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New day for Country Corner Cafe

KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO
Kelly Hunstein, owner with her husband, David, of the Country Corner Cafe in Southold, serves up breakfast Tuesday to Peter Kuan, left, and Dante Mazzetti, both of Manhattan.

The Country Corner Cafe has been open for full service one week today, Thursday, in its new location in a former flooring store on the north side of Route 25 in Southold.

Opening day for the popular breakfast and lunch spot — which now also offers a dinner menu — came nine months after owners Kelly and Dave Hunstein had to move out of the space they occupied for 12 years in the corner of the Southold IGA building. Owner Charles Reichert did not renew their lease because he would be expanding his grocery store into the space.

Last week, as booths were still filled with patrons enjoying late breakfasts, the Hunsteins described business as “severely” busy.

“It took a lot of planning, but this was big enough and close enough to convert,” Mr. Hunstein said of the new location. “It worked.”

Under renovation since March,the cafe has more seating than the previous space, but the kitchen is smaller. The ice cream display remains largely the same. The owners plan to use some of their new store as a private party area.

The restaurant has about 20 new items on its menu, which now features dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch. A chicken tender and bacon sandwich is named after the Hunsteins’ son, Ryan.

“We have everything, all year ’round,” Ms. Hunstein said.

Though permits from the county health department took some time to come through, Ms. Hunstein said that she never thought of giving up on reopening the store.

“We were way too determined,” she said. “This is our dream.”

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