Open in Massapequa: Uncle Giuseppe’s

“Well, now I can stop cooking.” I heard this uttered three times while standing at the prepared-foods counter at the new Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace in Massapequa. The Italian-themed supermarket opened Wednesday at Hicksville Road and Merrick Avenue or, as I prefer to think of it, across the street from Marshall’s Ice Cream Bar.

That prepared-foods counter was indeed impressive, with tray after tray of picture-perfect preparations. My experience at the four other Uncle G's has been that they tend to taste good, too. (Sampled and enjoyed today: turkey roulade; chopped liver, sauteed asparagus). Butcher, fish, bakery, fresh produce, grocery, imported Italian specialties, all present and accounted for.

At 22,000 square feet, the Massapequa store is smaller than the Uncle G’s in Port Jefferson Station (the largest) and Smithtown (the flagship) but larger than Port Washington and East Meadow (first, and smallest). One casualty of the smaller quarters is the cheese department: There’s still a good selection, but no on-the-scene cheese monger to advise and custom cut.

Uncle Giuseppe’s is at 37 Hicksville Rd., Massapequa, 516-308-7377.