In Defense of Hamptons Food

From Jamie’s Desk:

I was lucky enough to have spent a lot of time in the Hamptons growing up as a kid. Not to age myself, but we’re talking the 80’s. Things have changed so much that it’s hard to even imagine those days. I’m talking about the heyday of the Hamptons: when Main Street in East Hampton consisted of the movie theater, Penny Lane, Villa, Long Island Sound, Mr. Mamosian’s shoe store, Fierro’s and a few other great local spots ripe for making memories. 

Now, there’s the traffic, the designer boutiques, and the crowds. I hate being one of those people who talk about the good old days, how things were better then. Change is always frustrating and everyone likes to complain – and I am not usually one of them, but in this case it’s warranted. East Hampton has become an outdoor mall more than a charming seaside village. 

Even with all of these new developments, there still are special parts of it left. From farm stands to beaches to clamming, it still has it all. Although I moved my life to LA twenty years ago, a small part of me will always be there. Some of my best friends growing up were from the Hamptons, and some of my favorite childhood memories were made there. Not to mention, my production company’s name, Hunting Lane, originated there. Such is life, these days my time there is often short, and I fall into a specific routine: see family, visit old friends, and stop at a few of my favorite restaurants. 

Besides the fact that it has been overrun by crowds of influencers and overpriced shops, the Hamptons also get trashed all the time for their perceived lack of quality food. Which personally I think is unfair. It is VERY hard to make the economics of a restaurant work in places that are seasonal, so I understand why world-renowned chefs and restaurant groups aren’t flocking there. New places have come and gone – with many being unable to stay afloat. For me, I’ve become a creature of habit on my visits, and although places like Sag Harbor Tavern and Il Buco are undeniably great restaurants – I personally have other places that I MUST hit every time I am here. 

People who summer in the Hamptons have strong opinions, so here are a few caveats. First, this is MY ideal Hamptons weekend, so before you get mad, just remember that. Second, I realize I am not reinventing the wheel but this itinerary is for someone visiting who isn't a regular.  Feel free to reply to this email to tell me where I went wrong (and even better – where I went right).

Thursday, 7 p.m. 
No matter what anyone says, my favorite meal in the Hamptons is at The Palm. Maybe the food has lost a step, maybe the room doesn’t feel as cozy, and maybe some of the staff has changed – but at the end of the day, it is by far one of my favorite meals anywhere. To be honest, this was what I was looking forward to the most. Part of it was for the food and the dirty martini, ordered bruised with blue cheese olives. Part of it was because it’s on Huntting Lane, where my childhood home remains – but the real reason was for the company, and it proves if you are with the right people, everything is better. This was a dinner we did last year with my brothers Jon and Mark and my best friend Richard Kleiman, with a drinks visit from Alan P and a dessert stop-in from Jack P. To be honest, contrary to all the haters – the meal didn’t disappoint either. The calamari, shrimp cocktail, Monday night salad, porterhouse, the half and half, and the creamed spinach all hit perfectly – like they always do.

Friday, 8 a.m. 
No matter where you are in the Hamptons, your morning should always begin with a walk before the traffic is backed up and it gets too hot. Whether you head into town, go to the beach, or just take in the beautiful landscape – a walk is the ideal way to start your day. In terms of breakfast (which I usually acquire on my walks) there are a few obvious choices. For years, my father tried to convince me that the Beach Hut at Main Beach had the best breakfast in town. I was a sucker for M & R, because not only do they have my favorite egg sandwich, but they are still making fresh Dreesen’s donuts daily, which screams the good old days more than anything. But a few years ago, I finally gave in – and boy, was he right. It’s hard to argue that stopping at Main Beach for a fresh blueberry muffin isn't one of the best breakfasts.  The lovely owner, Susan, was telling me all about their happy hour, which I didn't have time to try on this trip, but is going on my agenda for next summer. 

Friday, 1 p.m. 
The farm stands are one of the best parts of The Hamptons by far. Everyone has their local stand where they get their fruits and veggies and I am not going to debate with you which is the best as it’s so personal. That being said, there is one spot (that if someone else is paying) is undeniably one of the best spots in the Hamptons for snacks, lunch, pies, anything really – and that is Round Swamp Farm. Everyone has their favorite bites here from the “viral” chicken salad to the raspberry peach pie to the dumplings to the fluffernutter Rice Krispie treats. I always have a bit of sticker shock, so even though I love going, my purchases here are few and far between. 

Friday, 6 p.m.
This trip, I ate at home with some amazing catering from Pete Ambrose, who was an OG at the Seafood Shop and now is out on his own catering. To complete a perfect Hamptons Trip, eating at home with either home cooking or some form of seafood catering is almost mandatory. Throw in your family or friends, some good music, and a gorgeous sunset – and you can’t beat it. There are so many great catering companies throughout the Hamptons, so you can’t go wrong, but Pete’s food had us all very impressed. I highly recommend one meal with Pete’s catering. We did the paella and the ribs, which were top notch.We were also able to pair this with my niece Nina’s favorite dessert spot Sweet Spot, which I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by.

