Meet Robert Caravaggi of buzzy NYC, Palm Beach and Hamptons restaurant Swifty’s

Great New York restaurants aren’t easy forgotten. And erstwhile Swifty’s, nan nine cafe heir to Mortimer’s — which had delighted and infuriated nan city’s bold look names successful adjacent measurement — closed its doors successful 2016, group ne'er really stopped talking astir it.

It turned retired that Swifty’s was conscionable up of nan trend. It reopened successful Palm Beach successful 2019, conscionable earlier nan pandemic that would spot practically each of its aged Upper East Side patrons make nan move to South Florida.

It was each acknowledgment to proprietor Robert Caravaggi, who is now for nan first clip expanding his once-defunct nine location for nan cashed-up and carefree. We caught up pinch Caravaggi to study each astir nan caller Hamptons loop of Swifty’s and what’s go of its “millionaire bacon.”

This season, you’re bringing your ebullient Palm Beach edifice Swifty’s to nan Hedges Inn successful East Hampton. It primitively opened successful 1999 connected nan Upper East Side. How do you relationship for its enduring charm?

“We had an fantabulous motorboat a twelvemonth aft Mortimer’s closed, pinch a wonderful, long-standing pursuing who wanted their nine to continue. We created our ain mystique and style that has been enhanced done my business pinch Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, owners of The Colony Palm Beach.”

What’s connected nan menu?

Swifty’s cosmopolitan American style doesn’t awkward distant from burgers and fries. Glen Alsop

“Guests should expect a akin paper style: cosmopolitan American pinch European influence. Our paper will see an accent connected section ingredients, but besides favourite long-standing items specified arsenic jumbo lump crab cakes pinch signature creamed spinach and designer [Bill Blass] meatloaf. The ‘millionaire bacon’ has go ‘billionaire bacon.’ “

What’s your life for illustration extracurricular nan edifice and what’s your relationship to nan Hamptons?

“I cognize nan East End rather good and I person galore friends who either unrecorded aliases walk their summers there. But my woman Blaine and I unrecorded successful nan Hudson Valley. I americium besides a musician. I sing, constitute songs and play a fewer instruments successful nan stone and rotation genre. I sometimes execute pinch my favourite group [Brothers of Others] astatine Swifty’s. The discerning assemblage seems to approve!”

What sewage you into nan business?

A cocktail astatine nan Hedges Inn East Hampton’s caller restaurant. Glen Alsop

“I sewage my commencement astatine my father’s New York edifice called Quo Vadis, starting portion clip successful my teens. It was a classical upscale European constitution that had a very expansive following. My father, Bruno, taught maine that graciousness successful a edifice is paramount to success. That power served maine good astatine Mortimer’s and Swifty’s later on.”

Do you spot Swifty’s expanding beyond Palm Beach and nan Hamptons?

“I do. I deliberation our name, concept, mystique and nutrient is simply a look that diners activity out. Our regulars admit their semipermanent inclusion, nickname and familiarity. Our caller regulars want nan same, to beryllium included and taken attraction of. Breeding loyalty done generations is very important.”