Survival Guide 2005: Area Businesses and Shopping

Stony Brook and its surrounding towns have a great deal of unique shops and big-name stores to keep even the most selective shopper satisfied. The Survival Guide has compiled a list of the most noteworthy places to get your shopping need fulfilled, sorted by category and listed along with a brief description of what they have to offer.

FOOD, COFFEE AND DINING:

• Green Cactus Mexican Grill, Stony Brook    Just across from the Stony Brook LIRR station is one of Long Island’s best eateries: The Green Cactus. The main attraction (aside from their enticing menu) of this Mexican grill is their refusal to use any ingredient that is not 100% fresh in their food. The only warning that should be issued about Green Cactus is that it can sometimes get very busy! But it is well worth the extra wait. Call: (631) 751-0700.

• Soup’s On, Stony Brook    Located in the same shopping center as Green Cactus, Soup’s On is one of the most unique and delightful restaurants around. Fresh, homemade soups are prepared daily and they are beyond magnificent. This restaurant is a great stop for a light lunch or dinner and provides the perfect meal to warm you on a cold night. Call: (631) 751-8500.

• Cosmo’s Café, Stony Brook    Directly across from the Stony Brook LIRR station is Cosmo’s, home to Greek fast food like souvlaki and gyro, as well as baklava. Cosmo’s also serves pizza and other Italian dishes, equally as good as their Greek specialties. Cosmo’s Café also offers a 10% discount to Stony Brook students, making it an inexpensive place for a night out! Call: (631) 246-8000.  http://www.cosmoscafe.net.
  

• Curry Club, Setauket    One of the finest Indian restaurants on Long Island, the Curry Club is conveniently located near the intersection of Route 25A and Nicolls Road, next to Subway. Open for lunch and dinner, Curry Club features an extensively large selection of curries, as well as kebobs and appetizers. We strongly suggest the radioactively spicy Chicken Vindaloo, as well as the creamy Korma curries. Curry Club is also home to the Velvet Lounge, a great place to relax and enjoy a cocktail. Call (631) 751-4845.

• Full Moon Café, Stony Brook    The Full Moon Café is Stony Brook’s newest dining experience, offering fresh brick oven pizza in a wonderful atmosphere. The Full Moon Café welcomes Stony Brook students, often offering deals and special events exclusively for their benefit. At nights and at weekends, Full Moon does a 180, turning into a very popular bar among students. Call: (631) 689-5999.

• Cataffo's Pizza, Stony Brook  Considered by many students to have the best pizza near campus.  Your typical pizzeria menu, but everything is very good.  Call (631) 751-5725.

• Lake Grove Diner, Lake Grove    The closest 24-hour diner to Stony Brook. The service is typically good, and the variety is what you would expect from a 24-hour diner: burgers, pancakes, sandwiches, entrees and desserts. Has lots of lunch and dinner specials. The corned beef sandwich is usually excellent, and they have buffalo burgers. Breakfast, as you can expect, is served anytime. Call (631) 471-5370.

• Subway, Stony Brook   This place is like a best friend for many students at Stony Brook, offering a full line of 6 and 12-inch sandwiches, as well as wraps, salads, apple pie and cookies, and now, hot sandwiches as well.  The menu is the same as you would expect at any Subway chain establishment, but the one difference is that this Subway delivers (on campus only), and delivers late (until 2 a.m.).  Call (631) 751-1444.

• J & R’s Steakhouse, Stony Brook    The closest restaurant to campus on it's southern side, J & R’s Steakhouse is located on the corner of Route 347 and Stony Brook Road. It is pretty cheap by steakhouse standards and usually has some juicy specials that you can sink your teeth into. You get free antipasto to play with before your food comes and their complimentary toothpicks are individually wrapped. Call (631) 689-5920.

• John Harvard’s Brew House, Lake Grove    Located on Route 347 by the Smithhaven Mall, John Harvard’s boasts a great variety of hand-brewed beers (brewed on premises), great homemade root beer (they make it themselves), and a great variety of fresh food to satisfy any craving be it for pasta, quesadilla or a good ol' fashioned hamburger. Tel. (631) 979-2739.

• Eastern Pavilion, Setauket    Located on Route 25A, just a little further down from Subway and Curry Club, Eastern Pavilion offers fine Chinese, Korean and Japanese fare and a very extensive menu from each cuisine, to boot. This is not a buffet establishment but a full-service restaurant, and as such is a bit on the pricey side, but it is a nice place to come and treat yourself to a good Asian meal every once in a while. The portions are also very large, and the service is excellent. We highly recommend the California Roll. Tel. (631) 751-1888.

