Dan's Papers - February 15, 2008 -

For years, a tradition in Southampton has been stepping into Shippy's Pumpernickels East Restaurant for a drink, a hot lunch or a memorable dinner. Through the years, many people both famous and local have visited this Southampton establishment to eat, drink and be merry. It's one of the great old time restaurants with a feel of nostalgia. Not to mention, Shippy's also serves great food, with world-class service, as it has for over 55 years.

Nestled in a 1930s building that was once Southampton's A&P, Shippy's Pumpernickels East Restaurant has quite a history. In 1956, William "Shippy" Casgrain, a bartender at the famous Toots Shor Saloon in New York City, came to Southampton to purchase the Hill Restaurant. The nickname Shippy came from Mr. Casgrain's service in the Merchant Marines. In his heyday of ownership, Mr. Casgrain entertained many of his former Toots Shor crowd when they visited the East End. He was quite a character, quick with a joke and always able to put a smile on anyone's face. One longtime patron who knew him said, "He liked people and people liked him." Famous friends he knew from his days tending bar at Toots Shor came by regularly. Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, who played Ed Norton on "The Honeymooners," were pals of Shippy's, as was Jack Dempsey, the great heavyweight fighter. Gary Cooper was known to stop by in the summer, as was Henry Ford II and Austrian-born actress Hedy Lamar. In fact, the legendary Herb McCarthy would pop in for a drink and to visit with Shippy and talk shop. It was during this era that the famous sizzling hot steaks became a signature of Shippy's, and they still are today.

Chef Mitch Kruzyna, whose mother Janis worked in the kitchen at Shippy's for 35 years, smiled fondly just at the mention of Mr. Casgrain. Back in the '60s there was a jukebox at Shippy's that blasted out early Beatles tunes and popular songs like Chubby Checkers' "The Twist," that had patrons up and dancing near the bar. The famous bartender of that era was Ed DeGramby. The few patrons in the bar all smiled at just the mention of his name - he was a character.

In 1976, Ed Nielsen, a German-born New Yorker, moved out from Queens to purchase Shippy's from the attorney who was selling it for a group that bought the restaurant from Shippy a few years earlier. Mr. Nielsen added many of the favorite German dishes served at Shippy's today. His wife opened Pumpernickels around the corner. They both brought a special German work ethic that has kept Shippy's special to this day. Mr. Nielsen's son Nick who, when he was younger was both a busboy and a waiter, said, "We kept the steaks sizzling and smoking just like Shippy served them."

He pointed to an original Shippy's menu hanging on the wall from the 1950s that had a $1.50 lobster tail special on the cover. The present bar stools at the swank bar are from Herb McCarthy's place over at Bowden Square. The bar is the original, but the kitchen has been moved to the back to expand the seating capacity to 70.

While Nick was holding his year-old son Lucas, whom his wife Ursula brought into the restaurant, he said, "Who knows, maybe Lucas will work at Shippy's one day." Then he led me into the kitchen where the magic of Shippy's happens. German dishes such as Weiner Schnitzel, bratwurst, knockwurst, weisswurst and sauerbraten are all prepared in the traditional style. Chef Mitch Kruzyna prides himself on consistency. For over 50 years there has been a Kruzyna in the kitchen. While in the kitchen I couldn't help peeking at the desserts - German favorites such as black forest cake, German chocolate cake, Bavarian chocolate cream pie, and of course, apple strudel.

Byron Igoe of Forest Hills, Queens, now in his 80s, remembers bringing his kids for lunch at Shippy's in the early 1950s. He said it was "a friendly place, where they always made you feel at home." The interior is still very much the same, with the warm feeling of wood and private tables facing the bar, where so many New York socialites stopped in to catch up on the latest New York City gossip.

Shippy's is located at 36 Windmill Lane in Southampton. They serve dinner Monday through Sunday, and lunch Monday through Saturday. For more information call (631) 283-0007.