Rita Cantina

A father-son-run coastal Mexican kitchen in Springs turning Gardiners Bay seafood into ceviches, tostadas, and agave-driven cocktails.

Chef Eric Miller and his son, operations lead Adam Miller, built Rita Cantina around a straightforward idea: run Mexican technique through Long Island's own waters and farms, so aguachiles, tostadas, and clams lean on local catch and produce from purveyors like Satur Farms and Gosman's Dock. The dining room's rust-orange walls, sage saguaros, and sarape-striped booths set a coastal-Mexico mood that carries out to a patio with a fire pit, while the bar runs an additive-free, agave-focused program built to match the kitchen's shareable plates. It's the kind of place where a birria taco and a well-made margarita make just as much sense on a casual Tuesday as they do for a full group dinner.

Best for: Group dinners, date nights, and long happy-hour sessions on the patio