• Ralph’s Italian Ices, Stony Brook    Closed only in the cold months of the year, Ralph's ices carries a huge variety of both cream and water ices and is very decently priced. The closest location to campus is located on the corner of Stony Brook Road and Route 347 across from the Hess gas station near J & R's Steakhouse. In the summer, they're open rather late and often gather crowds of young'ns outside. Good if you have nothing better to do off campus and you've already had too much coffee to go to Starbucks next door. Call (631) 941-4750.

• Ying Yang Chinese Buffet, Lake Grove and Golden Buffet, Centereach    Long Island is peppered with modern-day vomitoriums known as Chinese buffets, and the campus area is no exception. There are several located near the south side of campus, the closest being Ying Yang right on route 347 in the shopping center just east of Stony Brook Rd. If you're really really hungry and think you can eat your money's worth, this is the place for you. Call (631) 689-8585.

• There is also Golden Buffet in Centereach in the Wal-Mart shopping center on Route 25, which is about 10 minutes from the campus area via Nicholls Road south and then west on 25. It is newer than Ying Yang and also has a larger sushi bar as well as a raw bar (clams, oysters, etc). They are similarly priced. Call (631) 588-5188.

• Both are worth the money if you're hungry and are into specialty foods (paying a buffet price to eat as much fried rice and lo-mein as you can can never be worth it) and both have sushi, crab legs, and assorted desserts. They also have good service and free toothpicks on your way out.

• Setauket Village Restaurant, Setauket    More like a diner, it is located in the same shopping center as Stop N’ Shop and Eckerd, and offers sandwiches, burgers, breakfast, and entrees. Prices a bit out of the range of day-to-day dining for students.  The service is excellent but unfortunately, it closes at 9 p.m. Call (631) 981-3826.

• Strawberry Fields, Stony Brook    Located on Route 25A next to 7-11, this place has a variety of gourmet sandwiches and wraps, soups, as well as salads, pies, cookies and baked goods. They have a very large variety of beverages and coffees as well. Prices are slightly high but the selection is very wide. They also cater. Call (631) 246-5600.

• Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, Stony Brook    Located just across the street from the Stony Brook LIRR station and next door to Cosmos. Open 24 hours a day, and has everything you could expect, from donuts to ice cream cakes to dunkacchinos. Call (631) 689-0350.

• Starbucks, Nesconset and two other locations    The closest Starbucks to campus is that in the shopping center on the corner of Stony Brook Road and Route 347, next to Duane Reade, with two other locations on Route 25A in Setauket (next to Eckerd in the Stop N’ Shop shopping center) and in Port Jefferson Village.

• Famous Dave’s BBQ, Smithtown A few miles away, on Route 347 west past the mall and several miles west of campus, near Carrabba’s Italian Bistro and Boulder Creek Steakhouse. Famous Dave's has southern barbecue food you won't find anywhere else in the area, with a lively atmosphere and rustic decor to boot. They also have an impressive selection of barbecue sauces at each table, much like IHOP has assorted pancake syrup flavors. Dessert is also something worth calling famous; among the best are the bread pudding and the pecan pie, served in portions that we're pretty sure no individual can finish, especially after eating a meal there (so share). The prices are reasonable but by no means cheap college-level fare, so save this place for a special occasion like a birthday or skipping finals. They also have take-out and free toothpicks as you leave. Call (631) 360-6490.

• Boulder Creek Steakhouse, Smithtown    Also a few miles from campus, Boulder Creek is a somewhat high quality steakhouse, which although a bit pricy, features a nice environment with very friendly service, as well as delicious food. Even though it is known for its steaks, there are several other things to order. If you are a fan of lamb, Boulder Creek’s’ is well worth the money. If you like onion rings, the blooming onion is highly recommended. It is a large appetizer for the whole table and comes with delicious sauce to dip it in. We also recommend the French Onion soup. Portions are huge, so odds are you will have enough food to bring back home with you. Boulder Creek gets very busy, so call ahead. Call: (631) 979-6500.

• Salsa Salsa, Port Jefferson A much better, but pricier, alternative to Taco Bell, Salsa Salsa features many excellent tacos, burritos, fajitas, as well as many different varieties of nachos, chilis and quesadillas. They are located on Main Street in downtown Port Jefferson. Seating is limited, call ahead for take-out. Call (631) 473-9700. http://www.salsasalsa.net.

