Take a Bite Out of Apple Pie, Doughnuts, Pizza and More on the East End
Apples are a popular fruit all year, but come fall, their profile skyrockets, with ciders, pies, doughnuts and more seemingly everywhere. Here are some enticing East End options to satiate that inevitable apple craving at every meal.
Brunch
Start your day with a plate of Dutch Apple Pancakes at The Inn Spot on the Bay. Gluten-free pancakes are topped with sliced local apples, powdered sugar and apple caramel sauce for a sweet, fruity sensation. The Inn Spot on the Bay, 32 Lighthouse Road, Hampton Bays. 631-728-1200, theinnspot.com
Pierre’s offers a healthy breakfast/brunch alternative with a list of freshly made juices—including the Watermill (apple, carrot, beet, ginger), the Sagaponack (apple, beet, asparagus), the Pick Me Up (apple, carrot, orange, sweet red pepper) and more. 2468 Main Street, Bridgehampton. 631-537-5110, pierresbridgehampton.com
Snack
As we move closer to the winter season, two of your safest bets for a farm-fresh batch of apple cider doughnuts and some refreshing apple cider are Fairview Farm at Mecox (16 Horsemill Lane, Bridgehampton. 631-537-6154, fairviewfarmatmecox.com) and Milk Pail. 1346 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. 631-537-2565, milk-pail.com
All the best doughnuts should come in a fun, bite-size doughnut holes, and now, thanks to Grindstone Coffee & Donuts, so do apple cider doughnuts. While these morsels appear in store periodically, cider doughnuts are always available. 7A Main Street, Sag Harbor. 631-808-3370, grindstonedonuts.com
Cheese Shoppe produces a chunky homemade applesauce, sourced from North Fork apples, that’s as organic as it is delicious. Yum! 11 Main Street, Southampton. 631-283-6949, villagecheeseshoppe.com
Dinner
Boom Burger features a list of sandwiches that utilize a wide variety of flavorful ingredients—from peanut butter and pineapple to marinara sauce and chili—to their fullest, and their Harvest Burger will have you wondering why you never thought to try a cheddar cheese burger with bacon, fried egg, apple slices and horseradish. Finish the meal off with a deep fried apple pie. 85 Montauk Highway, Westhampton Beach. 631-998-4663, boomburgerwhb.com
The endless debate over whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza is one that may never be settled, but the idea of putting apple on pizza requires no discussion—it’s ingenuous. Riverhead Ciderhouse proves this with their Apple Annie Pizza, which comprises brie cheese, cheddar, smoked ham, apple slices and balsamic fig glaze. Current hard ciders include Apple Annie, Benjamin’s Best, Founder’s Reserve, Crannie Apple Cranberry, Fuzzy Peach and Captain Cook’s Razz Ma Tazz. 2711 Sound Avenue, Calverton. 631-591-0217, riverheadcider.com
Dessert
What better way to conclude a beautiful fall day than with apple bread pudding made from Milk Pail apples? Bell & Anchor’s recipe combines the treat with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream for a mouth-watering mix of sweet and salty. 3253 Noyac Road, Sag Harbor. 631-725-3400, bellandanchor.com
Who says ice cream is a summer dessert? Magic Fountain’s cinnamon-infused Caramel Apple Ice Cream flavor would hit the spot any time of year, that is, if it were available year-round. Grab a cone before the flavor disappears for the season. 9825 Main Road, Mattituck. 631-298-4908, magicfountainlongisland.com
Tate’s Bake Shop may be world-famous for its cookies, but its classic apple pie and apple crumb pie deserve every bit as much adoration. 43 North Sea Road, Southampton. tatesbakeshop.com
Citarella is a wonderland of high-end seafood, produce and baked goods, offering many tasty apple treats, including strudel, pie, teacake and various pastries. Locations in Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton. citarella.com
Shippy’s Pumpernickels boasts its own original apple strudel recipe that’s flaky, fruity and buttery. 36 Windmill Lane, Southampton. 631-283-0007, shippyspumpernickels.com
Bite into a delicious apple galette or savor a slice of old-fashioned apple pie at Blue Duck Bakery Café. Locations in Greenport and Southold. blueduckbakerycafe.com
Hard Cider
Woodside Orchards offers a four-flavor cider flight in their Aquebogue tasting room through December. Once you find the one you love the most, grab a pint and enjoy it with some apple bread, cider doughnuts or an apple pie of your choosing—cranberry, blueberry, crumb and honey variants available. 729 Main Road, Aquebogue. 631-722-5770 woodsideorchards.com
While you’re sampling ciders, you’ll definitely want to taste Wölffer Estate Vineyard’s trio of Wölffer No. 139 Ciders, which comes in red, white and rosé variants. Wölffer Estate Vineyard, 139 Sagg Road, Sagaponack. 631-537-5106, wolffer.com
Make yourself an inspired apple cocktail with the help of Montauk Distilling Co. For a Sunburn Apple Cider Dark & Stormy, pour equal parts apple cider and hard cider into an ice-filled glass, then add Sunburn Cinnamon Rum. For a Sunburn Autumn Sunset, swap out some of that cider with a splash of cranberry juice. Check out their website for the full recipes. Cheers! montaukdistillingco.com