Vegan Turkish Restaurant Opens In East Islip

EAST ISLIP, NY — A slice of Turkey has arrived in East Islip.

Nefista, a vegan kofteh restaurant located at 91 East Main Street, officially opened on Saturday.

Serkan Canbulat, of Lindenhurst, the owner of the store, told Patch that instead of using meat for its kofteh, meat-based dishes commonly found in Balkan, Middle Eastern, and South and Central Asian countries, it uses a walnut-base.

The restaurant also uses spices of the iconic Anatolian region of Turkey.

Canbulat said that while he is not vegan, he saw a need for a vegan restaurant within the community.

The menu also offers fresh hummus, baklava, and Canbulat's favorite — herb chickpea wraps.

"Everything is delicious," he said.

This is the restaurant's first Long Island location. Nefista also has locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, New Jersery, and Turkey.

Canbulat, who is of Turkish descent, told Patch he feels happy to share his culture with the community.

"I'm trying to teach them actually how delicious Turkish food is," he said.