Headed to the Hamptons
This quintessentially elite escape has plenty for every set of New Yorker. It’s best enjoyed with a group of your favorite friends — especially the ones who enjoy eating seafood. It’s beautiful in the summer, obviously, but don’t discount it in the off season, either.
Distance from NYC: Around 100 miles, depending on your final destination in the Hamptons.
How to Get There: The options are (almost) endless. Hop on the classic Jitney, which departs from many locations every few hours or so, grab a seat (or, on busy weekends, a bit of standing room) on the LIRR, or pack up a car with your crew and hit the I-495.
Where to Stay: There’s no lack of great hotels and accommodations in the Hamptons, but we’re partial to The Roundtree Amagansett, where they’re known for tranquility and exceptional service (oh, and the farm-to-table spot Nourish by The Roundtree – more on that below). Or, stay at the Topping Rose House, a luxury 19th-century mansion hotel with dining courtesy of Jean-Georges at Topping Rose House.
Stop #1: If you’re hopping on the LIRR, your best bet is to grab something for breakfast from Penn Station or Moynihan Train Hall before you depart. We’re partial to the always reliable Maman, which serves a long list of pastries, a rotating daily quiche, and breakfast sandwiches.
For the Hampton Jitney, you can board in a number of places, but two of the most popular are the stop at 3rd Ave and E. 40th Street and the one at Lexington Ave and 59th Street. For the former, put your nervously early energy to good use at the Tartinery on Park Avenue (a six-minute walk from the stop) for a croque madame tartine, or stop by Katagiri on 41st Street near Lexington Avenue to load up on onigiri from Omusubi Gonbei. At the latter, opt for the 2 p.m. departure so you can enjoy a meal at Serendipity 3 beforehand — it should include the trademark Frrrozen Hot Chocolate no matter what time you’re there.
If you’re driving, stopping for lunch around halfway will put you right at the Great Neck location of Peter Luger. Who could say no to a legendary burger like that?
Stop #2: After all that traveling, we think you deserve a drink. Take your crew and head for one of the many wineries on Long Island, from the Krissie Wines Peconic Bay Vineyard to the Wölffer Estate Vineyard. You can reserve tasting or tour experiences for both of these (and more) on Tock. Even if you’re abstaining, the bucolic views will make you forget you just spent hours in a car or on a train.
Stop #3: Keep the good vibes going! Pop by the speakeasy-esque bar and rooftop lounge at the Sag Harbor Cinema’s Green Room (walk-ins only) for pre-dinner drinks, where the cocktails are themed (think “G&T Phone Home” and “The Rum Also Rises”) and the happy hour includes $10 chips and dip.
Stop #4: Make a reservation at Le Bilboquet Sag Harbor for dinner. You’ve come all this way — now it’s time to splurge. Order the seafood tower piled high with lobster and oysters, the Cajun chicken, and a baguette with French butter. Oh, and anything with caviar. The only thing better than the bites are the views.
More Highlights:
We’d recommend staying a few days so you have a chance to try all the superb restaurants and take in all the coastal views.
It’s probably been a while since you were at summer camp, but Camp Rubirosa will help you fall right back into the routine with their tie-dye pies and s’mores.
At Nourish in The Roundtree Amagansett hotel, chef Dewa Wijaya is cooking a menu that highlights both Hamptons’ produce and his Balinese heritage, and Takuma Watanabe, the founder of Manhattan’s acclaimed cocktail bar Martiny’s, is behind the bar.
Finally, the Hamptons pop-up of Wayan is in its fourth year running, and you can arrive by boat. Need we say more?
And should you need even more dining recs for the Hamptons, we’ve got you covered.
