Sonoma Grill plans to open its doors at the former home of the Riverhead Project by the end of March, restaurateurs Matt DeMar and John Cestari told the Riverhead Town Board today.
In addition to a “family-friendly” restaurant offering a diverse American menu at an affordable price, Demar and Cestari said they plan to operate a club on weekends where young people in the area can come to enjoy a “night life.”
“There is no night life around here,” Demar said.
Board members agreed to move Tuesday to set a public hearing on the required cabaret permit needed to operate a night club at the location. The public hearing will be held in March.
“It’s an exciting project. I don’t want them to get bogged down so I wanted them to come in and talk to the board,” Supervisor Sean Walter said.
Demar and Cestari said their venture into Riverhead would not end with the one new location.
“When you have young people coming into a town, they say ‘wow this is a really cool place I could see myself living here’ and that’s what you need,” Cestari said.
Former Frisky Oyster owner Dennis McDermott opened the upscale RiverheadProject to much fanfare in spring 2011. The restaurant closed abruptly right after Labor Day last year, after McDermott had signed a stipulation with the building owner settling an eviction proceeding for alleged nonpayment of rent, taxes, security and late fees totaling $57,780.
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