Pitmaster Larry “Meat” Mondello with his prized brisket.
A new taproom in Mattituck, The Branch Brewing Co., is getting a lot of attention, which is understandable because of its large craft beer selection and attractive indoor and outdoor spaces. But the buzz is mostly due to rave reviews for the authentic barbecue being cooked low and slow and served on location by Branch’s new food partner, Meats Meat BBQ.
Branch opened last November, taking over a space that had been vacant since North Fork Roadhouse closed in 2022. Brothers Larry and Peter Frasca, who hail from Deer Park, have been homebrewing for more than a dozen years and dreamed of starting their own brewery. Larry worked for over 20 years as a technology provider for the hospitality industry and spent several years exploring potential sites for a brewery and restaurant on Long Island.
The sprawling site fronting Sound Avenue includes a large main building, two outdoor patios, an outdoor concrete stage and plenty of parking. “Our last name, ‘Frasca,’ means ‘branch’ in Italian,” said Larry Frasca, “And in Italy cantinas would put a frasca over the front door when they opened to let locals know they were welcome.” The brothers renovated the interior of the restaurant, which is adorned with many branches, with a rustic but modern look that accents the high ceilings with exposed beams and a long sleek bar with 72 chrome taps serving over 40 beers, ciders and other drinks from across Long Island and New York State.
Branch served its own food when it first opened but after closing for renovations in the winter decided to experiment with different local food trucks. They invited Larry Mondello, owner and pitmaster of Meats Meat in Mattituck, to hold a pig roast in late May that led to a collaboration. “We hit it off,” said Larry Frasca, “And couldn’t think of anyone better to turn our kitchen over to while we focus on the taproom and setting up our brewery.”
Mondello, a Long Island native whose nickname is, appropriately, “Meat,” is a former welder who used his metal skills to build barbecue pits and outfit food trucks, including his own, which started out in 2016. After adding a second food truck in 2020, he decided to open a small storefront on Mattituck’s Main Road in 2022. He developed a fervent following for his traditional smoked meats including tender brisket, pastrami, St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork and pulled chicken.
“I was excited by the opportunity to partner with Branch and move into a bigger space with plenty of seating,” said Mondello, “and also to have a full kitchen to expand our menu.” Meats Meat added three different burgers to the menu, made with their ground brisket, along with pork belly burnt ends and more sides.
As part of the move to Sound Avenue, Mondello ordered a custom-built smoker from Texas-based Heirloom Pits, which was adapted from a 16-foot-long, 1,000-gallon decommissioned propane tank. He brought on longtime friend Chris Hujber to handle on-site sales and marketing, including catering orders, and they are already having trouble keeping up with demand, which includes supplying the food trucks. “The smoker is going full out every day,” said Mondello, “and we are constantly replenishing our wood supply, which includes cherry wood from Orient Point.”
The Frasca brothers plan to install a 3.5-barrel brewing system at Branch after the end of the fall busy season. “We are currently brewing two of our beers with Rob Raffa at übergeek brewing in Riverhead,” said Larry Frasca, “who has been very supportive as we get our brewery off the ground.” The two beers, Pith Happens grapefruit IPA and Glückspillen German-style Pilsner, are on tap at Branch and once their system is in place, the brothers plan to add more beers to the taps while continuing to serve a wide range of beers and ciders from across New York State.
Branch has a New York State farm brewery license and is serving beers from the North Fork and across Long Island, New York City and upstate. On our visit the taps featured a wide range of IPAs, pilsners, wheat beers, and sours from Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, North Fork Brewing Company, Westhampton Brewing Company, Sand City Brewing Co., Kings County Brewers Collective and Ommegang, among others. The bar also serves local wines from Macari and Del Vino Vineyards and craft cocktails made with spirits from local distilleries such as Montauk Distilling Co., LIV Long Island Spirits and Twisted Cow Distillery.
“We are looking forward to creating our own beers with new flavors that complement the delicious food from Meats Meat,” said Larry Frasca. During the summer and fall months Branch is featuring live music on its outdoor stage and other events including trivia and open mic nights. “True to our name, we want Branch to be a welcoming place,” said Frasca, “and we’re very pleased with the response so far from both locals and visitors to the North Fork.”
Branch Brewing Co. and Meats Meat are located at 9095 Sound Ave. in Mattituck. For more info visit branch.beer and meatsmeat.com.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com.
