Food Seen: March Madness, St. Patrick's Day Specials & More

Rose Hill Vineyards in Mattituck is continuing its winter event series throughout March. On Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m., guests will learn about the art of charcuterie with Lauren Lombardi of Lombardi’s Catering and have the opportunity to take their own board home as well. The cost is $65 per ticket. Lombardi’s Catering will also present a spring equinox dinner on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Barrel Cellar, and the cost is $225 per ticket. Lastly, on Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m., guests will get in the spring spirit by creating flower frames with a little help from  North Fork Flower Farm. Rose Hill Vineyards is set in a beautiful 125-year-old barn, and the quaint, off-the-beaten-path farmhouse inn offers beautiful outdoor patio dining as well as scrumptious menu items.

Corey Creek Tap Room in Cutchogue will be hosting patrons every Thursday through Sunday during the March Madness basketball tournament. From noon to 5 p.m., the games will be streamed on televisions throughout the winery and a different March Madness Flight will be spotlighted every week. Additionally, guests will receive a raffle entry for every flight purchased, with a case of wine being the reward at the end of the tournament. Guests will also be encouraged to vote for their favorite wine from the previous week’s flight and the winning wine will be announced at the end of each week.

Birdies Ale House in Southampton is another fantastic boozer to catch the tourney. The golf-themed bar features 13 televisions, multiple game and betting screens and, harkening back to less-techy times, sports news tickers. Every Thursday, Westhampton Beach Brewing Co. will take over the taps between 5 and 8 p.m., with samples and merchandise being offered. Refreshing $5 margaritas are available every Tuesday, $5 Howler Head whiskey shots are poured every Wednesday, and on Saturday, March 18 at 9 p.m., Birdies is hosting a beer pong tourney. Get ready to get tipsy!

Rowdy Hall has announced that they will offer Irish specials for St. Patrick’s Day from Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19. The special two-course dinner prix fixe will be available for $35, and the items will be offered a la carte for lunch service on Saturday and Sunday and all day on Sunday, March 26, the day of the Montauk Friends of Erin Parade. The food specials will also be offered to-go throughout the same timeframe. Imperial pints of Guinness (19 oz.) will be offered at the bar for $8, and menu items include Irish potato soup, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, fish and chips, and chocolate Guinness cake for dessert.

According to the Oscar-nominated film Everything Everywhere All at Once, life is like the hole in a bagel, meaning life has no point. While we’ll save our existential thoughts for another column, we can tell you where our favorite spots on Long Island are for a breakfast fix or to grab a dozen for the week. We wish we could have Eccentric Bagels on Shelter Island, Damark’s Market in East Hampton and M&R Deli in East Hampton and Montauk everything everywhere all at once.

North Fork Chocolate Company has expanded to Mattituck and Riverhead. Founded in 2012 by chocolatier and Executive Chef Steven Amaral (or “the East End’s Willy Wonka” as we like to call him), North Fork Chocolate uses local farm and purveyor products to make small-batch artisanal chocolate and individual-size gourmet desserts. The Mattituck site at 8700 Main Road opened last month while the Riverhead outpost is scheduled to open at 309 East Main Street on March 20. The Mattituck location offers plenty of outdoor dining while the Riverhead one will have a big open kitchen. You might recognize North Fork Chocolate from local tasting events, where it is often paired with wine and other beverages. Their Belgian waffles are all that and a bag of chips, as well!

Bits & Bites:

For many, Thursdays are the longest day of the week, but they just got a little more manageable because The Clubhouse is now offering burgers, wings and draft beer every Thursday for $25.

Wölffer Estate has several fun weekly events that you may want to check out. On Tuesdays, let your knowledge shine at trivia night while drinking great wine (maybe the vino will get your brain juices flowing). Every purchased ticket includes a complimentary drink of rosé, and prizes will be awarded to the teams that finish in first and second place. Happy hour specials include Summer in a Bottle Rosé, Summer in a Bottle White and classic red — all for $12 — and flatbread for $15. The first question will be asked at 6:30 p.m. and the kitchen will close at 7:30 p.m. Also on Fridays, live music can be enjoyed in Wölffer’s stunning tasting room.

Did You Know?

The bar top at Sagaponack Farm Distilleryis made out of unfinished slices of mammoth tree cut down in 1984, apocryphally the spot where a local farmer used to crawl under and attempt to sober up. Make sure you stop by the haunt and enjoy their Friday happy hour, 4–7 p.m. We suggest trying the cucumber vodka, single spud red or any of the gins, which are infused with a classic blend of botanicals.

Food Quote:

“The snozzberries taste like snozzberries.” –Willy Wonka