The iconic neon sign above Atlantic Avenue’s Long Island Restaurant is set to buzz again.
The Brooklyn Courier learned that the historic eatery will open later this week after we watched in awe as a private party went off behind a “closed” sign at the storefront on the corner of Henry Street in Cobble Hill.
A sign on the door says the restaurant is soon to open, and Maureen Sapega, a member of the family that owns the building, confirmed that the restaurant is on the cusp of opening, though she was unsure of the exact date.
The art deco diner, which is named for the land mass on which Brooklyn sits and is the capitol of, quietly closed in 2007 after 56 years as a greasy spoon that catered to old-school Brooklyn’s waterfront workers from Spain.
Its sister bar, Montero’s on Atlantic and Hicks Street, has stayed open the entire time, and has become Brooklyn Heights’ quintessential dive bar.
The Long Island’s famous neon sign is back from the cleaners, with its lights restored. Inside, the restaurant, which has a full bar, looks as good as new.
The new Long Island Restaurant will be helmed by a team of experienced Manhattan restaurateurs, possibly the supposed creator of the Cosmopolitan cocktail.
