We are now 19 days into this whole ‘social distancing’ thing and I am definitely going a little stir crazy. One of my favorite past times is eating out (which we are forbidden to do right now) so I am reminiscing on some of my favorite restaurants. Here is a list of places I cannot wait to get back to once this sh*t is over!

SALT AND BARREL⌁ BAYSHORE, NY

This is one of my ALL TIME favs to head to for a lite dinner and cocktail (or two) with my girlfriends. Rarely do I find myself at a table but instead, cozied up with a glass of sparkling rosé and a dozen oysters at the bar. Their oyster happy hour during the week is killer and you know what they say, “An oyster may be crossed in love.” I am totally in love with oysters! I cannot wait for them to open back up so the girls and I can head there for a much-needed vent sesh.

Favorite Menu Item: OYSTERS (duh!) & their crab cakes

PRIMO ⌁ ROCKLAND, ME

Ok, so you’re probably wondering… why do you love a restaurant in Maine? Let me start off with, if you ever have the chance to take a road trip, Rockland is the SPOT. Primo was founded by Chef Melissa Kelly, who went to high school (go SJB) with my dad. It is a farm that has a restaurant attached to it. Melissa is an inspiration. Her menu changes daily to what is fresh from her garden. She has a heart of gold and pours passion from every single inch of her body into her business. This is a spot that I genuinely look forward going to and cherish my memories that my family and I have created. It is a place where we can relax, unwind and share my passion of amazing real food, wine and conversation all in one place. Till we meet again Primo.

FAVORITE MENU ITEM: CHARCUTERIE AND A BIG GLASS OF CABERNET SAUVIGNON

THE LAKEHOUSE ⌁BAYSHORE, NY

One of my favorite Long Island restaurants to go out and have a special dinner with special people. My birthday was March 19 and took place during this whole COVID-19 breakout. When asked where I wanted to celebrate, I said here. The Lakehouse is somewhere I have never had a bad meal or experience and the money you spend is 100% worth it! I am someone who likes to get wined and dined, and if you’re anything like me, the experience (down to the flatware) is the most important thing. These guys have this down to a tee. Hopefully, only a few more weeks until I can celebrate my birthday in style and we can reschedule our resy.

Favorite Menu Item: Caramelized Local Sea Scallops

SWELL TACO ⌁ BABYLON, NY

Swell Taco. A Babylon Village staple which just so happens to be my place of employment. I feel really lucky to work at a place where I can eat their food EVERY SINGLE DAY and not get sick of it. Yes, I have been working (while practicing ‘social distancing’) through all of this craziness, but I can’t wait for the day where everything is back to normal. Swell is great for any occasion, any day of any week and is relatively cheap. We have bangin’ margaritas, but my favorite is the Green Room (Crop Cucumber Vodka & Lemonade.) If you have not been, GET THERE! But brace yourself, the wait can be really really long…

Favorite Menu Item: Shrimp Tacos

KABUKI ⌁ LINDENHURST, NY

I grew up and still live in Lindenhurst. I eat A LOT of sushi and Kabuki is a staple in my town. If I had to choose to live off of only one type of cuisine forever, it would be Japanese. Not only is sushi a great source of health benefits such as omega-3 (insert Cinderella Story stepmom), iodine and vitamin A, it also tastes delish and you can eat a ton of it without feeling like you’re going to explode. I love being able to support a local Lindy business. If you’re looking for great sushi, check this place out! Kanpai!

Favorite Menu Item: Nabeyaki Udon, Crystal Roll and 2 Pieces of Tobiko Sushi 🍣

THESE BUSINESSES ARE GOING THROUGH A LOT WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION… IF YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT FAV, SHARE ↓ AND SHOW SOME ♡ BY PURCHASING A GIFT CARD!