The Refuge opens for lunch in Melville

The Refuge Food & Spirits, the new restaurant occupying what used to be Four Food Studio, is open for lunch. The menu is an abbreviated and slightly less expensive version of the dinner menu, with more salads and sandwiches.

Among the highlights: Guacamole ($12) is made to order and served in a heavy stone mortar. Empanadas ($3) and pizzas ($11.95 to $13.95) capture the restaurant’s Italian-Latino comfort theme. Sandwiches include a Cubano ($11) whose roast pork has been swapped out for barbecued pulled pork; a po-boy with shrimp, crabmeat, sriracha aioli and guacamole on a toasted hero; a Thanksgiving-wich ($11) of roast breast, pulled dark meat, Italian sausage stuffing, cranberry-pineapple compote and mushroom gravy on a hot onion roll.

The Refuge hamburger comes either naked ($12.95) or dressed ($13.95) with bacon, avocado, tomato, onion, pickle, American cheese, crispy onions, sriracha aioli and, on the side, French fries.

Right now there’s only one dessert: zeppole, little balls of fried dough that are served in a paper bag. The server opens the bag and dusts the zeppole with powdered sugar, then shakes it up and rips it open for ease of entry.

Click here to read more about The Refuge.

The Refuge is at 515 Broadhollow Rd., Melville, 631-577-4444.