• The Steamroom, Port Jefferson    Featuring outdoor seating right across the street from Port Jefferson harbor when the weather’s nice, The Steamroom offers many moderately-priced fried and steamed seafood dishes, from fish and chips to red snapper. They also serve traditional fast-food fare such as burgers, fries and hot dogs, as well as popcorn shrimp and tasty clam chowder and seafood bisque. Call (631) 928-6690.

• Z-Pita, Port Jefferson    A few miles from campus in the opposite direction of Famous Dave's and Boulder Creek, Z-Pita is situated on Main Street in the heart of Port Jefferson. Z-Pita features Greek, Italian and American specialties such as souvlaki, gyro, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, various pasta dishes, an excellent egg-lemon soup and spinach pie, and their specialty, Chilean Striped Bass. On weekends, Z-Pita also serves an excellent brunch until the early afternoon hours. Call (631) 476-7510.

The nearest chain-fast food establishments to campus, but not on campus:

• Applebee’s Middle Country Road, Centereach (west of Stony Brook Road)

• Burger King Route 347 westbound, between Nicolls and Stony Brook Roads (has a drive-thru)

• Chili’s Nicolls Road and Route 347, in the Home Depot shopping center

• Domino’s Route 25A, Setauket. They deliver, but you can find better pizza elsewhere  (631) 751-0330.

• KFC Middle Country Road, Centereach

• McDonald’s Route 347 westbound, past Stony Brook Road, Nesconset (has a drive-thru)

• Ruby Tuesday’s Smithhaven Mall

• Subway Route 25A and Nicolls Road, Setauket. They deliver (food review above) (631) 751-1444.

• Taco Bell Several on Middle Country Road

• TGI Friday’s Smithhaven Mall

• Wendy’s Middle Country Road, Centereach (west of Nicolls Road) (has a drive-thru)

• White Castle Middle Country Road, Centereach (west of Nicolls Road)

MUSIC/FILM:

• Three Village Music, East Setauket     Three Village Music is a great place to fill your instrument needs. Behind its doors, you’ll find a wealth of guitars, basses, wind instruments and all the necessary accessories for the practicing musician. The store also offers private lessons on virtually any instrument at a very reasonable price! Call: (631) 941-4499

• Borders Books and Music, Stony Brook     Located mere miles from campus on Rt. 347, Borders Books and Music is a great spot for students to spend some time. Students frequently meet at Borders to get a coffee in the store’s café, browse through the store’s extensive selection of books, music and film or catch a glimpse of some of Long Island’s most talented unsigned musical acts. For the computer savvy, Borders also offers discount coupons via e-mail, which is perfect for the often fiscally-challenged Stony Brook students. Borders Books and Music is open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m and Sunday 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Web site: www.borders.com. Call (631) 979-0500.

• FYE @ The Smithhaven Mall, Lake Grove    Although more suited to the needs of mainstream music and video shoppers, FYE @ The Smithaven Mall still has enough obscure selections for even the most discerning customer. FYE also buys and sells used CDs and DVDs, perfect if you’re low on cash! Call: (631) 724-3268 (Additional FYE locations in Rocky Point and Selden)

• Saturday Matinee @ The Smithhaven Mall, Lake Grove    Although the prices might be slightly higher than other stores, the element that sets Saturday Matinee apart from other retail video outlets is their knowledgeable staff. These dedicated professionals know so much about movies that it would be almost impossible to walk out of the store unsatisfied! Also worth noting is Saturday Matinee’s practice of buying and selling used DVDs. Call: (631) 979-6933

HOME ENTERTAINMENT/ELECTRONICS:

• Best Buy, South Setauket    Best Buy is one of the best stores around to fulfill your electronics needs. In their vast inventory, you can find blank CDRs and DVDRs, stereo components, televisions, video recording/playback units, car stereos/accessories, PC and console systems and games, DVDs, CDs and appliances. Their prices are very reasonable and they are always having a sale. Call: (631) 737-1632.

• Circuit City, Lake Grove    Located just adjacent to the Smithhaven Mall, Circuit City is a great place to fulfill your electronics needs. In their vast inventory, you can find blank CDRs and DVDRs, stereo components, televisions, video recording/playback units, car stereos/accessories, PC and console systems and games, DVDs and CDs. It’s a little more than a stone’s throw from campus, so check it out! Call: (631) 724-9170.

• Game Stop, Lake Grove    In the same shopping center as Circuit City, you’ll find Game Stop, one of the best resources for all your gaming needs! Game Stop carries titles for all gaming consoles, new (Xbox, Playstation) and old (Nintendo, Sega Genesis) and all the accessories to go with them. They also buy and sell used items, which means a visit will be light on your wallet! Call: (631) 366-6320.

