![]() He quipped, "You can't get any fresher than alive." ![]() When in season, Zabawsky refers to Pete's as the local "soft-shell crab headquarters," which arrive alive. Some favorites include open clams, whiting and steamed jumbo crabs year-round. Pete's offers quality seafood at a good value, with experienced staff members on hand to help anyone who comes in. 23, when M圜entralJersey visited the shop, a man from Whitehall, Pennsylvania was picking up shrimp and other seafood, stating that his uncle had brought him to Pete's Fish Market once and he had to come back. Pete's Fish Market has not only become a go-to destination in Plainfield, but also across the tri-state area. "In college, I worked here a little bit - this same shop." "When I was a senior in high school, I worked here part-time," Zabawsky said. Pete's Fish Market has been open in the city since 1938, but Zabawsky purchased it more than three decades after he had worked in the shop as a teen. The patient and soft-spoken Zabawksy has owned and operated Pete's Fish Market in Plainfield for the past 38 years, always in earnest. Myron Zabawsky, like his younger brother, Michael, also owns a fish market. He welcomes them all in with a smile.Įat: 725 Hamilton St., Somerset 73, View Gallery: PHOTOS: Pete's Fish Market in Plainfield Pete's Fish Market, Plainfield Originally an accountant, Zabawsky, like many other local fishmongers, first worked in a fish market as an adolescent and fell in love with it, causing him to leave his accounting gig and buy the shop in Somerset. He knows his customers by their first name and their typical orders. He also has an array of shellfish and other seafood products like smoked sturgeon. He offers a wide range of fish, from red snapper to sword fish and fresh tuna to halibut. "We can only distribute what the ocean contributes." "We source wild fish, we source local fish," Zabawsky said. In addition to selling fresh, wild and locally sourced fish, Zabawsky also distributes his products to local hotels, restaurants and schools. Having been in Somerset for 36 years, Zabawsky, of Bridgewater, has seen the region change dramatically over time, and his client base, as well. Zabawsky has owned and operated Archar Seafood for the past 36 years after he purchased it from the previous owner, transforming it into a mom-and-pop shop and a community staple, drawing customers from across Central Jersey. Michael Zabawsky, the owner of Archar Seafood, located on Hamilton Street in the Somerset section of Franklin, is so passionate about his job that he can be found hustling about his store on any given day, beaming ear-to-ear - even after a 15-hour shift. If a shop owner's enthusiasm is any representation of his products, then Archar Seafood is some of the best around. The shop has been operating since 1988.Įat: 1320 Route 22, Lebanon 90, View Gallery: PHOTOS: Archar Seafood in Somerset Archar Seafood, Somerset I actually worked in that fish market when I was 15 or 16 years old."ĭrabich, who grew up in Hillsborough and now lives in Alexandria, operated Metropolitan Seafood in several locations, including Clinton, before settling in Lebanon, expanding operations with each move. I went in and bought an existing fish market in Clinton. I did it for 2 1/2 years and realized I wasn't cut out to be corporate. ![]() "I worked in a fish market when I was kid, all through high school and college, graduated from college and got a job with Johnson & Johnson, worked there for 2 1/2 years," Drabich said. Metropolitan, which draws customers all the way from New York City, also caters for select events. Some of the favorites include the lobster roll, shrimp scampi and polenta-crusted fried calamari. He also offers a wide selection of takeout food, with specials updated daily. His shop is staffed with knowledgeable employees ready to help any customer.ĭrabich also smokes his own fish and makes a range of fresh side dishes in house, such as octopus salad. In addition to fresh fish, customers can buy pastas from Italy, sardines from Portugal and tahini from the Middle East. His store appears more like a miniature grocery store, with its displays of imported gourmet goods, than a typical fish market. Drabich is transforming the term from the stereotypical fishy and rough-around-the-edges seafarer to something much more bohemian, polished and gourmet.Īlthough Drabich's shop, located five minutes from Round Valley Reservoir, offers a wide range of fresh-caught, wild seafood that patrons can order to be cut straight from the fish, it also offers a lot more. Metropolitan Seafood & Gourmet, and its owner, Mark Drabich, are redefining what it means to be a fishmonger. View Gallery: PHOTOS: Metropolitan Seafood & Gourmet in Lebanon Metropolitan Seafood & Gourmet, Lebanon
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