Restaurants in Plainview

A stunning woman stands offering a basket of guavas, mangoes, and prickly pineapples in her outstretched arms. Behind her, a roaring waterfall spills into a crystal-blue lagoon, on the outskirts of which sky-high trees shelter sprouting vegetables. Hand-painted murals such as these span the walls of Sante Fe Tequila's elegant dining room, where Mexican and Latin plates line tables like colorful brushstrokes on a canvas.

Rife with modern creative touches, the menu bristles with dishes such as whole deboned fresh-caught fish and shrimp and mussels sautéed in white wine. Quality takes precedent over haste as traditional ceviche slow-cooks in lime and skirt steak marinates for a full day in Patrón tequila—all to complement amply stuffed chilies, burritos, fajitas, and enchiladas available with seafood or chicken. After a martini or margarita made with premium liquor, patrons can end the meal by grabbing one of the eatery's bright red tablecloths to distract any stray bulls they encounter on the way to the car.

High ceilings with exposed piping lend a modern vibe to Toro Pazzo and serve as a foil to a menu of time-tested Italian dishes. Executive chef Alan Pucci, a native of Lucca, Italy, draws upon an array of Italian meats such as prosciutto and sopressata as well as olives, grilled artichoke hearts, and fontina, gorgonzola, and pecorino cheeses. In the bustling kitchen, the crew rolls dough into potato gnocchi and fresh rigatoni, which fill pasta dishes and sate diners before trips to the National Dry Macaroni Card Museum. Curlicues of steam unfurl from veal scallopini with fresh sage and prosciutto and pistachio-encrusted salmon in a lemon beurre blanc.

Behind Toro Pazzo's bar, an indoor waterfall trickles as mixologists concoct dessert cocktails such as vodka-infused root-beer floats or birthday-cake martinis with sprinkle-encrusted rims. Brimming with bottles imported from Sardinia and Tuscany, the wine list offers pairing for any dish, and on some evenings live bands fill the eatery with lilting guitar strains.

You might recognize Chef Okadaman—after all, he’s in an Allman Brothers tribute band and his face is plastered onto the side of the Okadaman food truck that can be seen meandering through Midtown. Like his facility with complicated melodies and rhythms on the bass guitar, Chef Okadaman assembles virtuosic lunch entrees such as fried octopus dumplings drizzled with Japanese mayo and okonomiyaki, a savory pancake densely topped with squid, bacon, and kimchi that inspired a CBS.com food blogger to call it “one of the most beautifully presented lunches [he’s] eaten, truck or not.” The chef either buys each of his dishes’ components locally or flies them in from Japan in tribute to his respect of fine ingredients, tradition, and a 747’s need for a tasty meal. To catch a meal nearby, diners can check the truck’s location online.

At Cielo Ristorante Italiano, candles cast orbs of light on white linens. Marble columns intersperse potted palms, and marigold walls sport paintings of the Italian countryside, where meatballs roam free. In addition to the decor, Cielo Ristorante Italiano pays homage to the Mediterranean with traditional Italian dishes and drinks. Chefs toss pastas with fresh tomatoes and italian meats and drizzle free-range chicken and veal with herb-infused white-wine sauces, and servers happily suggest pairings from the eatery’s ample Italian wine menu.

The images and mementos decorating the walls of Professors Diner embody a host of rich memories for owner Kevin "The Professor" Denis. “The walls are the community,” Denis told the Kings Park Patch. Nearly every inch of space is crammed with personal history that takes the form of Denis’s own family photos as well as school pennants donated by local regulars. Vintage Coca-Cola mugs, signs, and clocks mingle with American-flag-clad cows and pictures of the New York Yankees. The food is as eclectic as the decor, running the gamut from old-fashioned french toast to honey-dipped southern fried chicken to greek spinach pies. Diners fill teal booths and sit at the counter in back for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all eight days of the week.

An uber-extensive menu of Italy’s favorite dishes are recreated day after day inside Papa Louie’s Pizzeria. Piles of penne and spaghetti pair with fresh italian bread ready to be dunked into a medley of sauces for their own Rorschach test. Chicken, eggplant, and veal change costumes with a marsala, parmigiana, and francaise dressing. The staff bakes 15 specialty pizzas that come in circles or squares, just like the schoolwork given to kindergartners and the most advanced babies. Heros sandwiches are chockfull of baked eggplant, buffalo chicken, and Nani’s famous meatballs. The catering leg of Papa Louie’s Pizzeria feeds partygoers at myriad celebrations: graduations, birthdays, and surprise spring-cleaning parties.