Gourmet Market & Toasty Cafe Brings Northport International Food

NORTHPORT, NY—The Gourmet Market & Toasty Cafe opened its doors to Northport and beyond last month.

The business, which can be found at 1019 Fort Salonga Road, offers patrons a quick-service cafe with a vast menu representing foods from around the world, a grocery market and a catering service all-in-one. There are about 16 seats for customers, and roughly 20 staff members are employed.

The cafe's breakfast menu include eggs, omelets, breakfast sandwiches and hot options such as pancakes, french toast, waffles, oatmeal and blintzes, as well as sides. There's a salad menu, including a create-your-own. Mediterranean food such as falafel , gyros, kebabs, and hummus are available. Hibachi entrees and a full sushi menu represent Japan. Pasta, wings, burgers and sandwiches ranging from chicken to steak and more are also available.

"We wanted to introduce something that is not available in the area in addition to traditional hot food and sandwiches in the deli area," Nader Girgis, the owner, told Patch as to why he opted for a large menu.

Girgis, 56, pointed to the Mediterranean food and sushi as the cafe's international culinary standouts, as he referred to his sushi chef as an "artist by all means."

Coffee, iced coffee, cappuccino, espresso and fresh juice are on the drink menu.

The Gourmet Market & Toasty Cafe also has a partnership with Pinkberry, which means it also serves frozen yogurt.

Customers can either grab food to take on the run or sit down to eat. The customer can either wait for the food and grab a seat, or an employee will bring it over as a courtesy. Prices aren't listed on the menu, though Girgis said customers can get a meal, side and drink in the ballpark of $10 depending on the order.

The catering menu is just as comprehensive as the cafe menu. Fruit, cheese and breakfast platters, standard cold and hot appetizers, salads, sandwiches and wraps, heroes are all available. Pasta, chicken, pork, beef, seafood and vegetables come in entrees. Trays of rice or other sides can also be ordered.

Girgis said he's currently focusing more on the cafe portion of the business as opposed to the catering, though more emphasis will be placed on that going forward, but not at the expense of the cafe.

"Currently, we are emphasizing service, quality and a lower price as our priorities," Girgis said.

For what Girgis referred to as "upscale grocery," there are multiple sections: meat department, fish department, produce, dairy, bakery and frozen goods, including ice cream.

Girgis, who lives in Commack, said he chose Northport due to its proximity to his residence, as well as his belief that his Fort Salonga location yields a high potential for success.

Girgis said he's spent a lot of his past in the food business, though Gourmet Market & Toasty Cafe is the most large-scale project he's been a part of, let alone owned.

"It’s a tremendous amount of responsibility from every aspect," he said. "From employees to set-up to vendors to a lot of things. So I sleep very little now, just a few hours a day."

Photos

All photos courtesy of Gourmet Market & Toasty Cafe