New Ben & Jerry's To Open In Downtown Riverhead, With Focus On Family

RIVERHEAD, NY — It's sweet news for Riverhead: A longtime iconic destination is set for its next chapter, as Ben & Jerry's is set to open at the longtime site of Sunny's Riverhead Diner & Grill.

Steven Siliato, a lawyer, told Patch that opening the shop seemed like a natural next step on his family's journey. "I grew up in a family business — we own a liquor store," he said. "It has been in our family for 50 years, and it was started by my dad. My wife and I wanted our kids to grow up in a family business, too, for many reasons. Plus, who does not love ice cream?" he laughed.

His wife Angela Siliato is actually the owner of the new business and the couple, who lives in Wading River, said their kids Gianni, Mia and Marco "are just as much of a part of this as we are."

For years, the former diner's location at 87 E. Main Street was woven into hearts and memories; the downtown mainstay had been located in Riverhead since 1932, and closed due to the pandemic.

Next, the spot was occupied by LuchaCubano and then, Burgercade.

The spot holds deep meaning for the Siliatos. "The history of this location is amazing. While we are bringing a different concept, it is our understating that the dinner was a family run business for a very long time — so it's just a natural fit for our family. We want the family legacy to continue in this space. We live in the community, so this spot was very important to us."

Siliato told Patch that the love of Ben & Jerry's is a family affair, with all having their own favorite flavors. "My favorite is Dirt Cake, but it just got retired. So it is either Milk & Cookies or Marshmallow Sky for me. My wife loves Half Baked and my kids love Milk & Cookies and Phish Food."

Ben & Jerry's founders and childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield grew up in Merrick, on Long Island, Siliato said. "They really tried to create a fun, family friendly company. For us, everything comes back to family. That is the most important part of our life."

Siliato reflected on the couple's dreams for the new business: "It's for our kids, so they can learn about hard work, dedication, determination, reaching for their goals and being part of the community. That is very important — we want to be part of our community's transformation."

The goal is to open by June, Siliato said. Ben & Jerry's is expected to open every day at noon, with closing time to be determined by demand and later hours on weekends.

Opening in Riverhead was important to his family, Siliato said: "We live here and it is our community. We want to be a small part of the transformation."

For his future customers, Siliato has a message: "While we have a corporate name behind us, we are a family-owned and run business. We live in the community, and we want to be a part of making people smile with ice cream!"