Hewlett, NY

Hewlett takes its name from the family of George Hewlett, who came to America from Buckingshire, England, in the late 1660s. Known as Hewlett for generations, the area was called Fenhurst from 1893 until 1897 when Augustus Hewlett donated a piece of land to the Long Island Rail Road on the condition that the station be known as Hewlett forevermore.

Culturally, there are a lot of nearby options. Built in 1767 and considered to be one of the finest examples of Georgian colonial architecture on Long Island, the Rock Hill Museum in Lawrence offers guided tours, special lectures and educational programs for students. One of the finest small museums in New York, the Phillips Museum in Rockville Centre depicts life in the area in the 19th and 20th centuries. Displays at the East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum include an old fire pump engine, period clothing and Indian and bay exhibits.

Owners Da Nicola Scarella and Robert DeSanto have partnered to make Da Nicola the go-to Italian restaurant in Hewlett. Warm and inviting, the main dining room features a huge stone fireplace and rafters across the high ceilings. This friendly spot, where you are sure to meet your neighbors, serves large portions of traditional favorites at modest prices. Regular customers rave about the fried calamari, the veal Montecassino, and the grilled skirt steak with mashed potatoes.

For Asian fusion and the freshest sushi, Hewlett residents flock to Xaga. Here diners enjoy the elegant contemporary atmosphere and the delectable menu with more than 80 dishes that range from traditional Japanese favorites and classic Thai dishes to innovative specialties, all prepared with the freshest natural ingredients available. Xaga also offers a “create-your-own-dish" option designed to please individual palates. Locals enjoy the sushi bar starter of tuna tataki, sliced fish set upon a banana leaf, drizzled with a citrusy ponzu sauce, sprinkled with salmon roe and decorated with a spray of orchids. Xaga has nearly 70 rolls on its menu, many with unusual names, including the Louis roll, which features eggplant tempura, spicy tuna and lobster salad topped with salmon. The Soho roll includes tuna, salmon, yellow tail, tobiko and avocado in a green soy paper. Tempura, teriyaki and other dishes from around Asia complete the extensive menu. At lunch, the Bento boxes are a very popular option.

The Istanbul Grill serves the most delicious and authentic Turkish food on Long Island. Great service and atmosphere, combined with a menu of Mediterranean favorites, makes for a great meal every time. Start your meal with cold appetizers like hummus, baba ganoush, tabuleh and dolma. Hot appetizers include saganaki or falafel. Istanbul Grill serves up seven different types of kebabs, including everything from ground lamb or chicken to beef or shrimp. Chef’s specialties include moussaka, ground lamb and beef layered over eggplant in a light tomato sauce. The restaurant also has live entertainment, including a belly dancing night.

Nightlife in Hewlett is fairly laid back. Most of the restaurants serve nightly drink specials, and there are a handful of bars on Broadway, including TJ Patricks, where patrons can wager on horse races while enjoying drink and menu specials. Nearby Long Beach and Lido Beach have more of a nightlife scene, particularly in the summer months. Speakeasy in Lido Beach calls itself your “quaint neighborhood bar and grill,” providing a small-town bar with a big city atmosphere, Whether you like to watch your favorite teams on the plasma televisions or listen to live music, Speakeasy is a great choice.

As in most communities on Long Island, having a car becomes a way of life. However, the shopping district along Broadway in Hewlett is easy to navigate on foot. Teenagers, in particular, spend their free time eating and shopping in the neighborhood, as G.W. Hewlett High School sits just off Broadway.

Commuters to Manhattan generally rely on the Long Island Rail Road, which has a station in Hewlett. Part of the Far Rockaway line, the trip from Hewlett to Penn Station takes around 45 minutes, and the station has free, unrestricted parking. Both Hewlett Taxi and Ollie’s Taxi Service are available 24/7, and both offer service to nearby JFK and LaGuardia Airports. There are no bicycle lanes in the area, so only skilled riders should navigate the major arteries, such as Peninsula Boulevard.

Given its proximity to the beaches along the south shore of Long Island, Hewlett residents have to drive nearly 15 minutes to reach the Southern State Parkway, the closest major highway in the area. The Southern State runs through both Nassau and Suffolk Counties and intersects with the Belt Parkway for travel to Queens, Brooklyn and beyond.

Located at the intersection of Broadway and Sheridan Avenue, sports-oriented Grant Park provides year-round fun for Hewlett residents. Part of the Nassau County Department of Parks, this 35-acre recreation complex includes a six-acre pond, well-stocked with bass, sunfish and carp, making it popular with local fishermen. Park visitors also take advantage of the outdoor rink that features roller-skating in the warmer months and ice-skating when it’s cold. When it snows, children take advantage of the park’s hill for sledding.

Three state-of-the-art, totally enclosed baseball fields easily convert for Little League baseball and girls' softball. Adjacent to the fields are courts for basketball, tennis, handball and paddleball. Ideal for children of all ages, the park’s three play areas are segregated by age: one for preschoolers, one for children aged four through eight and a more advanced area for children up to age 12. In addition to horseshoes and shuffleboard, the park also features a spray pool for children and adults, two picnic areas, paths for jogging, cycling or strolling, and plenty of spacious benches for sitting and relaxing.

Dog owners will find numerous dog parks throughout Nassau County, including locations at Cedar Creek Park and Nickerson Beach Park.

Hewlett residences can also take advantage of the beaches along Lido Beach and Point Lookout, numerous town pools and parks.

Residing in Hewlett does not come cheaply, as the cost of living is approximately 36 percent higher than in the rest of New York state and 66 percent higher than in the rest of the country. The one-way peak fare from Hewlett to Penn Station via the Long Island Rail Road will set you back $11, while an unlimited monthly ticket weighs in at $242.

There are three apartment buildings/complexes in Hewlett: Fairfield Courtyard, Fairfield West Broadway and Fairfield Town Centre. The median rent for a one-bedroom residence in Hewlett runs $2,275 per month. Gasoline prices are approximately 10 percent higher than the national average, while beer prices at local watering holes cost around $6 for a bottle.

There are two main shopping hubs in Hewlett. Along Peninsula Boulevard, several shopping centers are home to major retailers and service businesses including Ace Hardware, CVS Pharmacy and T-Mobile. There are also a sprinkling of local establishments like Julia’s Place, a family-owned and operated jewelry store serving the Five Towns for over a decade.

A more “city-like” shopping experience happens along Broadway, where local boutiques and restaurants delight the community. Established in 2009, Mixology, a popular boutique for teens, young adults and women, sells trendy fashions from must-have brands like MinkPink, Free People, Gypsy Junkies and Brooklyn Karma. Accessories, handbags, jewelry and gifts are also available.

Just off Broadway, Trinkets has long been a Hewlett favorite, attracting shoppers from all over Long Island. Small in size, the shop makes up for it in quantity, quality and great prices. To nab finds like American Apparel hoodies for less, shoppers have to be willing to sort through the racks of clothing and drawers of jewelry to find what they are looking for.

Sydclo, named for the owner’s daughters, Sydney and Chloe, sells children’s apparel from upscale labels like Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney Kids, IKKS, Little Giraffe and many more. They even have a play area to keep the little ones entertained while you shop.

When Hewlett residents need to stock their pantries, they can choose from a number of large supermarket chains including Foodtown, Pathmark and King Kullen. Specialty food store Trader Joe’s has a store on Broadway, selling fresh produce, baked goods and all sorts of unique products at great prices. Although Hewlett has no farmers market, neighboring Rockville Centre does, selling a wide variety of items every Sunday from June through November.