Saturday, 8 a.m.
There is one place in the Hamptons that really works for every meal and that you will never be let down by: Carissa’s. What started as a small bakery next to Soul Cycle in the town of East Hampton has become arguably everyone’s favorite spot. It is one of the few places that I truly have no notes about. It is the place that taught me, seeded sour rye bread with cream cheese and smoked salmon could be one of my favorite sandwiches. Literally everything on the menu is great, from their fresh baked breads to the lobster roll to the salmon bowl to the croissants, I could eat here every meal in the Hamptons. Thank you to Carissa Waechter and Jamie’s List member Lori Chemla for starting this place, and expanding it so that more people could enjoy their wares. 

Saturday, 12:30 pm
Which one of the great seafood spots to get lunch at is one of my biggest challenges in the Hamptons. The Lobster Roll (AKA LUNCH) was famous during my childhood, and then became even more famous through popular culture, finally with the great TV Show The Affair truly making it an international brand. I am not sure if that is why I stopped going around that time, but I felt its fame made it less special-feeling. Now I am never one to hate because some place gets too popular, but because of that, I started to branch out. To me there are three places to choose between when you want a seafood shack type lunch: Bostwick’s, Dureya’s, The Clam Bar, and even still, Lunch. Bostwick’s is the closest so that is usually where we go, but at this point for me there is something about Clam Bar that has become my favorite. To be honest, you can’t go wrong with a beer, some steamers and fried clams anywhere. The only way to go wrong is to skip a stop at one of these on your trip.

Saturday, 8 p.m. 
I can not tell a lie, this year, my brother Mark decided to test out his new pizza oven, so I ate at home a second night in a row, which I realize doesn’t help in choosing where you should go. So if I wasn’t eating at his house, I would have been hitting one of these four spots: Sag Harbor Tavern, il Buco al Mare, Tutto il Giorno or Nick and Toni’s. Nick and Toni’s wins for nostalgia, but all of these spots are awesome.  

Sunday, 9 a.m.
For me, no trip to the Hamptons is complete without a stop and M & R deli in East Hampton, tucked behind the train station. Sure they have a great BEC, which for me is always the best breakfast, but that is not why you come here. One of the other best parts of the Hamptons in the 80’s and 90’s was Dreesen’s Donuts. Rudy Dreesen was one of the people who made the Hamptons work, along with Raymond who was right there by his side. Known primarily as a butcher, Dreesen’s also had that beautiful donut making machine in the window. Well, like most other things in the Hamptons that too is gone, but the donut machine still lives right there at M&R deli. And I always make sure to stop and get a cinnamon or sugar donut before leaving. 

Sunday, 12:30 pm 
Growing up, there was nothing I enjoyed more than stopping at Villa On Main Street to get a Villa Combo. Founded in 1976 (or 1974 depending on who you ask) by the Naclerio’s, this family run restaurant was a part of the fabric of the Hamptons. They knew your names and you knew theirs, and walking in there just felt like you were home.  I just recently learned that it was the owners' twins, Saverio and Ettore (who you could never tell apart) who really invented the Villa combo at the age of 5, being the ones who added the peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and homemade dressing. Similar to Lunch, the name of the deli slowly changed for the locals and regular tourists – becoming known as Villa Combo. So that was usually my go-to order. That being said, over the years I would occasionally throw in a meatball sub, their amazing pasta with chicken and artichoke, or even their chicken parm. Like everything else, they too moved off Main Street to next to the train station, but the food stayed the same. The new owner has kept most of the family recipes, which I really appreciate. No trip to the Hamptons is complete for me without stopping at Villa and picking up a Villa Combo and a Diet Coke, taking it to the beach and eating it while looking at the Atlantic. 

Bonus
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my most controversial hot takes about the Hamptons and although it is hard to recommend on short weekend trips, in my opinion one of the best NY-style Chinese restaurants from Chinatown to the Montauk lighthouse is off Route 27. It’s called Chen’s Garden, and if you are out here for a few extra days or just have a  hankering for some dumplings, beef with broccoli and some sesame noodles, Chen’s is the answer. It’s another family run multi-generational restaurant. If I was the only one eating, I would never skip a chance to eat at Chen’s.

And finally…

And finally although this is called Jamie’s List, I still believe in a democratic approach to all things. So, I created a poll on my Instagram to figure out what everyone else’s favorite Hamptons spots were. He are the results:

🍦 Favorite Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream: Buddha Berry

🦞 Favorite Seafood Spot: Clam Bar

🍴 Favorite Dinner Spot: Sag Harbor Tavern

🥪 Favorite Lunch: Carissa’s the Bakery

🍳 Favorite Breakfast: The Beach Hut on Main

Have a restaurant rec, cultural gem, can’t-miss event, or a hot sauce that changed your life? Send it my way: [email protected]

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