Growing up in El Salvador, Melvin Recinos always helped his mom who owned a restaurant.

When he moved to the U.S. at the age of 18, Recinos came to the North Fork and worked at several popular and prestigious restaurants, learning a lot about the business.

Then came an opportunity.

"We find this little spot for rent and talked with my mom and 'why not... let's try... let's open our own little place on the North Fork.' So we opened Lucia Mattituck in 2016," Recinos says.

The restaurant serves mostly Latin food, authentic food from El Salvador, but also Tex-Mex food.

Empanadas, burritos, quesadillas and the Salvadoran staple pupusas -- they are all big sellers.

And just like the old days in El Salvador, Recinos is in the kitchen with his mom -- where many of her family recipes are followed.

The restaurant became so popular, there's now a second Lucia's location in Middle Island.