The lights are on, the ovens are hot and business is doing well at Espresso North Fork on Main Road in Mattituck.
Formerly Uncle Joe’s Pizza, Espresso North Fork is waiting for their new sign to be installed, but decided to open for business this week anyway.
“We opened Wednesday and it was a slow start. Nobody knew I was open. Then Thursday was much better, people started talking about us and then yesterday was busy. It’s good. People start talking about the big sandwich with the dressing,” says owner Corrado Paini, referring to their special focaccia sandwiches.
Despite the rainy weather and the early hour — it was only 11:30 in the morning —Meghan and Brandon Smith of Manhattan along with several others patiently waited for their food Saturday as Paini bustled around in the kitchen.
The Smiths had been regular customers at Paini’s shop in Sag Harbor and were anxious to enjoy the focaccia sandwiches again.
“The sauce makes the sandwich,” says Meghan Smith. “You can’t find anything like it anywhere else.”
The ‘sauce’ Smith is referring to is the dressing served with the sandwiches.
“It’s an old family recipe,” says Paini. “It’s a Caesar dressing without anchovies. Everybody loves the dressing. They dip their sandwiches in it, they dip focaccia. They love it.”
There’s a lot to love at Espresso North Fork and all of it is made from recipes Paini has been using for many years.
Born in Parma, Italy, Paini worked at several different restaurants before leaving Italy to join his uncle and cousin at their shop in Sag Harbor.
“My uncle owned Il Cappucino on Main Street in Sag Harbor. It was open forever, I think for around 40 years.”
Paini previously co-owned Espresso in Sag Harbor before selling his share in 2014 and beginning his search for a spot on the North Fork.
“For a couple of years I’ve been looking for a little place on the North Fork. I saw this place for sale – so close to the school and I said ‘Oh my God, it’s perfect.’ My other shop was close to Pierson High School and all the kids came in at lunchtime. It’s almost the same thing here, being so close to Mattituck School. The kids love the quarter focaccia with chicken cutlet, bacon, barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese. They just love that, as well as the pizza.”
Paini kept most of the staff of the old Uncle Joe’s, including Jimi Hinchy who has been making pizza on the North Fork since 1985.
Espresso North Fork has an impressive menu of focaccia, pastas, entrees and pizza and Paini will be offering seasonal specials such as pumpkin ravioli.
