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Suffolk County residents can expect not one, but two new Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses to open by the end of this year.
The franchise owned by the Florida-based Ruth’s Hospitality Group with roots in New Orleans is coming to Lake Grove and Melville.
The Lake Grove location will serve filets, ribeyes and New York strips at the Smith Haven Mall at the 6,500 sq. ft. site of the former Bonefish Grill, between Barnes & Noble and P.F. Chang’s. A representative for ICR, a third party communications firm that works with Ruth’s Hospitality Group, confirmed the location just south of the mall’s lifestyle village location will open by the end of this year.
The 11,000 sq. ft. Melville location, according to Long Island Business News, will open at 881 Walt Whitman Road, the site of the former Berticci’s, in November.
For those avoiding red meat, the franchise also offers chicken, fish and vegetarian options. The website’s cocktail menu features drinks “steeped in New Orleans heritage” alongside classic and modern cocktails.
The name for the franchise stems from its founder, Ruth Fertel, who, according to the company’s website, mortgaged her house to purchase Chris’ Steak House in New Orleans in 1965. The restaurant suffered a fire in 1976, forcing Fertel to relocate. She could not use the same name on her new restaurant due to contractual issues, so she added hers to it, forming Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Fertel’s offered her new name and her broiling and seasoning chops to franchisees the following year. A single mother of two’s sole venture has since expanded its reach to 12 countries around the globe.
prior coverage
Top: A dish at Ruth’s (credit: Facebook).
