317 Main Street Celebrates 5 Years In Farmingdale: 'Pretty Remarkable'

FARMINGDALE, NY — 317 Main Street of Farmingdale is celebrating its five-year anniversary, and "lots of interesting things have happened" since the gastropub first opened its doors, said Chef Eric LeVine.

"We opened up right into a pandemic. That was a fun time," LeVine told Patch. "But you know what? We survived. We created lots of cool packages, to-go cocktails. Everyone stood their ground, and we survived. Here we are, our five-year anniversary. Pretty remarkable."

LeVine, a champion of The Food Network's "Chopped," has opened several restaurants in the past. He said opening 317 was "by far the hardest" of his career, and not just because of the pressure-filled first year of opening during the coronavirus pandemic.

"There were a lot of pre open things, hoops that we had to jump through," LeVine said. "That was probably the hardest part. Some construction things, some timing things. Also not having all the right people in place. A new restaurant, you start with X amount of people you think can serve the space right. And then you figure it out. You work through the headaches and the people and you find your middle ground. Then you start to build from that."

The restaurant made a general manger change in December 2019. Perry Fortuna focuses on the front end and bar areas of the restaurant, allowing LeVine to shift his focus to the "bigger picture," including day-to-day operations, the kitchen and events.

The chef said he would not have done anything differently, despite the challenges of the pandemic and inflation.

"The town’s been good to us. Long Island has been great," LeVine said. "We’re middle ground Long Island between Suffolk and Nassau ... We were very fortunate to have this place and the vision that my partners and I had to build this place. It’s beautiful. I love it. I love having it. I love what we do."

LeVine said he and his team love the Farmingdale community.

"We’re happy to be here through all the things that have gone on in this town. The constant shifts. The events that we do here in town. We love the support. We love doing everything we can for this town, when it’s a great thing, or sometimes when there’s a tragedy that happens, we’re the go-to for them. We’re honored to do that and be part of it and to always support. It’s a mutual love."

LeVine said his goals for the restaurant going forward are to lower costs, increase sales, and plan new ideas and events. The movie nights that 317 recently launched have all sold out quickly, LeVine said. He also aims to create new ideas with the food and teased that he has some "cool stuff" he's been working on.

"I’m always trying to innovate and create things that are within a price range," LeVine said. This day and age, you really have to be aware of the cost and what you get for it for the customers. At the end of the day, everyone is holding onto their dollars, and they will spend it where they feel they get the best value. Our goal is to give the best value and creative fun here."

LeVine's motto for 317 is "not me too, me different," meaning he wants his restaurant to be a trailblazer when it comes to innovative ideas.

"I think the biggest thing is what we offer. The constant evolution, the cocktails, the food, the chef’s table, catering in the back, live music, the cooking classes, wine dinners, beer dinners. All of those things make us unique. There’s not another restaurant on Long Island that has this set up. There are other places that have similar, but not this whole complete package."

LeVine has crafted a menu with something for as many people as possible: burgers, tacos, macaroni and cheese variations, sandwiches, meat and seafood entrees, vegan dishes, and more, are staples. Customers are urged to save room for dessert, as waitstaff will bring a cart of ever-changing sweets over to a table after dinner is finished. LeVine also offers seasonal entree specials that rotate every so often. And then there's brunch and the stuffed French toast of the week. Not to mention a long list of cocktails and craft beer.

LeVine has also been featured on shows like "Beat Bobby Flay," "Food Paradise," "Morimoto's Sushi Master" and "Alex Vs America." The chef also makes frequent appearances on network news shows for culinary segments.

Despite being in the public eye, LeVine said there's no "added pressure" to perform at 317.

"There’s always the want and desire to do more and get out there, to keep pushing the name for the restaurant, really promote what we do, having new opportunities for us to evolve and showcase the cool stuff going on," he said. "Trying to bridge the gap between the local farmer and the restaurant as much as we can. I don’t have any pressure, not on me, because I just have to do what I do. I have an amazing team, both front of the house and back of the house. Everyone here, from our restaurant manager to our GM, plays a role. I don’t do anything. These guys and girls are phenomenal. We’re very blessed with the team we have. That came from a lot of hard work and a lot of structure. With a lot of turnover in this day and age, you really have to value your people, and we do that here. Our partners do, I do, the management team does. That’s an important, intricate part of who we are."

The buy-in to LeVine's vision has worked, as he is the reigning, defending, two-time Long Island Chef of the Year, and 317 Main Street is the defending Best American/Continental Restaurant on Long Island — both wins came in the Bethpage Best of Long Island Awards.

LeVine said he is excited for the future of 317 Main Street.

"Here’s to another five years!"