Hamptons Restaurants: New, Gone, Moved in Summer 2016
The South Fork continues to have it all—and then some! New restaurants and nightclubs abound while others close for good. Changes are afoot for Summer 2016, but dining options still include dishes by famous chefs, still more local seafood and the latest farm-to-table trends. So many tasty reasons to come in from the beach!
75 Main owner Zach Erdem is expanding his restaurant/nightclub empire in the Hamptons. He’s purchased both the former Nammos site on Southampton’s Main Street and the 1Oak club outside Southampton Village. The club, called AM Southampton, is open just in time for the season. It will feature Hip Hop Fridays and a house DJ on Saturdays. as well as a “designated driver service” to help guests make it home safely. The space in the village is now Kozu, a Japanese restaurant featuring a menu created in part by John Keller of Nobu. The nightclub at the same location will be called Beach House. Additionally, Erdem is transforming another part of the space into HotelZE, where a suite will cost you $1,000 a night. Call 631-619-6660 or visit 75maingroup.com.
In Montauk news, Marc Rowan (the current owner of Duryea’s) has opened Arbor last month in the former Ciao by the Beach location (240 Fort Pond Road). Arbor will feature a Mediterranean-style menu and have a “casual chic vibe”—not to mention a 30-foot bar and well-stocked wine cellar. Interestingly, 15 to 20 wines by the glass will be on offer at four different price points. You’ll be able to imbibe via carafe or flight. For those of you who’d rather have a cold beer, you can choose from 12 craft brews on draught, including a custom Arbor brew from Riverhead’s Crooked Ladder Brewing Company. Lunch and dinner seven days a week during the season. For more information call 631-238-5430 or check out arbormontauk.com.
Woo-hoo! Bring your own bottle of vino to the Bridgehampton Inn Restaurant on Sundays and imbibe sans corkage fee! Other exciting additions this season include a weekly six-course tasting menu for $125, and a wine tasting menu that runs between $40 and $85. Chef Arie Pavlou brings his classic French experience to the table with playful dinner menus that change weekly. And the Inn has expanded its seating indoors and out! It’s now an even better venue for functions. For more info visit bridgehamptoninn.com or call 631-537-3660.
Finally, a place to get your club on in East Hampton: Cafe de la Musique Brazil (courtesy of Jeffrey Jah of Lotus and Lamb’s Club and 1Oak, along with Álvaro Garnero) has opened in the space that used to house Philippe, SL East and The Pink Elephant, etc. Cynthia Sestito (who’s cooked for Jay Z and Sean Combs in the past) is the executive chef. By night, the Cafe becomes The Leo nightclub with a rotating roster of performers and guest DJs. Located at 44 Three Mile Harbor Road. Visit facebook.com/TheLeoClub for more information.
Clyde’s at the Southampton Inn has replaced Café Oso. True to its roots, the restaurant will continue to offer “Best of the Best” breakfast all year long, as well as lunch and dinner in the high season. Focusing on locally sourced ingredients and freshly picked vegetables and herbs from the Inn’s very own garden, Clyde’s will specialize in modern salads, classic sandwiches, inventive small plates, and gourmet burgers at dinner. Draft beer, wine, and specialty tropical drinks are served poolside during the summer season as well. For more info, visit southamptoninn.com or call 631-283-6500.
A Noyac favorite is back! The Coast Grill is newly reopened under husband and wife team, Peter and Pam Miller. The Coast Grill is a modern harbor-front restaurant, specializing in seafood. They strive for quality food and offer a family friendly place where guests can feel at home. For more information call 631-283-2277. The Coast Grill is located at 1109 Noyack Road, #2 in Southampton.
Stop by Cromer’s Market this summer and you’ll find a whole new interior. They had been closed for renovations since January, but they’re back, prettier than ever and fully operational. For more info go to cromersmarket.com or call 631-725-9004.
