Thursday, October 1, 2026
A decade or so ago, the hamlet of Oyster Bay was dotted with boarded-up buildings, and vacancy rates were climbing. But with the help of two local hospitality groups, each with its own take on upscale dining and gourmet food, Oyster Bay has been transformed into a thriving hot spot for fine dining.
The Lush Life Hospitality Group was founded in 2014 by Claudia Taglich and Iron Chef America champion chef Jesse Schenker. The Stellina Hospitality group was created in 2022 by the Milana family and chef Fabrizio Faccini.
In 2014, Claudia and Michael Taglich bought a historic but dilapidated home in Oyster Bay, and moved there with their family from Sag Harbor. A vacant corner lot, previously the site of the bistro Cafe Al Dente, struck Claudia as an ideal place for a restaurant. Despite the risk of opening a business in a quiet town with many commercial vacancies, she decided to take the leap.
“It is indeed a very special place,” Taglich said of the hamlet. “Its history, beautiful architecture and strong sense of community is what I wanted to invest in.”
In 2018, the Lush Life Hospitality group opened the brassiere 2Spring. Taglich said she meticulously planned every detail, from the menu to the tableware.
“It was a total career change for me; I was extremely nervous about entering the notoriously difficult restaurant business,” Taglich said. “My goal was to make 2Spring the best restaurant I could possibly make.”
Spreading the word about 2Spring on social media has been an immense help, according to Taglich, gives people a glimpse of the restaurant’s food, atmosphere and energy. “Food is no longer about what’s on the plate,” she explained. “The entire experience matters. Social media has helped us reach diners beyond Oyster Bay.”
Lush Life has expanded since, with restaurants like the Chef’s Counter at Four, on South Street, designed as an immersive 10-seat dining experience; Gioia, a northern Italian-style restaurant; Gimme Burger, a casual burger joint; Bull Moose, a members-only cocktail lounge; and The Comet Club, a luxury chophouse in Woodbury. The Tagliches have also invested in specialty grocery shops like the Provisions Market and Provisions Bakery.
The other hospitality group making an impact in Oyster Bay is of European origin. Adriana Milana’s family emigrated from Italy to the United States in the mid-1900s, and opened a cozy Italian restaurant called Stella’s — Italian for “star” — in Syosset, in 1960. It served guests for 64 years before it closed.
In 202, during the pandemic, the Milana family moved to Oyster Bay, and watched the community of mom-and-pop shops dwindle as businesses everywhere struggled. But when Adriana and her husband, Thomas, met Fabrizio Facchini, a renowned Italian chef and restaurateur, his talents and culinary vision inspired them to open a restaurant.
They named it Stellina — “little star” — a tribute to Adriana’s mother’s restaurant. Opening in February 2022, the upscale, authentic Italian establishment was met with a positive response from locals. According to Adriana and Tom’s daughter Sabrina, a well-thought-out menu, beautiful plating and a cozy environment created a feeling of community that kept loyal customers coming back.
“The best part is seeing the people who keep coming back, who weren’t from here,” Milana said. “We’re giving people from all over Long Island a reason to come to Oyster Bay.”
The popularity of Stellina Ristorante has only grown, and the Stellina Hospitality Group has also opened The Audrey, an intimate, Mediterranean-influenced kitchen and bar on South Street, and its newest addition, the French restaurant L’Étoile, in the historic building at 108 South St. that once housed Snouder’s Drug Store.
The building had been vacant for almost 16 years before the Milanas purchased it. They formed a partnership with its owner, Tim Lee, who had overseen a host of renovations over the years. L’Étoile opened a year ago, and according to Milana, it is thriving, with full tables and elegant plates.
The most challenging aspect of creating the space, Milana said, was to maintain the historical integrity of the building while also fostering something that felt new and refined. To do that, they kept the Snouder’s sign and most of the original wood inside the building. “My goal was to create a space that was welcoming,” Milana said, “but also that top-tier, upscale French experience.”
Stellina Hospitality also plans to open a contemporary Japanese restaurant on South Street called Hoshi.
Both hospitality groups have supported Main Street Association events and programs. According to Jackie Cipolla, the association’s executive director, its Downtown Board facilitated the renovation of the historic Roosevelt-Derby Bandstand and the seating near the post office redone, which she attributed to the hamlet’s revived business community.
“This wouldn’t be possible without the strong local businesses,” Cipolla said. “We all want to walk around a town that’s beautiful and thriving.”
The hospitality groups also participate in community events such as October’s Oyster Fest. This Saturday night, The Audrey will work with the Oyster Bay Boys & Girls Club on a promotion in which a percentage of the restaurant’s proceeds will be donated to the club. And 2spring hosted two “Dine for a Cause” nights in May, on which 30 percent of its proceeds went to Blood Cancer United, a nonprofit that raises funds and awareness for blood cancer research.
“It’s not just that these businesses have been opening,” Amy Reilly Hanley, executive director of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, said. “They’ve been opening and they’ve been supporting these other local organizations.”
For more information on restaurants and events, go to LushLifeHospitality.com and StellinaHospitality.com.
