Fat Tuesday is just around the corner — Feb. 16 — and that means Cajun food and drinks are in order. Here are eight Long Island restaurants that capture the New Orleans essence so you can celebrate Mardi Gras from afar this year.
HOOK & REEL
Joie de vivre! Enjoy specialty seafood boils or po’boys and sliders at Hook & Reel, one of the newest Cajun restaurants on Long Island, with two locations to choose from. Its menu includes seafood boils, po’ boys and sandwiches, pasta, a raw bar, and more.
694 Sunrise Hwy., Valley Stream, 516-460-8411, hookreel.com/location/valley-stream
363 Broadway Mall, Hicksville, 516-719-0388, hookreel.com/location/hicksville
THE CAJUN BUCKET
Both locations of The Cajun Bucket offer classic Cajun options, from boiling hot seafood to fried, juicy chicken and shrimp. The restaurant also serves a signature “Adult Capri Sun” in a pouch and other alcoholic drinks to help you celebrate Mardi Gras this year.
472 Hempstead Tpke., West Hempstead, 516-344-5434, cajunbucket.com/hempstead
2757 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, 516-806-2188, cajunbucket.com/oceanside
BIG DADDY’S
Big Daddy’s kicks off its Mardi Gras Madness Week on Feb. 10. This action-packed celebration, ending on Fat Tuesday, includes a black and white Zulu ball on Feb. 15 with live music, 2-for-1 oyster shooters, and $5 hurricane happy hour, as well as daily specials. Taco Tuesdays, smoked prime rib Wednesdays, and steak night Thursdays are a few of this establishment’s usual daily specials.
1 Park Lane, Massapequa, 516-799-8887, bigdaddysny.com
LOUISIANA JOE’S SANDWICH SHOP
This sandwich shop, serving breakfast and lunch, offers authentic Louisiana cuisine perfect for the occasion. Try the fried catfish or crab cake po’ boys, Creole shrimp, chicken gumbo, red beans and rice or a Fat Tuesday omelette for breakfast, made with bacon, cheese, andouille, chorizo and bayou sauce, home fries, and buttered toast.
488 Merrick Rd., Oceanside, 516-442-9838, louisianajoes.com
BISCUITS & BARBEQUE
Join in the Fat Tuesday festivities on Feb. 16 at Biscuits and Barbeque, open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., with traditional dishes from New Orleans. Crawfish, jambalaya, po’ boys, king cakes, and Louisiana gumbo are sure to be on the menu.
106 East 2nd St., Mineola, 516-493-9797, facebook.com/BiscuitsBarbeque
BLACKBIRDS’ GRILLE
Bring your Mardi Gras beads to this bar and eatery in Sayville where seafood is the specialty. Open from noon to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, Blackbirds’ Grille offers a raw bar with choices of oysters, clams, shrimp or tuna, as well as gator bites, Cajun burgers, and their mudbug boil, a spicy crawfish bowl with steamed garlic, white wine, and lobster consomme.
553 Old Montauk Hwy., Sayville, 631-593-4144, blackbirdsgrille.com
MARA’S SOUTHERN KITCHEN
Mara’s Southern Kitchen serves up Cajun and barbecue dishes daily. Some customer favorites include the smoked BBQ ribs, jambalaya, country-fried steak and macaroni and cheese. This Syosset-based kitchen will also be accepting orders for king cakes in celebration of Mardi Gras. Choose between four flavors: cinnamon sugar, pecan sugar, cream cheese or nutella and order by Feb. 5 just in time for Mardi Gras.
236 West Jericho Tpke., Syosset, 516-554-5510, marasouthernkitchen.com
PO’BOY BREWERY
Founded eight years ago, family-owned Po’Boy Brewery has a large selection of rotating craft beers and ciders, plus weekly food specials. This microbrewery and cidery’s tasting hours begin at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and at noon Saturdays and Sundays.
200 Wilson St., Port Jefferson Station, 631-828-1131, poboybrewery.com
-With Briana Bonfiglio
For more food and drink coverage, visit longislandpress.com/category/food-drink
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