A reality TV personality and owner of a Mediterranean dining spot is taking legal action against a prestigious Long Island community and its mayor, accusing them of unjustly shutting down his restaurant with ‘false’ allegations.
Zach Erdem is demanding $5 million in compensation after village representatives in Greenport—located on the north fork of Long Island—and its mayor, Kevin Stuessi, closed ZErdem during its initial weekends, as detailed in a lawsuit presented in the Eastern District of New York.
Erdem recounted to the Daily Mail how around 11 Greenport officials, including Stuessi, entered ZErdem one Saturday night in June 2023 while patrons were present, insisting the venue shut down immediately.
Stuessi is accused of orchestrating the ‘illegal raid’ and shouting at the restaurant crew, according to the lawsuit filed in June 2025, which was accessed by the Daily Mail.
Following its closure, the village charged the restaurant with 24 infractions, such as operating a hookah lounge, selling alcohol without a permit, and excessive noise from outdoor music, among other accusations.
The Turkish-born entrepreneur refuted these claims as ‘groundless’ and contended that village leaders discriminated against him by not providing prior warnings of the supposed infractions.
The legal battle lasted over a year and was covered extensively by local media. Erdem’s lawsuit claimed this ‘public spectacle’ hurt his business to the tune of millions of dollars.
Erdem is the star of HBO Max’s Serving the Hamptons, a reality TV show that delves into the lives of him and his staff at his Southampton restaurant 75 Main.
Zach Erdem (pictured), the owner of several restaurants in the Hamptons, sued the village of Greenport. He alleged that officials selectively enforced village code and made up lies about him and his Mediterranean restaurant, ZErdem
Erdem claimed that Kevin Stuessi (pictured), the mayor of Greenport, led the effort to forcibly shut down his restaurant by showing up with 11 other officials on a Saturday night in June 2023
The restaurant (pictured) was accused of selling liquor without a license, having an illegal hookah lounge and playing music too loud outdoors
Just up the street from 75 Main, which has hosted stars ranging from the Kardashians to the Biden family, is his seafood restaurant, which shares a building with a pop-up eatery run by Rocco DiSpirito and a nightclub.
Erdem is more established in Southampton, but he wants to become a fixture in Greenport, a village on the North Fork of Long Island which is an hour away from Southampton by car.
It has a population of just over 2,000 residents and has been touted as an alternative to the Hamptons on the South Fork.
Erdem said the last thing he wanted to do was get into a fight with Stuessi, who he called a ‘dumb***’.
‘I didn’t want to open a lawsuit for this mayor,’ he said. ‘I just want to be peaceful, have a business there and be part of the community and serve Greenport. I love Greenport, and I love the people there.’
The village filed a lawsuit against Erdem in Suffolk County Supreme Court. It accused him of violating village ordinances by hooking up a camper to the building’s electricity and using it to house employees.
Erdem told the Daily Mail the camper was never wired to the building and that none of his employees stayed in it while it temporarily sat in the restaurant’s parking lot.
It was there for two days until he could move it to a campground roughly a mile away from the restaurant, he said.
Erdem was also particularly frustrated by the claim that he had been serving alcohol at his restaurant without a liquor license.
Erdem has at least seven different ventures on Long Island, including two hotels, four restaurants and a nightclub. Erdem’s properties are laid out on the map above
Erdem has served many famous clients at his establishments, including former President Joe Biden (right) and his wife, Jill Biden (left)
Erdem is pictured with Kendall Jenner behind the bar at 75 Main on August 16, 2021
Erdem is seen above speaking with NBC news outside his Southampton restaurant 75 Main
‘I am in the business for years. I will never do anything without state or any legal papers or permitting issues,’ he said.
Erdem claimed officials mistook a service bar outside the restaurant with an actual bar where drinks were being prepared. This area was solely used to wash plates and store dirty tablecloths, he said.
One of the tickets issued by the village and viewed by the Daily Mail said the restaurant was illegally selling alcoholic beverages at around 4pm on June 2, 2023.
‘The place was not even open. That’s how stupid they are. The place opens for dinner at 5pm,’ Erdem said.
Erdem said the village’s decision to sue him over his alleged violation of New York state’s liquor regulations unfairly delayed him in obtaining a license to serve alcohol at ZErdem.
He secured the license in August 2024, after the Suffolk County Supreme Court dismissed the village’s lawsuit in July.
Although ZErdem was open in the summers of 2023 and 2024, Erdem said he wasn’t operating at full capacity since he couldn’t serve alcohol.
‘This year is the first time we’re fully open. Everyone knows we have a liquor license. Everyone is aware of it,’ he said.
Erdem, who stars in HBO Max’s Serving the Hamptons, is pictured alongside his co-stars in a promotional poster for the reality show
75 Main (pictured) is one of the Hamptons’ most glamorous hotspots – an A-list magnet nestled in the heart of the East End’s elite dining scene
Erdem is used to hosting celebrity guests at his establishments including Serena Williams, seen above
Erdem is pictured with Jonathan Cheban, a fellow reality TV star and friend of Kim Kardashian
Representatives for the mayor and the village of Greenport did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
The only public response to Erdem’s lawsuit that the village has offered was a succinct statement from Brian S Stolar, a lawyer representing the village.
‘The claims have no merit and the village will defend against any such claims in court,’ Stolar said.
This comes as Bernardo Bolanos, a former code enforcement officer with Greenport, sued the village for wrongful termination.
Bolanos alleged that the mayor directed him ‘to target’ Erdem for building code violations, while also ordering him to be lax with other businesses in the area. The village has filed a motion to dismiss this suit.
