LONG ISLAND
MY NEIGHBORHOOD
Heckscher Museum of Art
Kerber’s Farm
Besito Mexican
— H U N T I N G T O N —
Culture & Charm
120
WINTER 2022
Nick Voulgaris III
SIZZLING SERVINGS
Pancho Villa’s (31 New York Ave., 631.549.0022) is practically a Huntington landmark. Voulgaris has been a regular since high school. Their sizzling fajitas are fantastic, and people crave their chicken soup year-round. Another of his favorites is Besito Mexican (402 New York Ave., 631.549.0100 ) for the fresh guacamole made tableside. And don’t miss the pomegranate margaritas. They’re equally good as a cocktail and a mocktail.
Heckscher Park
Voulgaris was given the opportunity to preserve Kerber’s Farm (309 W. Pulaski Rd., 631.423.4400) on the condition that he restore it and honor its legacy—and he has. To visit Kerber’s is to be transported back to the 1940s, he says, albeit with a few refreshingly modern updates. They’ve expanded their stock to include an organic vegetable garden with tomatoes, eggplants, and fresh herbs. And since Voulgaris has a passion for sustainability, they’ve branched into beekeeping, selling their own raw honey. The cruelty-free farm is home to 200 free-range chickens, two pigs, two goats, and some pet ducks. Construction of an outdoor ice skating rink is underway. Home cooks can buy The Kerber’s Farm Cookbook, filled with recipes from the store and tips for growing your own produce.
SAFE AT HARBOR
Growing up close to the water instilled a love for the outdoors in Voulgaris. He was raised on visits to Huntington Harbor, fishing behind the old firehouse and sailing in Huntington Bay. Just a stone’s throw away is Cold Spring Harbor’s Billy Joel Park. Pick up a coffee to enjoy while watching the boats go by, he suggests. Heckscher Park (Prime Ave. and Rte. 25A) is another well-loved spot. Here you’ll find bocce courts, tennis courts, a sculpture garden, and walking paths surrounding Heckscher Pond. Nearby and well worth a visit are the
Heckscher Museum of Art (2 Prime Ave., 631.380.3230) and the Chapin Rainbow Stage (2 Prime Ave.). Another noteworthy spot is the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Ave., 631.423.7611). It’s a must-visit for fans of independent films.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JOE CARROTTA; COURTESY HECKSCHER MUSEUM OF ART; LINDSAY MORRIS; BARRY WINIKER/IB/GETTY
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OME THINGS are worth holding on to. That’s why Huntington resident Nick Voulgaris III saved Kerber’s Farm. When the 80-year-old property was in decline in 2013, Voulgaris remembered his own childhood visits there with his mom and resolved to preserve the two-acre gem, to the delight of locals. It now serves as “a little oasis for people to come and get a taste of farm life,” says Voulgaris. Kerber’s, which recalls Huntington’s past as a vast expanse of potato farms and sprawling arable land, is in many ways a fitting symbol for the town itself—a place both respectful of its roots and forward-looking. That perfect balancing act extends to the mix of young families with small children and large housing stock occupied by residents who’ve called Huntington home for decades, according to Voulgaris. (His own parents have lived here for the past 47 years.) Voulgaris isn’t surprised that his hometown appeals to diverse demographics. After all, Huntington is one of the area’s leading cultural centers, he says. With its vibrant downtown, “it’s the epicenter of Long Island—a little Manhattan, if you will.” —Katey Clifford
BACK AT THE FARM
