Business

Uncle Joe’s Pizza in Mattituck closes; Espresso North Fork coming soon

IMG_3462

Just a few weeks after backing out of downtown Riverhead, Uncle Joe’s has left Mattituck, too.

The pizzeria on Main Road near the Mattituck-Laurel Library is now under new management, according to signs on the door and the new owner of the business, Corrado Paini.

In an interview Friday afternoon, Mr. Paini said he took over the storefront on Monday. The doors were locked this week as Mr. Paini prepares to reopen the pizza place under a new name: Espresso North Fork.

Mr. Paini — a native of Parma, Italy — had previously co-owned Espresso, an Italian sandwich shop in Sag Harbor, for a number of years. He sold his stake in the business in 2014, he said, and had been looking for a new place to open. The owner of Espresso da Asporto in Sag Harbor said this Mattituck venture isn’t connected with the existing restaurant.

“I love the North Fork so I tried looking for something over there,” Mr. Paini said. “I found this little place and I love it.”

The Uncle Joe’s Pizza at the Mattituck location had been open since February 2014, when former Aquebogue resident and son of the restaurant’s namesake Steven Sciara took over.

The chain of pizzerias had a Riverhead location as well, but that closed this September. Owner Joe Sciara had said the Mattituck location was doing well at the time.

Mr. Paini said he’s revamping the menu to feature foccacia sandwichs, gourmet pizza options, tiramisu and homemade pastas and raviolis. He hopes to have the store reopened within the next two weeks under its new name.

[email protected]

Photo credit: Paul Squire