The JGIWC's Guide to the Hamptons

A good friend of mine is traveling to the Hamptons this weekend and recently asked me for eating and shopping advice. Because eating and shopping are the two activities that I am best at (and aside from 'sipping' and 'lying on the beach', the only two activities I do while at the Hamptons), I decided to make her a guide. And lucky for you, I decided to post it here as well!


TO EAT:

Harvest, 11 S Emory St., Montauk, (631) 668 5574

Sheer delight. The restaurant is seated atop a shallow body of water and the scenery is beyond picturesque (ask to sit near a window). The menu is plentiful and the delicacies are bar none. I’ve been going for years and will continue to for many more. MAKE RESERVATIONS.

Cittanuova, 29 Newton Lane, East Hampton, (631) 324 6300, www.cittanuova.com

Ditto to the second to last sentence above. Great salad and great pizza. Perfect lunch spot to fuel up for a day of EH shopping.

Scoop Du Jour, 37 Main Street, East Hampton, (516) 329 4883

Hmmm… last time I checked, the 516 area code was reserved for the west side of Long Island… alas, this is from Trip advisor and you won’t need to call them anyway. After your lunch at Cittanuova, you MUST stop into SDJ and get a bag of the cinnamon sugar donuts. Forget about the ice cream, it’s all about these homemade donuts. I can eat a dozen in one sitting. Oh, my gosh. My mouth is watering right now. Bring me one (or ten) back!

Bobby Van’s, 2393 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, (631) 537 0590

Standard.

Lobster Roll (AKA LUNCH), 1980 Montauk Highway, Amagansett (631) 267 3740

It’s on the side of the highway. You can’t miss it. No, really. Sit at a rickety picnic bench for one of the best down home meals of your life. This place is no frills. Put it this way: when I googled this, I was shocked to learn that these people owned a phone.

The dump across the street from Lobster Roll, definitely no phone here

Well, it’s a bit down the MH. It has a name… The Fish House, perhaps? No, I don't think that's it. Unclear. Anyway, my father tricked A and I into going there last summer by telling us that it was the hippest outdoor bar and that we would meet investment bankers. WRONG. But, they do make one hell of a frozen drink. Wear comfortable shoes as you will be standing for the duration of your stay.

The Palm at the Huntting Inn, 94 Main Street, East Hampton, (631) 324 6122

Standard #2. You can’t go wrong. Unless one of the members of your party is wearing a North Face fleece vest and shorts. Please, gentlemen… wear pants.

Wei Fun, 203 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, (631) 329 2600, www.weifun.com

This restaurant is under the same umbrella as Cittanuova. The minimalist décor and the multi-ingredient dishes are a great mix. This meal happened shortly before a run in between me and a blue Jeff Koons dog. If you read my 100 things post, you would know that this put me over the edge. Dinner at WF made it worth it.

TO BUY:

Make sure you have lots of cash... or you'll get stuck walking through the Drive Thru ATM.





J. McLaughlin, all over the Hamptons, www.jmclaughlin.com

Preppy paradise. There is literally one in each Hampton, the flagship being in South. Stop by for a great scarf or a classic cableknit.

Lilly Pulitzer, 55 Newton Lane, East Hampton, (631) 907 9112

No explanation necessary.

Blue & Cream, 60 on the Circle, East Hampton, (631) 329 1392

Not nearly as preppy as the aforementioned two, but… the Olsen twins shop here! Chock full of hard-to-find designer items.

Tory Burch, 48 Newton Lane, East Hampton, (631) 907 9150

It’s not the same as buying it at Bloomies. Trust me.

Rumrunner, 14 Main Street, East Hampton, www.rumrunnerhome.com

Hands down, the best home store in the Hampies. Also in Southampton.

Book Hampton, all over, www.bookhampton.com

If you are a bookworm like me, you must stop in. The selection is wonderful.

Calypso, 24 Jobs Lane, Southampton, (631) 283 4321

Classic. This is heaven for anyone who lives in tunics and Jack Rogers, AKA ME.

Breezin’ Up, 54 Jobs Lane, Southampton, www.breezinup.com

Also in EH. The go-to for all of your Hampton souvenir needs.


Oh, wow. Making this guide sure makes me wish I didn't have to wait until September to go back. Labor Day seems far away, my Hampies...

Until then,



TAG xxx