Gitit Malka and her husband recently opened Geffen Gourmet, a specialty kosher food market in Hewlett that she said was sorely lacking in the immediate area.
“Cedarhurst has several stores have some similar things, but in Hewlett there really is nothing like it,” she said. “There is a kosher restaurant across the street (Woodro). But they aren’t a market, so they don’t carry everything we have. And they are not as strict as far as kosher supervision. I always wished there was a store like this here, so we made one.”
Malka said that after just five weeks in business, the store is doing well, not only because she brought something new to Hewlett, but perhaps also because of the store’s high traffic location at 407 Mill Rd., formerly Lemon Tree haircutting. She hopes that shoppers who haven’t discovered the store yet will do so before Passover arrives, since the store specializes in traditional foods for that holiday.
While the market consists of many packaged goods, the homemade food is the store’s main attraction. Malka and her mother make their own challah bread, pickles, pasta dishes, rice, potato pancakes, sandwiches, gefilte fish, soups, noddle pudding and more than 20 varieties of salads. However, the freshly made falafel has people lining up at the door, according to Malka.
Friday is the store’s busiest day, partly because it’s “tasting day.” The owners offer shoppers the opportunity to taste a variety of their homemade products.
With hours starting at 7 a.m., Sunday through Friday, it’s also a good place to grab breakfast on the go — including omelets, homemade pastries and 99 cent coffee.
