Summer Superlatives 2019: East End Food & Drink

Thanks to the variety and vitality of our myriad chefs and restaurants, farmers and winemakers, brewmasters and culinary artisans, the Hamptons and the North Fork are home not only to summer’s premier culinary events—Dan’s Rosé Soirée, Chefs of the Hamptons, Chefs of the North Fork, GrillHampton, Taste of Two Forks and MonTaco—but to premier food-and-drink experiences that are uniquely ours. Bon appétit!

Find more entries in a variety of 2019 Summer Superlatives categories.

Most Eclectic Food Truck
Silly Eats Food Truck at Silly Lily Fishing Station in East Moriches offers a wide array of delicious eats—kobe beef hot dogs, coconut shrimp, tacos, lobster rolls, calamari, watermelon & feta salad, crab fries and much more—at this gorgeous waterfront spot on Moriches Bay. 99 Adelaide Road, East Moriches. 631-878-0247

Priciest Lobster Salad
$100 a pound at Loaves & Fishes Food Store. You better get yourself a really, really good roll with that. 50 Sagg Main Street, Sagaponack

Most Instagramable Toast
Any cocktail or glass of whathaveyou raised at the golden hour while looking over the waters of the Long Island Sound from The Halyard at Sound View Greenport. 58775 County Road 48, Greenport

Summeriest Al Fresco Seating
If you’ve ever sat at one of those tables outside at Pierre’s just as dusk arrives, the twinkling lights above and sidewalk serenade all around, well, you know what we’re talking about. 2468 Main Street, Bridgehampton

Farmiest Farm-to-Table Experience
Look down at that tantalizing plate in front of you at Jean-Georges at Topping Rose House and you’re likely to be on the cusp of enjoying not just locally sourced produce, but ingredients so local that they come from the restaurant’s own “farm”—a one-acre organic garden where Executive Chef Drew Hiatt and his wife, Mary Joy, grow and harvest everything from peas to lettuces to berries and beyond…and where Jean-Georges Vongerichten himself has been known to pick and fill a basket or two. 1 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton

Oldest Vines You Can Walk Among
Alex and Louisa Hargrave put Long Island’s first grapevines into the ground in 1973, launching Long Island Wine Country. Today, that land is home to Castello di Borghese Vineyard and Winery. 17150 County Road 48, Cutchogue

Rowdiest Way to Salvage a Bad Movie Date
Imagine you’re on a first date at the East Hampton movie theater and the film you chose is a real stinker. Rather than go home after and call the night a bust, walk a few doors down to Rowdy Hall for a Rowdy Rumble Tasting Flight, for your choice of any three draughts. Chances are you’ll get a second date. 10 Main Street, East Hampton. 631-324-8555, rowdyhall.org

Speakeasiest Sensation
Step down into the dark of Brix & Rye in Greenport, order a classic cocktail and feel like the member of a secret society you can’t wait to tell everybody about. 308A Main Street, Greenport

Berriest Muffin
Trying to count the berries in Briermere Farms’ blueberry muffin is like trying to count the stars, just tastier. 4414 Sound Avenue, Riverhead

Top Spot to Shuck Your First Oyster
The folks at Little Creek Oyster Farm can also shuck them for you, but doing it yourself is so much more fun. 37 Front Street, Greenport

Unlikeliest Place to Kill Your Low-Carb Diet
You’re surrounded by pristine produce and rotisserie chickens and ducks (yes, rotisserie duck!), but Fairview Farm at Mecox—you know it from GrillHampton and Taste of Two Forks—is going to truly seduce you with its baked goods like pies, Harry’s Challah, apple cider donuts, soft pretzel sticks… 19 Horsemill Lane, Bridgehampton

Old School-est Fountain Drink
The Famous Lime Rickey at Sip’n Soda makes everyone feel like they’re back in the 1950s. In a good way. 40 Hampton Road, Southampton

Most Underrated Spot to Sit and Eat a Bagel
Grab a nosh from Bagel Buoy and have a seat in Marine Park. 3 Bay Street, Sag Harbor

One-of-a-Kind Waterfront Winery
Kontakosta is the only East End winery with a public tasting room offering an unforgettable view of the Long Island Sound. Cheers. 825 North Road, Greenport

