Trevini in Palm Beach to Close; Cha Cha's from Coniglio Family to Take the Space

Trevini, a 10-year-old Italian on the second floor of the Esplanade on Worth Avenue, is set to close at the end of June. The Coniglio family, who run E.R. Bradley's, Cucina dell'Arte and Nick & Johnnie's, will open Cha Cha's in it's place.

Cha Cha's, according to Nick Coniglio, will be a Spanish-Latin restaurant, but not so much Mexican. "We aren't going to do the Mexican that everyone's doing now," he said, though there will be tacos on the menu and $5 margaritas for happy hour.

Instead, he said, they'll focus on Spanish dishes such as paella for a table, and traditional tapas, cured meats and cheeses, with the tomato pastes and bruschetta. "There's nothing like this around here and we think it'll fill a big void."

The late-night club aspect they capitalize on at their restaurants on the north side of the town will not be a part of Cha Cha's on the tonier Worth Avenue, he said. "We don't want to scare anyone away; we'll close at 11 p.m. and be shut down at midnight." He's hoping people will come for happy hour, have a meal, and then drift over to Nick & Johnnie's or Cucina if they want some dancing or drinks.

"We're going to concentrate on the food here," Coniglio said. And, he said, it will be about the guests at lunch and happy hour. "We're going to expand the bar, to take care of the people we expect to take advantage of happy hour. We'll have foods set out and offer $5 well drinks."

He expects lunch to be a big business. "There hasn't been a buzz on Worth Avenue from a new opening in a very long time - we want to create a new buzz," he said.

They will begin construction on the space if all goes as planned by early July. "If it goes well, we'll open on October 1 for friends and family and dinner trials. We'll open with a big opening around November 1."

He wants to take his time and work out all the kinks. "I've learned big time from my mistakes. We opened Nick and Johnnie's in 35 days. That was my worst nightmare." The restaurant ran out of all the foods they ordered within a couple of days. "I swore I'd never do that again."

Cha Cha's will be at 150 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, in the Esplanade.