{"id":90908,"date":"2026-01-06T11:11:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/90908\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:11:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:11:17","slug":"food-inflation-continues-in-2026-what-staten-island-restaurants-are-facing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/90908\/","title":{"rendered":"Food inflation continues in 2026: What Staten Island restaurants are facing"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 After some time off\u2014and plenty of exercise classes at the Y\u2014I\u2019m refreshed and ready to dive back into Staten Island\u2019s food scene, which boasts 1,119 establishments<\/a> as the year begins. During my break, I caught up on industry reading and listened to feedback from local proprietors about why food prices are climbing so sharply. Many business owners shared concerns over rising costs, especially for utilities and beef.<\/p>\n

The Wall Street Journal explains why beef prices have hit record highs.<\/a> One South Shore owner noted that petit tenderloin jumped from $6.76 to $13.75 per pound. That aligns with federal data showing retail ground beef averaged $6.78 per pound in November, up 16% from last year.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Millie's\"Looking beyond the borough, a supply squeeze and soaring protein demand have pushed beef prices higher, with cattle herds at 70-year lows.<\/p>\n

Why the surge? As summed up by the Journal,<\/a> supply squeeze and rising demand for protein have upset the national balance. U.S. cattle herds are at their lowest levels since the 1950s, and Tyson Foods\u2019 closure of a Nebraska beef plant <\/a>may discourage herd expansion. Overall food inflation is also a factor: prices rose 2.6% in November, with dining out costs increasing faster than grocery prices. <\/a>Additionally, coffee prices are up 19% year-over-year.<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking ahead to this year, I\u2019ll be exploring Staten Island\u2019s remaining food manufacturing businesses such as cheese, dumplings, wine, sausage, pasta. We\u2019ll also be spotlighting cold-weather comfort foods and cozy restaurants. Based on reader feedback, there\u2019s growing interest in cheap eats and late-night dining, so expect coverage on both.<\/p>\n

Closures continue<\/a>, though fewer than in previous years by this point. The Dakota Diner served its last meal on January 2, marking another loss in the borough\u2019s dining landscape. By this time last year, we had lost about 40 spots<\/a>. In 2023<\/a>, the ripple effects<\/a> of COVID shutdowns<\/a> could still <\/a>be felt. <\/p>\n

Restaurateurs are looking beyond Staten Island. Peter Botros has expanded with Carved Crafted Sandwiches<\/a> in Sarasota, Florida, while Angelina\u2019s Kitchen recently opened in Woodbridge. As we reported last year, Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac<\/a> has actively recruited business owners eager to escape New York City\u2019s high costs. His philosophy: build housing first, then businesses. With easy access, new luxury apartments, and cultural venues, Woodbridge has become fertile ground for Staten Island restaurateurs. According to Botros\u2019 business partner, Philip Farinacci, New Jersey offers more opportunity than Brooklyn, with future plans extending to Pennsylvania and Florida.<\/p>\n

As part of my routine, I visit multiple restaurants and markets each week. That exposure lets me hear firsthand what\u2019s keeping operators up at night. Labor costs\u2014especially minimum wage hikes projected through 2027\u2014are a major stress point.<\/a> As explored earlier in this article, rising expenses for food, particularly beef, and utilities continue to climb. Customer traffic remains sluggish<\/a> as COVID-era dining patterns linger. <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Vats\"This year we\u2019ll spotlight Staten Island\u2019s remaining food makers\u2014from wine and cheese to pasta and sausage. Shown: a wall of vats at Vino Di Vino wine school in Charleston, where amateur vintners craft their own blends. <\/p>\n

Alcohol sales, once a reliable profit center, have declined.<\/a> Since February of 2025, economic uncertainty <\/a>driven by inflation, tariffs, and inconsistent pricing has made planning difficult. To survive the winter, one South Shore eatery has eliminated live music until March. With few late-night entertainment venues in the borough, I worry this trend could ripple through the local arts community.<\/p>\n

Another concern? The proliferation of cannabis dispensaries. At a recent Community Board 1<\/a> meeting, a speaker mockingly referred to Victory Boulevard between Manor Road and Jewett Avenue as a potentially developing \u201cCannabis Corridor.\u201d The trend raises questions about regulation and cultural change.<\/p>\n

This column isn\u2019t about telling anyone how to vote\u2014but I do encourage you to stay engaged. Attend community board meetings, especially the smaller land use committee sessions. Vote, of course, and reach out to your local legislators. Share your concerns and keep them accountable. That\u2019s just my opinion. And please, keep reading your local paper. Being informed matters on so many levels.<\/p>\n

Since becoming a Zumba instructor at the Broadway Y isn\u2019t in the cards, I\u2019m happy to stick with what I do best: sharing the stories behind Staten Island\u2019s food scene. Have thoughts? Email me at silvestri@siadvance.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 After some time off\u2014and plenty of exercise classes at the Y\u2014I\u2019m refreshed and ready…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":90909,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-90908","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90908"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90908\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90909"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}