Legendary New York restaurant Maxwell’s Plum is back

One of the most influential restaurants in the history of New York gastronomy has reopened in Florida’s horse country.

Jennifer Oz LeRoy – daughter of legendary restaurateur Warner LeRoy – opened Maxwell’s Plum in Wellington, an equestrian mecca outside of Palm Beach.

The original — which opened at 64th Street and First Avenue from 1966 to 1988 — was very fashionable and hosted Gloria Vanderbilt, Bill Blass, Barbra Streisand and Donald Trump as a Manhattan real estate developer. brave.

Apart from its amazing owner, it became known as the hottest “lonely bar” – an airy, well-lit style of place for a new brand of “career women” who were starting to go to bars for the first time. and restaurants without male dates.

LeRoy tells us he thinks the new incarnation is at a similar historical moment in dating — a post-lockdown, app-weary world.

“Everyone meets online and we try to have a social hour,” he said. “Put your phone down, walk into the building and meet people at the bar and meet people at happy hour. Meet people at our breakfasts and events. We have a big post-polo party every Sunday, which is a big social event for everyone.

LeRoy told us she had thought about opening Maxwell’s Plum in New York or Las Vegas for years, but when her husband suggested Wellington, where LeRoy has been riding for more than 20 years, might be the right place, she was surprised to find it. it suddenly made sense.

“The concept (of the original) was welcoming to everyone, it had a great energy, a sexiness to it,” he said. “Well, if you’ve ever been to Wellington, that’s what Wellington is. It is a scene with people from all over the world because it is the center of international horse riding. It’s the Springsteens and the Jobses and the sexy polo players and so on. Everything is great.