Hamptons Epicure: It’s All Greek to Moi in Mattituck
Husband and wife owners Tony Medina and Joanne Cosonas opened Agora the Little Greek Market on Pike Street in Mattituck last July. It has been a busy spot ever since. Many customers are grateful that they no longer have to drive into Astoria for high quality Greek staples and specialty items.
Greek American Cosonas moved from Brooklyn to Wading River a few years ago to care for her elderly parents. She says “it was difficult to find what we needed,” so the couple opened the shop for themselves and to serve East End Greeks and Greek food enthusiasts. Cosonas says it was a lot of work to get the pretty little shop up and running and the multiple refrigerated cases are kind of loud when you’re in the room with them all day but “it’s been fun. This is just a tremendous community!”
Mattituck, Greenport and Southampton all have thriving Greek Orthodox churches. Agora provided the desserts for the Mattituck church’s summer feast last year. Agora may move into doing more catering in the future, but for now, Cosonas says, “we try to have a little bit of everything—most [comes] directly from Greece. People seem pleased with the selection.”
What does this include, in addition to olives, pastry and evil eye jewelry? Feta, of course—from Greece, France and Bulgaria. I bought a couple of pounds of the very traditional Arahova feta to go with olives that I already had at home, a huge jar of ground cinnamon and a big piece of baklava that miraculously disappeared right after I got into my car. As Cosonas says, “once you have this you won’t be buy it at the super market any more.”
My friend and Dan’s Papers garden columnist Jeanelle Myers was very pleased with the selection—Jeanelle’s stepfather was Greek and a legendary cook. She bought a bunch of different pastries and what she called “real feta.”
Medina points out that, “the locals are happy because we’re just a little different.” Medina was an accountant in New York for many years; Cosonas most recently worked in design for Eileen Fisher. They share a love of good, fresh food. In fact, they’re planning to establish a garden at their North Fork home this year. Last summer they were a little too busy to make a go of a proposed tomato crop.
As I was checking out, Medina insisted on wrapping my container of feta in a plastic bag before putting it in my canvas bag. Cosonas affirmed, “it tastes good but the smell is not so hot. You’d have to get rid of your car—trust me!” “Agora the Little Greek Market Specialty Foods and Unique Gift Shop” lives up to its name. I’ll be sure to visit again soon.
Agora the Little Greek Market, 610 B Pike Street, Mattituck, 631-315-5070, littlegreekmarket.com.