The Hamptons
Tennis by Slim Aarons, 1957
The Hamptons, on eastern Long Island's South Fork, are a string of seaside communities and a summer destination for New York City residents. They are marked by long stretches of beach, an interior of farmland and hamlets with 18th-century shingle buildings, and estates hidden behind tall boxwood hedges. Home to tennis courts, golf courses, main streets lined with luxury boutiques, vineyards and wineries, museums, galleries and art institutes, seafood restaurants, surfing, and of course beaches. Starting in Southampton to the tip of Montauk, known as “the end” by locals, here is our guide to Long Island.
STAY
SHOU SUGI BAN HOUSE Set between Southampton and Watermill, Shou Sugi Ban takes its name from the Japanese art of preserving wood by charring it with fire. The restaurant is headed by Noma co-founder Mads Refslund, and on-site activities include yoga, meditation, and hydrotherapy spa treatments.
THE ROUNDTREE Situated on two acres of farmland, The Roundtree in Amagansett is a boutique hotel with only15 rooms, one mile from the beach.
TOPPING ROSE Housed in an 1842 Greek Revival-style mansion with a contemporary annex, this Bridgehampton hotel has a pool and Jean-Georges restaurant on site.
THE MAIDSTONE This Scandinavian-inspired boutique hotel in East Hampton is housed in a 19th-century property.
1770 HOUSE RESTAURANT & INN A classic choice in East Hampton, this clapboard-fronted inn dates from 1663 and is steps from the shops and restaurants of East Hampton Village.
GURNEY’S MONTAUK RESORT & SEAWATER SPA A sprawling resort in Montau complete with a beach club, pool, restaurant, cafe, and even a helipad with service to its sister Gurney property in Newport, Rhode Island.
HERO BEACH CLUB Located off Montauk Highway with ocean views, this breezy hotel with vintage 1950s-era architecture is across the street from Kirk Park Beach.
MARRAM Marram is the first property in North America, Montauk to be exact, for Chefs Martin Pittaluga & Fernando Trocca. Their restaurants in José Ignacio, Uruguay include La Huella, La Caracola, and Mostrador Santa Teresita, offering asado-style cooking on the Atlantic. The wood-shingled property includes an outdoor pool, cafe, beach access, and guest chefs at the pop-up restaurant, including Il Buco, one of our favorite spots for Italian food in Manhattan.
MONTAUK MANOR Set in a Tudor Revival building built on a hilltop in 1927, this hotel includes private tennis courts, a pool, and is a short walk to the beach.
THE HUNTTING INN A historic inn with charming rooms in East Hampton, home to The Palm restaurant.
THE CROW’S NEST INN A quaint boutique hotel and restaurant with cottages overlooking Lake Montauk.
SOLÉ EAST RESORT An American Tudor-style property in Montauk with white, bungalow-style rooms.
BARON’S COVE A Sag Harbor resort with a pool, gardens, and oceanfront views.
SURF LODGE Brazilian-born Jayma Cardoso’s Surf Lodge is all-American. Set on Fort Pond, this laid-back beach hotel comes to life during the summer when weekly DJ’s and concerts bring what seems like all of New York’s pretty young things to the sand-covered terrace. During winter, the hotel moves to Aspen and operates a seasonal “Snow Lodge” pop-up.
THE MENHADEN This hotel is actually located in Greenport on the Northfork with views of the Harbor.
CAPRI HOTEL We love the bright yellow and white striped cabanas and poolside service at this Southampton hotel.
DINE | DRINK
THE CROW’S NEST The one and only reservation you should make for sunset dining on a Friday evening. Enjoy a glass of rosé by the lakeside dock before heading to dinner under the wood-shingled roof of the inn.
THE LOBSTER ROLL “LUNCH” Serving up lobster rolls off the Montauk Highway in Amagansett since the 1950s. You might also recognize it from Showtime’s “The Affair.”
DURYEA’S LOBSTER DECK A scenic and scene-y spot to enjoy a signature lobster cobb salad on the water in Montauk. Arrive by boat or by land and catch sunset from the deck. The café and market next door sells artisanal prepared food and home goods, perfect for a beach picnic.
WÖLFFER ESTATE A vineyard with an open-air restaurant and tasting room serving the winery’s signature rosé in Sagaponack.
LEVAIN BAKERY The Wainscott location of the popular Manhattan bakery, but serving the same signature dense chocolate-chip and walnut cookies and assorted breads and pastries.
