Lunch isn’t just a break at Teresa’s Lunch Box, it’s a time to savor the moment. Voters for Best of Long Island voted Teresa’s Lunch Box the winner of Best Delicatessen for a second year in a row.
This delicatessen has been in Huntington for 3 years and is owned by Teresa Kefalogiannis and Singh Benipal. Kefalogiannis has been in the restaurant business for 26 years, with her first shop opening in Rockefeller Center. Since then, she’s had 10 different locations across Manhattan, not all run at the same time. After the Covid-19 pandemic forced her to close shop, she decided to move back to her hometown in Huntington to start a new chapter.
“There are a lot of frustrating days, and this kind of business is really hard work, very hands-on,” Kefalogiannis said. “I feel like when my partner and I found out that we won, it sort of is just the recognition, sometimes you need that positive feedback because you can doubt yourself.”
Something special about Teresa’s Lunch Box is that Kefalogiannis and Benipal can usually be found at the store making your meal. They want to make sure that each customer’s experience is nothing less than perfect.
The ingredients are also special as they’re sourced from Greek and Italian purveyors. The meatballs are made from Kefalogiannis’ mother’s recipe; she makes her own spice, and the focaccia is home-made, creating the sense of a home-cooked meal with every bite.
“I don’t think ever growing up, my mother would ever let me get meatballs at a deli, it’s just not what you would get,” Kefalogiannis said. “But if you come here, you’re getting my mom’s meatball recipe.”
If you want a recommendation of where to start from their menu, Kefalogiannis recommends the focaccia sandwich that has four different options: parma, veggie, roman, normandy or mediterranean.
“Nothing here is pre-made, everything is made to order, so we certainly have a multitude of sandwiches and ideas to choose from,” Kefalogiannis said.
If you want Teresa’s Lunch Box outside of the store, they offer catering for any event.
“We do hot food catering and we do it for all different people, whether it’s the hospital or professionals or people ordering for their backyard parties or a baby shower-all different types of things,” Kefalogiannis said. “I really feel like that is a great opportunity for a lot of people in one setting to be able to try our food, and that also helps spread the word.”
Teresa’s Lunch Box creates sandwiches that tell a story and makes every bite taste like home.
