Fisher's Montauk: Swedish Coastal Fare from the Duo Behind Hideaway

The duo behind Montauk insider-favorite Hideaway has launched a new coastal-inspired Swedish dining spot called Fisher’s on West Lake Drive in the space formerly occupied by the Grey Lady. 

Charlotte Olander and Zach Terzis, along with a third partner, Tintin Huss, re-imagined Hideaway three summers ago as a casual Mexican eatery and nightspot. Olander and Terzis, meanwhile, aimed recently to expand their South Fork hospitality footprint and decided to stay in the neighborhood for their new Scandinavian concept, Fisher’s.

“I’m Swedish and Zach was born in New York, and he’s been very blown away by Swedish food every time he’s gone there,” says Olander. “Whereas I think I was maybe more like, ‘Are they going to get it, will they understand it?’” 

The approach they’ve taken in the few short months since they debuted includes a low-key rollout with a focus on hygge-inspired culinary offerings and kitchen efficiency.

“The feedback we’ve received is beyond my expectations,” says Olander. “People seem really excited to try it … we’ve had incredible reviews. People say it really tastes like home cooking, like someone really put heart into it, and it’s been going over really well.”

The uncomplicated menu is centered on Swedish classics, she says, dishes that you would find, for example, in her hometown of Gothenburg. “It’s like any restaurant you would go into in Sweden where I am from on the west coast, which is more influenced by fish and seafood.” 

For starters, there are items like grilled langoustines, toast skagen, and gratinated mussels, while mains include crispy cod with egg salad and horseradish, as well as pan-seared salmon with vendace roe, broccolini, and roasted potatoes. There’s also a wallenbergare (a veal patty served with potato puree, lingonberries, pickles and peas ) and steak Rydberg (with egg yolk, horseradish, and Dijon cream).

Another standout creation is the Lojrom and Rosti, a potato pancake adorned with sustainable whitefish caviar that offers an “accessible, feel-good caviar experience.”

Olander and Terzis took over the lease at the Grey Lady this June and are happy to focus their energy on the Fisher’s dining experience.

“It’s much more of a real restaurant, whereas Hideaway is more of a little shack … with a big outdoor space with nightlife … Fisher’s is a slightly bigger project, but we felt ready for more of a restaurant … it’s a concept we’ve been wanting to do for a few years, and then we found the right space.”

Fisher’s Montauk takes its name from Carl Fisher, a figure local historians will know as a prominent inventor, entrepreneur, and adventurer who’s largely credited with creating the Montauk we know today.

He purchased approximately 10,000 unspoiled acres in Montauk with the idea of creating a summer resort. He’s also credited with inventing the car headlight.

The chef hoping to embody Carl Fisher’s ingenuity at the new West Lake eatery is Manu Carbone, an Argentinean who spent four years working in Sweden and was introduced to Olander and Terzis by Swedish friends.

Olander says her dishes are full of “very clean, high quality ingredients, but it’s not trying to be something it’s not …  you’re going to have to try it.”

Olander is a former buyer in the NYC fashion industry who came to New York from Sweden 12 years ago to study fashion and decided to stay put.

Terzis has a background in hospitality, including as a one-time partner in Lower East Side nightspot Happy Ending, and in property management. The couple live in Montauk during the summer and have a full-time home in Westhampton. 

Hideaway was originally a Mexican restaurant that closed when Cove Marina changed hands in 2019. Oleander said that when she and her partners took over, continuing as a Mexican restaurant was “the only right thing to do.” 

The Infatuation called Hideaway “some of Montauk’s best Mexican food. With fresh seafood (make sure to get some ceviche), tacos, platos, and an impressive cocktail menu, this is one of our favorite places to grab a casual meal …”

Hideaway, says Olander, is an “interesting mix of a family restaurant that gets pretty vibey at night.” There’s live music during dinner service, a salsa night, and weekend hours dedicated to ’90s hip-hop. “It’s everything from salty locals to 25-year-old rental kids to families on vacation, which I love because you never know what you’re going to get these days.”

Fisher’s is located at 440 West Lake Drive, Montauk. Learn more at fishersmontauk.com