected to open in mid-October at 5 Mill Creek Road in Port Jefferson.
It will initially be open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch.
Membership will be optional and cost $30 a month, including a free cup of coffee each day and discounts on merchandise and catering.
Follow the journey
Top: The Canopy Club is coming to 5 Mill Creek Road, the former home of Gourmet Burger Bistro, which closed its doors last week after 18 years. (Credit: courtesy)
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