Downtown Oyster Bay just picked up a little Paris on South Street. L'Etoile has quietly slipped into the restored Snouder's Building, turning a onetime drug store into a polished French bistro serving escargot, soupe à l'oignon, steak frites and a full raw bar. A France-forward wine list, low lighting, bentwood chairs and a zinc-topped bar aim for that Paris-meets-Main-Street vibe while still feeling very much like Oyster Bay.
Newsday's Elisa Distefano recently stopped in to size up the newcomer and its historic setting on Main Street. As reported by Newsday, the opening has quickly become a talking point for neighbors, local diners and food writers keeping tabs on the hamlet's restaurant scene.
Snouder's Building Gets New Life
The bistro now fills the space long known as Snouder's Drug Store, a downtown institution that once housed Oyster Bay's first telephone and drew local press attention back in the Teddy Roosevelt era. The building's restoration and the unveiling of a historic marker were covered by Long Island Press, which chronicled community efforts to preserve the 19th-century storefront rather than let it slip into history.
Local Group Behind the Bistro
L'Etoile comes from Stellina Hospitality, the Long Island group behind several North Shore restaurants. According to Stellina Hospitality, the concept is meant to be "restrained and elegant," with a concise, seasonally updated menu that keeps the focus on classic French cooking rather than flashy gimmicks.
What To Order
The kitchen leans into French bistro staples: steak tartare, moules-frites, foie gras and a lobster mac-and-cheese that has already been positioned as a signature. Nightly specials and a raw bar round things out. L'Etoile's menu is updated seasonally and lists pricing, several house cocktails and an extensive wine selection geared toward France.
What This Means For Main Street
A formal French dining room on South Street widens Oyster Bay's options and gives locals another place to steer anniversary dinners and visiting relatives. Local listings and reservation platforms show steady interest since the opening; bookings and reviews appear on OpenTable and on regional review sites.
The restaurant is currently taking dinner reservations and is open most evenings, with its website listing hours and contact details for bookings and private events. With the preserved Snouder's façade out front and a French menu inside, L'Etoile is set up to be one of the defining tables on Oyster Bay's Main Street in the months ahead.
