The Hamptons Services

Last year, Uber returned to the Hamptons after a two-year absence, and Lyft is joining it this summer, offering rides that’ll span from Westhampton to Montauk. While we can’t guarantee short wait times, another car service option on the East End is bound to alleviate some transportation anxiety.

The Culinistas, a Manhattan-based food prep service, is sending their team of chefs out to the Hamptons for the summer. A good thing, because for those going East to get away from it all, “all” might include cooking. In the city, time-strapped working mothers like Nadine Abramcyk and Adair Ilyinsky (of tenoverten) and Rachel Blumenthal (of Rockets of Awesome) rely on the Culinistas to assist with weekly meal prep for their families. From June 21 to September 18, their new membership service is catering to anyone entertaining friends and family—they'll do everything from stock the fridge to help you plan a BBQ for a large group. Here's how it works: The team will design a menu (they lean heavily on local farm stands like Bhumi Fams, Mecox Bay Dairy, and Serene Green), a chef will do the shopping, cook, serve, and handle clean-up. If you're planning a larger gathering, the team is happy to help coordinate rentals, waitstaff, etc., as well. A sample menu checks all the boxes—there's apricot dressed spinach and beets with seared cucumber tabbouleh to start, a spiced skirt steak with arugula gremolata, and blueberry semolina…

Since 2015, Lexi Ritch and Louisa Young have gained a following on the Hamptons with the launch of their farm-fresh (and vintage chic) food truck business, Hamptons Aristocrat. Now the health-conscious duo is upping the ante by delivering their locally sourced recipes directly to our doors. Farm-to-Fete, delivered offers a full menu of ready-to-eat organic meals served on custom wooden boards. With a menu fit for all diets, the service caters to a variety of summer events, from intimate dinner parties to weddings and holiday fetes.

It's notoriously difficult to get around the Hamptons, as taxis are few and far between and Ubers aren't as reliable as we'd like. Given those facts, Hampton Hopper has the potential to be a major game-changer. Their buses are on a loop from Hampton Bays to Montauk and back (there's an express service, too), and the buses can be tracked live on their App, so you'll know exactly when they're arriving. It's $20 for a full-day pass—which, when you think about the price of cabs around these parts, sounds awfully reasonable.

With houses so spread out and few drivers available, it's no secret that hailing an Uber is an imperfect science in the Hamptons. But App DriverOnTap is an ingenious solution to that problem: Their drivers can be summoned via the App at any hour, but instead of picking you up in their car, they'll drive you home in yours. The whole process is surprisingly seamless, and offers a brilliant workaround when you've had one too many but the car is parked somewhere it shouldn't stay overnight.

For most, florals are a deeply personal matter of taste, and it takes a thorough, skilled florist to nail it every time. Luckily, this beloved flower-and-gifts shop has two: owners Michael Grim and Jim Osburn. While they’ll gladly put together a beautiful monotone bouquet, their specialty is color—think violet and fuchsia orchids, magenta roses, and ombre hydrangeas—which they deftly apply to arrangements and centerpieces of every size and style.

This casual barbecue spot and bar (complete with a pool table) serves chicken and ribs, pulled pork, collard greens, and the like counter-style. But Townline’s food is particularly fun for catered events, whether it’s a beach or house party—they can deliver a buffet, or do a full-service, on-site cookout.

The good news is that JetGet will get you to Long Island in under 30 minutes. The bad news is that a flight on one of their slick private planes will cost you at least $500. For frequent flyers and big spenders, the $3,000 monthly membership option might make the most sense.

It’s certainly not cheap, but this App lets you book a seat on a helicopter out to the Hamptons—or, you can just book the whole thing and crowdsource the seats to others, if there isn’t a flight at the time you need to take off. If inclement weather persists, they’ll drive you to your destination in a Cadillac. Hilarious.

This service is backed by the people behind The Standard hotels, so extra attention is paid to client experience—which makes sense, since snagging a seat on one of the sea planes starts at $595 each way. Scheduling-wise, pickups are on Thursdays and Fridays from the East River, with return trips on Sundays and Mondays.