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The former So Tastee Eatery in Ocean Bay Park has been revamped into a deli called Dino’s on the Bay.
Owner Vinny Caruso, 47, took over the space — located at 44 E. Bayview Walk — this June.
Caruso says the locals always called So Tastee Eatery “Dino’s” after the previous owner, so he decided to follow their lead and change the name to Dino’s on the Bay.
He also appointed Dino himself as a manager until his retirement this year.
“I want to make sure people eat,” Caruso said.
The Suffolk County native was a construction worker for 30 years and always had a fascination with the restaurant industry. He says he takes inspiration to give people good food from his Sicilian background and his Uncle Louie who was a butcher.
Dino’s on the Bay serves breakfast all day, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, and half of the cafe is an ice cream parlor.
The deli counter offers cold cuts, salads, cheeses, and specialty sandwiches named after the Fire Island Ferries, including the Fire Islander, Vagabond, and Explorer.
On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Dino’s has “Blue Plate Specials” which offers a different dinner special each night.
The cafe also has pizza and appetizers, like wings, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, quesadillas, and chicken fingers.
“People love the place and the cleanliness and the food,” Caruso said. “We make sure everything is fresh and we bring in fresh bread and bagels every day.”
Caruso says he renovated the cafe by getting all new equipment, new flooring, giving it a deep clean, and knocking one of the interior walls down to open up space.
The outdoor beachy patio area is set up with tables for patrons to sit and enjoy their food at, and Caruso says the community response has been great so far.
Caruso says he does what he can for his community by donating to the fire department, taking care of his workers, and making sure Dino’s is an asset to Ocean Bay Park.
“I love it here,” Caruso said. “We have people who come in every day for breakfast and coffee and it’s a good feeling to see the same families come back every year after not seeing them the whole winter — it’s heartwarming.”
Check out photos of Dino’s on the Bay below.
Top: Vinny Caruso the owner of Dino’s on the Bay.
