Sometimes it takes the young to see an old idea with fresh eyes, and then to be bold enough to put their singular spin on it. Roto Grocery, located at 17 E. Main Street, in Bay Shore, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Roto Grocery is an amalgam of café, gourmet grocery, and sandwich shop, owned by young proprietors and food-fusion visionaries Brock Ferraro, 25, and Jack Monahan, 26. The pair keep their ideas as fresh as the artisanal bread used on all their creative sandwiches—and delivered daily—by NYS Licensed Cottage Bakery, Clarks Kitchen (info@theclarkskitchen.com). While they may be the new cool kids in town, bringing a hip Brooklyn vibe to the area, everyone is made to feel welcome, and their mix of patrons is sure to be as eclectic as the rotating menu. Roto Grocery (a play on the word “rotation,” in a nod to its malleable menu) is based out of Fire Island Vines, a winery/wine bar, which opened in 2020, but Roto is its own autonomous entity.

“That was the great opportunity that we had. We partnered up with this already established restaurant. So, we were able to get in here super quick and serving,” said Ferraro of the cozy eatery, which he and his business partner opened in December. This artisanal sandwich shop is an ideal antidote to impersonal chain restaurants, where the customer is just another number. Starting your day—or stopping in at lunchtime—to be greeted by a genuine human interaction—and an inspiring meal—can set a positive tone for the day, leading to untold ripple effects.

Patrons come in for lunch or breakfast, which is served all day, to the delight of both larks and late risers in the area.  Roto is currently open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The intimate locale has two tables for to-stay customers, but they can also overflow into the spacious adjacent dining area of Fire Island Vines.

The rotating menu spans several regions of the world, spinning like a globe. The 20-something owners of the gourmand-inspired eatery might call their brainchild a hipster haven, if hipsters didn’t live by the tacit credo of never calling themselves hipsters.

Ferraro and Monahan were recent college graduates trying to figure out their authentic path forward, when this serendipitous opportunity presented itself, and the two leapt at the chance to embark on this shared venture.

“Me and Jack opened this spot. We went to college together, down at The College of Charleston, in Charleston, N.C.—where we grew fond of hospitality and food, and just taking care of people—because there’s such great places down there. We moved up here. I was in construction for a little while, Jack was in finance; he was doing wealth management. We really didn’t love where we were at the time. So, we really just hopped on the opportunity and said, ‘Let’s just try it out and see what happens,’ and it’s been going really well so far. We’ve always had the idea of a café, but more gourmet food, but make it accessible. Make it quicker. Make it cheaper. Make it so that everyone can try it out,” Ferraro explained of the tall order which he and his partner are bringing to fruition, in a little location with big dreams and an even bigger heart.

Pop-ups are another trendy, community-centered idea which Roto is putting on the menu.

“Our menu is rotational. It keeps everyone on their toes. We do a lot of stuff with the local area, local restaurants. We get a couple of sauces from Coastal; they make a dark-brown mustard for us, for example, for our sausage roll. We’re doing a pop-up with Bakuto, which is an Asian restaurant in Lindenhurst. That’s one pop-up that we’re doing next week,” Ferraro explained. “For the day, we’ll highlight one sandwich, change the menu. We just try something new. It’s a mesh of menus and ideas. It’s more of a collaborative meeting of the minds.”

Feeling indecisive or looking to try something new? Let Ferraro and Monahan decide what they think you should have based on your tastes or their suggestions. Innovative ideas such as this fun ordering option are sure to get this small business noticed.

“It’s a great proof of concept. It’s a great spot to get people behind us, like really supporting us. I get people that come almost every day for lunch. I love when they ask me, ‘What do I get for lunch?’ They trust me to make the choice,” said Ferraro. The selective eater is still welcome to stick with their own pick, and the reciprocal decision-making is a two-way street. “I even ask people, ‘What do you want to see on the menu?’”

For those who think the younger generation has no interest in looking up from their smartphone to be present with those in their physical proximity, the Generation-Z owners of the Bay Shore grocery are out to disprove that widely held belief.

“I love the sense of community that Bay Shore is growing, and all these people that are coming from all different areas and walks of life, they don’t really know each other until they realize this is a cool spot, where you can take a seat, and I’ll ask you about you, and you can ask me about me, and have a real conversation, and human interaction,” Ferraro said. “So, this space is a little small for that. We do have that overflow space. But, like I said, start small and just like the snowball effect of people just getting behind us. The support has been unreal from Bay Shore and the South Shore of Long Island. I love it over here.”

“Creating a sense of community with gourmet food, convenience. We want to have a place where a bunch of different people from different cultures can assemble, different types of cuisines, in one area. That’s our five-year plan,” said Monahan, adding, “This is really a learning experience, and we’re just figuring it out on the fly, and we are egoless, so we’re willing to take criticism, suggestions, and maybe even throw our little twist on it. Who knows?” said Monahan.

Go to @rotogrocery on Instagram to see the full menu.