It’s hard to imagine a venue that has generated as much anticipation as Jamesport’s Main Road Biscuit Co. has these past few months.
Fans have faithfully followed the eatery’s posts on social media ever since northforker first reported its arrival this past June.
Now, after two months of renovations, Main Road Biscuit Co. will open its doors Thursday, Oct. 27.
“The community has been extremely supportive,” owner Marissa Drago said. “We couldn’t ask for more excitement.”
Drago and her husband, Bryan, bought the former Jamesport Country Kitchen property from Jamesport Manor Inn owner Matthew Kar last spring with plans create a breakfast and lunch destination.
Renovations included removing a wall to open the space, as well as a paint job, newly sanded floors and updated lights and appliances. The white walls, gray wainscoting, weathered wood and stainless steel-style tables and chairs create a kind of country-meets-industrial style.
“We purchased a lot of antique wood panels from In The Attic [in Jamesport],” Drago said, “But we also found a lot of old panels right inside the walls as we were updating.”
While Drago hails from Huntington and Bryan grew up in Ridge, the idea of opening a comfort food restaurant originated during the years they lived and worked in New York City. Drago spent several years in the food industry there, working for companies like Balducci’s, Friedman’s Lunch in Chelsea and Bouchon Bakery, before becoming director of catering for Financier Patisserie. Bryan, an attorney, will assist in running the restaurant. They now live in Mattituck with they 7-year-old son, Gavyn.
“We lived in Brooklyn for almost 10 years and were very influenced by the food there,” Drago said. “I think that’s a culmination of what we’re trying to do here.”
The food will be comfort-style but refined, Drago said. Along with their homemade biscuits, hearty dishes will include macaroni and cheese, fried chicken biscuit, breakfast pancakes, biscuit Benedict and caesar salad.
“When the biscuits get a few days old they’re perfect for the biscuit crouton,” Drago said. “Just slice them, roll them in some olive oil, add salt and that’s what’s going on top of the caesar salad.”
Drago wants the menu, which will offer sit-down and takeout options, to stay as close to homemade and as locally produced as possible — something equally important to chef Vincent Purcell.
Born in England, Purcell has cooked all over the world, including Australia, Spain and Bermuda. He just finished a summer stint cooking at Claudio’s and lives with his wife in Mattituck.
“After working in Bermuda, where it was ocean-to-table, this is the first place I’ve worked that’s actually farm-to-table,” Purcell said. “That raises the roof on everything about food for me.”
Along with homemade biscuits and jams, the coffee is from Southold’s North Fork Roasting Co., the greens come from Cutchogue’s Satur Farms and Purcell is already making homemade pickles from local cucumbers.
“We’re trying to do it as much from out here as possible,” Ms. Drago said. “Anywhere from Riverhead to Cutchogue, we’re going to keep it local.”
Main Road Biscuit Co. will serve a limited menu of baked goods like biscuits, scones and cookies this Thursday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, along with their baked goods, they’ll offer more fine-dining dishes, like their biscuit benedict and fried chicken biscuit.
Located at 1601 Main Road in Jamesport, Main Road Biscuit Co. will be open every day except Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit mainroadbiscuitco.com.