Andy Cohen Brings Sam's Pizza Owner on 'Watch What Happens Live'

Sam’s Pizza in East Hampton (aka Sam’s Restaurant and Bar) enjoyed some serious nationwide props on Monday, January 24, when Bravo’s Andy Cohen brought the restaurant’s owner Graham Quinn onto his hit show Watch What Happens Live and told the world that Sam’s is his “absolute number-one favorite pizza in the country.”

Quinn’s appearance was part of an East End-themed night of fun, also featuring Amanda Batula and Ciara Miller, stars from Bravo’s Hamptons share house reality show Summer House, which is currently airing new episodes from Season 6.

Cohen wasted no time giving Quinn his first shoutout of the night. Just a little more than a minute into the show, he explained, “You guys, over at the bar, it’s another star from the Hamptons. My absolute number-one favorite pizza in the country is here, Sam’s Pizza in East Hampton — it’s Graham Quinn!” After saying his hellos to Quinn, the TV icon went on to share his Sam’s ritual when he visits the restaurant, including exactly what he orders.

So pay attention if you want to experience Sam’s just like Cohen.

“I come in, I park my ass at the bar alone, I get a glass of pinot, and what’s my order?” Cohen quizzed Quinn, who not only had the answer, he had the meal waiting and ready on the Watch What Happens Live Clubhouse bar. “I brought it right here: mushroom and onion, well-done,” Quinn revealed, adding, “and a house salad, no carrots, no cucumbers,” after some prompting from the Bravo onscreen personality, writer and producer.

Cohen went on to interview Batula and Miller about topics such as relationship deal breakers, Bravo guys and other celebs with the most BDE (you’ll have to look it up — this is a family paper), Batula’s husband and fellow cast member Kyle Cooke, and more throughout the episode. At one point, Batula donned a pair of “Ramona eyes” glasses with photos of Southampton resident and Real Housewives of New York City star Ramona Singer‘s peepers covering the lenses, and tried to name people based on clues from Miller.

About halfway through the episode, Cohen returned to Quinn, thanking him and Sam’s for feeding him during the pandemic. “Graham man, you made it though the pandemic, I was out there doing my show out there, you were serving us on curbside — I’m so glad you made it through,” Cohen said. Later he noted how Sam’s makes pizza that’s “always super crispy” with “something sugary or sweet” in the sauce, adding, “I don’t know what your secret is, but it keeps me coming back.”

A smirking Quinn simply replied, “cool,” and didn’t take the cue to give up his special ingredient. Cohen, by the way, refused to share the pizza with his guests. Even after Batula asked to have some after the show. “No, I’m taking that home,” Cohen said.

After the episode concluded, during the after show, Quinn packed up the pizzas for Cohen to bring home, along with an extra gift — a Sam’s T-shirt. “This is why I love having my own show,” Cohen quipped.

One of the longest running restaurants on the East End, Sam’s has been serving their beloved pizza with its secret recipe unchanged since 1947, when Sam Nasca opened the restaurant at 36 Newtown Lane in East Hampton. Quinn bought Sam’s in 2007 after years of working there, and it continues to be a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

Visit samseasthampton.com to try it for yourself.

Watch the full episode of Watch What Happens Live here.