Food Seen: New Restaurants Popping Up, Sunday Supper & More

New restaurants and owners, old favorites, interesting dinner and wine programs, and some fun cookies are taking center stage in this week’s notes from the East End “Food Seen.”

Stone Creek Inn, in East Quogue, is still going strong after 26 years. Chef/owner Christian Mir spent his formative years working in the kitchen of fine establishments in Southwest France and in New York City at Grand Tier at the Metropolitan Opera and Tavern on the Green. Standout dishes include the duck meatballs, tuna tartare and roasted cauliflower steak. East Quogue Pizza & Deli serves fresh pizza, heroes, sandwiches, and soups daily and is open. from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Pro tip: order the #7 Fisherman sandwich with fried Tilapia filet, lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce on a roll, or the hot meatballs and peppers hero. New Moon Cafe is a family-owned and operated Tex-Mex restaurant making some of the meanest margaritas and tacos around. Nightly “Mooner” specials can be enjoyed here, such as Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday (naturally) and Steak Night Thursday. Breakfast can also be had at New Moon on the weekends, starting at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays.

Lil’ Birdie in Sag Harbor has announced its Sunday Supper Series for June. The five course Michelin style dining experience is not to be missed and is one of the more unique culinary experiences on the East End. Every Sunday evening in June — with seatings at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. — Lil’ Birdie presents a menu created by the whims of Chef Alexis Krisel and co-chef Kye Vatash. The cost is $65 a head, with a $25 non-refundable deposit. It’s BYOB and seating is extremely limited. Other guidelines: arrive 5 minutes before your reservation; incomplete parties will not be seated; and they respectfully will be unable to accommodate parties that are more than 10 minutes late. Go!

Nick & Toni’s will host a special wine pairing dinner next Thursday, June 9 from 6–9 p.m. “A Night in Provence” will feature traditional and regional French cuisine paired with wines from Provence. The cost is $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity, for the five-course dinner. Wines from the menu will be available with special event pricing pre-order directly through Jacques Franey of Domaine Franey on the night of the event. For reservations go to nickandtonis.com.

Springs Tavern & Grill has a new name, new ownership and a new life. The new regime is spearheaded by Alex Rossi who resides in Springs with his family and grew up in the restaurant business in New York City — his father Rubrio Rossi owned the highly acclaimed Parioli Romanissimo on the Upper East Side. Rossi envisions a year-round eatery with affordable prices and a welcoming atmosphere. Look for a revamped ambience in the completely renovated interior and upgraded outdoor dining area. Rossi has partnered with Raul Rodas, a veteran professional of such East End restaurants as Indian Wells Tavern, 1770 House and Coche Comedor, who will manage the day-to-day operations. Menu items include grilled meats and seafood, bounty from Balsam Farms, French onion soup, a crispy chicken sandwich, burgers, and salads. There will be at least one menu item featured regularly from the famed Parioli Romanissimo, one of the few restaurants to achieve 4-star status from The New York Times. The restaurant hopes to open in late June.

More new restaurants! Babette’s in East Hampton Village is no more after 27 years; welcome Sant Ambroeus which adds East Hampton to its Southampton and Manhattan stable; they’ll serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Continuing the Italian takeover, Tutto Caffe, will operate on Main Street serving pastries and coffee in the morning and casual fare in the afternoon and evening. It’s a Gaby Karan operation; she already operates Tutto il Giorno in Southampton and in Sag Harbor.

In Bridgehampton, World Pie has been replaced by Dopo Il Ponte which joins Dopo La Spiaggia in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, and Argento in Southampton as part of Maurizio Marfoglia’s mini-empire. But you’ll still be able to get a pizza there!

In Montauk, Little Ruby’s takes over the dining room at Ruschmeyer’s, and Rooted Café — the brainchild of chef Stephanie Williams and Demi Gonzalez — will serve Middle Eastern-inspired fare on West Lake Drive as one enters the docks.

Tate’s Bake Shop is bringing back its limited-edition Blueberry Crisp Cookies this summer. The crispy cookies originally debuted as a seasonal offering in 2021, and are returning just in time for BBQs, picnics, and summer festivities. Tate’s Blueberry Crisp Cookies are available online at tatesbakeshop.com and Amazon, as well as most local grocery stores.

Did You Know? All of the tabletops at Coche Comedor were hand painted by local artists led by Toni Ross including Christopher French, Sabra Elliot, Oscar Molina, Don Christensen, Almond Zigmund, Bastienne Schmidt and Steve Miller.

Bits & Bites: Wölffer Kitchen in Amagansett is now open seven days; brunch is served on weekends and happy hour is nightly from 5 to 6 p.m. … Calissa in Water Mill features live music on the Terrace every Thursday evening through mid-September. Guests can enjoy Calissa’s Mykonos-inspired menu alongside music; performances run from 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Food Quote: “Eating good food is my favorite thing in the whole world. Nothing is more blissful.” ~ Justine Larbalestier, writer

Got a restaurant news item or tip? Email us at dansfoodseen@gmail.com!