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An era in downtown Farmingdale’s restaurant and nightlife scene is ending — and a new one is being ushered in.
The owners of the fast-growing Tap Room brand have struck a deal to take over That Meetball Place at 206 Main St., greaterlongisland.com has learned. That Meetball Place’s last day in Farmingdale will be Sunday, Dec. 18.
Tap Room co-owner James Bonanno said he’s had his eyes on Farmingdale Village for a while.
“Farmingdale is an unbelievable village and community; we’ve always wanted to be a part of it,” he said.
In their search to open in the area, they kept coming back to the prominent Meetball location — which wasn’t for sale at the time.
“That building is so beautiful with its two floors; just a really great space,” Bonanno said.
The Tap Room ownership group set up a meeting with the people behind That Meetball Place — and the rest was history.
“It’s bittersweet, in a lot of ways,” said Tom Fazio, That Meetball Place’s executive chef. “It’s a wonderful, beautiful area with a lot of great people in it.”
While the company will miss Farmingdale, Fazio said That Meetball Place will shift its focus on its original location in Patchogue.
“We said, ‘Let’s consolidate our efforts into Patchogue,’ and, on our own end, be a little bit more opportunistic about what we’re doing there moving forward,” said Fazio.
That Meetball Place originally opened in Patchogue a decade ago. In 2014, the owners ventured west to open a second location in Farmingdale. They completely renovated the building at 206 Main St., which used to be a Benjamin Moore paint shop. Below is a before and after photo of the exterior.
“The Tap Room is getting one of the prettier restaurants on all of Long Island,” Fazio said.
Bonnano agreed.
“The aesthetics are very similar [to The Tap Room],” said Bonnano on the new location. “It’ll be The Tap Room brand, but we will keep a lot of beauty that the building currently has.”
Bonnano said it shouldn’t be too long before The Tap Room re-opens in the space.
“We’re not going to change much,” he said. “Just add more draft beer lines, new furniture and upgraded lighting.”
For those curious, The Tap Room plans to use the downstairs as a unique spot for events and intimate dinners. Think things like chef tastings, bourbon pairings and rare beer releases.
If all goes to plan, The Tap Room will open in Farmingdale before the end of the month, Bonnano said.
This will mark the fifth Tap Room on Long Island. Bonanno launched The Tap Room in Patchogue with his buddy Dave Johnson in 2011. Now, they operate locations in Massapequa Park, Bay Shore and, most recently, in Rockville Centre. Bonanno and Johnson expect to have 20 spots open on the East Coast by 2027.
You can read their origin story below.
