NASSAU

The Cup
(516) 826-9533, Wantagh
thecupcoffeehouse.com
This is that awesome coffeeshop hangout you see on TV shows and wish actually existed in your neighborhood. Original music on the weekends, local art on the walls. The menu includes shakes, desserts and creative twists on popular café fare.

SUFFOLK

Grey Horse Tavern
(631) 472-1868, Bayport
greyhorsetavern.com
The Grey Horse is a beautifully-restored old house turned into a restaurant, pub, music venue and sometimes art gallery. The menu favors local, seasonal and organic fare with an artisan flair. Catch local favorites Miles to Dayton and other acts playing regularly on the weekends.

The Eclectic Café
(631) 661-1278, Bay Shore
eclecticcafe.org
Top-notch local music in an intimate setting is the word at the Eclectic Café. The Café is a volunteer-run live music venue with concerts on the second Saturday of every month. Run by the Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk, this coffeehouse-style venue is not-for-profit and donates concert proceeds to local charities.

The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall
(631) 727-5782, Riverhead
vail-leavitt.org
The Vail-Leavitt is a historic theater built in 1881 and now restored and run by volunteers as a not-for-profit arts center. This venue boasts an eclectic array of theater and music events, many with an open stage component. Two standout monthly features are Original Voices at the Vail and the Indie Teen Concert Series, which give independent East End acts a chance to shine.