75 Main is just the beginning

Eight years ago, just when Zeynel “Zach” Erdem was about to give up any hope of making it big in New York, a friend told him to pay a visit to the Hamptons before throwing in the towel and moving back to Turkey.

It ended up being a visit that changed his life.

When he arrived in Southampton, Mr. Erdem, now 30, started out as a bartender at 75 Main, at that time an Italian restaurant at the eponymous address in the heart of Southampton Village. After years of climbing the ladder of success at jobs in different restaurants, he has taken over as the owner of the successful establishment that gave him his first job in the area.

“It was my dream,” Mr. Erdem said in an interview this week, recalling the days he used to work double shifts seven nights in a row. “It was always my dream to have this place.”

The restaurant has been a staple of the village’s dining scene for nearly the past two decades, according to Mr. Erdem, who lives above his business. He recalled anxiously awaiting his opening this summer in June, and being overjoyed when the first day was successful, as many of his friends turned out to dine at the restaurant.

“I was happy,” he said. “I was very happy.”

The new owner opted for tables covered in white cloth, and walls adorned in large works of art to help convey the sense of a fine-dining experience. The space inside the front of the restaurant is divided by a prominent bar in the center. Tables and chairs are set up along the sides, in the back and also outside in front of the restaurant when weather permits.

Mr. Erdem said he had so many customers this past summer—1,600 in one day, according to his highest count—that he set up more tables outside, until he got a call from Village Hall to cease and desist.

The owner describes his restaurant’s cuisine as mostly Italian and New American in breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner menus that boast a host of options for dining at moderate prices.

On Mondays, 75 Main diners can treat themselves to a three-course, $12 prix fixe pasta dinner, with a choice of three pasta dishes: fettuccine bologna; spaghetti with clam sauce; or penne primavera. The dinner also includes soup or salad, and a brownie with ice cream for dessert.

On Fridays, 75 Main offers a two-for-one lobster deal for $35. Friday is also ladies’ night, Mr. Erdem said, when women can drink for free between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Mr. Erdem is also working to create a hot spot for entertainment. He recently established a Latino night on Thursdays, when deejays spin music for dancing. Fridays and Saturdays are also dance nights, he said, with $5 drinks all night long, typically until about 3:30 a.m.

Mr. Erdem noted that he has adjusted his prices downward and changes the music menu for the fall and winter to encourage more traffic from year-round residents.

The menus at 75 Main include several Italian and New American cuisine items. Among the most popular dishes on the menu, Mr. Erdem recommends the chop salad, which he called “a favorite.” Priced at $10, the salad is a mix of gorgonzola, red roasted pepper, candied walnuts, cranraisins, and red onion with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. “It’s so delicious,” he said. “People love it.”

Other popular dishes include the chicken quesadilla, $14, found on the restaurant’s brunch menu. He also recommends the $10 hamburger, served on a brioche roll with an option for additional toppings priced at $2, including sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions, blue cheese, swiss cheese or cheddar cheese.

Mr. Erdem said he doesn’t want to stop at owning just one restaurant in Southampton Village. His hope is to bring fine food and service to the rest of the world. The next stop is New York City, followed by big dreams for Paris and London.

“This is just starting,” he said.