Dave’s Grill, notorious for its succulent seafood and same-day reservation policies, has closed its former 468 West Lake Drive location. But fans of Montauk’s mainstay needn’t worry—Dave’s will soon be reopening as Dave’s Gone Fishing just across the lake at 467 East Lake Drive, in the spot formerly occupied by Fishbar. Stay tuned for additional details on the East Lake Drive location. Visit davesgrill.com or call 631-668-9190 for additional information. Meanwhile, word is that Tutto Il Giorno will be moving in where the original Dave’s used to be.
In other Tutto Il Giorno news, the Sag Harbor location is changing its name to Dopo La Spiaggia and will feature a new menu in time for the summer.
There was much speculation about what kind of restaurant would replace it when Duryea’s Lobster Deck was sold in the spring of 2014. Rest assured, the seafood eatery has been freshened up a bit, but otherwise not much has changed. After undergoing some renovations, Duryea’s and its fish market reopened April 15. For more info visit duryealobsters.com or call 631-668-2410.
What rumors about being gone for good? Dylan’s Candy Bar has reopened at 52 Main Street in East Hampton. Dylan’s is the perfect place to stock up on snacks before the beach, grab a scoop of ice cream or a Kosher frosty. Also featuring beach goodies like towels, inflatable rafts shaped like donuts and gummy bears and sprinkle-rimmed goggles.
Perennial favorite, Espresso da Asporto (formerly known as simply Espresso), has settled into its new home: the former Cigar Bar at 2 Main Street in Sag Harbor. Visit espressodaasporto.com or call 631-725-5668 for more information.
Southampton’s The Deli Counter is now Fresco’s Pizza Deli. Open seven days a week during the season, Fresco’s serves up fresh baked gourmet pizza, breakfast specials, and all your deli favorites. Call 631-283-1774 or go to frescopizzadeli.com for more information.
Another Goldberg’s Famous Bagels location in Montauk? Yes, please! The purveyor of bagels and flagels will be occupying one-half of the building that used to house Four Oaks Market. The other half, it’s said, will be taken over by an off-shoot of Left Hand coffee shop. Goldberg’s will also be taking over the former Twice Upon a Bagel location in Wainscott.
Where Red Stixs once stood now stands The Greenwich, a New American eatery located at 1020 Montauk Highway in Water Mill. The restaurant has a sister (The Greenwich Project) on 8th Avenue in the city. Featuring a curated cocktail program by The Mulberry Project, an extensive wine list, and an emphasis on local food, The Greenwich is sure to be a hot spot this summer. Visit greenwichrestaurant.com or call 631-726-6200.
New restaurant Grey Lady (not to be confused with The New York Times’ alternative moniker, The Gray Lady) is moving into the 440 West Lake Drive space formerly occupied by Harbor. Named for the infamous Nantucket fog, Grey Lady has an appropriately New England-themed menu with lots of seafood offerings and, one might assume, New England Clam Chowder, not Manhattan. Other Grey Lady locations include Delancey Street, in Manhattan, Nantucket and Aspen in Colorado. Get ’em while they last! Check out greyladymtk.com for more information.
Great news for doughnut lovers: The former Pepalajefa storefront at 7a Main Street in Sag Harbor will now host Grindstone Coffee and Donuts owned by none other than Kyle Symon, the stepson of East Hampton resident and host of The Chew, Michael Symon. Grindstone is set to open some time in July!
The Hamptons head north! Hampton Coffee Company, the popular South Fork establishment, with locations in Water Mill, Westhampton and Southampton, opened its first North Fork location at 272 Main Road in Aquebogue over the winter. Keeping in tune with Hampton Coffee’s theme, the North Fork location, like all of the others, was once a car garage. The renovation keeps the bones of the old space, with two large garage doors that can be opened to let in summer breezes. In addition to pouring its signature Hampton Classic Blend Coffee, the location features a special Organic North Fork Blend, as well as a bean bar, so customers can create their favorite variations. For more information, visit hamptoncoffeecompany.com or call 631-779-2862.
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee is expanding from Amagansett and into Sag Harbor. It will take over the space previously occupied by The Juicy Naam at 51 Division Street. Owner Jack Mazzola plans to turn the interior of the 400-square-foot store into a “boat cabin” and incorporate the whaling roots of the town into the design. Go to jackstirbrew.com for more information.
