Did you grab your tickets for the Southforker Taste of Westhampton Beach yet? Time is ticking (and tickets are running out!). One of our favorite vendors, Justin DeMarco is bringing his butcher best again to the Great Lawn. Here’s a closer look at this local purveyor of prime meats and gourmet greats.
Justin’s Chop Shop (71 Sunset Ave., Westhampton Beach, 631-288-5532) is not even close to your average food market. It’s a wonderland of prime meat, fresh fish, stellar sandwiches, excellent grab-and-go prepared foods and a bevy of bespoke products to up the ante of your pantry.
Setting the friendly tone behind it all is its namesake owner and man of a million baseball hats: Justin DeMarco.
If you live in fear, as we do, that the craft of butchering and the vibe of your friendly neighborhood independently owned market are on the endangered species list, DeMarco’s shop will soothe and sate you. In January 2023, he moved from his original smaller store on Mill Road to a 3,000-square-foot former bank, the irony of which is not lost on the young butcher. DeMarco started out his adult life thinking he was going into finance, taking what he thought was a temporary job in a butcher shop after getting laid off during the financial crisis of 2008. It turned out to be his life’s work.
Thanks in part, he says, go to his Uncle Eugene, who nudged the fledgling butcher to make the leap from employee to business owner. “He said, ‘Justin, everyone’s got to eat. Forget about going to school for finance –– do the butcher shop!’” He’s never looked back (not a bad practice, as sharp knives require his undivided attention).
“Food is important to people and feeds them in good and bad times,” says DeMarco. “It can be a very interesting thing –– it’s the way you show your loved ones you care.”
Who else is pulling out all the stops and bringing some serious savory (and sweet) bite and beverage action this year? Our list is growing by the minute:
- Aki’s Kitchen
- Atlantis Banquets & Events
- Bake Me Healthy
- Borghese Vineyards
- Casa J Tequila
- Cuisine By Colleen
- Fauna
- Flora
- Grace & Grit
- Goomba Johnny PIzza
- Jamesport Vineyards
- Justin’s Chop Shop
- Justin Vineyards
- Land and Sea Smokehouse
- Lewis Cellars
- Oysterponds Shellfish Co.
- Painters Restaurant
- Palmer Vineyards
- Paumanok Vineyards
- Pellegrini Vinyeards
- Poboy Brewery
- Sannino Vineyard
- Seaside Grill
- Seastar Ballroom
- Sweet Vegan
- Sydney’s “Taylor” Made Cuisine
- Take Two Brewery
- Tonino’s
- The Village Cheese Shop
- Twin Fork Beer Co.
- Westhampton Beach Brew & Grill
- Uncle Giuseppe’s
As is tradition, plenty of toe-tappin’, shoulder-swayin’ live tunes provided by funk master band In the Groove.
Tickets for the event start at $135 for general admission. This is a 21+ all-inclusive event.
