Summer eating in the Hamptons: Where to eat from Le Bilboquet to Union Cantina

Summer in the city means one thing: go to the beach! Here is our pick of the best new spots to hit in the Hamptons.

Armed with flatbreads, local seafood, and rustic yet delicious roasts, this new spot is set to be exactly the escape you need. Resting on a secluded hill, it has been a favourite for celebrities and high rollers since the 1940s, such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, who called it their Hamptons home. The revamped Red Maple restaurant is housed in the Chequit landmark resort on Shelter Island. With their new executive chef Gayle Scarberry in place, the menu has had an overhaul with seasonal dishes featuring ingredients including Montauk fluke, Prince Edward Island mussels and South Fork asparagus.

There is also picnic option available, where you can have a hamper made up of your favourite treats to take with you to the beach, poolside, or whatever adventure you might be getting into.

The classic Upper East Side hotspot, Le Bilboquet, is joining the cool kids and has headed to the Hamptons. Known as much for celebrity spotting as their French dishes, expect much of the same glamour and buzz at the new Sag Harbor location, that made this a social must in the city.

The menu keeps the French hits coming with dishes such as moules mariniere, foie gras, and duck. The former B Smith restaurant location has had a complete overhaul and has been nicknamed "the hottest new Hamptons opening of 2016". Billionaire owner Ron Perelman is looking to expand further afield with an Aspen, Colorado location also in the works.

Much loved Duryea's gets a Mediterranean little sister filled with fun and sophistication. Businessman Marc Rowan has opened Arbor this season with a new team of players, offering beach-front dining from local favourite and former Shelter Island’s Sunset Beach's ex-chef Pierre Sudre. The menu has dishes such as merguez with braised lentil, bell peppers, soffritto and Dijon mustard and free-range chicken with roasted potatoes, lemon and basil. Light and full of flavour, this is a menu that everyone can find something on, pairing the chilled out energy of the beach with a hint of city sophistication.

With a gorgeous outdoor garden surrounding the bar, this is the perfect spot to spend summer days and nights. Inside, find a sunken dining room with an exposed wine cellar and yet another bar. The drinks list has around 20 bottles available by the glass as well as a craft beers and expertly made cocktails.

open image in gallery

Restaurateur Stratis Morfogen brings his Flatiron Chinese spot to the Hamptons. After a Memorial Day weekend kick off, Flatiron's Jue Lan Club now has a second outpost in Southampton. Featuring some Chinese-styled classics, this new spot has opened in Circo's former home and follows a similar vibe to the original flagship.

Trying to capture an artsy yet clubby feel, this 6,000 square foot space features a nightclub (The Barn) with 200 seats plus a gallery space curated by Gruin Gallery's Emerald and Adrian Gruin, showcasing special works from Greg Haberny, Mint & Serf and never-before-seen Keith Haring. Hang out and eat small bites such as braised oxtail bao buns, chicken satay, and shrimp crystal dumplings, before putting on your dancing shoes until the wee hours of the morning.

open image in gallery

After chef Tom Colicchio's departure last year, the world waited to see who would be able to take his place at this year-round oasis of luxury at Topping Rose House. The restaurant managed to snag another big name to make sure their food game is on point. Enter Jean-Georges Vongerichten, award-winning chef and restaurateur, who will take over the kitchen housed within the 1842 Greek Revival-style mansion-turned-hotel. The menu is hyper seasonal with many of the ingredients coming from the estate's own farm.

Just 10 minutes walking distance from the Bridgehampton train station and less than a five-minute walk from the beach, the hotel has 22 guest rooms, annexes and guest cottages, as well as a pool and modern garden plus a spa and fitness centre.

open image in gallery

Armed with a new bar manager and a completely renovated dining room, the Ram's Head Inn is back and better than ever. Sitting right on the waterfront, the classic inn has been remodelled to the tune of £16,000. The Shelter Island getaway features the Harbour Hall restaurant, with world-class cuisine from chef Joe Smith which focuses on local produce and is very seafood heavy, embracing the region’s natural bounty. Using the local terrain as inspiration, the style itself falls firmly into the New American category, allowing influences from around the world to shape delicate dishes bursting with flavour.

The drinks are being looked after by mixologist Harry Brigham, who has worked in the Hamptons and New York City for several decades, and put together a new list of craft cocktails featuring seasonal flavours whenever possible.

The space had a complete makeover; updated decor features handmade-tables by the owner himself, plus carefully arranged lighting. The space is more than just a restaurant as it houses weekly wine tastings and a raw bar.

From the same restaurateur as the Southampton Social Club, this new upscale Mexican spot, Union Cantina, is full of flavour, colour, and delicious tequila and mescal. Because summer obviously means you should be drinking agave spirits, Ian Duke’s traditional Mexican taqueria helps tick that box. The extensive menu aims to cover all the bright Mexican flavours, the drinks are a huge aspect of the experience. Modelling themselves on pulquerias (taverns) of Mexico, drinks focus on fermented agave drinks served with all the style and flair we've come to expect.

Housed in the former Publik House spot, this year round eatery features Iron Chef contestant executive chef Scott Kampf – who previously worked with Duke over at Southampton Social Club – and at the former sites occupants Publick House.

For more urban food news, go to urbanologie.com