Stewart’s to make Long Island debut

Stewart’s All American restaurant is coming to Long Island, with its first location in the region expected to open up in Wantagh this summer.

The eatery will comes to the Willow Wood shopping center at the northeast corner of Wantagh and Jerusalem avenues. It will take two spots in the center of the strip mall — a vacant space that formerly housed Spasso’s Pizzeria, and the adjacent Ceriello Fine Foods, which is closing in June.

“I thought it would be a good fit with all the families in the area,” said franchisee John Buono, of Wantagh, who lives just a few blocks away.

Buono, the father of three, is excited about bringing the family restaurant to Long Island for the first time, and in the town he has called home for the past eight years. “I wanted a name brand behind me,” he said about opening up a franchise instead of an independent restaurant. “I like the brand. I felt that the menu is right. It’s something that we don’t have in this area.”

He said he is still working to finalize plans with the town, and is hoping to open within the next few months.

Buono described the restaurant as old-fashioned with a modern twist, and should be a familiar site to those who have visited the Jersey shore. He said that Stewart’s is known for its root beer floats. The Stewart’s sodas that are found in many supermarkets and convenience stores, he said, are also made by the company.

The restaurant would be open daily, breakfast through dinner. Buono said there will be salads for the health-conscious eaters, and beer and wings for the dads. “We have something for everybody,” he said.

He said there will be job opportunities for local residents, as he will be hiring cooks, servers and busboys. “I’m going to need a whole staff,” he said. “I’m going to be open 14 hours a day.”

Wantagh Chamber of Commerce President Chris Brown said that while he doesn’t know too much about Stewart’s, a family restaurant will be a nice addition to the community. He noted that Friendly’s thrived in that shopping center for many years. Overall, Brown said it should be a good location because of its ample parking and proximity to the highways.

“We always encourage new businesses to open up here,” Brown said. “It’s great for our community and it fills up empty store fronts.”

Brown hopes that people will come from all over to eat at the restaurant, and visit other Wantagh businesses while they’re in town. “It’s a new concept here on Long Island and what better place to start it than here in Wantagh,” Brown said. “I absolutely wish him well.”

Buono, a 1993 graduate of Calhoun High School, worked as a funeral director before deciding to make the switch in careers. He said he has always had a passion for food and loves to cook. Before signing on with Stewart’s, he considered franchises of Huddle House and Chick-Fil-A.

The New Jersey-based Stewart’s has restaurants throughout the northeast, from Ohio to Maryland, including full-service, drive-in and express eateries. The closest location is in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and the only other one in New York is in Staten Island.

“It just felt right for me with Stewart’s,” Buono said, adding that the company will give him every opportunity to succeed because it’s their first venture into a new market. “It’s priced right. Kids will love it. I just want to get opened.”