• Office Max, Stony Brook    Located in the same shopping center as Borders Books and Music, Office Max is a great place to get all of your office and computer supplies at a very low cost! Office Max is a great place to stock up on notebooks, printer paper, ink cartridges and a wealth of other materials for your scholastic needs. Call: (631) 360-0590.

HOME ACCESSORIES:

• Bed, Bath and Beyond, Lake Grove  In the part of the Smithhaven Mall facing Route 347, Bed, Bath and Beyond features everything from bedsheets, bath products, comforters, and various other knick-knacks for your home or dorm room.  Call (631) 360-2976.

• Linens N' Things, Nesconset  In the same shopping center as Waldbaum's and Loew's Theater, Linens N' Things offers a similar selection to Bed, Bath and Beyond, but probably has a greater selection of products which can be specifically useful in a dorm room setting.  Call (631) 751-8075.

• Target, South Setauket    Sharing the same property as Best Buy, Target is a great place to get all of your “home” accessories at a tremendously low cost! Target has toiletries, clothing, food, furniture and a whole slue of other items you’ll need over the course of the semester. The prices are so good here, you’ll surely be satisfied! Call: (631) 580-5356

• Wal-Mart, South Setauket A little further away from campus is Wal-Mart, which is no doubt familiar already to most students. Much like Target, Wal-Mart Target is a great place to get all of your “home” accessories at a tremendously low price. Also like Target, Wal-Mart has toiletries, clothing, food, furniture and a whole slue of other items you’ll need over the course of the semester. Wal-Mart is also home to a photo center, where you can take your film or digital camera for reasonably-priced developing! Call: (631) 474-3287

MULTIPLE-STORE LOCATIONS:

• Smithhaven Mall, Lake Grove   Minutes away from campus is the Smithhaven Mall, which houses a plethora of stores for a convenient one-stop shopping experience. For students without their own transportation, Stony Brook University happens to be one of the stops on the bus line that runs directly to Smithhaven! Here is a list of all the stores located within Smithhaven Mall:

• Accessories:: Cingular Wireless, Claire's Boutique, Club Libby Lu, Coach, Icing by Claire's, PacSun, Sharper Image

• Cards / Books / Gifts / Stationery: American Greetings, Amy's Hallmark, Brookstone, Sharper Image, Spencer Gifts, The Disney Store, Things Remembered, Waldenbooks, Yankee Candle

• Children's Fashions: Gap Kids, Gymboree, Icing by Claire's, Rave Girl, The Children's Place, The Limited Too

• Department Stores: H&M, JCPenney, Macy's East, Sears

• Entertainment: Island, Carousel

• Health and Beauty: Axios Salon & Spa, Bath & Body Works, GNC, Rose Valenti Fragrances, The Body Shop, Top Ten Nails, Victoria's Secret, Vitamin World

• Home Furnishings: Bombay Company, Brookstone, Elite, Gallery Select Comfort, Sharper Image, Williams-Sonoma

• Jewelry: Bailey Banks & Biddle, Barclay Jewelers, Kay Jewelers, King Richard Jewelers, Lundstrom Jewelers, Major Jewelers, Piercing Pagoda, Piercing Pagoda + The Watch Connection, Watch World, Whitehall Co. Jewellers, Zales Jewelers

• Men's & Women's Fashions: Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Banana Republic, Express, Dual Gender, Gap, Guess?, J. Crew, Law Jeans, PacSun, Wilsons Leather

• Men's Fashions: Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, After Hours Formal Wear, American Eagle Outfitters, Banana Republic, EPIC, Express, Dual Gender, Gap, Guess?, J. Crew, PacSun, Sweats N' Jeans, Wilsons Leather

• Music / Electronics / Video: Brookstone, Cingular Wireless, Electronics Boutique, fye - For Your Entertainment, GameStop, Planet Comics, RadioShack, Saturday Matinee, Sharper Image

• Photography: The Picture People

• Restaurants (order at the counter): Bourbon St. Cafe, Carvel, Great Steak & Potato, Nathan's, Panda Express, Sarku Japan, Sbarro, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's

• Restaurants (order via wait staff): BEN'S, Ruby Tuesday, T.G.I. Friday's, Wild Fig Mediterranean Grill

• Services: After Hours Formal Wear, Cel Net, Cingular Wireless, Cohen's Fashion Optical, Freidman Marketing, Glamour Shots, Nextel, Sterling Optical, T & T Nails, The Picture People, The Watch Connection, Verizon Wireless

• Shoes: Aldo Shoes, American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, Bakers, Footaction USA, Journeys, Kids Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, PacSun, Payless Shoe Source, Steve Madden, Stride Rite, The Athlete's Foot, World Foot Locker

