Chuck Zito Joins Scott LoBaido and Curtis Sliwa at Ponte Vecchio
Actor, artist and civic leader dine and outline a bold roadmap for New York City’s future.
Poulami is an associate editor. She did her MA in English from Miranda House, University of Delhi and has qualified UGC-NET. She also holds a PG diploma in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University. Her journey as a content writer began in 2017 and since then, Poulami has garnered diverse interests along the way.
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Actor and former mixed martial artist Chuck Zito was spotted last night at Ponte Vecchio in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, sharing a table with Staten Island painter Scott LoBaido and political activist Curtis Sliwa. The trio—each a household name in their own right—gathered for an evening of food, conversation and local planning under the warm glow of the restaurant’s arched windows.
A Night At Ponte Vecchio
According to an Instagram post from Zito (@officialchuckzito), the group took over a corner table at the Italian eatery, where they sampled classic antipasti and fresh pasta dishes. “Tonight at PONTE VECCHIO in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, with the King of Staten Island Scott LoBaido, and the next Mayor of New York City Curtis Sliwa ‘The People’s Mayor,’” Zito wrote alongside a photo of the three seated shoulder to shoulder.
The image shows Zito in a tailored black jacket, LoBaido in his signature baseball cap and Sliwa in a crisp white shirt. The mood was relaxed, but the conversation drifted toward pressing civic matters. Neighborhood regulars say the group lingered for over two hours, raising glasses of Chianti as they discussed community initiatives.
Legends Across Fields
Chuck Zito, 75, has led an eclectic life—bouncer, stuntman, martial artist and actor. He rose to fame as president of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels before transitioning to roles in films like “The Equalizer” and “Jack Hunter.” Wikipedia notes that Zito also earned a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and appeared in a handful of Mixed Martial Arts bouts in the late 1990s.
Scott LoBaido, known to many as the “King of Staten Island,” built his reputation with patriotic murals and a series of politically charged street paintings. In a recent Instagram post, LoBaido spotlighted his own documentary, The Relentless Patriot, which explores his creative journey and commitment to American iconography. He has publicly flirted with running for mayor in past cycles, and Zito’s support of LoBaido was on full display at the dinner.
Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, rose to prominence in the early 1980s as a street-patrol volunteer. He mounted a challenge for New York City’s mayoral seat in 2021 and retains a strong following among law-and-order advocates. At Ponte Vecchio, Sliwa was introduced jokingly as “The People’s Mayor,” a nod to his grassroots campaign style.
Turning The Page On City Leadership
Talk at the table shifted naturally from menu selections to municipal strategy. The trio explored topics ranging from neighborhood safety to small-business recovery in the wake of the pandemic. Zito, who has often voiced frustration with bureaucratic red tape, proposed a series of pop-up forums in local borough halls. LoBaido volunteered to draft a mural project to stitch together Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens communities. Sliwa suggested deploying volunteer patrols in coordination with elected officials.
While no formal ticket or campaign announcement emerged from the evening, attendees say the chemistry was evident. “They seemed to feed off each other’s energy,” a server at the restaurant remarked. “It wasn’t just dinner—it was a roundtable.”
Looking Ahead
Zito’s presence adds Hollywood cachet to a political conversation that often feels detached from everyday life. LoBaido’s grassroots vision and Sliwa’s activist roots complete a triangle of entertainment, art and civic action. Between bites of bruschetta and sips of espresso, the men sketched ideas that could find their way onto community boards or campaign flyers.
As the night wound down, the trio posed for one last selfie before heading out into the Bay Ridge thoroughfares. Zito promised more such gatherings as the election cycle heats up; Sliwa and LoBaido appeared all too willing to oblige.
From a dimly lit table in a cozy Italian restaurant, three very different New Yorkers charted a shared course for their city’s next chapter. With art, entertainment and politics converging over authentic pasta, it was a reminder that leadership can arise in the most unexpected venues.
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