East Hampton Restaurants

The beauty of Sam's is its simplicity (not a word that’s often associated with the Hamptons). It’s an old school pizzeria in the best way, with a pine-paneled dining room and vinyl-covered booths where families cozy up to share classic thin crust pies. We love the Sam’s Special (sausage, onions, garlic, peppers, and mushrooms), though the pastas are worth a look, too, especially the rigatoni broccoli rabe in garlic and olive oil and the linguini with fresh, local clams. It’s right in the center of East Hampton, which means you can walk across the street to Scoop du Jour for ice cream after.

This Union Square Japanese sushi spot (unofficially dubbed “Shuko Beach”) pops up in East Hampton’s Highway Restaurant & Bar this summer, taking over the New American restaurant’s space on Friday and Saturday nights (and adding Thursday nights in August). Chefs and Masa alums Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau are offering special chef’s counter dinners, where the omakase menu consists of a sixteen-piece sushi progression (using locally caught Long Island fish) and comes with a front row look at its preparation. With only three seatings a night, at 6, 8, and 10 p.m., reservations are essential.

Making a comeback this summer is Moby’s, one of the centers of East Hampton’s social scene in 2016, though it skipped last year when the space was scooped up by the Eleven Madison Park pop-up. Its new spot is at East Hampton Point, a harborside resort compound right on the water and an ideal place for a cocktail before grabbing a table on the expansive outdoor deck or in the large dining room (an almost-life-size replica of a sailboat sets the nautical mood). The food is typical of what you’ll find at many high-end restaurants on the East End, which is to say, coastal Italian, but it’s executed almost flawlessly, especially the wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas and Montauk swordfish with Cerignola olives, tomatoes, and capers.

As part of the Maidstone's new revamp this summer, the hotel brought in Chef David Strandridge (of Cafe Clover) to redo the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Like at Standridge's West Village eatery, the menus are somehow both beautifully simple and very sophisticated. For breakfast, you'll find a balance of old-school comfort (whole grain avocado toast that can be ordered with lobster salad, egg in a hole, and a selection of smoothies) alongside more creative options, like the "nova," a smoked salmon dish with Greek yogurt, and an orange blossom pain perdue that's stewed in blackberries. Dinner, entirely worth booking even for non-hotel guests, is seafood-centric: lump crab cake, a local catch simply grilled, and black linguini with peekytoe crab, all with a side of old bay fries. Photos: Melissa Horn & Fran Parente

Opened by some serious NYC restaurant and nightlife veterans (among them, Jason Hook, Todd English, and Andrew Molen), this new sustainable restaurant is sure to be a hit–for the food and the after hours. The seafood-heavy menu is fresh (note: citrus salmon and Thai mussels) and the décor pops with contrasting black and white. The overall vibe speaks of summer, when long dinners lend way to late-night dancing.

We’re all about summertime casual, which is why we like this cozy, American gastropub, located in the building that once housed Wolfie’s Tavern. It’s the perfect place to grab a (veggie) burger and a beer and watch the game on one of the many TVs. Bonus: There's a good live band lineup for most of the summer.

Chef Daniel Humm’s (also of Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park) die-hard fans can follow his talents to East Hampton this summer and dine at his much more laid back pop-up. Expect fresh, local American fare that speaks to the season, including a traditional lobster boil, fried chicken feast, and a la carte options. Housed in a massive farmhouse, the space has a large indoor dining room, along with tented area, picnic tables, and games across the backyard. No doubt with all the early buzz this winter, this reservation will be a tricky one to snag this summer. Photos: American Express.

Open since 2011, this restaurant has become a year-round local staple, mainly due to the fact that it’s a departure from the bright, beach-y look that occupies most of the Hamptons. Instead—outfitted in dark wood, with bookshelves dividing the dining room space—East Hampton Grill has the vibe of a neighborhood tavern. Plus, the food is just great, if admittedly indulgent: for one, the “Heavenly Biscuits” with rosemary, butter, and honey are hard to pass up.

Located in the space that operated for more than three decades as The Laundry, Race Lane had big shoes to fill. But with relaxed décor, an outdoor bar, and a cozy fireplace, they've carved out a great niche in the East End restaurant scene. The menu is sophisticated but refreshingly straightforward–you’ll find Montauk oysters to start, followed by well-executed classics like beef carpaccio, Berkshire porkchops, and organic roasted chicken.

While it sits steps from East Hampton's boutique and gallery-packed main drag, entering this six-room inn (there's also a separate two-family carriage house) is a lot like stepping into a time machine. The picket-fenced, whitewashed home has functioned as a hotel since—you guessed it—1770. Alongside modern additions like the in-room iPad docks and flat screens, its beautiful colonial flourishes—exposed wooden beams, antique fireplace—are perfectly intact. We go for the ever-reliable and delicious burgers at the on-site restaurant.