Barto To Bring NYC’s Restaurant Feel to Roslyn

Adedamola Agboola

Donald Finley said he wants to bring a touch of Manhattan to Roslyn with his opening of Barto Restaurant and Bar by spring’s end.

“We want the restaurant to have a hip, fun and high energy environment just like going to Manhattan,” Finley said. “You know, good music, with good food in a modernist environment.”

Finley said to create a modernist, green environment he is using the remnants from Coney Island’s boardwalk in building the restaurant at 1024 Northern Blvd. in Roslyn Estates.

“I mean it’s a modern and extremely green restaurant,” Finley said. “We used ipe wood that came from Coney Island Amusement Park to design the building.”

Barlot is being outfitted with an all white quartz marble bar, very high ceilings and dark wood floors, Finley said. 

The building will be energy efficient with many of the materials used in building being locally harvested with low impact on energy, he said.

“We just wanted that kind of building that we think is energy efficient and will keep our expenses low in the future,” Finley said. “And its also a beautiful way to build a building.”

Finley said the building was built to green specifications with the goal of becoming LEED certified

There is a 14-foot wall of green living wall, a round quartz bar, rusty orange fabric and a big skylight for energy efficiency, he said.

The restaurant, which will seat about 170 people, will serve a variety of cuisines including French, Asian to American, Finley said.

“We will serve fresh pasta, gourmet pizza, beef chicken to a variety of dishes and prices will be consistent with the restaurants around the area,” he said.

Finley said he has overcome many hurdles in launching the restaurant.

“There were many hurdles that had to overcome,” Finley said. 

One of the issues that he faced, he said, was when permits to begin construction at the site were initially granted but then changed after the Town of North Hempstead hired new building inspectors. He said he then had to go back to the drawing board. 

“We changed the topography of the entire compound,” Finley said. “There was a big slope near the entrance of the property that was flattened and that took very long process.”

He said when a new septic system had to be installed on the property, approvals from the Nassau County Health Department also took some time.

“The prior building didn’t have a sprinkler system and a new water service had to be brought across the street onto the property,” Finley said.

But, Finley said, the restaurant was worth the struggles.

“It’s a great location with high visibility and traffic,” he said. “Its also a special location because we have parking located on both sides of the building.”

Finley said he’s been approached by established restaurants who have made offers to purchase the building.

“People know there are a lot of successful restaurants in the area and they know the demographics,” he said.

Finley said although there are many restaurants in the area, there just aren’t enough restaurants in Long Island in general.  

“I’m not suggesting residents prefer my restaurants over another but  I believe there aren’t enough restaurants and they need more,” he said. 

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