Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Living Piece of Long Island History

The building that houses Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern has been standing since 1751, when Richard Hallock built what became known as the Old Homestead on Main Street in Stony Brook. Few dining rooms on Long Island carry that kind of weight. In 1835, Jonas Smith — one of the country's most prominent ship owners and Long Island's first millionaire — purchased the property as a summer house. After his death in 1867, the estate passed through several hands before Mrs. Frank Melville acquired it in 1929 and transformed it into a Women's Exchange, serving tea, sandwiches, and refreshments. What began as a modest tea room in the 1930s grew steadily, and by 1939 the Three Village Inn had taken shape: a proper country inn with a restaurant and rooms for overnight guests. The property also sits along the Washington Spy Trail, linking it to the espionage networks of the American Revolution.

The Kitchen Today

The culinary team is led by Chef de Cuisine Fernando Machado, with Executive Chef Peter Baran overseeing the Three Village Inn kitchen and the legendary Guy Reuge serving as Chef Emeritus and Senior Advisor. That continuity of expertise shows in a menu that balances French bistro sensibility with confident contemporary American cooking — the identity the restaurant has made its own.

Dishes on the current menu reflect that dual character. Starters range from French Onion Soup with Vidalia onion and gruyère and Panisses (chickpea fries) with harissa aïoli to Peking Duck Tacos with five-spice mango salsa and Montauk Lobster Agnolotti in a spiced tomato chutney with lobster "au poivre" brodo. Mains include a Mirabelle Duck Duo, Pan-Roasted Alaskan Halibut over farro with spiced romesco, Faroe Island Salmon with a gulf shrimp-saffron risotto, and a 45-day dry-aged 1890 Burger. The wine program earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2020 — recognition that reflects the care put into pairings across a list broad enough to complement both a casual Tavern Burger and a Filet Mignon with sauce bordelaise.

The Setting

Mirabelle Tavern, the dining room at the heart of the inn, is warm and unhurried — a place where history is present in the architecture but never feels like a museum piece. The inn overlooks Stony Brook Harbor, and the gardens provide a backdrop for everything from Sunday brunch to private celebrations. Beyond the restaurant itself, guests can stay in the inn's Master and Signature Suites, making Mirabelle a natural destination for a full Long Island weekend rather than just a single meal.

The American menu spans lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and a $25 two-course prix fixe available on weekdays — making this historic address as practical for a midweek lunch as it is for a special occasion dinner.