The Best Places For Winter Dining In The Hamptons, New York
Once the weather has cooled, the sun is setting early and al fresco dining season is over, the Hamptons become rather still. This is arguably the best time to take the trip. Traffic out of New York City lets up, hotel and weekend rental rates are reasonable and getting a table at some of the most exclusive restaurants is effortless. We take a look at the best winter dining in the Hamptons.
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1770 House
1770 House is a local favorite. The dining room is comprised of perfectly-polished wooden tables, wicker-back chairs and oriental rugs that sit on top of chestnut-colored hardwood floors. The fireplace in the lounge is perfect for a hot beverage and a book, and Chef Michael Rozzi brings sophistication to seasonal farm ingredients in the kitchen. The menu continually offers local components such as Hog’s Neck Farms oysters, Balsam Farm produce, Sag Harbor rum, Mecox Bay dairy and Flama Blanca sweet potatoes. The wine list has a glass (or bottle) for everyone, every occasion and every dish.
Topping Rose House
Hotel Restaurant, Bar, American, $$$
Topping Rose House is situated at the intersection of the Sag Harbor Turnpike and Route 27. This large, Greek Revival-style three-story house has a history; starting as a humble home in the late 19th century to Bridgehampton’s local tavern, the Topping Rose House has endured a great deal of Long Island history. The restaurant is located on the house’s first floor, with rental rooms located on the second and third floors. Equipped with duel fireplaces, the bar room is a great place to unwind with a cocktail or enjoy a warm meal. Chef Kyle Koenig has designed menus for any time of day; breakfast through dinner showcases local, seasonal flavors, utilizing an acre farm located on the property when the ground is not frozen. Chef Koenig’s wife happens to be the Beverage Director, and she has assembled a wine and cocktail list that pairs perfectly with the food. Together, The Koenigs and The Topping Rose House make a very happy couple, working to make couples very happy.
Page At 63 Main
Bar, Restaurant, Seafood, American, $$
While it may not technically be a part of ‘the Hamptons’ by name, Sag Harbor and Page at 63 Main are ‘the Hamptons’ in style. Chef James Carpenter’s delectable menus are inspired by the fisheries and farms in the vicinity. Open for lunch, dinner, brunch on Sunday and a late night bar menu as well, Page at 63 Main grows a selection of lettuces, herbs and spices in an Aquaponic Farming System, which is configured on their wall in the atrium. Crisp white walls are the backdrop for several colossal black and white photographs that give one the feeling of stepping into a New York City gallery. This venue always draws in a crowd and fosters an ideal atmosphere in which to meet friends.
Cowfish And Rumba
Rachel and David Hersh are the owners of the two hottest places in Hampton Bays. Though Cowfish and Rumba are located down the street from one another, their menus could not be more different. Both restaurants are positioned on west Shinnecock Bay with picturesque waterfront views. Rumba offers a Caribbean-inspired menu, featuring island flavors like mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut, jerk sauces and rum reductions. Mojitos, rum punches, and piña coladas are the cocktails of choice at this tiki-themed bar. Rumba is categorically the place to hang out and forget about the cold weather for an hour or so. Cowfish, like Rumba, makes use of all the fresh seafood coming out of the Shinnecock Bay. Cowfish’s menu is largely American, with a couple of curve balls thrown in. Dine on burgers, salads, chicken and steak entrees, however, the menu also features fresh, hand-made sushi rolls. The subtle wood accents at Cowfish are reminiscent of a cozy boathouse. Water views from the bar upstairs are breathtaking, so head here to watch the winter sunset.
Brewology
Bar, Pub, American, Pub Grub, $
A trip to the Hamptons would be incomplete without paying a visit to Brewology in Speonk. Settled barely outside Westhampton Beach, this gastro-pub has hopped on the craft beer train by serving 24 varying types of small-batch beers, ales, lagers, IPAs and porters, all of which accompany the avant-garde menu. Not a beer drinker? Brewology also offers wine by the glass and bottle. Open for dinner and brunch, the menu is designed to bring typical bar food to the next level. Try Brewology’s take on the Philly cheese steak, with duck breast, smoked Gouda cheese, and orange-glazed onions, reminiscent of a traditional Duck a l’Orange, but served on a warm house bun.