The culinary couple purchased the former Dimon Estate, a restaurant and sometime wedding-catering venue, in September, working through the necessary steps with the Town of Riverhead to officially open their much-missed, farm-and-forage-to-table restaurant in the historic Jamesport space on Manor Lane.

This first weekend will have a slightly tapered seating capacity, but the menu will be in full bloom. In the past, 18 Bay’s other locations (Bayville and Shelter Island) were hemmed in by spaces that had both limited kitchen workspace and smaller seating capacity. Here, there’s room to roam in the kitchen, affording them the opportunity for the first time to offer both their notable four-course, daily changing menu (a quadrant of starters, a fresh pasta course, a main dish and dessert) and, new to 18 Bay, an a la carte menu as well.

Read more on northforker.com

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The Southold couple, who shuttered their popular Shelter Island restaurant 18 Bay in 2022, attempted to alleviate concerns over noise and lighting complaints lodged against the previous business at the Victorian mansion during a Town Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16 

Mr. Kopels reiterated plans to reopen 18 Bay on the historic grounds at 370 Manor Lane next month, but said their Italian-inspired eatery will sidestep the issues that dogged the old Jamesport Manor Inn.

Named after the address of their first restaurant in Bayville, 18 Bay will have 60 seats on the first floor and 20 on the second floor, all reserved for dining only, Mr. Kopels said.

“We plan on planting as much as we can for the restaurant, utilizing the vastness of the property to grow as many gardens to support the restaurant as much as possible,” Mr. Kopels said. “It’s a privilege to steward the property and grow as much as we can, and make a really great dinner.”

The dynamic duo, who were both named James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef in the Northeast region in 2018, have previously stated they are not looking to cultivate a late-night atmosphere with loud music or a bar crowd.

“I know that there has been some past friction with neighbors,” the couple’s lawyer Kimberly Judd said at the meeting. “They’ve already met several of the neighbors, and talked to them, and assured them that the business model that was carried out before was not the business model that they want to do.” 

The 3.13-acre property, first owned by ancestors of 19th-century merchant mariner Jonathan Dimon, has a litigation history with Riverhead Town dating back to 2004 over noisy outdoor events and weddings on the property. 

The previous owner, Matthew Kar of Kar-McVeigh LLC, put the Dimon Estate up for sale in October 2023 after the Riverhead Town Board approved a special permit to construct a 600-square-foot addition for dining and catering to the existing restaurant. 

At the time, the special permit allowed the number of seats in the restaurant to be increased from 80 to 120. The second floor of the structure was prohibited from being used for restaurant or catering operations.

The property was originally listed for $3.2 million. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The new owners stated they are not looking to add an expansion to the existing structure.

Town Board officials told concerned speakers at the meeting that officials can add covenants to the special permit to mitigate any potential issues. The written comment period regarding the special permit matter will remain open until Friday, Sept. 26.

“I’m not sure if the general public understands the magnitude of being recognized by James Beard. That’s the ultimate in the restaurant business, and they don’t give those out every other day,” Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said. “You’re really doing something special to be recognized by them and I can’t wait for you to open your doors.”

Their new restaurant has received strong support from many residents, the Greater Jamesport Civic Association and the Riverhead Town Board.

“We really wish them well. It sounds like they have a special love for the architecture of the building and sounds like they’re very respectful of the grounds,” said Bonnie Schmidt, a Manor Lane resident. “We, as farmers, just have a great love for the land, too, and I just hope we can all get along because I’m telling you this was just a lot that we went through.”

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The restaurateurs previously operated the now-closed 18 Bay restaurant on Shelter Island for over a decade. It was known for its Italian-inspired, rotating four-course chef’s menu that showcased the animals, fruits and vegetables produced only on the North Fork and Shelter Island.

After closing in 2023 and shifting to restaurant consulting for some time, the two chefs are interested in buying the old Jamesport Manor Inn to resurrect its 18 Bay name at 370 Manor Lane. The purchase has not yet been finalized, but it is nearing a close of the sale.

Both restaurateurs said at an Aug. 28 Riverhead Town Board work session that they do not intend to offer catering or event services, since they are not interested in “being a 1 o’clock in the morning restaurant.”

“We’re very serious about fine dining. We don’t have a bar crowd, we don’t have shift drinks — we don’t do any of that,” Ms. Ronzetti said at the work session. “We understand the culture and how it can go wrong, that’s not who we are. We’re very honored to be able to procure and purchase this property, and really bring it up to what it needs to be and what it should be.”

Matthew Kar of Kar-McVeigh LLC and owner of Dimon Estate first put the property up for sale in October 2023 after the Riverhead Town Board approved a special permit to construct a 600-square-foot addition for dining and catering to the existing restaurant. At the time, the special permit allowed for the number of seats in the restaurant to be increased from 80 to 120. The second floor of the structure was prohibited from being used for restaurant or catering use.

