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Nestled in the heart of downtown Smithtown, the owners of Alexandros Kitchen & Bar (AKB) have reopened the establishment at 65 East Main St. as Smithtown Pasta House.
Although the former restaurant’s Meditteranean food was well-received, manager Christina Costello said the owners wanted to accommodate all “tastebuds.”
“They just decided they wanted to rebrand … Everybody loves Italian and pasta,” Costello said. “Instead of a date night kind of place, they wanted to be family-oriented and a place you go to not just on a Friday or Saturday night.”
Smithtown Pasta House offers a variety of pasta, small plates and Italian-inspired dishes, such as imported burrata, slow-roasted meatballs, penne carbonara, lobster ravioli and chicken marsala.
The name Smithtown Pasta House upholds the legacy of the space itself, which was previously home to Butera’s and the Smithtown House — a longtime, beloved establishment in the Smithtown community.
“I remember coming here as a child with my grandparents every Saturday when it was the Smithtown House,” Costello said. “I worked in this industry for a long time and lived in Smithtown my whole life, so to be here is crazy and brings back my childhood.”
As far as the overall atmosphere, Costello said Smithtown Pasta House simply “feels like home.” The staff enjoys getting to know their customers and the restaurant already has already attracted regulars since its grand opening on Aug. 9.
Among the fan favorites at the restaurant is the chicken vodka parmigiana, which puts a twist on the traditional Italian meal.
The restaurant’s thin crust pizzas have been a hit too, most notably the burrata vodka thin crust pizza.
Many of the employees are from Smithtown; Costello mentioned the restaurant operators hope to further embed themselves in the community.
“We did bring a lot of the old people back that were regulars when it was AKB,” Costello said. “They’re very open to the new idea and excited for us as well.”
Smithtown Pasta House is open Tuesday through Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. The restaurant opens at noon on Sundays.
Top photo: Smithtown Pasta House’s sweet sausage orecchiette. (Facebook)