The popular John’s Drive-In in Montauk, well known for its burgers and ice cream, is back under new/old ownership. Husband and wife duo Maureen and Dave Rutkowski have once again taken over the shop, which Dave opened in 1985 but sold to longtime employee Tom Pontecorvo over a decade ago. Expect the menu and vibe to remain largely unchanged, with perhaps a few new homemade ice cream flavors. John’s is located at 677 Montauk Highway, Montauk. For more info, call 631-238-5810.
Jue Lan Club, the fine modern Chinese restaurant, which recently opened in the former Limelight church in New York, has expanded to Southampton. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant, with outdoor seating, and its nightclub Elm & Main (“offering an unparalleled after-dark experience), make their Hamptons debut in the former home of Circo Southampton and Delmonico’s at 268 Elm Street on May 26. They’re now accepting reservations (email reservations@juelanclub or find them on OpenTable). Visit juelanclub.com for more information.
Karamba Tropical Restaurant has opened in the old Squiretown location at 26 West Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. This cheery addition to the foodie scene boasts an eclectic menu, with choices like chicken marsala, Argentinian churrasco (skirt steak), Cuban sandwiches, and empanadas. You can also find plenty of seafood, including lobster rolls! Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Call 631-594-3815 for more information.
On the wharf in Sag Harbor, Harlow, which was once B. Smith’s, will now be an outpost of Le Bilboquet, the Upper East Side restaurant known for its Le Poulet Cajun and famed for the high-end clientele who grace its tables. New York billionaire and East Hampton resident Ron Perelman purchased the entire building. Perelman is in a partnership with Phillippe Delgrange and Eric Clapton at the current Le Bilboquet in the city. Maybe Clapton will stop by the new location this summer?
Manna is the new kid on the block in Water Mill. The Italian restaurant is located at 670 Montauk Highway in the space formerly occupied by Mirko. Chef Marco Barrila serves up lunch and dinner seven days a week, and brunch on the weekends. For more information, visit mannarestauranthamptons.com or call 631-726-4444.
The North Sea Tavern & Raw Bar re-launched this past winter. Featuring live music, DJs, sports viewing and a weekly Happy Hour from 3–7 p.m., the revamped Tavern is sure to be a summer hit. 1271 North Sea Road, Southampton. Visit northseatavernrawbar.com or call 631-353-3322 for more info.
Pierre Weber, the mastermind behind Pierre’s in Bridgehampton and the exclusive Pierre’s Upstairs, has taken over the former Sagg General Store on Sagg Main Street in Sagaponack. The new space will retain the general store feel, but will have more food choices and will be re-branded as Pierre’s. Plans are in the works to keep the place open seven days a week, year-round. For more info, visit pierresbridgehampton.com or call 631-537-5110.
The Service Station (“Pull in and fill up”) will replace Winston’s, aka-Nichol’s, at 100 Montauk Highway. Michael Gluckman, along with Shane Dyckman (of SagTown Coffee), intend for the new eatery to be a year-round spot featuring American comfort food and healthy offerings for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Shagwong Restaurant is advertising Summer 2016 as their “Grand re-opening.” Bought last June by Jon Krasner and Beau Campsey, the Montauk mainstay has undergone extensive renovations, including a kitchen upgrade. Expect fresh seafood and contemporary American cuisine. For more information call 631-668-3050.
The Southampton Publick House has moved operations to the former Driver’s Seat restaurant space at 62 Jobs Lane in Southampton. For more than 40 years, the Driver’s Seat was an established part of Southampton’s dining scene since 1960. A mystery: Will the brewery also be relocated to the new space? For more information call 631-283-2800 or visit pulick.com.
Caffeine lovers rejoice! After being closed for most of the fall, the East Hampton Starbucks has reopened, now with an expanded interior. Starbucks is located at 39 Main Street in East Hampton Village. Call 631-329-8645 for additional information.
