Restaurant Five Five 2, St. James

Live music and a duo of fireplaces create a cozy ambience inside Restaurant 552, an eatery named for its address on North Country Road in St. James. Chef prepares small-plate tapas such as the PEI mussels steamed in lobster broth and salmon tartare served on crisp wontons with spicy mayo, more substantial entrees such as New York Strip Steak or Linguini Pescatore, along with sliders that a New York Times reviewer praised as "the best sliders I’ve ever had, made with Angus beef, cooked precisely to order (medium-rare) and running with juices." That same review described the desserts such as the crème brûlée, as "perfect: thick, cold and satiny." Restaurant 552 was also voted one of the best restaurants of 2013 by Newsday.