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What started with a simple Google search has become one of Center Moriches’ newest community gathering spots.
After spending two years perfecting the art of coffee roasting, Mastic residents Frank Dolan and Ala Sharko have officially opened Red Rocket Roasters, a family-owned coffee shop and small-batch roastery on Main Street.
“We were sitting in another coffee shop one day drinking coffee, and I Googled, ‘How do you roast coffee?'” Dolan told Greater Long Island with a laugh. “I bought a small coffee roaster and started roasting coffee in our apartment for friends and family.”
What began as curiosity quickly turned into an obsession.
Wanting to master the craft, Dolan attended roasting school at Mill City Roasters in Minnesota, where he learned the science behind sourcing and roasting specialty coffee. As demand grew, the couple upgraded from roasting tiny batches in their apartment to using a commercial roaster capable of producing up to 4½ pounds of coffee at a time.
“We really fell in love with it,” Dolan said. “Once we started roasting our own coffee, we wanted to learn everything we could.”
Before opening a storefront, the pair sold their coffee from a trailer at fairs and festivals across Long Island, where the response convinced them it was time for a permanent home.
“People really loved the coffee,” Dolan said. “That’s when we started looking into opening a permanent location.”
They found it on Main Street in Center Moriches — though getting there wasn’t easy.
The building had sat vacant for nearly two decades after a fire. Once home to a longtime camera store, it remained empty after changing hands, waiting for someone willing to bring it back to life.
“Our real estate agent couldn’t even find the owner,” Dolan said. “We started looking at other locations, but eventually we tracked them down.”
The couple purchased the building on June 14, 2025, spent the next year renovating it and celebrated Red Rocket Roasters’ grand opening exactly one year later.
“It just felt like it was meant to be,” Dolan said.
Today, Red Rocket Roasters serves specialty coffee roasted on site in small batches using beans sourced from coffee-growing regions around the world, with each roast carefully developed to highlight its unique flavor profile.
“We take a lot of pride in our product,” Dolan said. “Everything is roasted in small batches because quality comes first.”
That commitment extends beyond coffee.
The owners have partnered with local businesses whenever possible, including sourcing pastries from Frank & Son Bakery. The café also serves breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese, paninis and its signature grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
But for Dolan and Sharko, the shop is about more than what’s on the menu.
Inside, comfortable seating and a spacious lounge invite customers to settle in, whether they’re catching up with friends or spending the afternoon with a cup of coffee.
“We wanted a place where people could sit down, relax and stay for a while,” Dolan said. “We want it to feel comfortable and homey.”
Looking ahead, the owners hope to make Red Rocket Roasters a true community hub, with plans for family nights, live jazz performances and other events. They also plan to bring back their coffee trailer for private events throughout Long Island.
“Our goal is for people to come in, enjoy great coffee and feel like they’re at home,” Dolan said.
Red Rocket Roasters is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The photo tour
Photos by Julianne Mosher
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