Get An Inside Look Into Babylon's Newest Restaurant

BABYLON, NY - Walking into the new Culture Fine Food and Cocktails in Babylon, you can see the influence from the previous owners. Longtime friends Patrick Mack and Wells Brauner recently took over the former Don Ricardo's on 94 East Main Street and transformed it into a contemporary, upscale American eatery.

Between the rustic touches in the lighting and the clean urban feel in the decor, the walls are lined with Mexican art and other small details that are clearly inspired by the longtime eatery before them. The menu also includes a special homage to the owners of Don Ricardo's, Ricardo and Monica Benavides, the Mexican street corn fries.

"It's just something I thought of I've never seen it anywhere else," Brauner, the executive chef at the new eatery, told Patch.

Brauner also added a thick cut BLT named after one of his heroes, chef Anthony Bourdain. The rest of the menu includes a variety of traditional American cuisine with an upscale flair to it.

Brauner is bringing in experience from several of other upscale places he has worked at. He previously worked as an executive chef at The Hamlet Golf & Country Club in Commack, executive chef at Sagamore Yacht Club in Oyster Bay, executive chef at The Crescent Beach Club in Bayville, worked with David Burke in Las Vegas and in Palm Beach.

When opening his first restaurant with Mack, he wanted to break the menu down into different sections to appease the pasta eaters with a late night pasta bar, a burger bar and more.

"It's going to be an ever evolving menu, definitely change seasonally because we like to source the best local vegetables that are in season," he said.

The cozy eatery, which seats 107, started serving customers on Friday. So far, Brauner says he has only heard "good things" from the community.

"Babylon has the same passion as we do, it's a foodie town. It's always good to open a restaurant in a town that has the same love for food as you do," he said.

The restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m. and Sundays from noon to 1 p.m.

Get an inside look into the new space in the photo gallery above.