Trail’s End Restaurant, a Montauk mainstay opened in 1927, has been sold to Long Island entrepreneur and longtime Montauk summer resident Michael Nasti. Nasti plans to turn the place into The Tauk at Trail’s End, a new restaurant that will retain the local vibes beloved by Trail’s End frequenters. The menu will be “American-style, with lots of seafood, [steaks and chops].” Look for doors to be open Memorial Day weekend. Call 631-668-2133 for more information.
Toast Coffeehouse bills itself as “The best breakfast on Long Island!” and now you can try one of their breakfast burritos, omelets or Krispy Nutella French toast for yourself at their new Patchogue location. The space at 46 East Main Street opened late last fall and features an extensive lunch menu. Like its sister restaurant in Port Jefferson, Toast in Patchogue will also feature regular art shows brought to you by the FRESH Art Long Island collective. Call 631-654-7091 for more info or visit toastcoffeehouse.com.
Ch-ch-changes are afoot at Topping Rose House. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten—famous for cookbooks, TV appearances, and numerous restaurants including The Mercer Kitchen, ABC Cocina, and Prime Steakhouse—along with his partner, Phil Suarez, will have the new Topping Rose menu in place by Memorial Day. For more info visit toppingrosehouse.com or call 631-538-0870.
Union Cantina, a high-end Mexican restaurant helmed by Ian Duke (the owner of Southampton Social Club), is taking up residence in the old Publick House space at Bowden Square in Southampton.
Yes way, rosé! Opened last year, Wölffer Kitchen (located at 29 Main Street in Sag Harbor) serves American cuisine with a Mediterranean influence. This season, enjoy the cuisine of new chef Brian Cheewing, who most recently helmed Southampton’s Coast Grill; and the addition of a brunch menu. Now, if only the weather would turn warm enough to enjoy the outdoor sidewalk seating. For more information, visit wolfferkitchen.com or call 631-725-0101.
Things to keep in mind for future East End summers:
A project that would expand the East Hampton Indoor Tennis compound at 175 Daniel’s Hole Road to include a bowling alley, indoor-outdoor sports bar and restaurant with close to 200 seats, a miniature golf course and a larger parking lot is nearing final approval from the East Hampton Town Planning Board.
Rhum: Island Inspired Cuisine & Rum Bar, is slated to open at 13 East Main Street in Patchogue later this summer. The latest venture from David Hersh (of Hampton Bays eateries Rumba and Cowfish) will feature a rooftop dining area and, on the ground floor, garage-door glass panels that open to the sidewalk. You can find more information on Rhum’s Facebook page or by calling 631-594-3544.
Gone But Not Forgotten
A Hamptons mainstay for more than 25 years, Cyril’s Fish House in Montauk has closed its doors for good. After a prolonged zoning dispute with the town of East Hampton, owner Cyril Fitzsimons decided to pack it in. The lively bar was among the Hamptons’ most iconic summer spots. It will be missed. Read more about the closing here.
Everything old is new again—or it will be. Fresh Hamptons has closed. At press time it could not be confirmed what business would be taking over this Bridgehampton Turnpike space that was built as Bruce Buschel’s Southfork Kitchen in 2011. Fresh Hamptons chef Todd Jacobs has just joined Red|Bar in Southampton as the new executive chef. Jacobs replaces chef Erik Nodeland at the kitchen’s helm, and he will be appearing with Red|Bar at this year’s Dan’s Taste of Two Forks!
Rumor has it that Organic Solutions—a one-stop juice and coffee shop—is moving in to the John’s Ice Cream space (a satellite location of John’s Drive-In) that opened last year on Main Street in Montauk. Both El Vacquero and Chinatown have shuttered. No word yet on what restaurants will replace the Montauk take-out spots.
@Bernie’s on the Napeague stretch is no more. No word yet on which new restaurant venture will be brave enough to try its luck at 2095 Montauk Highway. The windows at the former Pepalajefa gourmet food store and café in Sag Harbor are papered over. We hear that a coffee shop is moving in. When will they be open? Only time will tell. Short-lived restaurant, Doppio, also of Sag Harbor, is no more. The space is available for rent…
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