Groton ― Dylan Johnson, a software engineer at Electric Boat, and his colleagues didn’t have to go far to enjoy the summer weather and a short lunch break on Tuesday.

They stepped outside of EB, where more than a half-dozen food trucks and vendors stretched along Eastern Point Road at lunchtime, as a crowd of EB employees and contractors ordered gyros, meatball grinders, chicken kebabs and cheeseburgers, among other items.

It’s a familiar sight, and employees say they appreciate the variety of foods and convenience offered by the food vendors outside EB for breakfast and lunch.

“The food they have out here is really good and it provides time for socialization with employees, so we get to talk and meet with people at a regularly convenient time, and we find that to be very positive and uplifting,” said Johnson, who was picking up a lunch of mixed lamb and beef with a side salad and chatting with co-workers. “It’s a very good part of our shifts.”

As EB ramps up hiring – the submarine manufacturer aims to hire about 3,000 new employees this year alone in Connecticut, primarily in the manufacturing trades at the Groton shipyard and in engineering and design – it’s also attracting some new food vendors. Longtime food vendors hope it’ll mean their business will boom.

The vendors say they enjoy serving meals to the employees, and it’s a lucrative business opportunity.

A longtime presence

A stand from New London-based Sonny’s Market, which on Tuesday was selling soups, grinders and ziti at tables beneath umbrellas, has been a presence outside the Groton shipyard for 55 years.

Manager Jim Pezzello said his father, Sonny, started as a pipefitter in the Groton shipyard. His mother, Lucia, had opened Sonny’s Market in 1968, and his father brought a grinder from the shop to work one day. A co-worker said the grinder looked amazing and asked where he got it from.

Lucia Pezzello then showed up with boxes full of grinders to sell outside EB and sold out immediately, he said.

The small, family business has been a mainstay outside of the shipyard ever since then, and has seen everything, from strikes to hiring upticks and downturns, he said. The family has been there five days a week, and has never taken a day off, he said.

Pezzello said he is hopeful that as EB increases its hiring, it will help his family’s business.

Brian Staskowski, a principal engineer at EB who works two days a week at the Groton site and the rest in New London, bought a gyro for lunch on Tuesday. Staskowski, who has worked at EB for the past 12 years, said it’s nice to have a lot of options for lunch and get some fresh air and not think about work for a little while.

He said that he is hoping that as more employees come to EB, the food options will expand more.

‘Busier and busier’

Tim Lebling, the owner of Wakin’ Up Waggin,’ is in his third year of serving ice-cold kombuchas and iced coffees outside of EB. He also sells at farmer’s markets.

“It’s a good community. Obviously, it’s lucrative, and it’s a good steady stream of folks,” Lebling said. “As EB continues to hire, it’s just going to get busier and busier.”

Peter Ganacoplos, one of the owners of Par 4 Restaurant at Shennecossett Golf Course, said the restaurant started a food truck outside of EB about three years ago.

“It’s really good business for us,” he said.

He said they decided to take their food truck, Par 4 Curbside Catering, to EB because the submarine manufacturer is hiring a lot more people. The plan was to then expand to other venues as people got to know Par 4. The food truck has already catered a couple of weddings and gone to events and breweries.

Elda Hernandez, a cashier at Borypleta, said the food truck has been coming to EB for the past two weeks to serve easy and convenient food to the people that work there in addition to giving them the chance to try offerings from Puerto Rico.

She said it feels great to have a mix of cultures represented in the food trucks, and the vendors have good relationships with each other.

“We do support each other,” she said. “They’ll come here. We come over there.”

Colin Giles, owner of Short Rib Café, said he goes to events, including concerts and farmer’s markets, but EB is his “bread and butter.” His business typically serves between 50 to 75 meals a day outside EB.

Giles said he has been noticing more food trucks coming to EB, especially this year. He said he arrived outside of EB at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday to get a spot in the line, but even then he was far down the line.

‘Amazing customers’

Mohammad Kabny said his family, who came to the United States as refugees from Syria, opened their business, Issa Catering, owned by his mother, to support the family and pay the bills. Kabny is studying computer science at Connecticut State Community College’s Three Rivers campus before he plans to transfer next semester to Central Connecticut State University. His older sister is studying biomedical engineering at the University of Connecticut. The Kabny family uses the money they make toward their college tuition.

Mohammad Kabny said his family, who brought their food truck to EB about a month ago, is spreading the word about Middle Eastern cuisine, including falafel, Shawarma, baklava, and Kabsa.

“We have a lot of amazing customers,” he said.

José Munoz and his fiancée run Nana’s Kitchen. He said he got injured at work at his past job, so he is now supporting himself through the food truck.

“I love it,” he said. “I enjoy it and especially here where there's a lot of people, it’s a great place. I just couldn't imagine how many people are working at this place, and they treat me nice, and they say hi every day.”

Luevennia Gomez, who has worked at EB for the past 40 years, said she has seen the number of food vendors grow and likes the variety.

Tristan Malone, a mechanic at EB, said the prices the food trucks charge are fair.

“It’s nice to have something that you can at least afford,” he said.

Miranda MacLean, who works in business support for an EB contractor, was picking up a spicy chicken BLT wrap.

“I mean walking over to the cafeteria is OK, but this way we can grab some food, go sit outside somewhere, and it kind of breaks up your day,” she said.

Encouraging more food vendors

Asked about the food trucks, EB Spokesman Daniel McFadden said, “We’re very happy to support local businesses and provide our employees different options for lunch, and we appreciate having them out in front of our building every weekday.”

The City of Groton, which has an ordinance for food trucks, would like to see more of them, as they are growing in popularity, said Mayor Keith Hedrick.

“They’re following their passion, and they just want to deliver a good product for a decent price to the people that want to get something to eat,” he said about the vendors.

k.drelich@theday.com