Moby's Is East End Summer Dining at Its Best in East Hampton

Feeling well-satiated after a lovely dinner, it was hard not to notice the line of young women in their summer dresses waiting to get into Moby’s on a Friday evening.

The ballyhooed Italo-Mediterranean eatery in East Hampton lived up to the hype surrounding its menu, but the night was still young, and we’d be lying if we said a touch of FOMO wasn’t setting in.

What kind of fun was going to take place without us? Alas, next time, we’ll plan on having the babysitter stay a little later. 

But that’s the beauty of Moby’s. Whether over drinks, dinner, or both, in small groups or large, for a date night or catching up with friends, a glass of wine in the afternoon or a party into the wee hours, hanging at Moby’s – no matter the time – is very much what “going out” in the Hamptons ought to look and feel like. 

You might not be able to put your finger on it, but Moby’s broad accessibility as a restaurant, bar, and nightspot has much to do with the Australian roots of co-owners Nick Hatsatouris and Lincoln Pilcher, who also own trendy Eveleigh in L.A., and had Kingswood in the West Village. 

“It’s upscale, but it has this sort of relaxed vibe to it, and that’s very inherent to Australian dining culture … even though we’ve been around almost 15 years, it’s still very much in our DNA,” said Hatsatouris. “It’s a pretty open, welcoming place.” 

Hatsatouris, who splits time between Amagansett and Brooklyn, arrived in the U.S. 15 years ago from Australia and is a serial restaurateur. He said his initial experience with the East End — and indeed the origin of Moby’s itself — came as a result of wanting to find a summer beach community that reminded him of his coastal homeland thousands of miles away.

“Where we are now, in Amagansett (technically East Hampton), it’s so centrally located, the farms are so beautiful here … in terms of our concept it just works. The moment I walked in there many, many years ago, I saw the pizza oven and the garden, and it just felt like the right place for what we were looking to do … polished food in a welcoming environment.”

Moby’s spent a few years at a different location, but returned to 341 Pantigo Road about four years ago. Hatsatouris and Co. haven’t looked back, with Moby’s well-established as one of the Hamptons’ best dining experiences.

The historic 1880s farmhouse on Route 27 near Amagansett is perfectly placed between Montauk and downtown East Hampton, and ready to accommodate the droves pouring into its parking lot.

One secret to Moby’s success is that its menu famously doesn’t try to reinvent dining, nor does it stray too far from the dishes Moby’s kitchen is known to do supremely well – that is, house-made pizza and pasta, ingredient-driven small plates, super-fresh raw bar options, and a handful of universally-loved mains; things are done simply, with love, and with options for every appetite. 

And every mood, too. There are multiple dining rooms and bars, each with its own unique vibe and lighting, including indoor and outdoor wings, a garden, and a fire-pit lounge.

The atmosphere is chic and elevated without feeling stuffy; you can as easily imagine children running around the grass and picnic tables during the day as you can an intimate date or a late-night dance party. The original 19th century structural beams perfectly contradict dangling Noguchi-style lanterns and Mid-century furniture.

Servers, in matching striped shirts, hustle and bustle without losing their charm.

The pizza oven is firing, the changing ceiling heights (and relaxed diners) provide a wonderful din, and all the stars seem aligned for you to enjoy a comfortable evening in the hands of a group of serious hospitality professionals.

“We put a lot of thought into what we’re putting onto the plate, but we also recognize that people want to have a good time. It’s a nice atmosphere, it’s a buzzy atmosphere without us attempting to be super-sceney. There’s an accessibility to it … there’s a lot of ways for people to go [when they come to Moby’s].”

We went for drinks and dinner, and started with cocktails at the outdoor bar — the Pepperista (Bombay gin, red bell pepper, lemon, peach, and elderflower) was excellent, but went down a touch too easily, so for round two we switched to a delicious Dirty Vesper (Grey Goose, Bombay Gin, Lillet Rosé, dark Kalamata olives, brine, and lemon oil).

A fellow in our group broke a glass that mysteriously appeared behind his elbow. We were then seated in an extension of the 19th century farmhouse around which Moby’s is structured.

The manager was gracious enough to forgive us our broken glass, and Executive Chef Rodrigo Ochoa even made an appearance at our table later to let us in on the secret of his nearly perfect pizza dough (he said it’s honey). We had a Margherita, which offered the perfect balance of crunch and chew, and came with a light, sweet sauce, and generous heaps of homemade mozzarella (and sprinkled pecorino).

The mezi rigatoni with a beef and pork ragu was Roman-quality. Plus, small plates like wild local mushrooms and oysters provided a nice bit of grounding earthiness. 

The dining experience at Moby’s is stitched together quite seamlessly. It takes a lot of work (and good mojo) to make it look so effortless.

“We have a lot of things that we’re known for, so we try and make sure we those do well,” Hatsatouris said. “Of course, it keeps that continuity, so people know there’s a certain style that things need to fit into.”

Moby’s is located at 341 Pantigo Road in East Hampton, on the way to Amagansett. Visit mobysny.com.