• Specialty Food: Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Cinnabon, Godiva Chocolatier, Haagen-Dazs, Lindt Chocolatier

• Specialty Shops: After Hours Formal Wear, Bailey Banks & Biddle, Bath & Body Works, Brookstone, Cingular Wireless, Glamour Shots, Hot Topic, Lids, Motherhood Maternity, PacSun, Sharper Image, Sunglass Hut

• Sporting Goods / Activewear: Eastern Mountain Sports, Footaction USA, The Athlete's Foot , World Foot Locker

• Toys and Games: Build-A-Bear Workshop®, GameStop, Lego, Planet Comics, Sharper Image, The Disney Store

• Women's Fashions 5-7-9 Shop, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Caché, Casual Corner, Charlotte Russe, Contempo Casuals, EPIC, Express, Dual Gender, Forever 21, G & G, Gap, Guess?, J. Crew, Lane Bryant,  Motherhood Maternity, New York & Company, PacSun, Petite Sophisticate, The Limited, Torrid, Victoria's Secret, Wilson's Leather

• Women's Specialty Fashions: Caché

• 7-11, Stony Brook Village    Conveniently located just across the street from the LIRR station, next door to Cosmos and Dunkin Donuts, this is your typical 7-11, open 24 hours, with the typical convenience food items normally found at such establishments. Call (631) 751-1759.

• King Kullen Supermarket, Setauket    The latest addition to the area’s supermarket scene, this market has opened up in the same shopping center as Stop N’ Shop and Wild by Nature.

• Stop N’ Shop Supermarkets, two locations    Not as convenient as Waldbaums, but two locations near campus, one by the intersection of Nicolls Road and Route 347 in the Home Depot shopping center, and the other on Route 25A in Setauket (in the same shopping center as King Kullen and Wild by Nature). Prices seem to be a bit better than Waldbaum’s, selection about the same, but you need a ride to get to these places from campus. Call (631) 751-1526.

• Waldbaums, Lake Grove    The closest supermarket to the Stony Brook campus, and accessible by the free university bus which goes to the Smithhaven Mall on weekends. Very wide selection of groceries, baked goods, toiletries and flowers, but rather overpriced, unless you’re comparing the prices to those on campus, in which case it’s a bargain. Call: (631) 751-9014.

• Wild By Nature, East Setauket    Wild By Nature is the perfect grocery store for those watching what they eat. Offering organic and vegetarian/vegan-friendly items, Wild By Nature is mere minutes from campus on 25A and is a great place to get the best food for your at-home cooking needs! Call: (631) 246-5500.

• Stony Brook Beverage, Setauket    On Route 25A, near Domino’s and Eastern Pavilion, Stony Brook Beverage offers a wide varitety of sodas, water, beer, wine, spirits, available in large quantities and at discount prices. Call: (631) 941-4545.

PHARMACIES

• CVS, Setauket    A short distance up Route 25A from campus. Probably the best prices of the three area chain drugstores. Call (631) 246-8731.
  

• Duane Reade, Nesconset    The closest drugstore chain to campus, on the intersection of Stony Brook Road and Route 347, next to Starbucks. Call (631) 751-5743.
  

• Eckerd, East Setauket    In the same large shopping center as Stop N’ Shop and Wild by Nature. Call (631) 751-8101.

RECREATION

• Sports Plus, Lake Grove    Although regarded by many as nothing more than a haunt for questionable young teenagers, Sports Plus actually has a few things to offer Stony Brook Students. The “Fun Center” features ice-skating and bowling year-round, which are a cheap and time-consuming way to beat the on-campus drabs. Sports Plus also features an arcade (complete with a full-room laser tag game), but one would be well-advised to avoid these areas if the aforementioned questionable young teenagers are a concern. Sports Plus also houses a sports bar, Reunions, which is a great place to meet up with friends and check out the sporting events of the season. Additionally, Sports Plus regularly holds computer shows, which is a great place to purchase computer parts and accessories at dirt-cheap prices. So steer clear of the arcade and enjoy the other attractions Sports Plus has to offer. For a listing of events or for more information, visit: www.sportsplusny.com. Call (631) 737-2100.

• Loew’s Theater, Lake Grove    Your typical suburban American mega-chain Multiplex movie theater, Loew’s shows typical Hollywood feature films and boasts the typical overpriced movie prices. However, it’s the closest place to campus to see all the latest releases, and the campus bus goes there on weekends. This theater also shows movies into the early morning hours. Tel. (631) 921-0124.