BY HANA RASKIN | The popular Westside Market grocery has opened its fifth Manhattan location and its very first on the East Side. The new 18,000-square-foot store sits on the corner of E. 12th St. and Third Ave. and provides the neighborhood with another one-stop food shopping option. And in true New York fashion it is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
On a recent Thursday evening — one week after opening — the store was teeming with activity. Employees worked to keep shelves fully stocked and organized, while shoppers moved through well-thought-out aisles.
Local residents Isabella Kapczynski and Andre Larnyoh were eyeing the produce. The two were toting Trader Joe’s bags and shared that while Westside Market is a little above their price range, they plan to go to the new market for “produce and fun things.“
“It’s my first time here,” said Larnyoh, “but I’m swayed by this place.”
The first Westside Market was opened in 1977 at Broadway and 110th St. by husband and wife team John and Maria Zoitas, both born and raised in Lefkada, Greece. An appreciation of food and family is the backbone of the business.
Maria is in charge of many of the prepared foods in the stores, taking her traditional family recipes and adding a modern twist. At the helm of the new East Side location are the Zoitases’ son George and his brother-in-law Jimmy Belese.
The selection at the East Side store is vast. In one aisle there are more than 250 varieties of beer, across from an extensive hummus collection, including flavors such as pistachio, red bean, chipotle pepper, cherry and kale.
Customers can satisfy eclectic tastes from, among other offerings, sushi and fresh fish, salads, a juice bar, artisanal breads and cheeses, and a large selection of olives and other Mediterranean foods, reflecting the owners’ roots.
The new location is also their first with a wood-burning oven, which will serve up a variety of gourmet pizzas. A seating area with free customer WiFi is in the works for the coming months.
