It’s all good (food). Mattituck’s popular lunchtime spot is a midday must. Come for the empanadas; stay for the multitude of choices that skew healthy, but are full of flavor.
The gist: Tucked away just around the corner from busy Love Lane, Goodfood. Café and Market is true to its name: good food, period. At the all-day café and market, display cases brim with colorful salads, quiches and — most famously — founder Luchi Masliah’s signature Gula Gula empanadas, combining worldly Hispanic comfort food with fresh, healthy eating.
The vibe: Take away or stay at the long, communal table, the cozy café atmosphere is intensified by the soft Spanish pop music filling the bright and airy room, rimmed by warm wood paneling. A carefully crafted selection of locally sourced and imported condiments, kombuchas, wines, snacks, spices, olive oils, gifts and refrigerated items to heat at home line the well-stocked shelves and grab-n-go fridges, and there are always abundant gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian options.
The food: An assortment of soups, bowls, smoothies and baked goods are listed on their hand-drawn chalkboard menus above the counter and ingredients, often locally sourced from the East End, rotate with the seasons.
Crab cakes: Available as both a side and a sandwich, the generous lump crab meat is mixed with celery, onion and chopped jalapeño and fried until crisp on the outside, adding a little crunchy texture to the soft, delicate crab meat. Ask for a little extra of the creamy tartar sauce for dipping!
Bison empanada: The first option listed on their menu, the bison empanada, sees traditional flavors from Uruguay and el Rio de la Plata — a river that runs through South America — but the minced, tender bison meat is locally sourced. It gets an exciting umami pop from the mix of chopped green olives, onions, raisins and garlic tucked inside a chewy olive oil crust.
Salads galore: When we say salad, we don’t mean sad lettuce or bland mixed greens — we’re talking colorful, mouthwatering side dishes that could 100% be a meal on their own. We loved the Moroccan chickpea salad, with onion, turmeric and curry along with a dash of cilantro for a fresh yet earthy experience on the taste buds, as well as Goodfood’s farro salad, tossed with local greens and a balsamic vinaigrette, delivering an umami, almost mushroomy flavor in each bite.
Vegetarian Chili: Goodfood. provides many options for those with dietary restrictions that don’t sacrifice flavor. The café is well known for their vegan chili, which packs a surprisingly meaty, hearty punch with its combination of beans and veggies. Non-vegans can add a little decadence with extras such as sour cream and cheddar.
Goodfood. Café and Market
535 Pike Street, Mattituck
631-298-7599
Tuesday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sundays: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
web: gfperiod.com
instagram: @goodfood.period