Most Surprising Iced Coffee
Who knew you could get one of the Hamptons’ top iced javas at Besim’s Fine Cigars? You, that’s who! 99 Jobs Lane, Southampton

Artiest Beer Labels
It’s almost impossible to tell what fans of Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. love more—the amusing vintage maritime aesthetic on its gallery-worthy labels on the outside of the bottles and cans, or the celebrated beers inside. 42155 Main Road, Peconic

Finest Single-Source Wine-and-Pizza Pairing
Farm-to-fire is a term you’ll be uttering more and more after trying the wood-fired-oven pies at Jamesport Vineyards along with a glass of their own vino. 1216 Main Road Route 25, Jamesport

Favorite New Foodie Phrase
“Vegetable Butcher,” courtesy of the locavore’s delight that is the new Showfish at Gurney’s Star Island Resort & Marina. 32 Star Island Road, Montauk

Heaviest Slice of Pizza
Uncle Joe’s Pizza: Under normal circumstances, eating pizza with a fork will garner some puzzled looks on your direction, but such utensil use is the norm when eating a BBQ Chicken slice at Uncle Joe’s Pizza. The fine chefs pack so much saucy meat onto each slice that the bread underneath doesn’t stand a chance, leaving you to pick up each savory piece with a fork. If you’re determined to eat your slice with your hands, as God intended, you can order the indescribably tasty BBQ chicken on a sturdier grandma-style pie or packaged in a hero sandwich. 42 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays. 631-728-1234, unclejoeshb.com

Most Inventive Plastic Straw Alternative
You’ll never look at paper straws the same way again if you’re lucky enough to have Chef Arie Pavlou at Bistro Eté give you one of his reusable, remarkable handcrafted bamboo sippers. 760 Montauk Highway, Water Mill

Pinkest Nonalcoholic Sip
Pop open a bottle of Wölffer Estate Vineyard’s sparkling Rosé Verjus. 39 Sagg Road, Sagaponack

Boldest Menu Statement
When you see “*some assembly required” beneath the delicious description of the Whole Fish Taco at PORT, you’re mind starts spinning, your mouth starts watering and wondering what advice they might offer for their Whole Lobster stuffed with lobster mac n’ cheese. 104 Third Street, Greenport

Most Succulent Scallops to Enjoy After Bowling a Perfect Game
Few would expect that some of East Hampton’s finest dining is tucked away inside the entertainment mecca that is The Clubhouse, known for its 10-lane bowling alley, 18-hole mini golf course and 50-game arcade. Smoke your friends at the thrilling activity of your choosing, then reward yourself with a plate of mouth-watering scallops. 174 Daniel’s Hole Road, East Hampton. 631-537-2695, ehitclubhouse.com

Rarest (Or Medium Rarest, If You Prefer) Homage
When Union Burger Bar opened in a former Southampton speakeasy this past winter, paying tribute to the past was as important as top-notch burgers. In the ultimate insider’s nod to local culinary history, UBB launched the Barrister’s Wednesdays special as a way to keep a bit of lore alive…with fries. 40 Bowden Square, Southampton. unionburgerbar.com

Best Date with a Moose Who Quit Smoking
Several years ago, the mounted moose head of The American Hotel could be seen with a cigarette hanging off his lower lip, much like fellow cool guy James Dean. The moose has since kicked the habit. 49 Main Street, Sag Harbor. 631-725-3535, theamericanhotel.com

Most Legendary Literary Cocktail
Baron’s Cove was a regular haunt for a number of literary lions, including Kurt Vonnegut, George Plimpton and Truman Capote. But John Steinbeck is definitely Sag Harbor’s most celebrated author, and he and his wife, Elaine, named the Baron’s Cove bar among their favorite spots in the village. His favorite cocktail was the Jack Rose—now it can be your favorite, too, whether you make it at home or belly up at Baron’s Cove!

JACK ROSE
2.5 oz Calvados
1 oz house-made Grenadine
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Lemon Twist

Shake all ingredients, strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist. Baron’s Cove, 31 West Water Street, Sag Harbor. 844-227-6672, caperesorts.com/barons-cove