TATE’S BAKERY Cookie aficionados remain divided over Tate’s. Some declare them the “best chocolate chip cookie ever made” and others find them too thin and crispy. Wherever your allegiance lies, this quaint cottage in Southampton serving baked goods is darling and the classic green and white packaging enclosing the pastries is a Hampton classic. Pro tip— use them to make s’mores at your next beach BBQ rather than classic graham crackers, and thank us later…
GOLDBERG’S FAMOUS BAGELS There are multiple locations in the Hampton’s, each serving their ‘famous’ bagels with lox. Arrive early and pick up a bag of fresh bagels, warm from the oven, for brunch by the pool or beach while Out East.
ROSIE’S Located on the main street in Amagansett, Rosie's is an all-day eatery with locally sourced produce from nearby Bhumi Farms. Chefs include Josh Cohen of the Flower Shop and Leo Mamaril of Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
NICK & TONI’S A classic Italian restaurant on Main Street in East Hampton since opening in the 80s.
BABETTE’S A casual, healthy option for lunch filled with organic and vegetarian options in East Hampton.
GREY LADY Named after the island of Nantucket, this NYC-based bar and restaurant opens seasonally in Montauk and serves up New England fare and fresh seafood on a patio overlooking the lake.
HAMPTON CHUTNEY CO. This casual Amagansett spot serves dosas (Indian crêpes) with various fillings. There is also a location in Soho in the city.
SANT AMBROEUS Stop by for a leisurely affogato or swing by the Southampton outpost of the chic Italian café and pick up a selection of Italian cookies for the drive, train, bus, or helicopter back to the city.
RUSCHMEYER’S The summer camp–inspired hotel, originally built in 1952, has a retro frame restaurant and lively bar scene.
TUTTO IL GIORNO Modern decor, distressed wood, and an intimate garden are the scenic environs for the restaurant’s Italian cuisine.
GOLDEN PEAR With locations in Southhampton, Bridgehampton, and East Hampton- the Golden Pear is a simple breakfast or lunch spot serving American classics.
CARISSA’S BAKERY Founder Carissa Waechter sells artisanal bread from locally grown wheat at her cafe, restaurant, and bakery.
ROUND SWAMP FARM This Bridgehampton Market sells fresh produce grown very locally, on their own family farm in fact, as well as homemade baked goods.
BOSTWICK’S CHOWDER HOUSE Located in East Hampton, this casual but bustling seafood restaurant serves lobster rolls and clam chowder.
SEL RROSE The Montauk outpost of the Lower East Side Oyster Bar.
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
WATERMILL CENTER A 20,000 square foot performing arts center for arts and humanities founded in 1992 by artist and theater director Robert Wilson.
PARRISH ART MUSEUM An art museum designed by Herzog & de Meuron Architects in Water Mill focusing extensively on work by artists from the South and North Shore.
DAN FLAVIN ART INSTITUTE Established by Dia Art Foundation in 1983, Dia Bridgehampton was designed by Dan Flavin to permanently house an installation of his work alongside a program of temporary exhibitions within a renovated turn-of-the-century Shingle-style firehouse-turned-church, displaying his signature works in fluorescent light.
POLLOCK- KRASNER HOUSE With a loan from art dealer Peggy Guggenheim, Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock and his wife and fellow artist Lee Krasner, purchased this small homestead overlooking Accabonac Creek in The Springs near East Hampton. Tour the property including the artist’s shed where his iconic paint splatterings are still present on the wooden floorboards.
DEEP HOLLOW RANCH The first cattle ranch in the United States, established in 1658, and now offering beach and trail rides.
MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE Located at the easternmost point of Long Island and available to tour with stunning views from the top.
GUILD HALL A center for the Visual and Performing Arts in East Hampton.
SHOP
TENET A lifestyle boutique in Southampton and East Hampton with same-day shipping and curbside pickup.
KAVAL An equestrian e-commerce store that often partners with The Hampton Classic and hosts pop-ups both in the city and Out East.
BOOKHAMPTON A charming East Hampton independent book store.
CYNTHIA ROWLEY Cynthia and her gallerist husband Bill have been long-time residents of Montauk. Her boutique in Montauk is representative of the town’s surf culture with colorful wetsuits in playful patterns and plenty of summer dresses.
MATRIARK A Victorian house in Sag Harbor is now home to a concept selling fashion, design, and lifestyle items selected exclusively from women-owned companies.
Text: Veronica H. Speck Photo: Tennis by Slim Aarons, 1957. © Getty Images