Proposed Greenport café now wants to add neighboring eatery
Moon Star Café Bar on Front Street in Greenport isn’t even open yet, but that hasn’t stopped its owner from planning to expand with a companion restaurant.
Real estate agent and former Greenport mayor Dave Kapell represented the business owners before the Greenport Village Planning Board last Thursday to outline the proposal.
Mr. Kapell said the proposed 1,192-square-foot eatery — to be called Moon Star Restaurant — would be located across the courtyard from the already approved 49-seat café and would serve Mediterranean and American fare.
Mr. Kapell said the café bar just had its roof reconstructed; work hasn’t begun on the expansion because applicants need approvals first. During an April Planning Board meeting, owner Ahmet Ozel told members the café would focus on “beverages and prepared food” that could be reheated on site.
Last Thursday, Mr. Kapell explained that the restaurant and its bar would be open at the same time, with the restaurant cooking food. A site plan application states the restaurant would be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no outside music.
Forty seats are planned inside the restaurant and an additional eight seats at tables in the courtyard.
That shared courtyard space had some on the Planning Board skeptical last week, as the café bar will also have outdoor seating space.
Board chairman Peter Jauquet said that because the two establishments would basically be one business, the owners must now submit a new site plan showing how the entire operation would work before the board can move the application any further.
