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Each summer season brings ambitious new restaurants to the Hamptons, and despite a staffing shortage and rising food costs, this year is no exception. From romantic waterfront spots to a Mexican cantina to new outposts of Italian favorites, there are spots to discover from Westhampton to Montauk to the North Fork. Keep in mind that some establishments are not yet open and dates may change.
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Fauna
Chef Starr Boggs owned what was long considered the most high-end restaurant in Westhampton, and after he passed away this year, Root Hospitality — which owns Rumba and Cowfish in Hampton Bays — took over. Now reopened as Fauna, the new American menu offers up appetizers like roasted red pepper gnudi and entrees such as basil-seared halibut with bacon lardons. There will also be sharable steaks. 6 Parlato Drive, Westhampton Beach
Restaurant at Canoe Place
Relais & Châteaux chef Ülfet Ralph, who previously ran the kitchen at Magee Homestead in Wyoming, will bring a Mediterranean menu to the Canoe Place’s unnamed restaurant slated to debut in August. There will be pastas, pizzas, and local seafood, some utilizing live-fire cooking methods at this new waterfront resort. 239 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays
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Crash Cantina
An open-air Latin American restaurant will be the culinary draw at another new Hampton Bays resort. At the Inn Spot, diners can take in the water views while eating Montauk fluke ceviche, duck confit sopes, and apple cider smoked chicken with mole verde — along with margaritas flavored with tamarind, pineapple, or hibiscus. 32 Lighthouse Road, Hampton Bays
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Lobster Roll
The Napeague fish shack referred to as “Lunch’’ because of its outdoor signage was so iconic it was featured in HBO’s The Affair. After 57 years, it has finally branched out to a new location, and Lobster Roll has taken over what was Southampton’s Princess Diner for decades. In addition to cold and hot versions of the mayonnaise-laced crustacean sandwich, favorites include fried clams, seafood chili, and crab cake. 32 Montauk Highway, Southampton
Enchanté
The popular Red Bar Brasserie in Southampton closed three years ago and the space, with its generous outdoor patio, remained vacant until this year. Entrepreneur Heath Freeman, who’s also behind the popular East Hampton spot Si Si, took it over and it is slated to morph into a French bistro called Enchanté this summer. Gallic classics such as onion soup, escargots, dry-aged duck, and lobster frites, a beach-worthy variation on a classic. 210 Hampton Road, Southampton
Dopo Il Ponte
Maurizio Marfoglia is the chef and restaurateur behind the chic Dopo La Spiaggia in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, and Argento in Southampton — all celebrity magnets with tough-to-score tables. He has now taken over the space that housed World Pie on Bridgehampton’s Main Street. Dopo Il Ponte will be more casual and gently priced compared to Marfoglia’s other ventures. A wood-burning oven turns out thin-crust and New York-style pizzas. Pastas and other entrees like chicken paillard round out the menu. 2402 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton
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Sant Ambroeus
After 27 years, Babette’s in East Hampton said farewell last year and now Sant Ambroeus has taken its prime space in town. It’s an ideal people-watching spot from this popular Italian restaurant, which already has a location in Southampton and is known for its Milanese fare. There are plans to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner — and of course, spectacular baked goods. 66 Newtown Lane, East Hampton
Tutto Caffe
Gaby Karan’s stylish Tutto Il Giorno restaurant, which already has locations in Southampton and Sag Harbor, will open a more relaxed cafe in East Hampton. Tutto Caffe specializes in coffee and pastries in the morning, and lighter fare, from salads to seafood, in the afternoon and evening. There will also be a large selection of wines by the glass. 55 Main Street, East Hampton
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Sunset Harbor
The former Harbor Grill has one of the best sunset views in the area from its waterfront perch on Three Mile Harbor. It’s been renamed Sunset Harbor, of course. The new restaurant’s menu includes shrimp scampi topped with fresh crab; mussel cazuela with coconut broth and chorizo; and seafood fra diavolo with squid ink rigatoni. Local fish will also appear in sushi offerings. 313 Three Mile Harbour Hog Creek Road, East Hampton
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O by Kissaki
Italian cuisine will meld with Japanese at the latest version of Garry Kanfer’s juggernaut that now has two Hampton locations. Chef Chris Jaeckle will present the itameshi hybrid in O by Kissaki’s casual, modern ocean blue setting, offering such dishes as spaghetti with smokey, creamy dashi; paccheri with duck ragout; and spicy pink crab with chiles. 47 Montauk Highway, East Hampton
Little Ruby’s Montauk
The all day Australian cafe Ruby’s, which has three branches in Manhattan, is taking over the dining space at Ruschmeyer’s on Memorial Day with Little Ruby’s Montauk. Chef Jon Meragiglia — a veteran of Le Bernardin, Cafe Boulud Palm Beach, and Bouchon Beverly Hills — will be dishing up favorites like crispy rice salad; crab linguini; and chicken avocado salad. 161 Second House Road, Montauk
Rooted Cafe
Stephanie Williams and Demi Gonzalez, the private-dining team known for their curated dinners, have found a home on the Montauk docks where they will open the all day cafe Rooted Cafe, serving bowls of couscous and chickpeas with sweet potato and tahini; charcuterie boards; and lamb meatballs. There will also be caviar service, and the space will be used as a wine bar at night. 440 West Lake Drive, Montauk
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Roberta’s
Roberta’s co-founders Brandon Hoy and Carlo Mirarchi have transformed the former Arbor space in Montauk for a new outpost of their Bushwick-born pizzeria. Apart from the fan-favorite Neapolitan pies, pastas with local seafood, and whole fish cooked in a wood-fired oven are also on the menu. 240 Fort Pond Road, Montauk
The Tavern
Noah Schwartz, one of the pioneers of the North Fork dining scene, will be running the food and beverage program at the freshly renovated Chequit on Shelter Island. On the new American menu, Schwartz’s celebrated filet mignon sliders and pulled duck barbecue will share a menu with homemade pastas, raw bar items such as sea scallop crudo, and seasonal specials at this room with a large center bar, wraparound porch, and antique billiard table. 23 Grand Avenue, Shelter Island Heights
Little Fish
The family behind the hopping 668 Gig Shack in Montauk is taking its global surf cuisine to the North Fork. Across from Kenny’s Beach, Little Fish will have large windows for optimal views, and a kitchen run by former Greenport Brewery chef Gregory Ling. Look for Montauk favorites like the lobster roll on a croissant and fish tacos, along with new selections such as jumbo lump crab rangoon with mascarpone. 50 North Sea Road, Southold
Southold Social
François Payard, who served as pastry chef at Le Bernardin and Daniel before running his own New York bakeries, has opened a new bistro on the North Fork called Southold Social. The Nice-born chef, who trained at Le Tour D’Argent in Paris and received a James Beard award while at Daniel, is partnering with North Fork restaurateur Adam Lovett for this project. Francois Latapie, of Little Frog on the Upper East Side, will oversee the wine program. 56125 Main Road, Southold
Eater New York will update this list throughout the summer.