Not to be overshadowed by the hipness of Montauk or the history of Sag Harbor, Southampton offers a ton of options for restaurants and bars. Located along the southwestern edge of the Hamptons, the Town of Southampton covers a large area that includes its own downtown as well as hamlets and villages like Quogue and Hampton Bays. This means there’s plenty of geography to explore when seeking something to eat. Whether you’re looking for fresh-caught seafood, house-made ice cream, or just a cold beer at a pub, here are the best restaurants in Southampton.
Best Date Night: Red Bar Brasserie
What to order: Miso-crusted tilefish with ginger, garlic and soy
This repurposed Hamptons house has brought in classy touches like tufted leather bench seating, a full mahogany bar, and even an old-school neon sign marking the entrance. But the menu at Red Bar Brasserie, which includes Italian, American and French cuisines, will give your date night an extra bit of culinary surprise. There’s also an adventurous dessert menu.
Best Ice Cream: Sip‘n Soda
What to order: A malted shake with any of the house-made ice cream flavors
Is there anything better than an old-school soda fountain? Honestly, not really. And with its nostalgia-inducing shakes — whipped up with house-made ice cream and served in classic fluted sundae glasses — Sip’n Soda is an ideal place to wind down your evening, or wind up your afternoon.
Best If You Can’t Decide Between Steak or Fish: Cowfish
What to order: Seared ahi tuna with pineapple coconut fried rice
One look at the logo for Cowfish, and you’ll either be pumped or assume the restaurant has a bit of an identity crisis. But with a menu that’s equal parts steakhouse and fish house, this dinner spot will give anyone a great choice. This bayside restaurant offers a killer brunch menu and a full spread of sushi, too.
Best Lunch: Dockers Waterside
What to order: The bigeye tuna BLT with wasabi mayo (turkey’s got nothing on this)
When in the Hamptons, do as the summerers do — which in this case means lunching along the water. Dockers Waterside is a classic Hamptons restaurant that also sends its food truck all over the area. Go for the lobster roll or the brunchy entrées, and stay for a glass of local vino.
Best Views: Sundays on the Bay
What to order: The flounder parmesan
Waterside, sunset seating is the pinnacle of Hamptons ambiance, and you can bet you’ll get a good look at Sundays on the Bay (it’s even in the name). With vacation-y cocktails like a spicy melon martini, and daily happy hour food specials, you’ll want to pull up a chair before 6 p.m. and stay right through sunset.
Best Breakfast: Beth’s Café
What to order: Lemon ricotta pancakes with fresh blueberry sauce
Whoever said breakfast is the most important meal of the day must have been talking about Beth’s Café in Quogue. Menu highlights include the eggs Benedict, an asparagus omelet, and even gluten-free, buckwheat pancakes. With all that, this place is just as much a diner as it is farm-to-table.
Best for Pub Fare: Southampton Publick House
What to order: The flat iron gorgonzola steak with frizzled onions
With a properly diverse beer selection, Southampton Publick House is a great place for a pint. But dig deeper into the German-meets-coastal menu, and you’ll find plenty of sustenance to keep you sipping through another round (or two).
Best for Mexican & Tequila: Union Cantina
What to order: An apple cider margarita and all the tacos
It’s hard to truly mess up Mexican food. But when you find a spot that does the cuisine well, and that offers a deep (like, seriously deep) spread of sippable tequilas, you’ll want to make it a fixture. Union Cantina makes a mean taco, for sure, but be sure to dip back into the hidden 400 Rabbits speakeasy for a sampling of the 100-strong tequila list — whether it’s Taco Tuesday or not.
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