Greg Bergman, senior town planner, said the prospective owners would like to amend the original special permit to allow for the second floor to be used for just restaurant-space. He said at the work session the two restauranteurs are not looking to add an extension to the building. They also do not need to exceed 80 seats, Mr. Bergman said.

Mr. Kar signed an order of consent for Mr. Kopels and Ms. Ronzetti to apply for the special use permit on June 23, according to planning department documents. There would be minimal improvements to the existing site and no other proposed structures.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard was pleased with the chefs’ intent to return the restaurant to how it was “back in the day.”

The Dimon Estate property has a long-winded litigation history with Riverhead Town since 2004 over issues of catering, outdoor events and weddings at the restaurant. The town filed the lawsuit in September 2021 in the wake of noise complaints from neighboring property owners in Jamesport and had sought a temporary injunction preventing Kar-McVeigh from erecting or occupying tents on the property and from having outdoor events or outdoor catering there. This legal matter has since been dismissed.

Since the property has been heavily disputed by residents, Mr. Bergman recommended scheduling a public hearing in mid-September to address any lingering community concerns.

Mr. Kopels said the business partners have formed “many great relationships” with neighbors and farmers on the North Fork for nearly 20 years, and it “means a lot” for them to keep their business in the community. The town board officials wished the two luck and agreed the new restaurant would be a positive.

“You’re coming into a very close knit community … and what you’re looking to bring to Jamesport sounds exactly what we need,” said Councilwoman Joann Waski. “We really are looking forward to a good neighbor.”

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Neighbors said that noise from the Manor Lane restaurant — now known as Dimon Estate — is ruining their quality of life and can be heard as far south as Eileen Circle, which is off Main Road. 

Owner Matt Kar is seeking special permit approval from the Town Board to construct a 6,045-square-foot addition for dining and catering to the existing restaurant. 

Plans for the 136,344-square-foot parcel also include a proposed covered patio and patio areas, with related site improvements. The property is located in the Agricultural Protection zoning district and the proposal needs a special permit from the Town Board. 

Last week’s hearing was a continuation of an April 4 hearing on the same topic. 

The town has been in court with Mr. Kar for years in a lawsuit filed under the title, Kar v. McVeigh. 

“We are specifically here in an attempt to settle ongoing lawsuits that have been going on for more than 10 years,” said Charles Cuddy, attorney for the applicant. 

He said both the town Zoning Board of Appeals and the courts have ruled that catering is a permitted accessory use to a restaurant, much like a garage is accessory to a car. 

Frank Blangiardo, an attorney who lives across the street from Dimon Estate, said he represents a number of restaurants on the East End.

“I know a little bit about restaurants and the one across the street from me is empty. They are on the ropes and they’re going out of business,” he said. “They’re just looking to get approval and sell it to somebody else.”

Mr. Blangiardo then added, “He’s not a good neighbor and he should not be given any courtesies or extensions by the Town Board”. 

Phil Barbato, who owns a farm on Manor Lane, said the restaurant is located in the middle of the town’s Agricultural Protection Zone. 

“It’s surrounded by beautiful farmland and houses. The value of the site is based on that,” he said, adding that the site “has morphed into an inn, a restaurant and a major catering facility.” 

Mr. Barbato said this is not the use that was originally approved for the property, and that the operation now affects the environment, the quality of life and “probably our property values.”

Mr. Blangiardo called the restaurant “a scar on the APZ” and compared it to “putting a cruise ship on Manor Lane.”

Bonnie Schmidt, who has lived with her husband on Manor Lane for more than 40 years, said, “This proposal to build an events center is not a supporting use of the existing restaurant. The owners were granted the privilege of a non-conforming use permit to operate a restaurant even after it was previously closed from January 2000 to May 2007.”

According to the Suffolk County health department, Ms. Schmidt said, the restaurant is approved for 80 seat capacity, and doesn’t list the an additional 10 tables, causing it to be 50% over capacity. 

She said Mr. Kar is also running an on-site catering business from the location, asserting that, rather than an expansion of the restaurant, his application “is a change of use and should not be allowed in the Agricultural Projection Zone.” 

Aside from representatives of the applicant, eight people spoke during the hearing, all of whom objected to the proposal.

The Town Board also had requested that the applicant update previous sound and traffic studies and those were submitted. 

Steve Schneider of Schneider Engineering, which did the traffic study, said there was very little difference between the original study and the update. 

Sean Harkin of Sound Sense, which conducted the sound studies, recommended a number of additional approaches to mitigating noise.

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