Business

Downtown restaurant Joe’s Garage set for March 20 opening

Joe's Garage is opening on March 20 on Peconic Avenue. Credit: Barbaraellen Koch.
Joe’s Garage is opening on March 20 on Peconic Avenue. Credit: Barbaraellen Koch.

After months of waiting, downtown Riverhead’s newest restaurant — Joe’s Garage and Grill — is finally ready to open its doors.

The car-themed restaurant located on the first floor of the Summerwind apartment complex will open on March 20, with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for next Thursday. The restaurant, which was originally scheduled to open last spring, was given its health department permit to operate on Feb. 19, Suffolk County health officials said.

“It’s going to be quality food at affordable prices,” said Ray Dickoff, a partner in the restaurant. “It lends itself to a family friendly atmosphere and ties us to the Riverhead community which is rich in auto racing history.”

Mr. Dickoff said the restaurant will serve “modern American comfort food” that will emphasize local ingredients. The restaurant had won a $12,500 New York Main Street grant to help pay for the decorative garage doors on the store front of the building.

Supervisor Sean Walter praised the restaurant, saying “The block by block approach of downtown revitalization is working.

The entire Riverhead Town Board applauds Mr. Dickhoff’s efforts for investing in downtown Riverhead,” Mr. Walter said. “The creation of new businesses, such as Joe’s Garage and Grill, adds greatly to Riverhead’s resurgence.”