Wild Honey, 1 E. Main St.; 516-922-4690. A downtown star is Wild Honey, situated in what used to be Theodore Roosevelt's summer executive office. The fine fare includes a pulled pork quesadilla, sake-steamed clams with Chinese sausage, Thai-style snapper in coconut-lime broth, grilled hanger steak, a crab cake wrap and a riff on cobb salad.
Mill River Inn, 160 Mill River Rd.; 516-922-7768. For a formal, upscale meal, the Mill River Inn politely stands out. The selections on the ever-changing menu include oyster chowder, tuna tartare, Moroccan-spiced rack of lamb, coriander-crusted duck breast, Dover sole dusted with toasted pine nuts, pan-seared striped bass, seasame-seared tuna and bittersweet chocolate cake.
Il Piatto, 107 South St.; 516-922-9293. Il Piatto prepares savory Italian and steakhouse dishes. The grand platter for two combines chicken scarpariello, porterhouse steak, lamb chops, pork chops, sausages, potatoes, and more in a garlic-sherry sauce. The shrimp-and-crabmeat cocktail, crab cakes, baked clams and penne puttanesca also are worth sampling.
Fiddleheads, 62 South St.; 516-922-2999. Seafood with a new American accent is the attraction at Fiddleheads. You can enjoy the Long Island variation on New England clam chowder, a well-seasoned gumbo, grilled swordfish with banana salsa, soft-shell crabs drizzled with a bacon vinaigrette on greens, and desserts such as baked Alaska and a tall coconut layer cake.
Cafe al Dente, 2 Spring St.; 516-922-2442. Parmigianas reign and red sauce flows at Cafe al Dente, a mainstay for homey Italian cooking. Fried calamari, of course. Baked pasta, naturally.
Canterbury Ales, 46 Audrey Ave., 516-922-3614. Ten taps add to the festivities at Canterbury Ales, which bridges the gap between pub and bistro. From the kitchen, the choices include onion soup, Buffalo-style chicken wings, hamburgers, crab cakes, pork shank, shepherd's pie, finfish and lobsters.
Gooseberry Grove, 12 E. Main St.; 516-628-0385. And, if you're already intent on ice cream: Gooseberry Grove, a nostalgic scoop of a place for children and adults.
Bonanza's, 25 Shore Ave.; 516-922-7796, also called Bonanza Stand, is a very casual operation, visited for ices, hot dogs and other informal edibles.
