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The Bay Shore restaurant Swept Away near the Bay Shore Marina is under new ownership.
Andrew Tartaglia, a partner at Verde, Coastal and Brightwaters Inn, broke the news to GreaterBayShore earlier this week.
The goal is to reopen the restaurant with brand-new food and drink menus in time for Memorial Day weekend, Tartaglia says.
“When COVID came around, it was actually an opportunity to step away from the Main Street restaurants for a little while and revisit what was kind of available around town,” he told us. “We obviously love Bay Shore, all of our spots are close by and we live in town, and with all the growth in town it was kind of a no-brainer to keep on growing.”
This news follows the Tartaglia brothers’ March announcement about the rock n’ roll cocktail bar Sweet Jane they are planning to debut at 64 East Main Street next year.
But the partners at Swept Away include Andrew Tartaglia, Stephen Kalantgopoulos, Amanda Whittaker and Leah Fernandes.
For past loyal Swept Away customers, they might like to hear the restaurant will be staying fairly the same for one more year.
“There’s a lot of family history here, and we want to keep on going with that,” Tartaglia said. “We feel like we are the right people to take that feel and that community responsibility going forward.
immediate plans
Swept Away is situated on its own at 25 Bayview Ave. — a quick left turn before entering the marina gates.
It’s located slightly away from the other waterfront restaurants in the area, like Fatfish and Captain Bill’s.
The intimate location and quaintness of the space is what drew Tartaglia and the other two partners.
This summer, the partners will run the place as its original footprint, but with a new chef behind the kitchen: Kevin Breeden.
“The ability to put a little more of yourself in the food is more doable here at this size then it is at some of the bigger places,” Breeden said. “You go to the bigger place, you’re going to know the menu staples, but it’s more of a turn and burn aspect -— we’re trying to be a little bit more intimate, talk to the customers more, and really get a feel for what they’re looking for.”
Lunch, dinner, and happy hour specials will be available and the owners plan on servicing the marina and public bay.
Putting their own spin on the food and cocktail program, the Swept Away kitchen will be serving garden-grown ingredients.
They plan to grow a garden of their own on-site from which to harvest fresh, organic materials like mint, shallots and cucumbers.
Nothing is set in stone yet, Tartaglia said, but the new Swept Away team is working on a “Picnic Basket Program.”
Boaters docked at the marina or those looking to spend the day at the beach can pick up a basket with a couple of sandwiches, maybe some beers, and snacks for their takeout picnic.
Another idea in the works is a three-wheeler bike delivery service (idea courtesy of local musician Bobby Digital.)
In the hopes that COVID guidelines for restaurants will ease up a bit this summer, Tartaglia said they plan on featuring as many local bands and musicians as they can.
“It’s just trying to bring a vibe down here, like an old Long Island revival,” said Breedan.
longer term goals
Looking at the long term, Tartaglia says by around January or February of next year they will hopefully receive building permits to conduct kitchen and dining room renovations.
The planned main attraction of the transformed Swept Away in 2022 is an Argentinian wood-fired grill.
The Swept Away crew plans on cooking up wood-fired lobsters, seafood, steaks, burgers, wings, and more.
“We love the olfactory presence of it and the uniqueness of it, that woodfired spin on Coastal classics,” he said. “To throw that kind of beautiful smell into the neighborhood, it’s great in the summer, fall, spring, and it’s also winter hearty, so I think we will become a little bit more of a ‘Four Seasons’ thing for the neighborhood.”
For updates on Swept Away, check out their Facebook, Instagram, or visit its website.
Top: Exterior of Swept Away in Bay Shore.
