Longtime friends and business partners, Daniel “Dickey” Abedon and Dan Sbrega joined forces with top bar man, Simon Burke, to bring YOU Uncle Lefty’s – a neighborhood tavern with the sole intention of bringing the community closer together through an inviting atmosphere, incredible drinks, tremendous food & a killer playlist.
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While the three have known each other for years, it was not until a dear friend's memorial, that Simon mentioned to Dan that he and his family were considering moving to Hastings. Because Dan and Dickey have always held Simon in such high regard, in that very instant, Uncle Lefty’s was born.
Hailing from Drogheda Co.Louth, Simon grew up in the bar and restaurant business, working his family’s establishments Branagan’s Pub and Burke’s Restaurant since as long as he can remember. Following stints in London, The Florida Keys & Martha’s Vineyard, Simon moved to NYC where he became well known as The General Manager of Swift Hibernian Lounge in The Village for many years prior to this venture.
From Simon, "Hospitality and service are two different things, at Lefty’s we offer the former." With Simon on board, the attention turned to the fare.
While it's true that Jody was initially reluctant when asked by Dan and Simon to run the kitchen at Uncle Lefty's, she knew upon meeting they all shared a vision for creating a comfortable local spot with good food, drink and music. A graduate of The French Culinary Institute in New York City, Jody went on to work in renowned NYC-based restaurants including Blue Hill at Stone Barns, The Cleaver Company/The Green Table and Savoy which all focused on then nascent dining trend of Farm-to-Table.
Creating delicious food from all over the world, albeit with only what was locally available came very naturally to Jody. As Chef de Cuisine at both The Green Table and Savoy, she scoured the Greenmarkets and other local farmer product lists daily for inspiration to create weekly changing menus based on her market finds. In the summer of 2020, she created Jody’s Kitchen, and is excited to bring her passion, to loyal followers and beyond.
Jody was raised to garden and preserve. This is an ethos she has carried with her personally and professionally ever since. Expert seasonal cooking, featuring local ingredients is what you will experience with every meal she prepares.
There has been a lot of love put into the place and it is our hope you feel that with each experience at Uncle Lefty’s.